Page 21 of Hot in the City
"Oh no!" A tall, curly haired woman in a grey suit shouted, then screeched to a halt after coming hard around the corner into the space. She pointed up at the snow, then across the room at a certain jolly fella in a red suit. "You! I never agreed to this!" She marched towards the head Santa sitting on his throne. He was clearly on her naughty list.
Yuki stared at her, then glanced at Declan with a crinkle of worry on her forehead. "Um, I think she knows now. This could get ugly." She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder and whispered, "Let's get out of here."
Glancing at her familiar little black dress, he asked, "Aren't you working?"
She shook her head. "I already clocked off for today." Yuki bit her lip, and she was a perfect mix of sweet and tempting. Nervous though, if he was guessing.
He didn't need to be asked twice. "After you." He gestured for her to take the lead, and he followed Yuki, sidestepping piles of wrapped presents in one corner.
They made their way to the nearest elevator. Yuki pressed the Down button, and they stood waiting in silence. Well, the woman he assumed was Melanie was shouting about contracts and property damage in the background, while All I Want For Christmas Is You played cheerily on through the sound system. But he and Yuki didn't say a word, just shared a look that was half silent laughter, half confusion. She pressed her lips together, he cleared his throat and hummed along with the song.
The elevator doors opened with a ping, and they both stepped in, keeping a careful few paces distance. There were two other people in the car, one staff member from housekeeping, the other a guest in touristy shorts and t-shirt. Yuki politely nodded to the guest and said, "Good afternoon."
Declan didn't know why exactly, but he kept his mouth firmly closed. Yuki was different with other people around, more reserved. This may not have meant anything, but to him it was a sign. She was interested in him. Probably. He hoped so.
He chanced a sideways look at her, and she was watching the lights of the elevator's display change from M for Mezzanine, to R for Reception. The doors opened and the other two people got out.
When the doors closed again, Yuki turned his way and smiled, her cheeks touched with pink. She spoke softly, keeping her eyes on him. "I was going to ask Melanie if she wanted to come with me to a Christmas market. I don't suppose you would—"
"I'd love to."
"Oh, good." She licked her lower lip with the tip of her tongue and he almost had an aneurysm.
His face heated, he lost his train of thought. Was there a word for awkward anticipation? Awkipation? He was bursting full of it.
The elevator light changed to LG for Lower Ground floor, and she stepped forward, so he placed his hand in the small of her back, just for a moment. Yuki's soft inhale of breath was music to his affection-deprived ears. How long had it been since a woman wanted to spend time with him, to hang out? Too long.
They headed out to the street, together. And he thanked his lucky stars.
Christmas Market
Southbank, Melbourne
Yuki didn't know if she'd lost her mind, or if she'd finally found her dating mojo once and for all. She had asked out a man, a deliciously sexy man, and he’d come with her. Just like that!
They walked side by side along the south bank of the Yarra River, the sun sparkling on the water giving it a magical look, not the murky brown river of sludge on show in winter. A river cruise boat floated by, filled with people dressed in fancy clothes, drinking champagne. An office Christmas party, probably.
Skyscrapers of the city centre and the stunning older buildings like Flinders Street Station were just across the water, but here it was Christmas land. Market stalls lined one side of the pedestrian pathway, baubles and sprigs of pine tree hung from lamp posts. Families and couples wandered through the market, picking up handmade gifts and eating treats from other stalls and food trucks. The sound of festive songs played by a brass band, floated on the breeze from the other end of the market.
Declan sighed, a satisfied sound that made her want to ask him what he was thinking, or kiss him. "This is a pretty spot, Miss Yuki. I like Melbourne. It reminds me of Dublin, to be honest. But the weather is better here, of course."
Yuki giggled like a school girl. This man affected like that, she felt lighter, carefree. "The weather in Melbourne is revolting most of the year. Rainy drizzle, freezing cold wind and grey skies."
"It really is like Dublin, then."
She snort-laughed this time, and she would have been embarrassed except he grinned, his whole face lighting up. He also took her arm in an old-fashioned gentlemanly way. The way it made her feel wasn't so innocent. Her whole body heated—the sun had nothing on the way Declan had her glowing.
Yuki kept walking and caught a glance of a popular stall. "Oh, look at the crystals over there." They steered through a bunch of people to take a closer look at a stall filled with glittering jewels, Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones.
The jewellery wasn't too expensive, but so pretty that she ooohed and aahhed over more than one piece. She touched a string of transparent crystals with a large silver pendant at the end.
"It's gorgeous, but I couldn't possibly justify it." Very sensible. She was trying to save money after all. But it was sad to leave it there, unloved and unbought.
"Wrap it up, please." Declan's voice was deep and sure from her left side. She turned to him, mouth agape. "You can't just go around buying me necklaces, willy nilly!"
His lips tipped up at the corners. "Willy nilly? Aye, I think you'll find I can, even higgeldy piggeldy. Consider it an early Christmas gift." He winked at the older woman who ran the stall, a stunning silk headscarf wrapped around her head. "I'll have one of these bracelets for my Mam too."
The stall holder wrapped his purchases and offered her holiday wishes, and Yuki stood there like she'd been frozen to the spot. Buying her presents? Already? In the same breath as buying things for his mother...this could be something. Something real. Maybe.
