***
By a quarter to seven, she was on the sidewalk in front of her building, shivering in the cold December air. The temperature had dropped during the night, and even with a heavy tweed skirt suit and stockings on, plus a down-filled coat, knit cap, and gloves all covering her from head to knees, the cold was still nearly unbearable.
“You’ll warm up if you move fast enough,” she chattered to herself, and set off at a brisk pace. It was a ten-block walk to the office, one she did every day as it was faster than taking the subway. At this time of year, the city was aglow with the sparkling trappings of Christmas, the lights and shiny garlands everywhere creating such an enchanting atmosphere that Meredith almost forgot that she hated Christmas.
Almost.
The excitement of Christmas Eve and the celebration of Christmas morning had never been the same since that night two decades ago, when a semitruck had slid on black ice and slammed into her family’s car on their way home from a party. The impact had killed her parents instantly and put Meredith in the hospital with a concussion and a broken leg. Since then, the holiday had been forever marred in her mind by the image of twisted metal, the too-bright lights of a hospital corridor, and screaming at the nurse who told her on Christmas morning that her parents were gone.
But there would be plenty of time in the coming days to steel herself against the profound loneliness of Christmas. She forced herself to concentrate instead on Harbor’s current financial portfolio as she walked past the beautiful window decorations, and by the time she passed through the glass double doors of the high-rise headquarters of Harbor, she was feeling both warmer and more optimistic. She’d even managed to convince herself that there was a good chance that they could save the fund without having to resort to using Andrew’s money.
She waved to the security guard, then passed through the electronic turnstile and ran toward an elevator whose doors were starting to close, expecting it to be empty this early in the morning.
But just before she hit the threshold of the car, someone from inside the elevator put an arm out to stop the doors from shutting completely, surprising her in mid-stride. She gasped.
Andrew.
It was too late to slow down. Meredith caught a glimpse of his strong chin and wide brown eyes before she collided with him, the impact knocking her off-balance. She grabbed blindly at something to keep herself from falling—Andrew’s shoulders. Her fingers dug into hard muscles that she could feel through his clothes at the same time that his arms came up to brace her. They closed around her waist as their bodies slammed together, the momentum propelling them both toward the back of the elevator.
The doors rolled softly shut. Her embarrassment was so strong that it nearly became audible in the ensuing silence.
“Well. Good morning to you, too, Meredith.” Andrew sounded amused, but immediately followed up his greeting with, “Are you all right?”
She could feel a hot flush rising up her neck. Klutzy Klaus! Klutzy Klaus! She shouldn’t have felt so clumsy over something that could have happened to anyone, but the voice in her head still enjoyed taunting her. Her shoulders slumped and she twisted her lips in a wry smile. “No one could ever say I don’t know how to make an entrance, at least.”
His laugh sounded shockingly loud in the quiet elevator car. “Indeed,” he replied, his eyes twinkling as he looked down at her in his arms. “But I can’t let you take all the credit for it.” His voice gentled, and she felt his arms tighten around her, ever so subtly. “I apologize for stepping in your way. I was trying to hold the door for you, not to trip you. Although…I certainly can’t complain about the result.” At that, he grinned, a playful, teasing expression, and her breath caught at the sight. Without thinking, she leaned into him a fraction of an inch further, his hard chest against her soft breasts creating an arousing contrast.
“You got new glasses.” His eyes roamed all of her face, as though that new detail made him wonder if there were any more things to discover on her.
An image of him, exploring her entire body as she lay naked before him, popped up in her mind. Her tongue felt thick and unwieldy as she spoke. “Not new, but new to you, anyway.” She had lowered her voice so as not to deafen him, as she was still clasped in his arms, their faces mere inches apart. The words came out as a near-whisper, like a secret shared by lovers in the dark.
His gaze shuttered immediately, and he pulled away from her. “Ready for a full day?” he asked, his tone still light, but different somehow. Professional.