A Holiday Lift
Corinne Michaels
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
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Acknowledgments
About the Author
A Holiday Lift
Copyright © 2020 Corinne Michaels
All rights reserved.
ISBN e-book: 978-1-942834-61-8
ISBN print: 978-1-942834-62-5
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written consent of the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or publisher.
Cover Design: Chelle Bliss
Editing: Ashley Williams, AW Editing
Proofreading: Michele Ficht
Brendan, you are my Christmas.
Preface
My Dearest Reader,
When I wrote A Holiday Lift two years ago, I was so excited because holiday stories are my favorite. It’s where we get to meet new characters or revisit old ones. I wanted to write a short story where we get the magic of Christmas. Something that was still very me (but not as angsty) and showed us that amazing things can happen around this time of year.
Holly and Dean did just that.
Of course, I could help but put the angst in because I think there’s seriously something wrong with me, but that’s what makes it fun, right?
This story was originally free in the Naughty and Nice anthology. However, when Passionflix optioned it for a holiday quickie, I found myself nostalgic and completely in love with this story again.
So, on the flight home from filming, I couldn’t stop my mind from needing to tell more. Hence this edition of it.
If you have already read it a few years ago, you’ll recognize the beginning, but there is a LOT of new story here. Dean and Holly’s story took a pause, but they’re back now and I wanted you see just what happened to them after the end wasn’t really the end anymore.
It’s short.
It’s sweet.
It’s Christmas and magic and all I kept thinking was … man, I love the holidays and hope you do too!
Love,
Corinne
1
“Shit!” I say as I fall to the ground half inside the elevator and half in the hall. Humiliated, I force my eyes open, only to see a pair of caramel-colored dress shoes and my dignity right there before me. Seriously, this is the worst day of my life.
This morning I found out the pitch I was going to give after the new year was moved to tomorrow, and then I found out it wasn’t Yamina who I was pitching against. Nope, it was the only person in the office who could actually kick my ass and get the account.
But that is nothing to me as I lie there in a stupid skirt for all the office to see.
“Here, let me help you.” A deep voice I’d know anywhere fills my ears a second before an offered hand drops into my line of sight.
Please, God, let this not be happening.
I lift my eyes and find that not only is it happening but also it’s happening in front of the hottest man in the building, my new enemy, the man I slept with a week ago. He’s also the man I have deep feelings for but pretend not to.
“I’m fine,” I say, trying to stop the heat from flooding my cheeks.
The doors close on my body, and I attempt to maneuver, but I can’t get up without showing all my glory.
“Holly,” Dean Pritchard says. “Give me your hand.”
Not wanting to make this any worse than it already is, I put my hand in his. “Thanks.” He helps me up, smirking at me, but at least he isn’t laughing.
“Are you okay?”
Like he cares. If he did, he would’ve called. He wouldn’t have ignored me since our drunken night of unbelievable sex. I wouldn’t have been invisible. “I’m fine. Other than being embarrassed.”
I smooth my skirt down, knowing that it lifted enough for everyone to see my bare ass.
“It looked like it hurt.”
Only my pride. “Press two please,” I say, desperate to get off the topic.
The last thing I want is to stand here and talk about the awkward fall.
“I never pegged you for going commando.”
“Not like you haven’t seen it already,” I say, adding another reason why I should get a do-over for today.
I had underwear on when I left the house, but they ripped when I went to the bathroom because I’m the biggest klutz ever and put my high heel through the crotch. That was ten minutes ago. Oh, how I wish I had a time machine.
“True.” He grins. “Still an interesting new tidbit about you.”
Yeah, I’m just full of them.
“Whatever, did you get the proposal done? I know it was last minute for you.” I’m still smoothing my clothes out as the elevator door shuts with me safely inside this time.
“I did. You?”
Nope.
“Yes.”
“Good. May the best man win.”
“Oh, I plan to.”
Dean laughs. “We’ll see. Maybe the winner buys the other some scotch?”
My eyes narrow. That was what we’d been drinking the night we got drunk and screwed against his office door, floor, and desk. “That will never happen again.”
Well, it will in my dreams because it has six times since then, but there’s no way I’ll admit that. That night was a huge mistake, but it was the best sex of my life.
He chuckles. “If you say so.”
I turn away, wishing the elevator would hurry up. My office is on the fifty-eighth floor. While the ride doesn’t typically feel like a million years, right now, I feel like I’m dying a slow death.
“Doesn’t this thing move faster?” The music isn’t helping. There’s nothing about this being the best time of the year.
The holidays do nothing but remind me that I’m alone. Every time I look at decorations, I try not to remember how much Troy would enjoy
