His Christmas List: – Naughty Stories For Your Stocking

The buzzing of my phone wakes me and I glance at the clock, it’s 5 am.

I pick it up, the name Clancy lights up the screen. ‘Hi.’

‘Oh my God,’ she splutters.

I frown at the sound of her voice. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I’ve been up vomiting all night.’

‘Oh no, you poor thing. Are you okay?’ I wince.

‘No, I’m literally on my deathbed.’

‘You should probably go to the hospital then, less messy to clean up your dead body.’ I smile, relieved that it’s only that.

‘This isn’t funny.’

I rub my eyes. ‘Sorry. So, I take it you’re not coming in today?’ Clancy is my PA, the best damn one I ever had.

‘I can’t, I’m so sorry.’

‘That’s okay,’ I sigh.

‘It’s not. You’ll have to cancel Alaska.’

I screw up my face in horror as I remember today’s itinerary. ‘Shit, I can’t.’

‘Well, you can’t go alone.’

I close my eyes. ‘I’ll get Joel to come.’

‘Joel starts his time off today, remember?’

‘Fuck.’

‘What about Melissa?’ she asks.

‘Are you kidding me?’ I sigh. Melissa is Clancy’s assistant, and she drives me crazy. She flirts with every man she comes into contact with, to the point that it’s embarrassing.

‘It’s three nights, surely you can handle her for three nights?’

‘No, actually. I can’t.’

‘I’ll tell her to behave.’

‘I’ll just go alone.’

‘This is a major meeting, Holly. You can’t.’

‘Clancy, I love you, but you are aware that I can do my job without you, right?’

‘I know that,’ she scoffs.

‘Stop underestimating me and go back to bed,’ I smirk. I’ve worked my ass off to get where I am. Years and years of blood sweat and tears has led me to be the head of acquisitions for Ferrara Media, New York. I’m Gabriel Ferrara’s right-hand woman. I know my job and I do it well, and tomorrow, I have a meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, to close a multi-million dollar deal on the sale of the local television station. ‘Can you email me the flight details, please,’ I ask.

‘Okay so, you’re flying commercial because Gabriel leaves in the company plane for Italy today to visit his family.’

I roll my eyes; this is just getting better by the second. ‘Yes, I remember,’ I reply. ‘Email me the details of hotels, etc.’

‘Are you sure you can go alone?’

‘I’m not a baby,’ I snap, exasperated. Clancy has become a tad overprotective.

‘I’m pretty sure after the last eighteen months I can handle two days in Alaska on my own.’

‘No doubt,’ she says. ‘The car will meet you at the other end and I’ll detail everything in the email. Call me whenever you need me.’

‘Okay.’ Clancy’s been my rock and has become one of my closest friends. Eighteen months ago, my husband of ten years was imprisoned for insider trading, and if that wasn’t devastating enough, having his private life dragged through the courts was the ultimate betrayal. He played me like a fiddle, the real Wolf of Wall Street. He was the rock star stockbroker, the Harvard lawyer who came from one of the most respected families in New York. Handsome, wealthy and powerful.

And I was the fool, so blinded by love that I had absolutely no idea of who I was really married to. The press covered the stories of his embezzlements, blackmail, cocaine, high-end prostitutes and oh, there’s the small matter of a love child he had with another woman two years ago, that he wanted to know nothing about. It was revealed in the courts that he paid the mother out to never reveal his identity to the boy. What kind of man deserts his own child?

While I was working my ass off to get us ahead, he was ripping people off and fucking around.

Asshole.

‘I’m sorry, that flight is closed.’

‘What?’ I frown as I glance at my watch. ‘What do you mean? I still have plenty of time.’

‘It’s out of my hands.’ The airport attendant shrugs. ‘It closed ten minutes ago.’

I close my eyes in horror. Fuck. ‘I have to be in Anchorage tomorrow,’ I say.

‘Nothing I can do,’ she says casually.

I run my hands through my hair as I begin to feel my temperature rise. ‘Okay, can I get onto another flight please?’

The attendant types into the computer and reads the screen. ‘Unfortunately, there isn’t another vacant seat until Friday.’

‘How is that possible?’ My eyes widen in horror. ‘What do you mean? That’s three days away.’

‘You’re flying to Anchorage in Alaska.’

‘And?’

‘And a limited amount of flights go there.’

I pinch the bridge of my nose. ‘Oh… this is just great.’ On my way to the airport this morning I found out that there has been a counter offer by Miles Media and I need to get there urgently to close the deal before Tristan Miles swoops in and steals it from under me.

‘Sorry.’

Fuck’s sake. ‘Umm, okay.’ I try to think of a solution. ‘What other airlines fly to Anchorage?’

‘Only two others, American and United. And they have both tried to get seats on our flight on Friday as they oversold their seats.’

‘So, they’re full, too?’

‘I’m afraid so.’

I stare at her flatly. ‘Out of JFK in New York…. the biggest airport in America, only three airlines go there?’ I scoff.

‘Anchorage seems like a very popular destination.’

‘Apparently so.’

I pinch the bridge of my nose. ‘This is a disaster.’

I text Clancy.

She types into her computer and reads the screen. ‘I could get you onto a flight to Fairbanks, Alaska, in an hour. But there is only one seat left and if you don’t get it now, it may sell out, too.’

I glance at my phone waiting for Clancy’s reply. She hasn’t read my message, which means she isn’t on her phone, which means she’s probably throwing up right now.

Shit, the poor girl is probably throwing up right now. She can’t organize a fucking emergency charter plane, she’s too unwell.

The woman on the desk continues to type while reading out the information. ‘From there you could hire a car and drive the rest of the way. I mean it’s not ideal, but it would get you there for tomorrow.’

‘How long is the drive from Fairbanks to Anchorage?’ I ask.

She googles it. ‘It says here it’s seven hours.’

‘What time does the flight get into Fairbanks?’

‘Six o’clock this evening. You could rent a car and use Google maps and still make it by near midnight.’

I stare at her as I go over my options.

‘You could call ahead and rent yourself a car,’ she says to try and be helpful. ‘It might actually be fun?’

‘I guess.’ I force a smile. Or I can just arrange for a car to pick me up. ‘Okay, I’ll take that flight. Thank you.’ It will be easy from there, a lot easier than it is from here. At least I’ll be in the right state.

She types into her computer and then hands me the ticket. ‘You need to hurry; the flight is just about to board.’

I read the bold writing.

JFK – Fairbanks, Alaska

‘Good luck.’ She smiles.

‘Thanks.’ I give her a weak wave and make my way through security as I email Melissa. I’ll leave Clancy alone to be sick in peace.

I need a transfer from Fairbanks Airport, Alaska.

Arrival 6 pm local time.

To be driven to Anchorage, Alaska.

I missed my flight.

Boarding now, will check in on arrival.

Ten long hours later, I stand at Fairbanks Airport and look around. Everyone is just wandering around as if on vacation, nobody seems in a rush and to top it all off, the transfer isn’t here. ‘I hate incompetence,’ I whisper under my breath. ‘This is the worst fucking day of all time.’ I take my phone out and call Melissa. It rings out.

My blood boils and I call her again, it rings out again and I leave a message on her voicemail. ‘Hello Melissa, this is Holly McMillan, my transfer isn’t at the airport. Where did you ask them to pick me up from? Am I supposed to be waiting in the arrival lounge or out front?’ I look around in hope of seeing someone with a small sign. ‘Call me back immediately,’ I say sharply. ‘I’m in the middle of nowhere here.’ I hang up in disgust and dial Clancy’s number. She answers on the first ring.

‘Hi, Hol.’

‘Hey, sorry to bother you.’

‘That’s okay.’

‘Are you feeling any better?’

‘Yes, a little. Where are you?’

‘In the middle of Bumfuck nowhere, do you know who Melissa booked my transfer through? They haven’t turned up.’

‘What do you mean Melissa?’

‘I missed my flight and had to fly into Fairbanks, I emailed and asked her to book a transfer from here to Anchorage tonight.’

‘Oh fuck,’ she mutters. ‘You should have called me.’

‘Why?’

‘Melissa didn’t go into work today, she called in sick, too. She wouldn’t have seen your email yet.’

My eyes widen in horror as I look around at my surroundings. People are taking a second look as they walk past me, as if I stand out to be different. I suddenly become aware of people staring at me and I glance down at myself. I’m in a black tight pencil skirt and matching suit jacket, a silk blouse, sheer stockings and high heels. My long-length dark hair is twisted into a bun. I have a small overnight black Louis Vuitton suitcase and my matching Louis Vuitton laptop bag.

Shit, a tad overdressed. I feel like I come from another planet, looking around at my surroundings…maybe I do.

‘I’ll find you one now,’ she says in a panic. ‘Grab a drink at the bar and I’ll call you right back.’

I pinch the bridge of my nose. I don’t need this shit tonight. After the ten-hour flight, I’m beat. ‘Okay.’ I reply as I try to stay calm. ‘Speak soon.’ I hang up.

Oh…. my fuck.

I wheel my suitcase through the airport and over to the bar and take a seat, the waiter smiles as he wipes down the bar. ‘Hello.’

‘Hi.’

‘What can I get you?’

‘A Manhattan, please.’ I smile.

‘A what?’

I frown at his reply. ‘Um… a Manhattan?’

‘Nope, don’t know what that is.’

‘Oh.’ I pause as I think of another drink. ‘A cosmopolitan, please.’

He screws up his face.

‘As in cocktail?’ I wince. ‘Maybe a Classic Old Fashioned?’

‘Nope.’

Oh hell, where the fuck am I?

He scratches his whiskers as if thinking. ‘I can do a fancy Margarita.’

‘Yes, that,’ I snap way too fast. ‘Fancy Margarita would be great.’

He gets to making my drink and I take my phone out and text Clancy.

No answer.

Great, I put my phone down on the bar and stare at the back of the bartender.

I can’t wait for this fucking drink. My phone vibrates on the bar and I pick it up, it’s Clancy. ‘Hi.’

‘Don’t freak out.’

I frown, that doesn’t sound good.

‘So apparently there isn’t a transfer company open, the one company there who does transfers for that distance is closed for refurbishment for a month.’

‘What?’ I pinch the bridge of my nose.

‘Don’t worry, I’m just looking for a charter flight now. I’ll find someone to fly you straight to Anchorage’

‘Okay, good idea.’

‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m at the bar.’

‘Well, don’t drink too much until I find you a flight.’

I roll my eyes.

‘I’ll be back soon.’

‘Speak then.’ I hang up just as the bartender puts the drink in front of me, only it’s not a drink, it’s a concoction. And when I say concoction, I mean, what the actual hell is this crap? The only thing that resembles a Margarita, is the glass.

‘What is this?’ I frown.

‘A fancy Margarita.’

‘It’s red.’

He smiles broadly. ‘That’s the fancy bit.’

I narrow my eyes as I study the drink and point to the balls floating at the top. ‘Are these grapes?’

‘Aha,’ he smiles proudly. ‘Super fancy, just for you.’

‘Ha-ha, great.’ I lie.

Kill me now.

I tentatively pick it up and take a sip. I try hard not to screw up my face in disgust. Oh hell, I think he used a cleaning product instead of Tequila.

‘Well?’ he smiles hopefully, as he waits for my verdict.

‘Oh…,’ I fake a smile. ‘It’s…,’ I pause as I try to find an alternative word to fucking poison. ‘Wonderful.’

He gives me a cheesy wink. ‘Don’t you worry about us in Fairbanks, we know our shit.’

I stare at him as I realize that a truer statement has never been made, this drink is literal shit in a cup. ‘Yes…yes, you do.’ I smile.

He turns his back to me and gets back to work and I wince as I take another sip.

Oh hell…this is fucking bad. I look around for somewhere to empty it so that he won’t see. At least he tried.

My phone rings again, it’s Clancy. ‘Hi.’

‘I can’t find one anywhere.’

‘What?’

‘Nobody can do a charter until Friday.’

‘What do you mean?’ I whisper angrily. ‘This is getting fucking ridiculous.’

‘There are no charter flights until Friday.’

I roll my eyes in disgust.

‘I’m renting you a car.’

‘For what?’

‘You’re going to have to drive.’

‘What, now?’ My forehead creases in horror. ‘Are you serious?’

‘I don’t know how to get you there if you don’t drive yourself. I told you we should have postponed.’

My blood begins to boil.

‘I’m going to call around and try and find you accommodation halfway on the trip. I googled it, and it seems like just one highway. That should be easy,’ she says, but I can hear the panic in her voice.

‘Where is my original hotel?’

‘The Four Seasons in Anchorage.’

‘Okay.’ I’ll make that tonight, I’m not completely useless. I glance around to see the car rental counter over at the other side of the airport. ‘I’ll get a car, don’t you worry. Go back to bed.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes, I’m fine.’ I stare at the drink in front of me. If I can drink that, I can do anything. ‘Okay, speak later.’

‘Are you alright?’ she asks.

‘Of course, I am, how hard can it be to drive seven hours?’ I pick up my drink and take another sip. This shit is actually getting a little better…. or maybe I’m just drunk on cleaning fluid now?

‘You’re in Alaska.’

I wince as I swallow. ‘Well aware, I’ll keep in touch. Get better.’ I hang up and drain my drink.

Okay, let’s do this.

I march up to the car rental counter. ‘Hello.’ I smile. ‘I need to rent a car, please.’

‘Yes, sure.’ The woman smiles. ‘How long will you need it for?’

‘Well,’ I shrug. ‘I missed my flight to Anchorage so now I have to drive there.’

‘Okay.’ She types into her computer. ‘Drop off at Anchorage airport…on, when is your returning flight?’

‘Yes, Friday.’

‘Do you want the car until then?’

‘Yes, please.’ I slide my credit card across the desk to her.

She continues to type into her computer. ‘Now…have you driven here before?’

‘No.’

‘Okay, well, there is a weather system warning for tonight.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘We are expecting rain.’

‘Oh.’ I smile in relief, ‘I can handle a little rain.’

‘Yes, it’s not showing too much on the radar. If you come across any ice on the road, I would suggest you pull over if you aren’t accustomed to driving through it.’

I frown. ‘Ice on the road?’

‘There won’t be any at this time of year, but I have to warn you just in case. It’s in the terms and policies.’

‘Oh good.’ I smile, relieved. ‘If I get tired, I am just going to pull into a hotel anyway.’

‘Okay, sounds like a plan.’ She keeps typing into her computer. ‘What kind of car did you want?’

‘What drives the best?’

‘I’d probably go with a SUV?’

‘Are they hard to drive?’

‘No, easier on our roads. Can handle all weather with a heavier tire.’

‘Sounds good.’

She shuffles through her keys and hands me a set.

‘If you go out these doors and over to our parking lot, you will see a black SUV; that’s your ride.’

I take the keys from her. ‘Perfect.’ I grab my suitcase and laptop bag and make my way out to the parking lot to see the black SUV parked.

I feel myself wither a little. ‘Jeez, that’s a big beast.’ I click the keys and it lights up as it unlocks. I peer in and am pleasantly surprised. Black leather interior, with all the modern upgrades. Quite luxurious really. I throw my things in the back and climb in and get behind the wheel. I type ‘Anchorage, Four Seasons’ into the navigation system and start the car.

I smile broadly, as I look around. This car is actually pretty cool.

Four hours later, I sit forward in my seat and grip the steering wheel with white-knuckle force.

‘This is a fucking nightmare,’ I mutter. The wipers are going as fast as they can. Loud and fast, and still, I can’t see through the windshield. It’s pouring rain, torrential actually. And to top it off, I’ve lost internet connection, so my maps have stopped working. I glanced over the map route before I started driving and I’m pretty sure I just have to stay on this road. But at this point, who knows where the hell I am?

It’s dark and wet and I’m in the middle of a forest, huge trees line the sides of the winding road. There isn’t anywhere safe that I can pull over and stop. I just need to keep going until I find a gas station or get to a town so I can get service again.

I glance at the bars on my phone…. still nothing.

Fuck.

I come around a winding bend and a huge branch lays across the road and I swerve to miss it. The car hits a puddle and spins into a 360. ‘Ahhh,’ I cry as I lose control.

I go through the barrier at the side of the road and over the embankment and down a sloping hill. I’m bouncing all over the place as I try to regain control of the car. The wheels completely lose traction and the brakes aren’t working. I run straight into a tree trunk.

The car comes to a dead halt and I close my eyes in relief and put my head into my hands. I pant as adrenaline rushes through my system and my heart is beating fast.

I look up at my surroundings; huge trees surround my car. It’s pitch black and pouring rain. I pick up my phone, still no service.

‘Holy fuck, what do I do now?’

I sit for a moment in the darkness as I try to calm myself down. I peer through the back window as I try to work out how far I travelled from the main road. Can’t be too far. I need to get out of here.

The sound of the rain is deafening on the roof of the car and the windshield wipers are going at full speed still.

I straighten the wheel and put the car into reverse as I peer through the back window. I can’t see for shit. I put my foot down on the accelerator and the wheels spin. I do it again and I can hear them spinning hard over the engine in the mud but there is no traction.

I’m trapped.

Shit, this is the monumental fuck up of all fuck ups.

Think.

What would be the logical thing to do?

I could try and dig the car out of the mud, but with the rain coming down like it is, there is next to zero chance of that; everything is mud.

I could walk up to the highway and try and flag down a passing car.

What cars, there are no fucking cars. Maybe I should just stay in the car until morning?

I look around at my surroundings. It’s dark and creepy and pouring down rain and the windshield is fogging up on the inside. Spending the night here is my worst nightmare.

I try to think outside the box, what would you do if a car was trapped in mud? I try to think back to those reality in the wild television programs and what they would do in this circumstance. Put sticks under the wheels to try and drive over for traction.

Yes, that’s it.

I open the door and the rain is really coming down hard. I slam the door shut again.

Oh crap.

For ten minutes, I sit in the darkness weighing my options.

Okay, get out of the car, find some sticks and put them under the wheels. How hard can that be?

I glance down at what I’m wearing, a tight skirt with high heel shoes. ‘You idiot,’ I mutter as I peer out onto the ground, maybe I should take my shoes off. No, I need them, who knows what’s on the ground out there. ‘These are fucking expensive shoes, too.’

‘Okay, let’s do this.’ I give myself a pep talk. I take a deep breath and open the door in a rush. I climb out and look around at my surroundings. The car is on a gentle slope. It’s not as bad as I first thought. I walk around the car, inspecting the damage; only one back tire is buried in mud.

Yes, maybe I could get out of here.

Sticks, I need all the sticks. I begin to scrounge around on the ground, feeling around with my feet. The rain is hammering down, and I look up at the sky. ‘Are you kidding me?’ I cry to the heavens. I find a branch and I drag it around and put it behind the back wheel. I find another and another. I’m saturated.

I put them down as I scrounge around on the ground. And as I stand and step back, I roll my ankle, fall and slide down the hill and end up on my back in the mud.

‘Oww.’

‘Easy, Miss,’ I hear a deep voice.

Huh?

I look up through the rain to see a man in a raincoat with a flashlight. ‘Are you hurt?’ he calls.

I shake my head. ‘No, but I crashed my car.’

‘I saw you go off the road from my place, so I came looking for you,’ he calls.

‘Oh,’ I pant in relief. ‘Thank God.’

He walks over and holds his hand out to help me up. I take it and he pulls me to my feet. I put pressure down on my foot and wince.

‘You are hurt.’

‘It’s just my ankle.’ I try to put it down again and pain shoots through my foot. He picks me up and opens the car door and places me on the seat. ‘Stay in here while I check on your car.’ He slams the door shut and he walks around and looks over the car with the flashlight. He gets down on his knees and looks underneath the car and then comes back and opens the door. ‘You aren’t going anywhere; the axle is broken.’

‘Oh.’ My face falls.

‘I can take you into town if you want?’ he asks. His voice is deep and I can hardly see his face. His huge raincoat with his hood is hard to see through the rain.

‘Thank you. That would be…’ I shrug as I try to search for the right word. ‘Great.’

I grab my handbag and he holds out his hand and I take it and step out of the car. I wince again when I put pressure on my foot and without warning, he bends and picks me up like a bride.

He begins to march up the hill toward the road as if I’m light as a feather.

The rain is really coming down and his step doesn’t falter as he navigates where to walk. I cling to him, my two arms around his neck.

This is hellish.

We get to the road and I see a large SUV parked at the side of the road. Jeez, his car is nearly a truck it’s so big.

He opens the passenger side door and places me on the seat. ‘You okay?’ he asks as he does the seatbelt up around me as if I’m a child.

‘Yes.’ I give him a lopsided smile. ‘Thank you.’

I watch him walk around to his side of the car and get behind the wheel. He starts the car and pulls out onto the road.

‘Thank you so much.’

He nods and keeps his eyes on the road. I don’t think he’s made eye contact with me at all.

‘I missed my flight and I had to drive to Anchorage and then my navigation system wouldn’t work and, oh my God, it’s raining so hard,’ I stammer.

He nods but stays silent. His focus remains on the task of driving. I look between him and the road. He’s not very friendly…is he? Why would he be? God, poor bastard, I bet this is the very last thing he wants to be doing on a night like this.

‘You saw my car crash?’ I ask.

‘I saw your headlights veer off the road.’

‘Oh.’ I watch him. ‘It was really scary, could have been a lot worse though.’

He nods once.

I twist my hands in my lap as I think of the right thing to say. ‘How far away is town?’

‘About twenty miles.’

I nod as I listen. ‘And you live out here?’

‘Yep.’ His eyes stay on the road.

Okay, it’s quite clear he doesn’t want to talk, but for some reason I feel like I need to. ‘Thank you again, I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come.’

His eyes flick over to me. ‘That was a good plan.’

I frown, not understanding.

‘The sticks under the wheels, that was a good plan.’

I smile, feeling proud of myself. ‘Thanks.’

‘It wouldn’t have worked in these conditions,’ he continues. ‘But a good plan, just the same.’

‘Oh.’ I shrug. ‘I had to try something at least.’

He remains silent.

‘I’m Holly, by the way.’

His eyes flick over to me. ‘Hi, Holly.’

‘Do you have a name?’

‘Jack.’

‘Hi, Jack.’ I twist my fingers some more, his lack of polite conversation is unsettling. The rain is still coming down hard and I think about what could have happened if he hadn’t come along. ‘This weather is horrendous,’ I say.

He keeps driving.

‘If you hadn’t come along…’

‘I did though.’ He cuts me off.

Okay, shut up. Shut up now. We drive in silence until we get to a sign that says:

Welcome To Cantwell

Thank God, civilization.

‘If you could just drop me at a hotel, that would be great.’

He drives without saying a word. Unbelievable, he borders on rude. It’s just awkward.

We turn a corner and then he pulls into a parking lot and I see the hotel sign. Relief fills me and we both peer through the windshield at the deserted-looking hotel. No lights are on and nobody seems to be around.

‘Is it open?’ I frown.

He shrugs and gets out of the car. The rain is blowing sideways from the wind and I stay put as I watch him approach the front doors. He reads a sign and turns back and gets in and starts the car. ‘What are you doing?’ I ask.

‘It’s closed.’

‘What?’

He pulls out onto the road.

‘Okay, just take me to another hotel.’

‘That’s it.’

I frown. ‘What do you mean, that’s it?’

‘There’s only one hotel here and they’re closed for the Christmas period. I remember now that they went interstate.’

‘Well…. what will I do?’

‘You’ll stay with me.’

‘What?’

‘You’ll stay in my cabin.’

‘No.’ I shake my head. ‘That’s not a good idea, no offense, but I don’t know you and I don’t feel comfortable doing that.’

‘Okay.’ He turns the corner.

My eyes flick between him and the road. ‘What do you mean …. okay?’

‘Okay, I’ll just drop you back off at your car.’

‘You want me to stay in my car in the forest?’ I gasp.

‘No. You want to stay in your car.’

‘I didn’t say that,’ I snap.

He turns his attention to me. His eyes are hard and cold. ‘I’m not in the mood for this shit. You stay at my cabin or you go back to your car. Make your decision because I’m going home.’

‘Well…. where will I stay at your house?’ I stammer.

‘In my bed.’

My horrified eyes hold his.

He rolls his eyes. ‘I’ll be on the couch, don’t flatter yourself.’