Page 6 of The Best Little Christmas Shop
‘Definitely.’
‘OK. Let’s see what we have here.’ I started ringing through Cal’s purchases, wrapping the breakables, and stacking things carefully in a couple of boxes to make it easier for him to carry and transport back at home.
‘Have you got a long journey back?’ I asked as I rang up the final total, glancing over at the now sleeping George.
Cal gave me a quizzical look as he dipped a hand inside the paddedjacket he wore, retrieving a wallet from the inner pocket and pulling a credit card out from inside.
‘No. Not far at all.’
‘Oh! Sorry, I assumed you were down from London when you said that about it being different here from there.’ I handed him the card reader and he put the card in as he answered me.
‘We used to live there.’
‘Oh.’ Clearly he didn’t want to share any more so I stopped myquestioning and tried to remember that not everyone was as chatty as the locals. ‘That’s not reading properly. Do you mind?’ He shook his head as I moved the reader around to face me and took the card out, switching it around so that the chip was in the machine. As I did so, he rolled his eyes at himself.
‘My fault distracting you,’ I said.
‘Hardly.’
I dropped my gaze to the readout and tookthe comment at face value. Fair enough. Even if it was a bit blunt.
‘I meant hardly in that it wasn’t your fault, not that you weren’t distracting. Not that I was …’ He trailed off and I lifted my gaze to his. ‘I think I’m just going to shut up now.’
I laughed. ‘OK. Do you want to enter your PIN?’
‘Very much so.’
I grinned, took the machine back off him, and waited for the receipt to chugout, which I then handed to him, along with his card. As I did, I noticed the name on it.
‘Cal Martin?’
‘That’s me.’
‘As in Xander’s boss, Cal?’
‘You know Xander?’
‘He and Giselle are my best friends. I didn’t realise you were The Cal.’ I needed to have words with my friend, Giselle. She’d mentioned that her husband’s boss was quite good-looking, but had left out the fact that he had eyeslike a rainstorm, a mouth that suggested temptation and, from what I could see, a body that absolutely promised it.
‘The Cal?’ He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that he kept low in deference to his sleeping child. ‘That sounds like quite a lot to live up to.’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘I do. When you said your name was Lexi, it did cross my mind that I’d heard the name but …’ He hesitated. ‘Ididn’t think you could be the same one because I was under the impression you were kind of a high flyer and didn’t live in the village. Don’t you work in Formula One or something?’
‘I used to, yes.’ I’d intended to leave my explanation at that for now, but I hadn’t banked on those eyes. When I lifted my gaze from where I had been fiddling with the credit card machine’s cable, they were focusedon me and suddenly I felt like I was the only person in about a five-mile radius. A thought, uninvited, flashed through my brain as to what that focus might feel like in a more … intimate … setting. Oh wow, probably best not to go there! Almost instantaneously, my cheeks flamed as I gave my thoughts a firm shove.
‘I’m sorry.’ He stepped back. ‘I didn’t mean to embarrass you.’
‘Oh, no really.It’s fine. It’s not that at all.’If only you knew …‘I think I just got a little warm for a moment.’ I flapped my hand a bit for emphasis, which only succeeded in making me feel like an even bigger idiot so I shoved it back in my pocket again.
He smiled gently. ‘It is nice and cosy in here. Certainly seems to suit some people.’ We both looked over to where George was zonked out, Bear in onearm cuddled against him, the other flung out across the soft fur. ‘I’d better get him home.’
‘Oh wait. Don’t forget this.’ I placed one of the fresh wreaths I’d been making on top of one of the boxes. ‘Your son seemed to really like them.’
‘He did – you’re right,’ Cal agreed, reaching in his jacket for his wallet again.
I put my hand on his arm briefly to stop him.
