10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Amelia

A soft knock on my office door pulled me out of my head.

I'd just been composing a Christmas email to our customers for my boss. Channelling the magical feeling of Desmond's and my first kiss had put me in the perfect mood.

Soppy is acceptable for the occasion, right ?

"Oh, hi," I sighed in a breathy voice that made me want to vanish on the spot.

He didn't seem to mind how stupid I sounded.

"Hey, how was your weekend?" Stepping closer with a big smile on his face, he tilted his upper body a little nearer to me. "The rest of it, I mean."

"Uneventful." I gave him a tiny shrug, not daring to say any more or touch him. "Yours?"

"Oh, Saturday was definitely the highlight of my weekend. The entire year, come to think of it."

His hot smile had me in shambles.

"What are you up to?" he asked, inching his head at my screen.

"Uh, I'm trying to draft an email to our customers, for Christmas," I added unnecessarily.

"Is it working?"

"I think so, want to read it?"

Desmond nodded and stepped closer, his body almost brushing against mine when he squeezed his bulk past me.

His eyes flitted over the document, and the more he read, the more his lips curled back in a smile.

"That's amazing, Mia," he said in awe. "I love how you paint pictures with your words."

There was no note of teasing in his voice, on the contrary.

He means it.

"Thanks," I muttered, feeling my face grow warmer.

Ugh, stop it, body! It's getting old !

"I'm all up for another walk in the snow with you, by the way," Desmond said in an undertone, worrying his lip with one sharp canine and dipping his chin at the email.I'd tried to transport the magical feeling of our walk and the falling snow in the dark.

"I hope the snow stays for a bit longer then."

"Same." He gave me a secretive little wink and held my gaze for a long moment.

"Oh, I almost forgot. You're here for the shortbread, aren't you?" I blurted out, breaking our eye contact.

Darn it! He makes me nervous.

"You told me to come here and get some, but no, not really," he mumbled as he pushed past me again.

I had never been as carefree about my own desires as Aspen or the limited number of friends I had had, but right now I was sure of one thing.

Desmond can definitely get some.

"I made a fresh batch yesterday." Grabbing the tin from my drawer and opening the lid, I held it out to him.

"I'd love to try the cookie, then."

He bridged the distance between us with a shuffling step, picked a piece of shortbread and popped it into his mouth.

"Mmh, oh my God, Mia," he moaned with delight, sending a flash of heat through my entire body.

"You like it?" I rasped.

"It's fucking perfect. The best I ever had. Much like our kiss," he added in a whisper. "I should have known since you made it." He clapped a hand to his forehead in mock self-deprecation, but his smile stayed soft and true.

Perfect and the best he ever had? Sounds about right.

"Are you free for more lessons on Saturday? We didn't really fix anything so I was just wondering. There are a few things I wanted to ask you," I pressed on only for him to almost interrupt me.

"Of course! I am always free for you, and you can have anything you need from me. Need to know. I mean—" He cleared his throat, his triangular eyes twitching rather violently. "You can ask me anything you want to know," he clarified, sounding exasperated.

I pressed my lips together to stifle my grin.

Are we on the same page then, Desmond?

"Miss Hendry?" Carson's door opened and he entered my office. "Oh, Murray. You're back?"

"Yes sir." Desmond straightened up and righted the badge he wore around his neck with an adorkable picture of his younger self on it. "I was just passing by and saw that Miss Hendry was in. I just had to see if she had any more of that delicious shortbread she gave me to try the other day."

My boss's face relaxed.

"Ah, I see. Yes, it's wonderful, isn't it?"

He looked at me out of the corners of his eyes. "It is, yes."

I would never have said it out loud in case I made a fool of myself but I was sure he wasn't talking about the shortbread.

"Would you like a piece of shortbread with your coffee, Mr Carson?"

"Ah, yes, that would be… Yes, thank you. How is the email coming along? "

"I'm almost done with it. One final read-through before I can send it to you for review, sir."

"Perfect. Thank you, Miss Hendry. What would I do without you?" He gave me a fatherly smile, nodded at Desmond, and then disappeared back in his office.

"I'm so sorry," he mouthed, looking guilty at me.

"It's all right," I whispered back, opened the drawer and pulled out the tin. "Here, take a few. I can always make another batch."

Desmond grabbed a handful, coming extra close.

"See you on Saturday? Same time?"

"Yes, please."

Can't wait!

He gave me a bright eyed, slightly maniacal smile, popped a piece of shortbread into his mouth and left. Not without halting for a moment in the doorway and throwing me another glance over his shoulder, the grin now permanently etched on his face.