Boss's Christmas Proposal Read online

  “Nothing like it.” Greg’s voice came from behind her.

  She whirled around, startled.

  Jason whimpered.

  She stepped back again, so he could reach the waterfall and like magic, his whimpering stopped. “This is my nephew,” she told Greg in a cool voice. “I will return to my duties in a moment.”

  His lips tightened. “I wasn’t planning to chastise you for greeting your own family.”

  Of course not. As far as he was concerned, she and her family were on one side of the great divide while he was on the other. Fortunately, she was saved from further conversation when Jenny and Richard joined them and Greg slid seamlessly into the ultimate general manager, welcoming them with that letter-perfect graciousness that was neither ingratiating nor overbearing. It was almost a relief when Jenny started talking shop—media relations shop, that was.

  “That’s my cue,” Richard drawled humorously. “You go take care of business, and my man and I will unpack your steamer trunks.”

  Jenny gave him a tsking look. “Don’t exaggerate. I only brought the necessities.”

  Richard grinned at Greg. “To my wife, necessities usually involve half a dozen suitcases. I’ve learned it’s a family trait.”

  Kimi felt Greg’s gaze but didn’t return it. She kissed Jason’s little starfish fingers, wiping away the water, and handed him over to his father. “I had better return to the desk.” There were three people waiting to be attended.

  “We’ll get together for dinner tonight,” Jenny said.

  “I can’t. The staff holiday party is tonight.”

  Jenny’s brows lifted a little, but she did not argue as she leaned over and gave Kimi another hug. “Well, we’re here through the New Year, so there’ll be plenty of time to catch up either before or after the rest of the clan starts descending.”

  Kimi smiled brightly. “That will be great.” She quickly headed across to reception again and took up her temporary post at one of the computers. “Welcome to the Taka Kyoto.” She greeted the guest who immediately moved over to her from Sue’s line.

  She did not look again across the lobby, but it did not matter since Greg and Jenny disappeared soon after Richard and the baby did, presumably to go over business matters.

  She did not see Greg again for the rest of the afternoon. Carter Janes, the assistant manager he had recently hired even took over the greeting duties in the lobby and was still at it when Kimi’s replacement appeared for her evening shift.

  Working on her feet all day in reception was a lot more tiring than she would have expected, but Kimi still went down to the sales office to check on things there. The office was already cleared out; most of the staff was probably off getting ready for the holiday party that night. Thanks to rotating schedules in the other departments, Kimi knew that every staff member would have an opportunity to spend time at the party if they chose.

  She listened to the six messages left by Anton Tessier and left her own message on his machine in return assuring him that all of his concerns had already been addressed, then went up to the ballroom one last time to see that the setup had been completed for the wedding the following day.

  Everything was in place. Just as it had been when she had last checked during her lunch break.

  With no more excuses to avoid doing so, she finally went to her room to change clothes for the staff party. Unfortunately, she had never felt less in the mood for a celebration. Not even one arranged to fit her hastily scrawled and anonymously suggested theme.

  She flipped through the clothing in her too-full closet. Greg would certainly be at the party. He was the head of all staff, after all.

  Her hand paused over a sheer slip of a dress. It was Lana’s design—one that she had shoved into Kimi’s stuff that last day in New York. Spaghetti straps, a deeply plunged back, the finest weave of oyster-colored silk. Kimi had not worn it yet because it practically screamed that she could wear nothing of substance beneath it, but she had not had the strength to remove it from her closet altogether when she had been culling for space.

  Her jaw set, and she yanked it off the hanger and tossed it onto the bed. Then she called up to the shoe shop on the Mezzanine level, told the clerk what she was looking for and asked that they be sent to her room.

  After that, she took a shower and attacked her face and her long hair with every tool she possessed.

  By the time she arrived at the party, one floor up on five, it was well into full swing. Employees and their guests were clustered around the gaming tables that had been brought in and situated around the magnificent pool. Tuxedoed servers that had been hired in for the night circulated among them bearing trays of champagne flutes and hors d’oeuvres. Music thrummed through the space, and there was a crowd already formed on the dance floor that had been erected in the space ordinarily taken up by the pool lounge chairs that were now nowhere in sight.

  She stopped at the check-in table where Tanya and Nigel were doling out chips and drink tickets. “Nice turnout. You two look smashing.” Tanya’s sequined blue gown and sparkling jewelry would have sent Lana into paroxysms of delight.

  Nigel, who was surprisingly subdued and handsome in a classic black tux, was staring at her. “Who are you on the warpath for, darling?”

  “It is a party.” She lifted her shoulder. “I thought I should dress for the occasion, too.”

  Tanya laughed. “Honey, in that dress, one might think you forgot the dress.” She handed over Kimi’s allotment of chips. “Go get whoever he is, girl.”

  Kimi took the chips though she had no particular desire to play. The games were not for money, of course, but for prizes for the winners with the highest number of chips. Keeping an eye out for Greg, she wandered among the tables, gave away more than half of her chips to young Marco who looked charmingly uncomfortable in his white bow tie and black dinner jacket where he was miserably losing at roulette, and exchanged the champagne in her glass with sparkling water.

  She had been at one of the blackjack tables for nearly an hour and had tripled the number of chips that she had given Marco when she saw Greg enter the pool area. Even though she had the advantage of seeing him before he saw her, it felt as though every cell in her body went into hyperdrive.

  “Ma’am? Would you like a card?”

  “Hai.” She did not wait to see what the dealer dealt; nearly any card at all would put her over twenty-one.

  She watched Greg cross the room to where Bridget and Grace were sitting at a table loaded with the casino prizes. Bridget handed him a pile of envelopes and he commandeered the DJ’s microphone.

  “Is everyone having a good time?”

  A round of cheers met the question and from where she sat, she could see the tilted grin he gave. “I’m not going to stand up here and bend your ears for long—” he waited until the few hoots that earned died down “—but I do have a few items of business.” He rolled his eyes at the collective boos. “No appreciation.” He shook his head dolefully. “Maybe I shouldn’t pass these out?” He waved the stack of envelopes that Bridget had given him and chuckled at the range of multilingual comments that elicited. “I thought so.” He went on to announce various employee awards, some serious, some not. “And our last prize should be going to the person who submitted the theme for tonight’s event, but whoever it was left their name off their submission.”

  “It was me,” Marco called out at the same time as several others.

  Greg laughed. “Yeah. That’s what I thought. Since we ended up with some plane tickets to give away as a result, I’m going to turn things over to Grace Ishida who’ll give away the tickets along with the other door prizes. Before I go, though—because we all know everyone has a better party if the boss isn’t around to see it—” he waited out the cheering reaction “—I want to tell you that everyone has done a spectacular job with our first few weeks of operation. We wanted to make Taka Kyoto the best in its class and we are well on the way thanks to all of you.”

 
; “And thanks to you, Mr. Sherman.” Grace took over the microphone, and Greg waved off the cheers he earned as he left the dais. True to his word, he headed more or less directly toward the pool area entrance.

  “Split my chips among you,” Kimi told the other three players, and quickly slid off the padded stool, deliberately setting a course to cross Greg’s.

  She knew the instant he spotted her because of the sliver of electricity that burrowed along her veins. That, and the fact that for a very brief moment he looked gratifyingly poleaxed.

  “Good evening, Mr. Sherman. I barely recognize you without the tie.” Of all the men present, he was only one of few without any sort of neckwear. Instead, he wore a thin black crewneck sweater beneath an equally black jacket. She doubted that he had chosen the uncharacteristic look because it made his light eyes stand out even more, but the effect was there nonetheless. She lifted her champagne flute, sipping her water though she could just as easily have chugged the entire contents because she felt so suddenly parched. “You throw a nice party.”

  His gaze burned from her face down to her toes. “Are you making some sort of statement, Ms. Taka?”

  “I cannot imagine what you mean.” She shook her head slightly and brushed a spiral of hair behind her shoulder.

  He drew her away from the bulk of the crowd even though they were much more interested in the door prizes that Grace was giving away than listening in on their hushed exchange. “You’re practically naked.”

  She tsked, keeping an amused expression on her face though it nearly killed her to do so. “You of all people should be able to discern the difference.” It was the color and cut of the dress that was deceptive. The fabric itself was absolutely opaque.

  His eyes could have spawned a typhoon they were filled with such sudden fury. “I warned you about dressing appropriately.”

  “But I am not on duty,” she reminded smoothly. “I left my name badge in my room.”

  “That’s hardly the point, Kimi.”

  She smiled humorlessly. “Then will you be issuing my marching orders now?”

  “Is that what you want? For me to fire you?”

  Maybe. It would certainly make things easier for her. She could go home with her tail between her legs and her family would probably not think a single thing about it.

  But that was the old Kimi.

  “There is no need to get yourself worked up, Mr. Sherman. It is just a dress. I simply grabbed whatever I could reach in my tiny little closet.”

  “I doubt that excuse of a dress takes up much room.”

  She cast her eyes down, smiling demurely despite the shocking desire to drive her exquisitely pointed shoe into his shin. “Not much room at all,” she agreed. “Every woman here is in dressy cocktail attire. Do you plan to chastise all of them, too?”

  “Your father should have put you over his knee more often.”

  “Quite possibly. But it is too late for that, now.” She tilted her champagne flute and drank down the rest of her sparkling water.

  “Is it?” He looked more than capable of turning her over his knee.

  She stepped closer to him and spoke for his ears alone. “If you desire to see what I wear beneath this dress—if anything at all—there are more pleasurable ways.” She stepped back, smiling circumspectly as if they were discussing nothing more interesting than the canapés being passed by the waiters.

  But Greg ruined that when he grabbed her elbow and nearly goose-stepped her right past Tanya’s table, out the pool entrance and through the hidden doorway across the hall that led to the training room. Once there, he pressed her shoulders back against the door. “What game is this now, Kimi?”

  She stomped down on the foolish excitement stampeding through her. “Do you see me laughing?”

  He muttered an oath and pressed his mouth against hers.

  She dropped the flute and fisted her fingers in his hair, kissing him back. Just as deeply. Just as frantically. Colors were swimming in her head when he finally dragged his lips to her cheek and she hauled in needful air.

  “Tell me you’ve got something on under there.” His mouth reached her neck. His fingers slid beneath one of the insubstantial straps. Drew it down her shoulder. The fabric dipped dangerously low over her breast. His other hand slid along the hem of the skirt, inching it higher along her bare thigh.

  “Something,” she admitted breathlessly.

  He jerked back suddenly as if stung. Swearing ripely, he yanked his cell phone out of his pocket and she realized it was vibrating. He flipped the phone open. “Yeah. What?” His gaze sharpened on Kimi’s face, and he slid her strap back where it belonged even as he snapped the phone closed and pocketed it once more. “Security,” he muttered, rubbing his hand down his face.

  “Is there a problem?”

  He grimaced. “Nothing, other than that it took my director of security to remind me that we’re not in the business of filming the staff’s intimate escapades.” He gestured at the discreet camera positioned well above their heads and focused on the doorway and corridor. Where they most clearly were standing.

  She felt the blood drain out of her face. “How could I have forgotten the cameras?”

  “How could I?” He pushed her back through the hidden doorway.

  “All they w-would have seen was a, um, a kiss.” His broad back would have blocked the way he had nearly drawn down her bodice. Drawn up the brief hem even higher over her thighs.

  “A kiss is more than enough.” He slapped the elevator call button and it immediately sighed open. He nudged her inside. “Go back to your room.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Damage control,” he muttered, and the doors shut, separating them.

  Kimi stared at her mottled reflection in the elevator walls. She had wanted to get a reaction out of Greg—something to prove that she was not alone in her emotional upheaval. She had not intended for their—what could she even call their thwarted non-relationship?—to be broadcast via the hotel’s closed-circuit system.

  She ignored the elevator doors when they opened one floor down, and instead pushed the button for Jenny and Richard’s floor. She had not been on the twenty-first floor since she had left behind the Mahogany Suite nearly three weeks earlier.

  Off the elevator, she turned the opposite direction from the Mahogany Suite and found her way to their suite. Mere seconds after her knock, Jenny pulled the door open. She eyed Kimi’s appearance for a silent moment. “If Mori saw you in that dress he’d either send you to a nunnery or have a heart attack.”

  “Let us hope that he does not see it, then.” She followed Jenny into the spacious suite. It was smaller than the Mahogany, but no less luxurious.

  “I suppose that dress is one of Lana’s creations.” By Jenny’s tone, she was clearly not a big fan.

  “Yes. How is my nephew?”

  Jenny’s brow crinkled, but she took the change of subject. “Sleeping, thankfully. Richard took the train to Tokyo. He’ll be back tomorrow.” She waited a beat. “So what’s wrong?”

  Kimi shook her head and crossed to the windows. “Nothing.” In the distance, she could see the lights of Kyoto Station. She dashed her fingers over her cheeks. “How are Dana and Harold?” To the outside world, some might think it unusual that the family had forged a relationship with Jenny’s adoptive parents, but to Kimi it was simply normal.

  “They’re fine. What’s wrong?”

  “I told you. Nothing! Helen and Papa are arriving tomorrow, but when is the rest of the family coming in?”

  “Pretty much everyone except Nina and David and their brood will be here for Christmas Day. Nina wanted to have Christmas morning for the kids in their own home, plus finish the last couple of nights of Chanukah. They’ll be here for the New Year’s gala, though. She says it’ll be her last real trip before her pregnancy keeps her from traveling. Is something going on between you and Greg Sherman?”

  Kimi whirled. “What?”

  Jenny wa
s lounging on the camel-colored sofa, her long copper-colored hair swept over her shoulder. “Is there?”

  “Who said anything about Greg?”

  “Nobody had to. A person only needs to be within ten feet of the two of you to feel the tension between you.”

  She hoped that it was only Jenny that seemed aware of that, and not everyone in the hotel. “He is not happy that I am working here,” she admitted.

  “Sweetheart, the tension I’m talking about doesn’t have a thing to do with work.”

  Kimi felt her face flush at Jenny’s dry tone. “He is not happy about that, either.”

  “Hmm.”

  She stepped out of her heels and folded her legs beneath her on the couch. “I have made such a mess of things, Jenny.” She made a face and swiped at another tear. “I mean a real mess, this time. I thought I knew what I wanted; what was important. But now, now I don’t know what I want. I don’t know much of anything.”

  Jenny’s gaze was steady on Kimi’s face. “Are you sure about that?”

  Kimi bit the inside of her lip. “I want what my father has with your mother,” she admitted. “I want what you and Richard have.” She wanted, some day, to be able to mark thirty years of love the way the Petersons were doing.

  “And you’ve decided this in the few weeks since you’ve met Greg.”

  “How long after you met Richard did you know?”

  Jenny’s cheeks pinkened. “Point taken.”

  Kimi stared down at her hands. “How do you know if it is really love, though? What if it is just…just—”

  “Sex?” Jenny provided gently.

  “Yes.”

  “Are you afraid that it is?”

  Kimi swallowed. “I fear that it is not.”

  Her sister leaned over and folded her in a hug. “Listen to your heart, Kimiko. That’s the only advice I can give.” A sudden wail from the other room had her straightening, though. “That would be my page.”

  Kimi unfolded her legs and stuffed her feet back into her killer heels. “Is it worth it, Jenny?”

  Her sister rose, also. “Every second of every day,” she assured softly.