“I think we’ve met somewhere, actually,” she said slyly. “I have an excellent memory, but I can’t seem to place it. I am sure it will come back to me.”

She shrugged and Charlie chuckled at her, apparently oblivious to the devilishly sexy woman he’d raised.

“Excellent, excellent!” he boomed with laughter, walking away jovially as someone else called his name.

The moment he turned I leaned in to her, but she didn’t flinch back.

“We need to talk,” I growled as I grasped her hand and began to pull her slightly even though she was keeping close. I dragged her to the back of the room near a corner and moved in, avoiding the way her eyes looked as she gazed up at me so close.

“You knew who I was and you seduced me,” I charged in a low voice immediately, declaring now for the record what exactly fucking happened.

I wasn’t going to answer any questions. She had to know something. If she was thorough then there was a possibility. I realized then as her eyelashes batted again sarcastically that she could possibly ruin me and she knew it. If she knew anything, I would have to pay her off and try to silence her from telling her father. But if she was going to tell, she would have already. Fuck!

She shrugged and composed a mask of innocence.

“What’s wrong, Edward? You can fuck people, but you can’t take it in return?” she asked sweetly with narrowed eyes.

I searched her face and she searched mine as she slowly leaned in to my ear. I didn’t move.

“You won’t fuck my father,” she whispered back slowly and then she raised her brows and looked at me pointedly. “But I can keep a secret if you make it right.”

She was fucking purring and I knew she had me.

“What do you want from me?” I whispered back, not agreeing to anything, asking for terms, and looking at a Christmas tree across the room to avoid her eyes.

“Many things,” she shrugged casually before our eyes flashed back together. And then suddenly, she slipped her hand into my hair again, drawing herself closer and pulling me down towards her. Her fingers tangled in my hair softly and I struggled to focus as a shiver ran the course of my spine. She held my gaze relentlessly.

“Your accountant made a mistake. It will be corrected,” she breathed so close to my mouth.

I stared back at her without protest, wondering if she was done. I would lose money, but I had no choice now. I’d felt bad about the whole situation anyway and now I knew why. But, she might let it go if I could meet my end of the bargain. I could deal with that.

She smirked again with her full sexy lips, leaning into my mouth as the soft strokes of my hair stopped. She slipped her fingers into mine, pulling my hand to her hip and then tightening her grip on my scalp, demanding my attention again. My eyes still held hers, but then I saw the look again flash across her gaze.

“Right now,” she whispered sweetly, nibbling my lip, enjoying the control she clearly had as I stood there, waiting with baited breath. “You will skip the fucking mistletoe and take me to your room.”

And I didn’t even respond before I was once again being navigated through a crowd of jolly drunken strangers.