The Nutcracker

"Your sister has been working on this for weeks."

If she had then why hadn't she told me? It sounded like a plan that was too good to be true. Happy families were not something we did well, and this was planned to be an event that would have us all trying to be on our best behaviour.

"Come on, Stell, let's go." Sophie had grabbed my purse for me and was ushering me out the door after kissing a sleeping Alice. "There's expressed milk in the fridge, Mum, and I don't think Lyds and I will be late anyway, but Stell might be!"

All the talk about Christmas Day plans had meant I could not worry about the staff party. I'm sure this had been Sophie's plan all along. I had walked out on these people when I walked out on Toby at the ballet and yet they had, for the most part, been warm and welcoming, especially once they realised that I was not there to get in the boss's pants.

Although perhaps now I was trying to get in the boss's pants, or at least wanted to let him into mine. I'd planned to wear black again, but Sophie had convinced me to wear a scarlet halter top with a black skirt. I chose not to argue and laughed at dressing even suggestively festive.

"You know Toby likes you, don't you?" Sophie was driving and I had been gazing out the window.

"He's different from how I first imagined him, that's for sure."

"You're melting towards him!"

"It's just the summer heat and all this fake Christmas stuff. The heat will melt anything this time of year."

"I'd love for you to stay his PA, you know. I do it because I know him and it's not hard, but my heart's in marketing. Now that Alice is here I'd like to go back part-time only."

"You and I both know that being his PA is not a full-time job as he does most of it himself, apart from organising his email and diary."

"True, but you and I also know that he takes on too much himself and should learn to delegate more."

Sophie had a point. Toby was a workaholic. It was clear that if he trusted people he would give them free rein. He let the programmers work out their glitches for instance, even though he could probably solve things themselves and the marketing team could pitch almost anything to him.

"He pretended I was a beta tester for this dating app when it was just him and me using it."

"That sounds like a very Toby thing to do. He has this reputation as a playboy, but he's not really. He's lonely."

"Whatever."

Sophie let me have the last word, but had a smirk on her face that said I would find out exactly what Toby Mortimer was like soon enough.

"Sophie! You got her to come?" Caitlyn greeted Sophie with a hug as we entered the bar.

"I came of my own free will."

"Good to hear it, Stella. Secret Santa gifts in the sack here and the private room is out the back. Mr Mortimer will be glad to see you both."

I stuck with Sophie for a while talking with colleagues and meeting partners. Toby had greeted us both with a kiss on the cheek, but had been pulled away before we had a chance to talk.

"G and T?" Caitlyn brought me a drink as she brought Lydia to Sophie.

"I thought it was beer, wine and soft drinks on the tab only?" I enquired.

"Drink up!" Caitlyn winked at me. I did not plan on drinking up, but accepted Caitlyn's drink and clinked glasses with her. "Just letting you know there are no HR policies about fraternisation between employees or anything."

"Am I still an employee?" I asked, sipping my drink.

"I believe Mr Mortimer has great plans for the New Year and they involve you."

"Doesn't calling him Mr Mortimer remind him of his father?"

"He knows I only ever referred to his father as Dick McDickwad and that he is nothing like his father."

"Ladies and gentlemen. And programmers, you're special in your own right." Toby had people laughing as he stood on a platform wearing a Santa hat. "It's time for the special part in the evening where we distribute small tokens of affection to our colleagues disguised as secret gifts from the jolly red man. In addition, all employees will receive a $500 gift card and Mortimer Tech will also donate $500 in your name to your favourite charity. When you come forward, tell Caitlyn the name of your charity and I will see the funds are donated. And Caitlyn, you are up first!"

"Thank you, Santa, and my charity will be the Lost Dog's Home." Caitlyn unwrapped her gift to find a personalised glass for her evening tipple and a set of miniature bottles of gin for her to try.

Gifts were handed out and charities announced. Sophie received a voucher for a spa pedicure and the promise of two hours of babysitting from one of the programmers. I was surprised when she announced her charity was the local breastfeeding promotion group that had helped her in her first few weeks with Alice.

"And we're almost at the bottom of the bag, but we have a gift here for Stella."

People cheered as I walked to the front of the room. It was no surprise to Toby at least that I donated my money to the Women's Shelter. I couldn't help but laugh when I opened a DVD copy of Love Actually, some sachets of hot chocolate, Christmas cookies, a Christmas bauble that said 'Stella loves Christmas,' and a mug that had children sledding in the snow on it.

"Thank you, Santa. Someone seems to know me pretty well." I said as Toby winked at me.

"And let's hear it for our wonderful boss, Toby Mortimer." Caitlyn had taken the sack from Toby and led everyone in a round of applause. "Mr Mortimer. There appears to be a gift for you in here too!"

Toby unwrapped the nutcracker I had purchased for him and a novelty book that claimed to be a complete idiot's guide to dance.

"Mr Mortimer, what is your chosen charity?"

Toby went from laughing and almost wiping a tear of joy from his eye to looking down and being totally serious.

"Um, most of you know that I had a troubled childhood. At Mortimer Tech we are good at what we do. We design apps and programs that help businesses and individuals every day in so many different ways. But sometimes it takes more than an app or a program. Tonight, I'm proud to announce the launch of the Bridget Nielander Foundation in memory of my mother. She may not have been able to escape her past, and I was so fortunate to become a success despite my upbringing, but so many don't have that opportunity. We're going to find ways to help."

He continued for a bit, and it made me realise that I had been so misguided about Toby based on my first interactions with him. Not only was he not like his father as Caitlyn had explained to me, but he was also unlike any man I'd ever met.

"You never cease to amaze me, boss." Toby had beelined for Sophie, Lydia and me after his speech and Sophie wrapped him in a hug. "Lyds and I are out of here. Mum just messaged to say Alice won't take a bottle, so I need to get home to shove a tit in her mouth."

"I didn't quite need that visual, but thanks, Sophia. I can drop you home later, Stella, if you want to stay."

"Don't worry boss, she's staying!" Sophie hugged me around the shoulders and kissed me on the cheek.

Even if she hadn't told me I was staying I would have. I wanted to talk to Toby and get to know more about him, and although I had not told Sophie or Charlotte, I wanted to seduce him and find out what the sex thing was all about. It wasn't part of any gift, but a desire on my part that I thought might have been shared on his.

"Everyone seems happy tonight. Do you think they'd notice if we left?" Toby leant down to whisper in my ear.

I simply entwined my fingers with his as we sidled out of the room, giggling like teenagers trying not to be caught by their parents.

"Did you need to say goodbye to anyone?" I asked as we left the crowded noise of the bar.

"Not yet, and not for a long time, I hope." Toby kissed my head, bringing out redness to my cheeks that matched my top. "I didn't get much to eat, but I could whip up something if you're hungry, my apartment's not far from here."

"I like the idea. I, um, I'm hungry for things that I've never had before."

Toby squeezed my hand as we walked along. I felt young and inexperienced, but I also knew what I wanted. I wanted to kiss a man and envelop him in my body. I wanted to see what an orgasm not brought on by my own fingers was like. I wanted to explore Toby's body and hope that he wanted to explore mine.

"Do you like horseracing?" I asked as we walked along.

"Not really. I mean, if you want to go, I'll go, but it doesn't really interest me. Why?"

"It's just, at Soph and Lyd's wedding—"

"My father liked racing and I know a bit about it, enough to talk to someone else, but it doesn't interest me. I suspect you know more about pig shooting than you really want to, too!"

"What do you like to cook?"

"Anything and everything. Tonight, I was going to whip up a quick carbonara."

"Yum. You know I'm inexperienced at all this."

"Pasta?"

"No, sex."

"We don't have to do anything you don't want to do. I don't see this as a fling or anything. I'm interested in getting to know you."

"I want to, though, do the sex thing. I want to do things to you and with you and have you do things to me, and maybe, I'd like to get to know you more too."

Toby used his phone to open the door on a large apartment building overlooking the bay and held my hand as we waited for the lift. We kept sneaking looks at each other with large grins on our faces.

"I've never brought anyone up here before, Stella." Toby held the door open as I walked in on the most stunning apartment with large windows overlooking the water. "I'm nowhere near as experienced as the media would have people believe. Deep down I'm a geek, but I would like to be yours if you'll have me."

There was no need to answer this apart from wrapping my arms around his neck as I dragged him down for a kiss. At first, it was a mere brushing of lips before Toby sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, pulling me close to him. Pulling away we gazed into each other's eyes before our lips again met, parted and our tongues began exploring. My fingers ran through Toby's hair as his hands caressed my back, trailing towards my bottom before gripping and rolling my buttocks in his large palms.

I could feel his manhood pressing against my stomach and I knew my knickers were wet with my arousal. Undoing the buttons down the front of his shirt gave me access to his chest. Smooth and muscular I stroked, exploring its shape, noticing his nipples were as hard as mine.

Toby undid the fastening holding my top up and kissed his way down my neck. My top bunched around my waist. Licking my nipples through my strapless bra, he reached around and undid the clasp, letting the bra fall to the floor. I'd read stories where lovers focussed on the woman's nipples, but Toby was all about focussing on the whole breast, feeling the weight in his hand before he licked the underside, finding the nipple and biting gently, sending bolts of pleasure through my body.

Pulling away from my breasts, Toby scooped me into his arms and started moving towards what I assumed was his bedroom door.

"Food can wait?" I took the inflection to be rhetorical and simply kissed him as he laid me on a large bed, again with windows overlooking the bay.

I reached for the zipper in my skirt, but Toby brushed my hands away, choosing to undo the fastening himself before sliding my skirt down my legs. His kisses this time trailed from my mouth to my neck, down my collarbones and past my breasts to my stomach before he kissed down my lace panties, moaning as he inhaled my scent.

Using his teeth, he dragged my panties down my legs before depositing them on the floor. I had imagined this moment plenty of times before in my life, but I had always thought I'd feel open and vulnerable. Toby made me feel desired and sexy as he kissed up my legs before he kissed his way down the slit between them. The sensation of his tongue sweeping from base to top before the tip teased my ball of nerve endings was like nothing I had ever imagined.

Toby took my clit in his lips, humming as he worshipped my pussy as if it were the most amazing thing that had ever been near his mouth. A finger slid inside me, and I could feel my orgasm building. My hands massaged his head, drawing it closer to me before I felt blinded by an ecstasy I had never felt before. My body shook and my shoulders raised themselves from the bed as Toby still placed gentle kisses around my pleasure nub.

"That was... wow..." I muttered as Toby wiped his mouth on his arm.

"Pasta?" He smiled.

"Later. I want more."

I sat as Toby knelt in front of me. After removing his cuff links, he shrugged his shirt off his shoulders and threw it on the floor. I undid his belt, clasp and zipper, before lowering his trousers and pants to his knees. It was my first look at a cock up close. Tentatively, I reached for it, eliciting a moan from my partner.

I felt my way from the base to the tip before wrapping my hand around it, surprised that something so hard could have a smooth and silk-like feel. I tentatively licked the tip, tasting the salty precum that had gathered there.

"I want to be inside you." Toby placed a finger under my chin before leaning down to again kiss me with a passion I had never imagined existed.

Opening a bedside drawer, Toby pulled out a box of condoms before ripping off the shrink-wrap cover and removing one. Ripping the foil open with his teeth, I let him roll it down his length before he lay next to me, again drawing his mouth to mine.

"Straddle me and take it at your pace." He said as he lay on his back.

I may never have been in this position before, but my body was well aware of what it wanted. As I held his manhood in my hand, I rubbed my pussy over it before the head determined where it needed to be. Before I knew it there was a hint of pain before my hips were pressed against Toby's and he was deep inside me. It was a fullness and feeling of connectedness that I could never have imagined. Toby pulled my mouth to him again and I felt a need to rock back and forth on his cock. Soon it was gliding in and out and my clitoris was rubbed by his pelvic bone. I could feel a build of excitement again as his hands found my breasts and caressed them. We gazed into each other's eyes as my pussy started convulsing around his cock, and I felt like a jolt of electricity hit me, causing me to yell his name and begging him not to stop.

Later he told me it was this that brought him over the edge, erupting into the condom as he felt me milk him for all he was worth.

Pulling me onto his chest, he caressed my back with his hands as he held me.

"Thank you." I whispered, unsure that anything else I could say would be profound enough.

Awkwardly, I tried to slide off him before he removed the condom and discarded it, returning to the bed with a warm flannel before proceeding to wipe me clean between my legs.

"Blood?" I asked.

"Just a bit. I hope it wasn't too painful."

"Not at all. It was, it was, beautiful. You know I write these stories where I skim around the sexy bits, but I don't think I could ever have written an experience that came close to that. It was magical."

"Can I just say I enjoyed it too and I would not be averse to trying it again."

"What, now?"

"No," he laughed as he kissed my nose, "I need to recover a little and I'm not sure, but I think you might need some time to heal too."

"Would you mind if I stayed?"

"I'd be more hurt if you left. Shower?"

Toby led me to his en suite before we shared a beautiful shower, getting to know bits of each other's bodies and stroking and caressing them as we cleaned each other.

Sitting on the bench as Toby cooked, me wearing an old shirt of his and him wearing only an apron we talked about everything and nothing as if we had been together for years and not simply spending our first evening together alone. I teased him as he ground pepper into the pasta that he was compensating for something with his large pepper grinder, before he reminded me that I had been more than satisfied and there was no need for any compensation.

~*~*~*~*~

"I'm bringing blondies and cherries to Christmas," I texted Soph on Christmas Eve.

"Anything else?" she replied.

"I might be a bit late because I'm having breakfast with Toby's sister and her family and they're going to call in after lunch with her in-laws."

"His app worked then?"

"Maybe. I think it was my head that needed cracking, really."

"More nut-cracking. I'm sensing a theme."

Hottie McHotface has entered the chat .

"Have you hacked my phone, Toby?"

"It's easier to talk to Sophia like this." Toby lay next to me in his bed as his tongue poked out the side of his mouth having worked out how to infiltrate our chat. "Actually Sophie, I wanted her to read when I told you that you were right in telling me she'd be perfect for me and thanks for nudging me."

"Anytime, boss. Oh, and I really thought you'd be perfect for her. See you both tomorrow. Lyds and I are both thrilled you two finally got out of your shells."

"Enough cracking jokes, sis. See you tomorrow."

~*~*~*~*~

Epilogue

"Mum's going to know why we're late, I mean it's not like we're having breakfast with your sister this year." Toby smiled as we redressed ourselves for my family Christmas Day picnic.

"I think she'll be too busy chasing Alice to worry about our tardiness. Got the blondies?"

It had been an amazing year. The Bridget Nielander Foundation had taken off and funded programs for children who had experienced family and domestic violence and offered scholarships to tertiary study for students who might otherwise not have the opportunity due to their domestic situations. In January we were holding an Aussie Rock festival with several bands getting together and volunteering to raise money for the Foundation.

Toby pretended I was his PA, but a young man called Tran who had helped establish the Foundation had moved over to help more in Toby's office giving me more time to help with both the Foundation and the thrift shop for the Women's Shelter which now ran throughout the year.

Blind Date had taken off and was constantly touted as one of the apps of the year. There were many success stories, yet Toby always claimed he and I were the original success story of the app.

"Are you planning on telling her?"

"Which bit? There's so much she doesn't know and what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"I was thinking the Esther Neeland bit, although I'm surprised she hasn't put two and two together really."

That was my other achievement of the year. I had published four romance novels under the name Esther Neeland. My mother's book club had discovered them, and she raved about how wonderful they were, telling Sophie and me we simply had to read them. I'd told her I'd read them, but they weren't up to the Brontës. She'd told me I needed to have my head read and I simply smiled to myself.

"Can you grab the present for Alice, it's under the tree."

"Still can't believe we have a tree and that my beautiful Stella has indeed softened her stance on Christmas!"

"I needed somewhere to hang that bauble and I decided it was time to start new traditions. And even though we're late, I like this morning's tradition too, that can stay."

"Not just for Christmas though, but perhaps every day that ends in a Y?"

"You know I'd be up for that, after all, I'm still making up for the lost time. Plus, it's one of my favourite ways of showing you how much I love you."

~*~*~*~*~

"She's walking!" We arrived at the park to see Alice toddling over the rugs that had been set up.

"Started this morning as soon as she saw the presents under the tree. It's taken her long enough. Not going to ask why you two are late." Sophie grinned as she hugged me. "Merry Christmas."