Page 34 of Wrapped Up with the Three Scrooges

Ishould have been happy it was finally Friday, but with business booming and Christmas deadlines approaching, we’d be working over the weekend to ensure we got things out on time.

We were at a breaking point though where we needed to expand our operations or move entirely to online only. When we’d started our side hustle in college, we’d take presents in person to wrap, but then I’d had the idea to allow people to ship us all their online purchases, we’d wrap them, and ship to their final destinations.

That was when things really took off. As soon as we were done with college, we moved into a warehouse to hold all the packages we were sent to wrap and hired several employees.

I glanced at my watch, realizing I’d lost track of time again when Levi appeared in my doorway, car keys jingling in his hand.

“Ready to head out?” He had that infuriating smirk that meant trouble, the one that always made me want to either punch him or run in the opposite direction. “It’s your turn to give Christmas Spirit a ride home, by the way.”

“What? We didn’t discuss that.” The pen I’d been holding clattered onto my desk as I stared at him, trying to figure out if this was another one of his schemes like the window decorating contest.

“Didn’t we?” Levi’s innocent expression wasn’t fooling anyone. “Must have slipped my mind. But since you’re both heading to the same place...”

“Does she know?” I fought the urge to loosen my tie, suddenly feeling warm. “And why didn’t you mention it this morning?”

“Because you were too busy pretending not to stare at her in that sleep shirt while she did the dishes.” His grin widened as color crept up my neck.

“Shut up,” I muttered, but my traitorous mind immediately conjured the image of Emery in the kitchen this morning. The way the thin fabric had clung to her curves, or how I could see the outline of her nipples.

I forced the thoughts away, but not before my body responded traitorously to the memory. Those damn penguin slippers shouldn’t have been sexy, but somehow, they’d only added to her appeal. The whole domestic scene had felt dangerously intimate, like a glimpse of something I shouldn’t want but couldn’t stop thinking about.

“You’re doing it again.” Levi was way too observant. “That glazed expression when you’re thinking about her.”

I started to protest, but movement at my door made the words die in my throat.

Emery stood there, a stack of shipping manifests clutched to her chest. How long had she been standing there? “Sorry to interrupt, but I need these signed before the end of the day...”

“Perfect timing,” Levi practically sang. “Max was about to offer you a ride home since I have plans.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “Oh! That’s really not necessary. I can call a ride share or walk.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I stood up perhaps a bit too quickly. “We’re going to the same place. I should have offered this morning, but...”

But I’d been too distracted by how she looked in that shirt, and how desperately I’d wanted to reach out and touch her. Damn Levi for bringing it up and making me think about it all over again.

“But you left super early.” She gave me a small smile that did nothing to help my current state of mind. “I was just glad I got some bacon.”

Levi’s eyebrows rose like he didn’t know she’d had breakfast with me. “Oh, so Max let you have some of his prized thick cut bacon? Must have been nice. We never get breakfast cooked for us.”

I shot him a warning look, and took the manifests from Emery, very careful to not let our fingers brush. “I always cook breakfast. You and Ronan are never up early enough to get any.” I scanned the papers without really seeing them before signing off.

“That’s true, but you don’t save us any either. Although, if you had your shirt off every morning, maybe we’d get up earlier.”

I was going to kill him. Slowly. Possibly with my stapler.

“Right!” Emery’s voice was slightly higher than usual. “Well, if you’re sure about the ride, I just need to grab my things.”

“Take your time.” I kept my eyes firmly on the papers as she practically fled from my office.

“You’re welcome,” Levi said once she was gone.

I finally looked up to glare at him. “For what, exactly? Embarrassing us?”

“For giving you some quality alone time with our Christmas Spirit.” He dodged the pen I threw at him. “Try not to think too much about breakfast during the drive home. Wouldn’t want you to get distracted.”

This time I threw my stapler, but he was already gone, his laughter echoing down the hall.

A few minutes later, I found Emery waiting by the front entrance, keys clutched in her hand and a determined expression on her face that made me instantly suspicious. Why did she have her keys out?

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