Authors: Fiona Shin
His For Christmas (20 page)
She
sat
in
front
of
the
fire,
head
down,
apparently
completely
engrossed
in
a
mass
of
yarn
and
needles.
“
Mrs.
Chang
decided
to
take
Timothy
to
the
gathering.
”
“
Mrs.
Chang?
”
He
couldn
’
t
believe
it.
“
But
she
hates
gatherings!
Says
they
drive
her
up
the
wall! She can't stand most of the people bound to show up there. And there’s a blizzard outside. She’ll never make it in time!
”
Ivy
shrugged
and
continued
working
on
what
looked
like
a
knitted
suit
for
something
with
more
than
two
legs.
Possibly
an
octopus,
although
this
far
from
the
ocean,
he
didn
’
t
know
how
she
was
going
to
find
a
test
subject
to
try
it
out.
“
All
I
know
is
what
she
told
me,
I
’
m
afraid.
”
Elliot
sighed
and
ran
a
hand
through
his
already
disheveled
hair.
He
’
d
been
at
the
saloon
the
next
street
over
and
would
’
ve
stayed
longer
if
damned
Reynolds
hadn
’
t
kicked
everyone
out,
just
so
the
selfish
bastard
could
gussy
himself
up
for
the
gathering.
And
now
here
he
was.
In
an
enclosed
space
with
a
beautiful
woman
who
drove
him
to
distraction
with
her
amethyst
eyes
and
scent
of
roses
and
vanilla.
He couldn’t even leave the house, not with the sudden heavy snowfall and howling winds that made the windows shudder.
It
was
too
much
to
bear.
“
If
you
need
me,
I
’
ll
be
in
my
study.
Working.
I
’
ll
be
very
busy,
as
a
matter
of
fact.
Much
too
busy
to
hang
about
talking
to
you.
”
“
Of
course,
Mr.
Whitley,
”
she
said,
just
as
meekly
as
a
country
mouse.
“
I
would
expect
no
less
from
you.
”
And
for
some
damn
reason,
her
attitude
just
made
him
angrier.
“
Damn
it
woman,
aren
’
t
you
even
going
to
look
at
me?
”
Damn
it
woman,
aren
’
t
you
even
going
to
look
at
me?
”
Probably
not
the
right
thing
to
demand,
as
now
he
was
being
stared
at
quite
intently
by
a
pair
of
beguiling
violet
eyes
that
made
his
mouth
go
dry.
“
I
’
m
sorry,
Mr.
Whitley.
You
seem
quite
disturbed.
”
not
the
right
thing
to
demand,
as
now
he
was
being
stared
at
quite
intently
by
a
pair
of
beguiling
violet
eyes
that
made
his
mouth
go
dry.
“
I
’
m
sorry,
Mr.
Whitley.
You
seem
quite
disturbed.
”
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