Cinderella Christmas by Elda Minger

Nick glanced up and everything inside him went perfectly still. Standing in the doorway of his den, silhouetted by the light from the hallway, stood the sexiest woman he’d ever seen in his life.
    “Do I know you?” he said.
    She pushed away from the doorway and he had more of an opportunity to study her. She was dressed as an elf, but like no elf he’d ever seen. This elf wore a glittery red bustier that pushed her generous cleavage up and out, a short flared skirt that showed off miles of leg, and thigh-high black boots. A red domino mask completed the outfit.
    As she walked – or rather, prowled – into his office, he thought irreverently that his Christmas present had come early this year.
    “What are you supposed to be?” he said.
    “I’m a naughty little elf,” she whispered as she leaned her hip against his desk. “Were you a good boy or a bad boy this year?”
    “I’ve been told that I’m very good,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers. “But with you, I’d like to be very, very bad.”

Cinderella Christmas
A Holiday Novella
     
     
     
     
By
Elda Minger
    Copyright 2013

    In memory of Snowy, always in my heart.
    Deeply loved and never forgotten.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Copyright 2013 by Elda Minger
    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private use – other than for “fair use” as brief quotations embedded in articles and reviews – without prior written permission of the author. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

    Chapter One
    His hand slid slowly up her leg –
    “Mr. Chastain!” Eve said, grabbing her fellow employee’s wrist firmly and peeling his palm off her thigh. “I’m so making fun of you the next time I see you and Christine! ” She put the emphasis on his wife’s name and saw Albert’s forehead furrow, confused. He’d clearly had way too much eggnog. He blinked, smiled at her sheepishly, then said, “Who are you, anyway?”
    “I’m Santa’s little helper,” Eve said, trying not to laugh. Albert was short and round, and right about now he reminded her of a repentant penguin. Literally, because he was in a penguin costume.
    “Quite stunning is what you are,” he said, reaching for her. She turned her coworker around and guided him down the hallway toward the lavish catered buffet. Her boss, Nick Holmes, had gone all out with the company’s annual Christmas party, held at his house. The enticing smells of savory dishes and homemade cookies caught Albert’s attention and he toddled off unsteadily toward the heart of the party.
    Eve watched him from the shadows until he reached his wife’s side. No one had to know about what had just happened. He’d simply had a little too much Christmas cheer.
    She headed back to the foyer and wondered if she’d need a slug of that spiked eggnog in order to have the courage to carry out her little scheme.
    Don’t think, just do it.
    Two younger men dressed as characters from The Lord of the Rings came partway into the foyer where she was hiding behind an enormous potted plant.
    One said, “Hey, where’d Nick go?”
    “Upstairs. Said he had to check on one of our customer’s – “
    “ -- doesn’t he ever stop working?”
    “Yeah, well, he’s missing out on his own party. Said he didn’t want to be disturbed and he’d be down shortly.”
    “His loss – “
    Voices faded as the two hobbits turned and headed back toward the enormous open kitchen that flanked one side of the huge family room. Laughter and the sounds of Christmas music drifted out toward the front of the house.
    Eve had only gotten as far as the foyer when Albert had spotted her. But he’d been pretty wasted so he wouldn’t remember.
    She didn’t want anyone else to see her, even if she was in costume. Not if she meant to pull