Page 12 of Yule Know It When You See It
Rising and blocking the nameplate on my desk, I wiggle a pen between two fingers. “Sure. Did she provide their name?”
It’s subtle, but Axel zooms his eyes to my knees and back to my face. “Theo Hackett? I assume he works in this same area?”
Desiree sputters a laugh, and I elbow her in the side, keeping a smile plastered in Axel’s direction. “Theo, yes, of course. Corner desk. That way.” I point to the right.
Rupert slides a hand over his mouth to keep the giggling under control.
Axel’s gaze moves between us, initially hesitant, before he crosses one foot over the other. “Alright, I’ll go look for him.” He doesn’t look away, even with his back to us, until he’s halfway across the office.
We explode in a fit of laughter and I press a finger to my lips, shushing themandmyself.
“I’ve done this prank too many times to count, but this one seems to be extra satisfying.” I flick my hair and sit, pulling myself toward my desk until I’m flush against it.
Desiree gives a final chuckle. “This review isn’t going to write itself, but I’ll be watching the calamity from across the way.” She winks before strolling back to her desk.
“That settles that.” Rupert lets out a wistful sigh. “He’s bone straight.”
“All because he didn’t kiss your hand?”
Rupert jostles my shoulders. “Oh, sweetie. Far more than that.” After squeezing my bicep, Rupert, too, walks away.
At the back of the office, Axel talks with Mary, who’s sporting another Christmas sweater—a green one with a gingerbread man on crutches, missing half of his right leg and the words, “Oh Snap.” Mary points in my direction, and when I make eye contact with Axel, he glares at me and storms back to my desk. I pretend to be busy, typing away about absolutely nothing on my keyboard.
Axel clears his throat—loudlyand picks up my nameplate. “Theodora Hackett.”
“That’d be me.” I beam at him. “But nobody calls me that except my mom when I’m in trouble.”
“Yeah? You in trouble a lot?” He tosses the gold nameplate in his palm, challenging me again with that steely gaze.
I press my palms on my desk. “Are you trying to insinuate I’m a bad girl?”
Of their own accord, my knees pinch together.
“I don’t know.” He slides the plate back to its home at the front of my desk and makes fists, leaning them on it. His forearm muscles tense and bulge, and it’s all I can do not to stare at them. “Are you?”
What is happening?Howis this happening? And why are my insides swirling because of it?
Extending my hand, I flash a coy grin. “Theo.”
Axel drops his gaze to my hand, not shaking it straight away. But when his palm slips against mine, the rough calluses are brushing my skin, and a spark ignites in my core. “Didn’t think to tell me that he was ashe, meaning you?”
I gulp, trying my best not to make it audible. “Watching you make an ass of yourself was far more entertaining.”
Our hands had yet to part, both of us still shaking.
“Thanks so much for that.” His grip ever so slightly tightens.
Making my eyes form slits, I grip back. “You’resowelcome.”
A deep, throaty, and sexy-as-sin chuckle coils from Axel’s chest before he peels my fingers from his hand and steps back. “Since we’re going to be working together, we should probably talk things over. But I’m beyond hungry and am near useless without food in my stomach.” He cracks his knuckles, pausing to glance at his watch. “So, I’m going to go grab something, and then we’ll put our heads together. Yeah?”
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Axel Nord was attempting to take the lead on this little soiree. And I had no intention of letting that happen.
“Perfect. And while you’re eating whatever it is you’re going to consume, you should come up with a few bullet points on how you plan to cross reference romance with hockey players and fans.” I cock my head to one side, still plastering the same coy smile. After pressing the appropriate keys to lock my computer, I push from the desk and snatch my briefcase.
Fooddoessound divine right now.
“Romance?” Axel scratches the back of his head. “You’re a romance writer?”
