Darcy tugged on the cuffs of her blouse. Where the heck had she put her blazer? The Blackstones were in the store and she had Ben on standby in the break room in case there was a meltdown with the software. The lights had been on all day, but they hadn’t turned on Ben’s options yet.

They wanted to surprise the owners. Even though Miriam had told her not to come in before one, Darcy had walked through the door at ten. She had to make sure everything was ready in her department as well as the front displays.

“You are going to faint if you don’t get yourself together.”

Darcy laced her fingers together until her knuckles turned white. “Jaime, if I screw this up Miriam will have me back in the shoe department by nightfall.”

“Come on, Darcy, everything looks amazing. You and Ben did an amazing job.”

Darcy tried to block out the words amazing and Ben. Between the store and last night she was a wreck. “You don’t understand.” She shook out her rapidly numbing hands. “She told me this would pretty much make or break my chances of advancement.”

“The Black Widow likes to instill fear in all who are under her. You’re nothing but management in waiting. You know this store better than she does.”

Darcy dragged in a steadying breath. “Thanks. I’ve just got to get through this reveal and to the other end of Black Friday and then I can breathe.”

“That’s a whole lot of days without oxygen, mija.”

Jaime only fell into Spanish when she was worried about her. Darcy pasted on her best kick-butt smile and patted her friend’s shoulder. “I’ve got to go get Ben just in case the tree shorts out or something.”

The arches of her feet screamed and her dress pants pinched, the blouse was too big and the silky rayon kept untucking from her pants. She was so ready to hit the fire door and keep on walking. Gosh, she hated when the owners came in. She got to the break room and Ben was holding court. He had all the stock guys laughing as well as two cashiers on break completely enthralled.

She did not need his charm. Not right now.

He looked up and the quick half grin liquefied her knees. It was the same grin he’d given her in the shower when he’d been kneeling in front of her. And that thought needed to be banished. Now.

“If you’re done entertaining?”

His eyebrow rose and he pitched his empty soda bottle into the recycling bin. “All right, guys, I gotta go earn my keep.”

Her shoulders tightened. Again, she was reminded of the favor she owed him. She hated to be indebted to anyone. But it would be worth it if she could just get through this day. She backed out the door and into the blessedly empty hallway. “Okay, I just— What are you doing?”

He crowded her, his thighs pinning her to cool wall. “You need to relax and I know just the thing.”

She slapped her hands on his chest. “This is not the thing!” She looked down the hall. He dipped his head and she gripped his chin, turning his head before their lips could connect.

“Hey!”

“This is not the time, Ben,” she whispered. “My bosses are here.”

“Yeah, and you need to relax. They’re just people.”

“They are not just people. This is my butt on the line.”

“They aren’t any better than you or me.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. Look, Darc, this is no big deal. We tested the lights last night and again when I came in a little while ago. They work and they look great.”

“It has to look great.”

“It will.” He laid his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, they’re going to love it and you’ll be employee of the century.”

“Ben.”

“Don’t get that school librarian voice on. I told you I’d get you out of this jam and I did.”

“I still can’t believe you came in and did it all.”

“Yeah, well, it’s the least I could do.”

She frowned. “What do you mean, least you could do?”

He looked down at his shoes. “This is helping me out just as much, remember?”

“Right.” She shook her head. The quick flash of something in his eyes didn’t sit right with her, but she had too much to deal with to worry about Ben today.

He walked ahead of her and turned back to her. “Shake a tail feather, darlin’. We got a kick-ass display to show off.”

“I’ll catch up.” She couldn’t stop her lips from twitching into a smile. And all of a sudden she noticed that he had black slacks on, as well as dress shoes and a deep burgundy dress shirt. He’d spent the time to dress up for her, to hide the tats on his arms and to make a good impression. And she was being a prudish brat.

She’d been off balance since he’d started in on the personal post-coital talk and now she was making everything awful. And showing just what an uptight idiot she was about this possible promotion.

“Son of a beach ball.”

“Ms. Tucker?”

Darcy’s spine snapped straight. Miriam’s disapproving voice was enough to push thoughts of Ben to the back of her mind. “I just sent Mr. Hartley up to check on the display before we met with your parents.”

“Excellent. I trust there aren’t any problems?” In other words, her butt was in a sling if there were.

“Absolutely not. We’ve tested it twice. I think they’re going to be very pleased.”

“I think you’re correct.”

She turned to go and Miriam touched her arm.

“Darcy.” Miriam twisted the slim signet ring on her right hand until it was perfectly centered. “I know I’ve put a lot of pressure on you, but there’s a reason for that.”

“Oh?”

“My parents haven’t made the announcement yet, but they’re opening a store in Boston and they want me to go and oversee it.”

“Wow.” Her heart began to pound in her ears. What did that mean? They’d have to break in a new store manager? She’d just gotten so she knew what to expect with her job and a new boss would change everything.

“They want—no, I want—my replacement to be you.”

The roaring in her head faded as if she’d been shoved into a vacuum. “I’m sorry?”

“It’s going to be a few months before the store will be ready for me to go and open so we’ll have time to train you properly. I need to be sure this store will be in good hands. And I think those hands are yours.”

“I-I don’t know what to say.”

“You stepped up with this Christmas tree debacle and you’re obviously a problem solver. I wish it had been a bit cheaper on the budget, but I think the new design makes us look even classier and I have a feeling it will translate into sales. And your Mr. Hartley certainly has himself a job when the Boston store opens. And he’ll be paid handsomely this time.”

“I’ll tell him. This is a prototype. It will certainly put him on the map.”

“And you said he’s an artist?”

She nodded. Ben was going to be ecstatic. This design was his baby. He wouldn’t just be a tattoo artist anymore. He could sell the design and do anything he wanted.

“Well, I’m happy to see him in more business-minded clothing today. I appreciate that.”

A little niggling of unease fluttered under her breastbone. “I think Ben—Mr. Hartley—understands how important this is.”

“And the ghastly tattoos are covered. I was worried about my father seeing those.”

“They—” Darcy wanted to shout at her just how beautiful they were. The meaning behind them was so obvious if Miriam had taken the time to look at them closely. “He has a very good head on his shoulders,” she said lamely.

“Let’s go out and find my parents, shall we?”

Excitement pushed away any misgivings she had. She’d be running this store soon. She’d been preparing for years for this moment. And she had Ben to thank. She’d make sure she did so tonight.

* * *

Ben stalked to the front of the store. He was expecting her to be uptight—Darcy was uptight by nature. But he’d almost slipped and told her about John. He didn’t even know if it had been his brother who took out the Christmas display, but he had a bad feeling. And his brother wasn’t returning his texts.

And he didn’t know—not for sure—he just wanted to bring a little hope, a little laughter into her pretty Christmas-colored eyes. He didn’t even know why. Before yesterday she was less than a blip on his radar.

Now…

Now he didn’t know what she was to him. He still wanted to coax a smile out of her, wanted to watch the slow bloom of pleasure take her over, and he wanted to hear her smart mouth.

Maybe he was being stupid about the whole damn thing. It was really extraordinary sex, but it was just sex. He had to remember that.

He ducked behind the customer service counter. Thank fuck Jaime was too busy with the madness that was Mr. and Mrs. Blackstone’s visit to notice him. She was far too observant for her own good and he just didn’t have it in him to make excuses right now.

He opened up his laptop and double-checked the code he’d hardwired into the music loop they ran every three hours. He ticked off a few extra songs to make sure they tripped the system while the owners were there.

O Holy Night came on and he rubbed his neck. The wonder and complete happiness in her eyes last night had been worth all the work. Knowing that his idea had worked so well was simply a bonus.

Darcy and her boss walked into the jewelry department. They were in deep conversation. Darcy was at her buttoned-up best. Her hair was trapped in a braid that didn’t let a single strand loose around her face. She looked icy cool in her pearl-colored jacket and black pants. Her baby-blue blouse did nothing to dispel the untouchable aura around her.

He was fairly certain that no one in the store knew what burned under all that unflappable efficiency. She didn’t look up at him once. All of her focus was on Miriam and whatever they were talking about.

“Stop snacking on her with your eyes, Benjamin.”

His fingers flew over the keys. “Give me a break, Jaime.”

“Yesterday I wasn’t sure if you were good for her. Now I’m worried the reverse might be true.”

His gaze shot to hers. “Why?”

“Darcy’s got an innate ability to run this store.”

He nodded. After just one day with her, he could agree with that statement. Multitasking and planning were second nature to her. “What does that have to do with me?”

“This store is her life. The only way she’d be more obsessed with it is if she actually owned it.”

“I’m not a dumbshit Neanderthal that needs his woman’s total focus, Jaime.”

“Ah, but you’re already thinking of her in terms of your woman. Darcy’s not single because she’s pining for the perfect man, she’s single because this store is her man.”

“A store isn’t going to keep her warm at night.”

“Maybe, but she keeps herself so busy she doesn’t look at it that way.”

Ben crossed his arms and leaned back on the counter. “Aren’t you supposed to be the supportive best friend that gives me tips?”

She reached up and patted his cheek. “I am giving you a tip. You’re a clever guy.”

He frowned but didn’t have more time to ask questions. Darcy waved to him. With a flick of two keys, he turned on the program. The lights hummed, brightened once and the trailing ants feature he’d added started at the registers and flowed to the podium, then spiraled its way up the tree in an explosion of twinkling lights.

Darcy’s attention finally averted to his display. The quick and bright smile followed by more arm waving at him got him moving. The joy dimmed on her face as professionalism slammed down like a shield.

An older couple intercepted Darcy and Miriam. They were well into their sixties, with the stately demeanor of old money. Definitely the Blackstones. If the body language on the tall, white-haired gentleman and perfectly coiffed brunette didn’t give it away, Darcy’s sure did.

He slowed his pace, dipping his hands in his pockets. He was proud of his work, but he certainly wasn’t going to come to heel for a bunch of blue bloods.

Miriam smiled. “Ah, there’s our designer now. I was just telling my parents about your stunning lighting display.”

Ben nodded and held out his hand to Mr. Blackstone. He was tall, but still a few inches shorter than himself. “Ben Hartley. I’m glad I could step in and help out.”

He grasped Ben’s hand in a firm shake. “From what Miriam tells me this was a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Ben smiled. The old man didn’t like to be beholden any more than he did. “You were certainly the right test market for it, Mr. Blackstone. The original design was for household use, but I’m definitely open to modifying it for more commercial ideas now.”

One fine white eyebrow rose. “Call me Max.” He patted Ben’s arm. “I’d like to hear more. The front of my store has never been more impressive. And that was even before the lightshow you’ve got here.”

“Thanks, Max. I love Christmas. Working hard is worth the end product, especially when the kids come in to sit with Santa.” He nodded to a little boy who had dragged his mother to the tree, already anxious to get into the huge chair.

“I agree. My Mary thinks I’m insane to bring in a Santa Claus so early, but I think it will be a welcome break for the mothers to stop in after they’ve done their shopping. And I’ve hired him on for every weekend until Christmas.”

Darcy stiffened beside him and he had to force himself not to drag a smoothing hand down her back. The instinct was far harder to fight than it should have been. It would add another layer of chaos to her stressful schedule, but she’d cope. He’d only seen her in action for a couple of days and he was completely sure she’d figure it out.

“We’d like to discuss hiring you on for our new store in Boston next season, and of course having you come back next year. Perhaps with an even bigger display.”

Ben tried to school his features but he couldn’t quite cover the shock. Another store? “Yes, I’d be willing to discuss that. Of course it would be a paid job.”

Max laughed and slapped his arm. “Yes, you more than deserve payment. In fact, we’ve discussed a bonus for the above and beyond job you’ve done.”

“No. I appreciate it, but this was a favor for a friend.” He looked down at Darcy.

Darcy looked away briefly then bent her lips into a polite smile. But none of the sparkle was in her deep green eyes. “Ben is very generous. I’m just so glad that he could help out last minute.”

“It really is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Mary Blackstone said quietly. “You’ll be giving the Christmas windows in the city a run for their money, Ben.”

“It was my very favorite thing about Christmas, Mrs. Blackstone. My mother and I used to take the train down every year before she died.”

Darcy looked up him, surprise cracking her professional shell.

“Well, your mother would be very proud.”

“I like to think so.”

The soft instrumental song faded into Ring My Bell and the tree lights blinked and fired like fireworks. The bulbs that lined the trunk of the tree winked on and off, their disco-like qualities lending a fun edge to the overall classic design.

Miriam gave a delighted laugh that surprised all of them. She shrugged. “I love this song.”

Darcy fussed with the cuffs of her blouse but her lips twitched. Maybe there was some hope for her yet.