The Night Before Christmas: Naughty Christmas Nights / The Nightshift Before Christmas / 'Twas the Week Before Christmas

“How sweet.” She reached forward with two fingers and slid her glass of leftover melted ice cream back toward her, out of his reach. “You memorized my promotional materials. Did you also notice that my designs are the perfect look for Cherry Bella?”

“Well, c’mon,” he said, his smile teasing and light, even though his eyes were narrowed now, a little more watchful and a little less charming. “Cherry Bella’s the kind of woman who can wear anything and make it look great. And she’s going to be the total focus of the spring line. The clothes will barely be noticed.”

“My designs always get noticed.”

“Sure they do. I’m not saying they’re not great. They are. But c’mon, we both know leather gets more looks than froth.”

He was so sure he was going to win, he’d just given her the pity look. The oh-so-sorry-you’re-a-distant-second look. She’d seen that look so often in her life, she’d have thought she was immune.

Except when it was on Gage’s face.

Her jaw tight, Hailey had to work to keep her expression polite, when all she wanted to do was stick out her tongue, dump her melted ice cream in his lap and storm out.

She’d be damned if the sexiest man she’d ever met was going to think she wasn’t good enough. Even if he was no longer in the running to find out just how good she really was.

“Are you trying to say my designs aren’t good enough to get this deal when they’re up against yours?”

“I didn’t say that.” His frown was a flash, gone in a blink. But she caught the surprise in it and realized he’d not only thought she wasn’t good enough, he’d also thought she was a wimp-girl. As fluffy and frothy and fragile as her designs.

A lifetime of never being quite enough had, if nothing else, taught her to fight like hell for what she wanted. So before he could respond, she leaned forward and offered her sexiest smile. Her eyes locked on his, she trailed her fingers over the back of his hand in a soft, teasing gesture, then arched her brow.

“But that’s what you meant.” Hiding both her hurt and her frustration, she gave a pitying shake of her head. “A shame, really. Because if you’d played your cards differently, you’d have been able to find out firsthand just how fabulous my lingerie is.”

* * *

VISIONS OF HAILEY’S curvy little body packaged in shimmering lace and delicate ribbons danced through Gage’s brain like tempting sugarplums.

Visions he’d been damned close to seeing in real life.

He’d been so sure when he walked in here that he could charm her into stepping aside. He’d made a few phone calls, called in a couple of favors and lined up a handful of potential clients for her. Nothing as big as Rudolph in terms of prestige. But some solid deals that could keep her in sexy shoes for a while.

She had a good product, but she was still up-and-coming. Not quite in the same league as Milano. He’d figured she’d be so grateful, they’d not only keep their dinner date, but hurry right through so they could get to the dessert he’d been thinking about.

All he had to do was dish up a little charm, weave his marketing magic and ta-da. He’d be licking chocolate off her belly.

Instead, he’d barely warmed up when Hailey flashed those big green eyes at him and he’d totally forgotten his plan. That had never happened before. He’d had women flash their breasts in the middle of a sales pitch and he hadn’t missed a beat.

But now, with his freedom on the line, he’d stepped all over his own tongue. Nothing like coming off as an arrogant ass to tip his hand and piss her off. He’d already lost his shot at seeing her naked. Time to table the idea of dinner, and dessert, and just get her to agree to give up the Rudolph deal. That way he could get the contracts nailed down before ole Rudy decided to add another twist or drag it out further. Then Gage could keep his own client appointments and maybe still get in a little holiday vacation.

Noting the chill in her eyes as she pulled out her wallet to pay for the ice cream, he figured he’d better do it before she walked out.

It was going to take some quick talking.

And some clever marketing.

Good thing he was good at both.

“I already know firsthand how great your lingerie is.” He waited a beat, enjoying the way her eyes widened and a hint of pink touched her cheeks. Unable to resist, his gaze dropped to her chest. Completely covered to her chin in a black turtleneck, he could still imagine how she’d looked Saturday night. “You have a distinct sense of style, and now that I think about it, your elf outfit featured pieces of your lingerie line, didn’t it?”

Like that bustier. The candy-cane-striped one that’d made his tongue ache to lick her.

“It did,” she agreed slowly, as if not sure she wanted to trust him. Gage had to hand it to her; she looked like a china doll, but she was damned smart.

“I’m impressed. Most men don’t notice what a girl’s wearing, let alone remember and recognize pieces of it days later.”

“You made quite an impression. Even if I’d known we were competitors, I’m sure I’d still have hit on you, but I might have been a little more aware that this could get awkward.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, her words as sweet as the hot fudge on the edge of the ice-cream glass. She reached out to touch her finger to the thick chocolate, then pressed it to her tongue. His brain shut down. Gage didn’t know whether she’d done it because she was nervous or because she just knew it was the perfect way to torture him. Either way, the south side of his body took a quick leap north.

“You don’t know?” he repeated, totally forgetting what they’d been discussing. Something about lingerie, probably.

“I don’t know that this is awkward, really. More like a disappointment. I mean, we’re both trying to win the same contract. That means our dinner date is off.” As Gage was trying to find some appreciation for her practical acceptance of that, she gave a deep sigh that pressed her full chest against that lucky black fabric—and made the blood flow to his dick.

It was that rush of blood that inspired his next words.

“I don’t think it has to be quite as cut-and-dried as that,” he argued. “You can take my offer, reel in some big clients and everyone’s happy. Then we can play the rest of the game just fine.”

“You see this as a game?”

“The contract?” he asked. “Or our date?”

Her laugh was a soft puff of air, barely there and not enough to reach her eyes.

“Well, I guess that answers that.”

“I’m just saying I don’t think we need to let this contract business get in the way of any potential pleasure between us,” he heard himself propositioning. This was the first time his dick had ever taken direct control of his brain and had him saying things he knew were insane. Gage wasn’t sure if he should be impressed or terrified.

“Well, that does sound tempting,” Hailey agreed, her look so warm and sexy that he decided terrified was the wisest choice.

“But I’ve got to ask,” she continued, turning the ice-cream glass in slow circles, its tempting fudge and just a smidgen of whipped cream on the side making him crazy with hunger. “Are you comfortable in second place? Because I plan to win that contract.”

It took him three whole seconds to rip his gaze off her full lips and realize what she’d said.

She thought she could beat him?

Hell, all she had to do was take a deep breath and he’d be so focused on her body, she just might have a shot at it.

“Babe, you might want to rethink your plan.” Despite feeling as if he’d fallen off a very unfamiliar cliff, Gage gave her a cocky smile. “I never lose.”

He knew that statement edged him over into total ass territory. But dammit, he was rattled.

Since this was a first, he clearly wasn’t handling it well.

“Rethink my plan?” Her thick lashes fluttered over those big, round eyes, but she didn’t look intimidated. Nope. If anything, Hailey appeared irritated. “In what way do you think it needs rethunk?”

Was that even a word? From the way she’d lifted her sharp chin, and arched one brow, Hailey looked as though she was challenging him to question it.

Gage shook his head, trying to bring his thoughts back in line. This wasn’t about words, silly or otherwise. This was about her potential disappointment.

He might have had to kiss goodbye all of the prurient sexual plans he had for her body, but he wasn’t the kind of guy who took his disappointment out on a lady.

He liked to think he was too chivalrous for that.

So he decided to warn her instead. Hopefully keep her from getting her hopes up too high.

“You’re clearly the kind of gal who throws herself into things wholeheartedly,” he observed. From the tiny furrow between her brows, he figured he’d hit the mark, and she wasn’t exactly thrilled to be read that easily. No surprise. Most of his competitors weren’t. “But in this case, you’d do better to have a backup plan.”

“Because you’re so sure you’re going to win.”

“I’m just saying I don’t want to see you disappointed,” he told her, his smile as soothing as the hand he gently glided over her arm.

Her green eyes chilled and she shifted her arm to one side. Only a few inches, but enough to make it clear that touching her had just made the off-limits list.

“Ooh,” she said, drawing the word out in a husky tone that made him think of bedtime moans and whispered words in the dark. She tilted her head to one side and nodded. “So you don’t want me to be disappointed.”

Never taking her eyes from his, she grabbed her jacket and purse from the seat beside her and slid from the booth. Her body moved with a grace that made it impossible for him to look away, even as manners automatically kicked in and sent him to his feet, as well.

Her lips flicked in a satisfied smile, as if she’d expected nothing less.

Then, in a move as deliberate as it was bold, her gaze slowly—oh, baby, so painfully slowly—drifted down his body. When she reached his zipper, and every wonderful thing contained therein, she gave a sad sort of shake of her head, then looked him in the eye.

“Since our date, and any other plans that it might have led to, are clearly canceled, I’m sure the odds of my being disappointed just plummeted.”

With that perfect put-down, and a smile more wicked than a woman with a face as sweet as hers should be allowed, Hailey turned on one sexy heel and walked away.

Leaving Gage to stare at her very fine ass while trying to pull his jaw off the floor.

6

THE MAN WAS pond scum. Worse, he was sexy pond scum disguised as temptation. And he was so damned sure he was going to sweep in and snag the contract. Hailey ground her teeth, still pissed. A good night’s sleep might have helped, but she’d spent the night having erotic dreams of Gage, covered in sexy pond scum that looked a lot like his Grinch fur.

Damn him.

There was no way she was letting him take this contract from her. No way in hell.

Hailey stepped into Rudy Rudolph’s office riding high on a righteous anger, a double caramel latte and the feminine confidence only great lingerie and a new pair of shoes could offer.

The black leather of her double-strap Mary Janes was a perfect contrast to her red tights and purple knit slip dress. She’d offset the aggressive colors by pulling her hair back in a loose braid, letting tendrils curl around her face. As accents, she’d assured herself. Not for something to hide behind.

“Miss North, welcome.”

“Call me Hailey,” she told the bald little man for the tenth time. Her smile stiffened when she saw that Gage was already there.

Not only there, she noted, narrowing her eyes. But there, cozied up in the seating area by the window. Right next to a buxom redhead who looked as if she ate sexy guys for breakfast and snacked on the more adventurous ones for dessert.

Hailey’s fashion eye took in the woman’s expensive dress, a Zac Posen cloque in gunmetal, paired with a droolworthy pair of matching Louboutins. You couldn’t begrudge the woman’s excellent taste. In clothes, shoes or—Hailey noted as the redhead reached over to lay her hand on Gage’s wrist—in men.

“Have a seat, Hailey. Can I get you a drink?”

Gage and the redhead still ignoring her, Hailey refused Rudy’s offer, her fingers gripping her leather portfolio bag’s handle so tight she was surprised the stitches didn’t fall out.

“Cherry,” Rudy called as he ushered Hailey across the room. “Here she is. The owner and designer of Merry Widow Lingerie, Hailey North. As you can see, she’s just as fetching as her designs.”

The redhead rose, a slow sinuous move that in the end had her towering over Hailey’s petite frame. It was easy to see why Rudolph wanted her as the face of his spring campaign. She was the embodiment of smoldering sexuality.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bella,” Hailey said, her words stiffer than she’d like. Because Gage was giving her that smug look, she told herself. Not because the woman had just been touching a guy Hailey herself wanted to lick like a melting Popsicle.

“I love your designs,” Cherry said, her trademark voice husky and low, more suited for a dim, smoky bar than a business meeting. But her smile was genuine, and her grasp warm and friendly as she took Hailey’s hand. Not to shake. Just to hold for a second, as if making a connection while pulling her over and gesturing that Hailey take the seat next to her. “You create the most romantic celebration of femininity I’ve ever seen. I’m awed.”

Oh.

Her throat tightened. It was enough to make a girl cry.

“And such a contrast to the raw power of Milano’s designs,” Cherry continued, sliding into her chair with a boneless sort of grace. “Also a celebration of the female form, but with a very different message.”

And that was enough to make a girl want to throw things.

For once, just once, Hailey wanted to be the clear choice. The one someone wanted most. But hey, a lifetime of coming in second, third and fourth best taught a girl a few things about sticking with it.

So she kept her big smile in place and sat, not nearly as gracefully, beside Cherry.

“If you don’t mind my asking, which do you think suits you best?” Hailey heard herself ask. She barely refrained from biting her lip to try to snap the words back. She’d planned to be charming, persuasive and subtle. Like her designs.

But Cherry didn’t seem offended. Instead, she laughed and gave a noncommittal shrug. “I’m a multifaceted woman. Choosing isn’t a simple thing. Much, always, depends on my mood.”

Hailey almost pointed out that her designs suited a variety of moods, while Milano’s only suited the kinkier ones. But this time she managed to keep her mouth closed.

Instead, she—finally—let herself look at Gage.

His dark eyes were aimed right at her, a small smile playing over those sexy lips. As if he were looking into her mind and poking through her plans and ideas, preparing to blow them all to teeny-tiny pieces.

Yet, she still wanted him.

If she closed her eyes, she could still taste that kiss. Could still feel the touch of his fingers against her skin. Remember the scent of his cologne, the feel of his hair.

No, no, no. The man was a shark, she reminded herself. Not Prince Charming. He’d eat her up in one bite.

An idea which really shouldn’t turn her on.

“Let’s get started, shall we? Cherry’s expressed her preferences between the other choices.” Rudy went on to name the lines Cherry had chosen.

Hailey almost jumped out of her chair to do a happy dance when Vivo wasn’t among them. They were all strong designers, but none so out there that her lingerie wouldn’t complement them. Of course, none were so conservative that Milano’s wouldn’t work, either. But Hailey was going to ignore that for right now.

“Yours is the final line Cherry needs to review before we settle on the spring lineup,” Rudy continued. Playing waiter with a dapper flair, he set a Plexiglas tray on the small table centered between their four chairs, motioned to the coffee, tea and juice as if encouraging everyone to help themselves.

When nobody did, he snagged a Christmas cookie shaped like a reindeer, bit its head off and gestured with its body. “I’d like the two of you to give a final pitch. Tell us why your design is perfect for Cherry Bella and Rudolph department stores.”

“Ladies first,” Gage said before Hailey could do more than take a nervous breath.

She gave him a look, intending to say something—anything—that’d put him in his place and let him know that he wasn’t running this show.

But the second her eyes met his, her brain shut down. She hated that. But her body—oh, her body—it loved the results. Big-time.

Her heart did a little dance in perfect time with the nerves swirling around in her stomach. She could stare into his eyes for hours. Days, even. Nights would be even better. She wanted to see those eyes heat again, darken with desire and smolder with passion. Like they’d done when he’d kissed her.

She wet her lips, remembering his taste. The texture of his mouth. The sweep of his tongue.

“Hailey?”

“Hmm?” She blinked. Then she blinked again, her eyes widening in horror before she ripped them from Gage to focus on the man with the giant checkbook and the key to her future. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Why don’t you go ahead and make your pitch.”

She wanted to suggest that Gage go first instead. She wanted to ask for a bucket of ice. She could barely think straight with her brain locked in horny mode. But they were all gazing at her expectantly and she didn’t want to make waves. Or worse, look as though she wasn’t grateful for this opportunity.

Deep breaths and don’t look at Gage, she instructed herself.

Okay, then...

She’d spent all night obsessing over this. Now that it was time to pitch it, she hoped like hell she’d obsessed in the right direction.

“Clearly you have two very strong lingerie lines to choose from,” Hailey said, starting her pitch by offering Gage her first smile, then going right back to trying to pretend he wasn’t there. “The question is, which one do you think is going to garner the best publicity and success for both Rudolph department stores and for Cherry Bella?

“Your theme for spring is A New You. Your strategy is to inspire makeovers, redos and taking chances. And where better to begin such a journey than with how a woman feels about herself. Lingerie goes beyond physical support. It provides emotional support. The right lingerie inspires a woman to believe in herself. It validates her femininity. Merry Widow Lingerie is more than a fashion statement. It’s an empowerment statement.”

Hailey paused, gauging their expressions. The interest in Rudy’s combined with the agreement in Cherry’s was great. But it was the concern on Gage’s that rocked her. With that as encouragement, she continued her presentation. She pulled out graphs and sales figures, passed around a few samples of the merchandise in all its frothy lace beauty and put her entire heart into the pitch.

“It really comes down to messaging,” she wound up. “What message do you want to send women, and what message do you think women will respond best to? I think you’ll find that romance, with its empowering belief in love and happy results, will be a stronger selling point.”

Pleased with her speech, and that she could sit back down and pretend she wasn’t nervous enough to hurl, Hailey offered Rudy and Cherry a warm smile. Then, her body boneless, she slid into the chair next to Gage’s. As soon as she did, he stood. Clearly he wanted to erase her impression as quickly as possible from the others’ minds.

“Since it’s just the four of us, let’s be honest,” Gage said in a persuasively amused tone. “We all know what sells. Especially when it comes to lingerie.”

“And that is?” Cherry asked, clearly not willing to let him take the easy way through his pitch.

“Sex. Empowerment and emotions are all great between the pages of a book or at a self-help seminar. But nobody thinks that when they are buying lingerie. What women, and more importantly men, are thinking about when they look for lingerie is sex.”

Hailey’s mouth dropped open. It took her a solid five seconds to force it closed.

He’d thrown her under the bus. For the first time since she’d seen him all wrapped up in that green fur costume, she wanted to kick him. Gage wasn’t the Grinch, she realized. He was a flat-out shark. A shark standing there in a very expensive suit, looking as though he owned the whole damned world.

“Now, as sweet and appealing as Merry Widow’s lingerie is, let’s face it...there’s nothing that says sex like black leather.” To emphasize his point, Gage lifted a presentation board from his portfolio and continued his pitch. Hailey barely heard him, though; she was too busy focusing on the photo of a leggy redheaded model swathed in leather and holding a microphone, a blatant play to Cherry.

To try to keep from hissing at being dismissed as sweet and appealing, as if those were stupid things, Hailey shifted her gaze toward Rudy and Cherry. Were they as disgusted by the hard sell as she was?

Her stomach sank.

Instead of disagreeing, Rudy was nodding away, his eyes on the leather-clad model’s photos and his tongue practically draped over his tie.

And Cherry... Well, she was staring out the window, her expression as far away and morose as the gray clouds engulfing the bridge.

Gage just kept on pitching, reiterating and reframing the presentation he’d offered ten minutes before. He alternated between numbers that seemed to make Rudy drool and flattery that, thankfully, Cherry wasn’t paying much attention to. Instead, the woman looked pensive as she stared out the window.

Her teeth clenched, Hailey wanted to yell no. They were smart business people, weren’t they? Shouldn’t this decision be based on an overall logic? On what fit best for the line? On the designs that’d appeal to the widest demographic?

As Gage finished his pitch, sliding the cover over his presentation board and taking a seat, Rudy’s decision was clear on his face. Hailey’s heart sank into her very cute shoes. He was clearly a man who’d made his fortune thinking a little south of logic.

“Well, thank you both. This was a very informative morning,” the older man said. “Why don’t we break for lunch now so Cherry and I can discuss this, and we’ll notify you by this afternoon of our decision.”

Her stomach plunged into her adorable shoes fast enough to make Hailey nauseous.

He was going to choose Milano. Despite the fact that Cherry had overruled his preference, Vivo’s shoe designs, he was still going to pick the ugly leather.

And that would mean the end of Merry Widow Lingerie.

Oh, sure, she could eventually get a job doing design elsewhere. Maybe. But what about her employees? Her clients? Her dream?

She took a deep breath, trying to accept that she couldn’t change the man’s mind. She couldn’t jump up, stomp her feet and insist he choose her. She’d tried that a few times over the course of her life, and had always been the one standing there alone with sore toes.

But...

She couldn’t just let it go.

“Wait,” Hailey cried, halting everyone midrise, their butts four inches from their chairs. Rudy and Gage frowned, but Cherry sat right back down, her expression warm and encouraging.

“I think he’s wrong. Gage clearly has a strong grasp of basic marketing. And he’s right. Sex Sells 101 is often an effective advertising ploy.” She paused, letting the emphasis on the word ploy sink in. “But is that really what you want? A ploy? Gimmicks only go so far, don’t they?”

She addressed that question to Cherry, who suddenly looked very tired. As if all this talking had sapped her energy.

“Gimmicks have their place,” Cherry said, her shrug indicating that their place was nowhere near her.

At her words, the men settled back in their chairs. Gage’s expression was guarded, but Rudy was watching his muse like a hawk.