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“I…I didn’t get you anything. I didn’t realize we were…”
Exchanging gifts. Thinking of each other with anything other than mild hostility and animosity.
Jay waved me off. “I didn’t expect you to. Just wanted to give you something nice for the holidays. It’s your first year at the department and you’ve put up with a lot so…you deserved a treat.”
He met my gaze with a small smile playing across his lips that had my brain buzzing with static. All I could think about was closing his office door, drawing the blinds, and standing between his knees as he skimmed his hand up my thigh, smiling at me like that.
I shook my head, banishing that fantasy.
“Why do I feel like there’s a catch somewhere that you’re not telling me about?” I asked.
Jay spread his hands. “Can’t I do something nice for a change?”
We were bickering again. Goading each other. Dancing around each other with enough sexual tension in the air that we were practically swimming in it.
“I don’t see you going through this much trouble with your male co-workers.”
Jay shrugged. “Their tastes aren’t as refined as yours. They’re happy with whoopee cushions, beer, and a free cable subscription for a year so they can watch football.” He regarded me for a moment then tilted his head. “How would you feel about going to the firehouse Christmas party with me as my date?”
I blinked at him in surprise. Had I heard him right? As hisdate?
“You can’t be serious,” I replied.
“Why not?”
I pushed the box of chocolates at him.
“If the only reason you gave me these was to butter me up in the hopes I’d say yes, you can eat them yourself.”
I made a point to avoid mentioning the lingerie. If he gave me that in the hopes I’d wear it for him, he would be very disappointed.
Slowly, Jay rose from his chair. He was tall - a full head and a half taller than me - and thanks to his career, he was broad in the chest, muscled arms straining at his sleeves.
“What happened to our truce?” he asked.
“I found out it had fine print,” I shot back.
Under normal circumstances, I would have reported Jay to HR - and the police - long ago. But I kept finding myself circling back to him. I still thought he was irritating, and cocky, and far too full of himself. And yet, I couldn't deny the magnetic pull of my body toward him, no matter how hard I tried to fight it. In the small space of his office, with his presence taking up so much space, only a few inches between us, my mouth had gone dry and my knees were rubbery.
“If you already have a date, you can just say so,” Jay replied.
“I don’t have a - ”
I stopped, swallowing the last of my sentence. Too late. Jay already figured it out and the corner of his mouth twitched with a smile.
“Keep the chocolates,” he said. “Our truce still stands.”
“And the Christmas party?”
He slid his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels.
“Of course I’ll see you there. We work together.”
That sounded…perfectly reasonable. I couldn’t find any innuendo or hidden message or underlying double meaning to it.
“Yes,” I said slowly. “I guess you’re…”
I trailed off. Jay raised his eyebrows with amusement.
