One Winter Night: A Sexy Bad Boy Holiday Novel (The Parker's 12 Days of Christmas) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Epilogue

  Table of Contents

  One Winter Night

  Description

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Epilogue

  Want More?

  Insider Group

  About the Author

  Copyright

  One Winter Night

  By

  Ali Parker

  Description

  Set in Savannah, Georgia -- An ex-military hottie goes to work for his best friend’s father's security firm where the office manager just happens to be his best friend's little sister. She was too hot to handle back then, and nothing has changed apparently!

  Introduction

  Checkout the other 12 Days of Christmas Novellas

  Find them all HERE

  Chapter 1

  Jack

  The room was still dark when I woke up in a cold sweat. That damn dream again.

  Several nights a week, the nightmare came, dragging me back to that day in the desert. To the same dusty, sun-bleached street, the call to prayer echoing off the buildings, creating a corridor of distorted sound.

  It was hot, almost unbearably so, but after years of baking in the sand, I’d almost gotten used to it. Almost. What I couldn’t get used to, though, was the looks on their faces. The people of the town went about their business, just like every other day. Some wore smiles, some scowls, but each had a look in their eyes, an air of expectation.

  When would the next horror appear? The next indignity in a string of indignities, the next futile attack in a war that had gone on so long that the locals had stopped expressing hope for an ending? Every face bore the identical expression—hopeless anticipation.

  Every face but hers. The woman in black. She’d even risked a smile in my direction today, one that I’d returned with a friendly nod.

  I’d seen her most days, had slowly built up an acquaintance over the months my unit had been stationed in her town. Not enough of an acquaintance to talk to her that would have been inappropriate. But enough to recognize her, to build up a familiarity that had led to exchanged glances, acknowledging nods, and even a smile on occasion.

  But that day, things would change.

  That day, her smile would vanish, replaced by rubble and an overpowering smell that overwhelmed me in the dream. The same smell, over and over, night after night.

  Death.

  Gore.

  The lingering memory of the dream covered me like a sweat-soaked shroud. Not the most pleasant way to greet the day. I wiped the perspiration off my forehead and climbed out of bed. Not bothering to shower, I threw on my sweats and headed out the door of my new condo. Five miles of mindless muscle memory was there to shake me out of my mood, to wake me up and remind me of the present. I tried not to think, tried not to remember.

  Savannah was much like I remembered. Summers could be sultry but December was a month of falling temperatures and increasing cloud cover. My new place was near the historic district so that was where I ran, past moss-covered oaks and antebellum mansions. An oasis from out of time, the district was home to fountains and magnolias, to carefully manicured parks and statues of heroes from days past. Nothing like the place I’d spent the last few years.

  The change in scenery helped to clear the lingering cobwebs of the dream from my mind. So did the increase of my heart rate. If I maintained a focus on my body, my mind fell in line, counting steps, concentrating on my breathing. Not thinking about the woman in black and the end of her smile.

  Then it was back to the condo and right into the strength training routine. A hundred pushups started things off, followed by pull ups until my arms ached. Next came the squats with the bar weighted down. Then it was free weights, arms, and core. Every workout finished with

  crunches, until my abs were warm enough to start a fire.

  I clung to my routine, to the safety of doing the same thing over and over, ad infinitum. My routine was soothing, the activity enough to help center me for the day ahead. A big day.

  By the time I hit the shower, it was seven am. The hot water helped with the muscle aches, washing away the exhaustion and refreshing my enthusiasm for what lie ahead.

  I dressed carefully that day, hoping to impress. The suit felt awkward, nothing at all like the uniform I’d worn for a decade. I reminded myself that I’d get used to it. It was just one more little change in a line of changes that had become my life.

  I boiled some eggs and toasted a couple pieces of sourdough. At the small table in the breakfast nook, I ate slowly, going over the day’s events in the local paper. Another instance of the routine that kept me sane, kept the horrors at bay. It was only at night, when my brain was freed from the routine that my demons could find me.

  Today, however, was a new start. I considered it a test, of sorts. Could I adapt to civilian life? I thought a job at Shadow Security might be a means of easing me back into life stateside, not too different from the life I’d known in the military. Or at least that was my hope.

  After the...incident, staying in Special Forces wasn’t really an option. I’d hung on for a few months, but it became apparent that I was no longer suited for Delta Force operations. My superior officer had suggested a leave of absence, but when Matt said he was finishing his tour and heading home to work for his dad, the thought of coming back without my closest friend made sticking around even less desirable.

  Matt put in a word for me with his father, Douglas Smith, a former military man himself, and before I could blink, I had a job offer with Shadow Security. The firm handled private security concerns in Savannah, my hometown and Matt’s too. We’d finished high school together, joined the military together, made Delta Force together, and now we were going to work together. It seemed a fitting end to my military career.

  Besides, the goofball needed someone to watch his back, and that duty had always fallen to me. No point in changing that now.

  The solution was an elegant one. I’d ease into a new job that would make use of the skills I’d honed for years in Special Forces, although I doubted I’d be facing any threats remotely like those I’d squared off against in the desert. The job would provide stability, security. I strived under structure, and Douglas seemed like the type to run a tight ship. I respected discipline and was happy to be working under a man who’d held the rank of Captain before he’d retired.

  As I drove towards my new job, I worked carefully to keep my mind clear. Always in the back of my mind was a creeping anxiety that h
ad held on since my time overseas when every car, every backpack could hold an improvised explosive device. I rejected medication, not liking the way it had muted the world, but this meant that I had to be extra vigilant and not let my thoughts take a dark turn.

  The office park was full of identical streets lined by identical buildings. The GPS brought me to what I hoped was the appropriate location. I parked, took one last deep breath to center myself, and then stepped out of the car.

  Making my way through the parking lot, I moved towards an office building that looked like all the others in the office park. Heading through the glass doors, I entered an office that looked like any other office. Non-descript. Non-threatening. Completely unexceptional.

  Or so I thought, until I saw her.

  Golden eyes in a tanned face met mine. Long, chocolate brown hair fell in waves past her shoulders. She was tall for a female, but still several inches shorter than I, and her body was toned, with gentle curves that made my mouth dry up.

  And then I recognized her.

  It had been ten years since I’d seen that face. So much had changed in that time, and not just with me. She’d filled out, shot up, and turned into the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in the flesh.

  How was it possible that annoying Emma, who’d had coltish legs and braces when I’d shipped out, had transformed into this paragon of perfection standing before me? Matt’s little sister, who had never failed to irritate us, tagging along and sticking her nose in our business, now made my pants feel uncomfortably tight.

  Emma worked here too?

  She smiled, and my stomach dropped with sickening speed, like that moment of free-fall in a dream right before you jolt awake. God, she was beautiful.

  “Welcome to Shadow Security,” she said, her voice melodic and pleasing, just like the rest of her. “How can I be of service today?”

  A thousand responses shot through my mind, none of them appropriate. I was suddenly fixated on her lips. They were plump, the color of ripening strawberries, the corners upturned. Looking at those lips made me want to do terrible, unspeakable things.

  “Hello?”

  She spoke again, jolting me out of my reverie. I opened my mouth to reply but nothing came out. Her golden eyes narrowed, and for a moment she looked concerned. Then recognition flitted across her face, softening it.

  She knew me.

  I could suddenly speak again.

  Chapter 2

  Emma

  Another Monday. The start of another week buried in work at Dad’s office. If I wasn’t here to keep things in order, the bills would never get paid. The customers would never get called back. Hell, Dad and Matt would probably forget to eat and sleep. Maybe even breathe.

  Still, I loved my boys and my job. Even if it, and they, dominated my life to an extent that left room for little else (like a love life, for instance), I didn’t think I’d be happy anywhere else.

  And who knew? Maybe that was all about to change. My eyes on the glass doors, I watched as an incredibly handsome man walked into the office. He was gorgeous, with the body of a Greek god and a face that could be plastered across magazines. What was he doing in Shadow Security?

  He had dark hair, cut short, with a mustache and just the right amount of stubble so that I knew it would tickle my skin when he kissed me. Kissed me? Boy, I’ve got it bad already.

  Brown eyes that had a depth I hadn’t often seen stared at me, perched in tan skin. His features were strong, and so was his muscular body. I always hesitated to give men a perfect 10, but this guy looked like an 11 if I ever saw one. So who was he?

  A fancy new client? A male model with a psycho female stalker? I really couldn’t blame a girl for going over the edge for a guy like this. Or maybe he was a rich heir to an empire who needed security for his black-tie event. I doubted it. This guy looked buff enough to take on an entire army of thugs himself.

  I recalled my sense of professionalism just as he reached my desk. I greeted him, asking how I could help. In reply, he just stared at me.

  I wondered for a moment if maybe I had something in my teeth. The silence stretched out between us. “Hello?” I asked, my voice coming out in a croak that I hoped he didn’t notice.

  The god’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. I traced the angles of his face with my eyes, thinking that he didn’t need to be able to talk. A man that looked that good could exist on his appearance alone.

  Then it hit me. I knew this guy.

  And then he spoke.

  “Jack Walsh,” he said, his voice a deep rumble that did strange things to my insides. “I’m starting today.

  Starting what? I wondered. Starting your starring role in my naughty daydreams?

  He thrust out a hand towards me and I stared at it for a moment like an idiot. What was Jack Walsh doing here?

  When I took his hand, a tingle of electricity tap-danced up my arm and into my chest. “You’re home,” I said, unable to think of anything else. Then I realized he probably didn’t remember me. I’d only been 15 when he and Matt had shipped out.

  “I’m Matt’s sister, by the way,” I blurted out, hoping he couldn’t see the heat rushing to my cheeks.

  “I remember you, Emma,” he said, his voice low.

  He remembered me! Why did that make a thrill run through me?

  I pulled myself together long enough to remember my job there. I showed him into the office, pointing out the reception desk where I worked, the printer and fax machine, the water cooler, and every other inane piece of office furniture on the way to the conference room. I knew I sounded like a blathering idiot but for some reason I couldn’t help myself.

  We entered the conference room and I asked him to have a seat. He did, and we locked eyes again. I felt like I couldn't catch my breath, so I pasted on a smile and said, "My father will join you soon." Then I turned tail, silently berating myself for letting a handsome face affect me. It had really been too long since I'd been on a date.

  I hurried towards Dad's office, wondering why I was the last to know that Jack was joining the team. Before I reached it, I saw Matt in the break room so I veered off course, making a beeline for my brother.

  "Hey," I said, elbowing him hard and making him awkwardly swallow the gulp of coffee he'd been taking. "Guess who's in the conference room?"

  "Someone with sharper elbows?" he wheezed.

  "No." My eye roll served as punctuation.

  "Right. Because that person doesn't exist." He rubbed his stomach, an offended look in his face. "That hurt, Em."

  "Yeah right." My brother was six foot five and a wall of pure muscle. "I was lucky I didn't break my arm against your abs."

  Matt smiled his crooked smile. "Jealous? You could hit the gym every once in a while, Sis."

  I frowned, then changed the subject. "Back to the conference room and who's in it."

  "Jack's here, then?"

  His deadpan did not impress me. "Yes. Jack Walsh. Your best friend. And our new hire."

  Matt nodded, then shoved his head into the fridge. His stomach was an endless pit, and he spent most of the day trying to fill it. When he wasn't working out, that was.

  "So what's he doing here? He left Delta Force with you?"

  "Couldn't live without me," he replied from inside the fridge.

  My brother, the comedian. Jack didn't look like the type of bro who needed to hold hands with his best friend. "Why didn't Dad tell me he was hiring Jack?"

  Matt straightened, his hands full of what would become his breakfast. He shrugged, then set about assembling his mountain of food.

  I groaned, realizing that I was getting nowhere. Coming out of the break room, I headed towards Dad's office. Then I heard his voice from across the office. He was walking into the conference room, two cups of coffee from the shop down the block steaming in his hands.

  Shit. I'd missed my chance to ask him about Jack. As I watched, he handed a cup to Jack, then patted him on the back, a warm smile on Dad's face.

&nb
sp; I shook my head and walked back to my desk. I had all day to yell at my father for his momentary lapse in memory. There was no reason I could think of for him to keep the information from me, so he must have just forgotten to tell me.

  Well, there was one reason, but it was extremely unlikely.

  My dad and brother watched over me like a hawk where guys were concerned. No one was good enough for me, according to them at least. As two hulking military types, they didn't hesitate to strike fear into the hearts of those brave enough to ask me out. It didn't take long for any of the guys I liked to find easier targets.

  Could Dad be worried that something might happen between me and Jack? Besides being patently ridiculous--I mean, a guy like that could have any girl he wanted--any relationship between us would violate bro code and skirt the boundary of taboo. Jack was my brother's best friend, after all, and now he was an employee of Shadow Security.

  Meaning that I was the boss's daughter.

  That meant I was doubly off-limits.

  I tried to focus on the stack of invoices in front of me but the numbers didn't make sense as I turned over the issue in my brain. Me and Jack. It would never happen.

  But if it did... I exhaled heavily, sneaking a glance over my shoulder at the glass walls of the conference room. He's so fucking hot.

  I shook my head. It wasn't going to happen, no matter how hot he was. Better to get over such thoughts now.

  The phone rang and I grabbed it, glad for the distraction from my distraction. "Shadow Security. How may I assist you?"

  "Gimme Smith."

  I frowned, recognizing the voice. I should recognize it, since I'd heard it often enough. Dexter Jansen called at least three times a day, sometimes as many as a dozen. He was our newest client and current pain in my ass.

  "I'm sorry. Mr. Smith is in a meeting. May I take a message?"

  "You know who this is?" His voice was gruff.

  "Yes. Mr. Jansen."

  "Get your boss on the phone, sweetheart."

  I held back a sigh, gritting my teeth. "I'll be sure to tell him you called, and I'm certain he will call you back right after the meeting."