Read Online Mistletoe by Lyn Gardner - Free Book Online

between her legs with a thud.
    Fighting the urge to close her eyes and relish in the feel of it, Diana took a deep, ragged breath, hoping that the crisp night air could somehow extinguish the fire Jamie had just ignited.
    “Christ, you’ve got to be freezing,” Jamie said suddenly, hearing Diana’s shaky intake of breath. “You should go back inside.”
    “Will you come with me?”
    “Are you sure you want to risk it? I’m out of cocktail napkins. It could get quite messy.”
    Grinning, Diana said, holding out her hand, “I’ll take my chances.”
    Dropping the cigarette to the patio, Jamie ground it out and took Diana’s hand. It felt good. It felt right. It felt amazing.

Chapter Five

    W hy am I not surprised?” Diana said as Jamie walked toward her carrying an open bottle of wine and two glasses.
    “Well, you didn’t expect me to drink the swill that Lillian serves, did you?”
    “Are you a wine snob?”
    “No, but I prefer the ones with corks rather than screw caps.”
    “Oh, you are a snob.”
    “I like what I like,” Jamie said softly, handing Diana a glass. “It’s a Cabernet.”
    As she brought the glass to her lips, Diana could smell a hint of black cherry and cocoa, and taking a sip, she smiled softly at the flavors of black licorice swirling with the oakiness of the wine.
    “It’s delicious.”
    “Thanks,” Jamie said, taking a seat.
    Glancing at Diana for a moment, Jamie settled back and crossed her legs.
    Although the pounding between her temples brought on by the potpourri hadn’t diminished, the sneezing that had plagued her for over an hour had finally disappeared. Taking a relaxing breath, she took a sip of wine and asked, “So, Diana Clarke, tell me…who are you?”
    “What?” Diana replied, snickering.
    Shrugging her shoulders, Jamie said, “All I know is that you’re Gwen’s friend.”
    “What do you wan’s
    “A little.”
    “Why?” Diana asked, settling back in her chair and crossing her legs.
    Unable to resist, Jamie stole a quick glance of Diana’s nicely-formed calves before raising her eyes and finding Diana smiling back at her. Remembering what Diana had asked, Jamie said, “I guess I always thought that prison officers were a bit more…um… burly .”
    “Well, there are a few like that, but it’s not a prerequisite for the job.”
    Allowing herself the pleasure of taking in the view of Diana’s shapely legs one more time, it took several seconds before their eyes met again.
    Raising an eyebrow, Jamie smiled.
    “Obviously not.”
    Inwardly, Diana sighed at the woman’s sexual tone. Swallowing the moisture building in her mouth, Diana drank some wine to wash it down.
    “Wait. You said you were a prison officer? You aren’t now?” Jamie asked.
    “No, I resigned my position a few weeks ago.”
    “Can I ask why?”
    “I actually started as a teacher, but when budget cuts came along, they did away with most of the classes offered to the prisoners. Since I already had the training to be an officer, I took the job when it was offered. Unfortunately, the difference I thought I was making by teaching the women skills in the classroom all but stopped as soon as I put on the uniform, so I took my non-burly self and called it a day,” Diana said with a grin.
    “So what now?”
    “Well, I still have a teaching degree, so I’m hoping I can find a position in one of the youth offender programs. Maybe, in my own small way, I can actually help a few of them realize that there’s more to this world than just gangs and drugs.”
    “So you still want to make a difference then?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    “Admirable.”
    Deciding it was time to turn the tables, Diana said, “Speaking of admirable, since I already know what you do for a living, Gwen told me that you do a lot of pro bono work. Can I ask why?
    “Because it keeps me grounded.”
    “How so?”
    “I live in a world of corporations and three-piece suits, where the higher-ups take home bonuses in the