Kiss Me Katie! & Hug Me Holly! Read Online Free

“Yes?”
    She bit her lower lip, clearly expecting a different reaction. “I wanted…to talk about last night.”
    â€œThe party?” Matt seemed surprised.
    The nitwit had no idea what he’d missed. Bryan supposed there should be some guilt associated with that, but there wasn’t.
    â€œI thought it went really well,” Matt said, then stole a quick glance at his watch. “Oh, look at that. I’m sorry, I’ve gotta go. I have a report to finish.”
    With an apologetic smile, he turned away to shut the door.
    â€œBut—” Katie’s smile seemed forced, even to Bryan who was still a good way down the hall from them. “It’s just that…the mistletoe…”
    â€œMistletoe?” Matt shrugged. “I noticed plentyof the stuff scattered all around. The decorations were superbly done. Nicely and strategically placed.”
    â€œYes,” Katie agreed. “Strategic.”
    â€œIt’s got to come down though, or we’ll have people taking advantage of it during office hours.” His brow wrinkled. “Hmm…maybe I’d better write a memo.”
    â€œA memo,” Katie repeated. “Remove the mistletoe to avoid mass orgies during work hours.”
    Matt nodded distractedly, and after a quick goodbye, closed the door in her face.
    Clueless jerk, Bryan decided, even as he was oddly grateful for clueless jerks.
    Katie just stood there. “Well wasn’t I ever so memorable,” she muttered.
    More than memorable, babe. “Morning,” Bryan said.
    Katie nearly leaped right out of her skin and whipped around to stare at him. “What?”
    â€œI said, ‘Morning.”’
    Her face was pale now. “Say it again.”
    Bryan wondered if his voice was confusing her. After all, he had spoken last night. But people heard what they wanted to hear, and she’d definitely wanted to hear Matt’s voice.
    She blinked.
    â€œMorning,” he said again, obliging her.
    She shook her head. “I should have had some coffee.”
    And he should tell her the truth. Should being the key word here. “You were asking about the mistletoe,” he said. “Is there something I can help you with?” Like maybe kiss you again?
    She didn’t answer, just narrowed her eyes.
    â€œIs anything wrong?”
    â€œYour voice…it sounds…”
    â€œFamiliar?” He grinned, he couldn’t help it. “Well, it should. We work together.”
    â€œRight.”
    Poor baby looked so confused. His conscience, never the most righteous of creatures, reared its head for a moment.
    A very short moment.
    Because he knew if he came clean right then, she would either deny that the kiss had knocked her socks off, or she’d run like hell.
    Neither appealed.
    Not when his goal for the day had suddenly become to get another. “About that mistletoe,” he said casually. “I bet it’s still in the hangar. We could just walk on over there and—”
    â€œNo,” she said quickly, backing away. “I’m…busy. Very busy.”
    He obviously made her nervous. He tested this theory by taking a step toward her.
    Sure enough, she retreated…right into a file cabinet, which she hit with a loud thunk. The two flowerpots above teetered wildly, then fell. She caught one, then the other, and quickly set them down on the ground, whirling back to him with her hands behind her back as if she didn’t trust herself.
    She had a streak of dirt across one cheek. She looked unsettled. And adorable. He had no idea why that appealed, he’d certainly never been attracted to adorable before. Long-legged, full bottom-lipped sexpots, yes. Adorable, no.
    â€œI’m fine,” she said quickly when he came toward her. “I’m just fi—” The word ended in a gasp when he took her arms in his hands to steady her.
    They were now in exactly the same position