An Unexpected Christmas Romance

The day trudged on and it wasn't long before the sun was setting. As Shane was busy working on a spreadsheet with an endless array of pivot tables and complicated functions, he heard the familiar sounds of Nadia moving around the offices. He was pleasantly surprised when she popped her head into his office a few minutes later.

"Hi, Shane. How are you doing?" She beamed at him.

Shane was happy she finally felt comfortable enough to call him by his first name without having to correct herself. When she entered his office Shane noted that Nadia was wearing a tight, button-down sweater that showed off every curve of her body, particularly her massive chest. Additionally, she was wearing what looked like thin black yoga pants. Shane couldn't help but think that Nadia looked absolutely amazing. It was all he could do to not drool. She was becoming an obsession for him.

"I'm doing great, Nadia, how are you this evening?" he replied in a neutral tone.

"I'm doing great, too, thank you," she replied and then left.

This woman was really doing a number on him. He was attracted to her, he realized with a shock. Was she flirting with him? "Snap out of it, Shane, you fool," he said to himself and then got back to his spreadsheet and presentation.

Later that evening, Shane wandered into the break room to get some to drink from the vending machine. He had ordered dinner but the restaurant charged astronomical prices on its beverages so it was always better to just buy something on site to drink. When he walked in he found Nadia in the room taking her lunch break.

"Hello, Shane." She greeted him once again.

"Hello, Nadia. Break time?" He asks making small talk.

"Yes sir." She says playfully. "Thanks again for the music box. It's beautiful," Nadia said.

"I'm glad you liked it," he said, and then changed the subject. "Are you all ready for Christmas?" Shane asked her.

"Yes. It's just going to be me this year," she replied. Shane watched as her happy mood vanished and she looked very depressed all of the sudden.

"Nadia... what's wrong?" Shane asks stopping everything he was doing and pulls up a chair beside her. He can see tears freely falling down her face. She begins to do that thing where you kind of have to catch your breath as you cry.

"My husband... he left me."

"What? When?" Shane asks in a shocked tone. This was the first he had heard this news.

"Two... two months ago." She states.

"Two months ago... but... but you didn't say anything," Shane adds. He had seen her quite often over the last two months and she always looked so happy.

"I... I didn't tell anyone. He... he left me because I... I was barren." She tells Shane.

"Oh, Nadia... I'm so sorry." Shane says as he pulls her against his chest and rubs her back. He is so occupied consoling her he doesn't even get erect despite how intimate the moment is. His sole focus is attending to her.

"It's ok, Shane. I... I may be alone..." she sniffles, "But I have all my decorations up and I'm going to spend the day drinking hot chocolate and watching all the holiday specials on TV," she said smiling. "I just love Christmas."

"That sounds pretty good actually," Shane said. He knew that Mary would bitch all day about what she didn't get and complain that her soap operas had been preempted. Mary hated hot chocolate too.

"While we're discussing Christmas... are you going to the Christmas party?" Nadia asks him.

"Yes, I am. Are you?" he asked surprised. Usually, they didn't invite any vendors or the cleaning crew.

"Yes. Donna invited me personally yesterday. I'm excited," she said, eyes wide.

Donna was upper management and if she personally invited Nadia and anyone else on the maintenance staff it was because her boss ORDERD her to. She didn't think that highly of the people that keep the building running or that make it look great every day.

"Well, that's awesome. I'll see you there," Shane said. "Hey, why don't you join me in my office for dinner, It would be nice to have some company."

Nadia smiles at him and while Shane didn't intend to do what happened next he licks his thumbs and wipes her tear-stained cheeks. A slight blush comes over her olive skin but Nadia feigns ignorance, collects her food, and follows Shane down the hall and back to his office.

The two pull the leather couch in his office over to his desk and use it as a table. They are sitting side by side and chat as they eat. Nadia doesn't have as much free time as Shane as this is all his own time while she is on the clock.

Nadia thanked Shane for being there for her when she broke down and apologized for crying on his nice shirt. Shane tells her not to worry about it and tells her to come to him if she ever needs anything. He actually calls her back before she can disappear and hands her one of his business cards. On the back, he scribbled his personal cellphone number and told her to put it in her wallet and call him if she is ever depressed or in need of help.

Nadia smiles, and without realizing it leans in and kisses his cheek.

She watches as Shane's hand comes up to touch the spot she just kissed.

"I've got to go!" She squeaks out before beating a hasty retreat.

Half an hour after that Shane stumbles out of the building on his way home. While he didn't know if she heard him he yells out a goodbye to her as he always does. He had to fight to keep his eyes on the road as his thoughts drifted to the sexy older woman that was now occupying the thoughts that once belonged to Mary. He thought of her plump ass, her amazing hips, and of course her beautiful eyes and amazing chest. When he arrived home he found a message from Mary saying she got a call from her agent that one of the models for the out-of-town job got sick at the last moment and she was needed. She didn't have time to call him as she had to make a last-minute flight. She wasn't due back until after New Year. She ended the letter saying have a happy holiday and she will see him in the new year.

"Boohoo, she's gone," Shane says sarcastically. This was the best Christmas gift she could have given him. Shane doesn't feel like showering right now. He's so dazed and confused he just wants to go to bed. He sets his alarm for an hour early than normal and he'll shower and get ready then.

~ Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 ~

The next day was the same. Donna, Shane's boss, found some errors in Shane's spreadsheet and gave him a list of corrections to make. It is evident that after her simple kiss Shane's mind wasn't on figures... well, at least work figures. He went about rectifying all of the mistakes he made last night. Shane buried himself in his spreadsheet until his eyes got blurry. Sometime after three he finally was ready to submit the file. Donna had informed him she wanted him to hand it to her in person. So he quickly made his way to her office and informed her assistant he had the file for her. The woman looked a bit sheepish as she pressed the intercom button and informed her boss that Shane was there with the file she needed.

"You can go in now." The woman states.

Shane walked into the office and was surprised to see not only Donna but her boss and one of the other employees with an account as large as the one Shane was working on.

"Shane, thank you for all the work you put into this," Donna tells the young man.

"I knew it was important so other than those last few... oversights, which I fixed everything is good to go."

"Yes. We asked the two of you to come to deliver your files because you are both in line for a promotion. I wish we had two spots so that you both could move up but alas... we only have one opening." Donna's boss tells the two.

"I wanted you to hear it from me personally, that the person getting the promotion is..."

Fifteen minutes later Shane trudged into his office and told his assistant to hold all his calls. He plopped down in his nice leather chair behind his desk, leaned back, and exhaled loudly.

"I'm sorry Mr. Miller." Janie, Shane's personal assistant says having followed him into the room.

"You knew?" Shane asks looking at her blankly.

"Rosie, Donna's assistant told all the assistants this morning. She overheard Donna telling Jefferson that she had vouched for him with Mr. O'Brien."

So the sharp pain in his back is because of Donna. He wondered how Jefferson, who was never in the building longer than he was had managed to win over him. He had only made one error on his account, that couldn't have been the sole reason he didn't get the promotion. It was because Donna stabbed him in the back. And after all the late nights, bitch sessions from Mary, and all the times he had made her look good to the big wigs.

"Thank you for your sympathy, Janie. Can you leave me for a bit please?"

"Actually sir, the big wigs sent out an E-mail before you went up that we can all go home early today to get ready for the party tonight."

"Perfect. I already have my suit here. Can you just shut the door, send our calls to voice mail, and lock the door on your way out, please? I'm going to take a nap before the party."

"Yes sir." Janie starts to close the locked door but stops and flicks the light switch to turn off the lights.

"THANK YOU!" Shane yells through the closed door.

Janie says nothing. She's known her boss long enough to know when he doesn't want to be bothered by anyone or anything,

It was after 5 PM and a bleary-eyed Shane steps out of his office and makes his way to the break room to get a drink of water. He is rubbing his eyes, not paying attention as no one should be in the building for another few hours when he walks through the doorway and literally ran right into Nadia. She had not realized anyone was there so she wasn't paying attention either and suddenly found herself being knocked over. Shane moves quickly, grabs her outreaching arms by the wrists, and pulls her toward him. She is suddenly moving in the opposite direction and finds herself pressed against the strapping young man.

Nadia wraps her arms around Shane and plants her feet to keep herself from knocking either of them over.

"Oh, shit!" Shane exclaimed. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention. Are you alright?"

"Yes... I'm fine. Nadia states. "It's really all my fault Mr...I mean, Shane," she replied. "I didn't know anyone was in the building,"

Neither one of them stepped away though, and Nadia looked up and started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Shane asked.

Nadia just pointed to the top of the doorway. Shane looked up and saw that someone had hung some mistletoe there. Nadia, having never released Shane, gets on her tippy toes, put her arms around Shane, and gently pulls his head to her. He could feel her hard nipples through her bra and sweater. Shane didn't need any more encouragement and he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Nadia's in a soft kiss.

Normally it's one quick lip-to-lip kiss which is traditionally all that is required from people not in a relationship. For some reason, the two didn't stop after their lips connected. Nadia deepened the kiss hungrily and soon their tongues were exploring each other's mouths. Shane tightened his arms around her and he knew for sure that she could feel his erection pressed against her this time. Realization washed over him and Shane backed up just a little so that he could get put his hands on her amazing chest. Nadia moaned into his mouth as he gently kneaded her breasts.

Shane pushed her away panting. "I... I'm sorry... I... I don't know...we can't do this." He said as he stared into her eyes. His mind told him that her eyes were glazed and lusty. His cock was throbbing for her, telling him that, yes, they could do this.

"I... but... I want to," Nadia declares as she moves forward to renew their embrace and kiss.

Despite his conscious telling him that he shouldn't because of Mary, Shane couldn't resist and he couldn't get enough of Nadia's full lips, hips, plump ass, and oversized breasts. Shane moves back and the two begin kissing again. The pair were so lost in the moment that time seemed to get away from them. They were absolutely lost in their lust until they heard the ding from the elevator signifying that someone else was in the building. They both jumped apart abruptly. Nadia ran for the women's lavatory in the break room while Shane adjusted himself and casually walked back to his office. Once behind closed doors he locked the office from his side, closed the blinds, and made his way to his closet where his new clothes were waiting for him.

A short time later he arrived just as the girls from the accounting department were hanging up the last of the decorations while the catering staff was finishing setting up tables. It was always a nice party at the office every year. Usually, he really enjoyed them. They held it on the upper floor which was used for presentations. A DJ was finishing his final sound test and soon the room was flooded with the magical tones of holiday music. In front of the DJ was a makeshift dance floor. He could see that the bosses had sprung for door prizes and the food being set up was top notch as were the wine and beer.

Shane made himself useful and helped out the ladies hanging decorations. They were grateful as Shane was taller than they were and could pin things up that they all needed help to reach. An hour later most of the guests had arrived. Everyone and their significant others (at least those that had them) were present. Shane mingled with everyone. He was a people person and had no problem talking with all the staff, regardless of their department. They were all one team trying to make this the best business around. While he had no problem mingling he was less enthusiastic about doing so with the upper echelon this year. They had allowed Jefferson Reynolds to move ahead of him when he was clearly the harder-working of the pair.

After a while, the DJ switched the music from traditional holiday tunes to a slow dance song. Just as the slow song started Shane found Nadia talking with one of her female co-workers. She must have changed outfits while she was in the women's bathroom as she was wearing a white form-fitting button-up blouse and a knee-length green skirt. She was so caught up in the conversation she didn't notice Shane come up behind her. She actually closed her eyes and shivered when Shane whispered into her ear asking her if she would like to dance. Nadia would recognize his voice anywhere and excuse herself from the conversation, with a slight flush Nadia turned to face the young man of her dreams.

"I would love to dance," Nadia informs Shane. She holds out her left hand and Shane takes it and leads her out onto the dance floor. The song is just hitting its refrain when they take the dance floor for the nice slow song.

"This is really nice of you, Shane. Thank you so much," Nadia says.

"You look absolutely beautiful Nadia," Shane tells her as he holds her hand in his right hand and his left hand is at the small of her back, just above her fabulous ass cheeks. "I'm sorry I didn't comment on how lovely your hair and makeup looked earlier... I was too busy knocking you over, and then... you know."

"Thank you kind sir for saving me from hitting the ground, and for the... you know." Nadia says playing along with Shane.

The song ended but apparently, the sight of Shane and Nadia convinced him to switch to another slow song and this song was just as romantic but was even longer than the last. As the couple continued to move around the dance floor Shane pulls Nadia closer to his body to the point that he could feel her massive breasts pressing into his chest. She was excited, he could tell because her nipples were protruding through the material of her blouse and were poking into him. This of course caused blood to flow back into his cock.

"Mmmm... this is nice," Nadia whispered in his ear.

"Would you like to go somewhere and talk?" Shane asks.

Under normal circumstances, his conscience would be bothering him where Mary was concerned but her attitude as of late, coupled with the knowledge of how she will most assuredly react when she learns that Jefferson got the promotion that should rightfully be his. No, he needs to clear the air and see where they stand. He knows Nadia is feeling emotionally vulnerable after her husband left her. With him being the first guy that showed her any real affection, he didn't want her to think he expected anything of her.

"Yes please," Nadia answered. "Why don't we go downstairs to your office?" Nadia suggests.

"Good idea," Shane replies. answered. "Why don't you head to the elevator first, I'll be behind you in just a bit."

Nadia nods her head and casually disappears into the crowd.

Shane heads over to the wine table, collects two full glasses, and heads to the elevator to rendezvous with Nadia. She was standing at the left Elevator and when she saw Shane holding two flutes of wine she couldn't help but smile. She pressed the button and the doors opened as she had already summoned the elevator. They casually enter the lift and she presses the button for Shane's floor. It takes several long, agonizingly slow moments before they reach the desired floor. Nadia has Shane step out first and she proceeds to press four random floors so no one will know which floor they got off if they are watching the elevator bank.

As Shane and Nadia made their way deeper into the recesses of the office, the sounds of the party several floors above them became muted. Shane's office was very dark but the young man didn't care at this particular moment. His shades were still drawn from earlier so no one can look in. He hands Nadia the wine flutes so he can unlock his office door. He steps in and holds the door for her so she can make her way to the couch which is on the far side of his office. She sits down and kicks off her heels as the younger man locks the door behind him. He makes his way over to the couch, his pulse is racing a mile a minute and then he slowly sits down beside Nadia. The moonlight is shining through his office window, gently illuminating the room and he can see Nadia's eyes as he sits ever so close to her.

"Nadia..." Shane says in a whispered tone. The closer they got the more amazing she looked. Shane reached out, taking Nadia's hands in his, and saw her left hand. Where once there was a wedding band there was now nothing but discolored skin from where the ring once was. "There was a time I thought I knew what and who I wanted. The events of the last day have shown me that I neither knew what was important nor who I wanted in my life."

"What do you mean?" Nadia asks seeing sadness on Shane's normally chipper face.

"Management passed me over for the promotion. They gave it to Jefferson." Shane informs the lovely lady on his couch.

"Jefferson... but he doesn't do half the work you do. I never see him putting in the hours that you do. In fact, I don't think he's ever stayed late a single night during his tenure here."

"Word from the grapevine is that Donna recommended him over me. That's why I didn't get the promotion."

"Let me talk to a few of the staff. There has to be more to this." Nadia tells Shane. "But what did you mean by the who you wanted?"

"When I didn't get the promotion I could imagine myself telling my girlfriend who has become very superficial over the last few years that news and I could already hear her yelling at me for something I had no decision on. At that moment I had an epiphany, and suddenly I could see that situation playing out with another person, and the response I would get from her."

"What happened?" Nadia asks.

"My other partner would listen to my story, she would be sympathetic to my plight and would want to do anything and everything in her power to not only help my situation but help heal my wounded ego."