The table in the dining room had been laid out already. "You didn't have to do all this. I would have been fine with just a sorry." I said, glancing through.

Then the smell of the food hit me and I let out a little moan. "But you know what? I appreciate the effort, and that smells incredible!"

"I thought you might like it." Henry said gruffly as he checked it was all cooking well.

"Food is definitely the way to my heart," I laughed, running my eyes across the food cooking away.

"Good to know," Henry murmured, beginning to dish up the food and refusing to meet my eye.

"So, how was your day?" I asked as we carried the plates through.

Henry moved ahead of me, placing his food down and pulling out my chair. Well he definitely knew how to be a gentleman.

"Same as always, busy." Henry sighed, suddenly looking a lot older and more tired than he had before.

I tilted my head and, for the first time, noticed that the toll that running this business had taken on him. It was there in the creases around his eyes and the tightness of his jaw. "You should hire someone to help you with it all."

"I keep meaning to, but I never find the time to work it out." He sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face before forcing a smile, "We don't need to talk about all that though."

"That's why you have staff, silly. To help you with things like this. I can write a job advert for you tomorrow." I said, reaching to pat his hand resting on the table.

"I'm not very good at delegating in case you hadn't noticed?" Henry said with a wry smile.

"Me neither but, thankfully, I'm not the big boss!" I replied with a wink.

He appraised me for a moment, and I tried hard not to fidget under his gaze. "I would really appreciate your help with it. If you're sure you don't mind?"

I shot him a bright smile. "Of course not, I want to help!"

"Well, thank you. Enough of this talk about work though, eat up." Henry smiled.

"You know you really should work on your delegating skills. And maybe your people skills too, you can be quite nice when you want to be." I replied, without thinking.

It took a moment for it to hit me with what I had just said. "I didn't mean that how it sounded."

"Maybe not, but you have a point." Henry chuckled, "We all have our flaws and you're right, I should work on mine."

I let out a relieved breath. My flaw was definitely not thinking before I spoke and I mentally vowed to work on that.

We ate in a comfortable silence, both content in our own thoughts. This was new for me. I usually preferred to fill the quiet rather than relax in it. Perhaps some of Henry's attitude was proving be good for me? But not towards Christmas, I was never losing that obsession.

"What do you want to do after dinner?" Henry asked and my eyebrows shot up.

He really was trying, wasn't he. "I was thinking of listening to a little Christmas music and reading a book. I can go and listen in my room if it will bother you?"

"No no, it's fine, listen down here. I don't mind." Henry quickly replied.

"Would you like a hot chocolate?" I asked over my shoulder, as we carried our plates back through to the kitchen.

"I don't know, I haven't had one since I was a child." He confessed.

My eyes widened, "Well you are in luck because I make the absolute best hot chocolates and I ordered my favourite to make some with."

Henry smiled at my serious look, "Then yes, I would love one."

Grabbing the two biggest mugs Henry owned, I filled them with milk, "This," I explained, "is the best way to make sure you make enough."

Upending both lots of milk into a saucepan I began to heat it on the stove as Henry washed up from dinner. When I tried to help he flicked me with the water, "Focus on the hot chocolates, I've got this."

I backed away laughing and found my eyes drifting back to him, stirring the milk absentmindedly with one hand.

His broad shoulders stretched at the t-shirt and had me wondering if the man owned anything loose fitting at all. He was all bunched muscles and a predator like grace. He even made washing up look good.

Though being fair I found any man doing household chores attractive. I liked to think it was the feminist in me enjoying a fair division of the workload, but I had to admit it was more likely because I really hated doing them myself.

He was almost finished with all the pans by the time I was satisfied with the heat of the milk. Adding three tablespoons of Hotel Chocolat Milky - AKA the best hot chocolate experience a girl could ask for - I stirred and watched it dissolve as the distinct aroma began to fill the room.

"That smells amazing." Henry said, sounding a little surprised.

"I am hurt by your lack of faith Mr Carter. I promised you the best." I teased.

Finally satisfied I poured them into the mugs, a little splashing onto the pristine worktops. "It's ok, I'll get it in a minute." Henry reassured with an eyeroll.

"Now, how do you feel about peppermint?" I asked, retrieving the small glass bottle of syrup.

"Reminds me of toothpaste." Henry shrugged to indicate he could give or take it.

"Well, I'm not risking giving you a toothpaste flavoured hot chocolate so you'll just have to have it as is," I laughed, pouring a generous amount of the peppermint syrup into my own, "Now I would add some cream and marshmallows at this point but seeing as you don't have any you'll just have to accept it as is. Just imagine how pretty it would be if you did have them though."

Henry gave me a sceptical look as he accepted the mug and slowly brought it to his lips. Inhaling the smell slowly he took a small sip and his eyes widened.

"I told you," I giggled at his expression and began sipping my own.

"That really is delicious." Henry said after taking another much larger sip.

"You are very welcome." I replied, bowing my head with a smug smile.

I took another sip of my own and the spoon I had left in to stir it nearly poked me up the nose.

I leaned round Henry to drop it in the sink and heard his sharp intake of breath as my arm brushed his back. "Sorry sir, I mean Henry." I mumbled, moving back and looking down into my hot chocolate shyly.

My heart was thudding in my chest at his nearness. After a long pause Henry finally spoke. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

My eyes shot up to meet his, and I gasped at the look in them. Gone was the indifference and cool disinterest.

Slowly, purposefully, he placed his mug down on the side and I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong with it. Before I could get the words out, he took mine from my hands and placed it down next to his.

All words failed me and thoughts vanished as he moved to trap me against the counter. His eyes were dark with lust and one of his hands slid up the back of my neck, knotting into my hair and tilting my head up towards him, "I'm going to kiss you Susie." He growled out, "This is your last chance to stop me. Just say, and I'll stop."

I couldn't stop this if I tried. My heart was hammering like a runaway train as I stretched up on my tiptoes to reach him. Then suddenly his lips were on mine and I felt myself melt against him.

His lips still tasted of chocolate and moved with a surety and confidence I lacked. He wasn't just kissing me; he was claiming my mouth in a way I had never experienced before.

Henry's hips pressed against mine, and my head bumped back against the edge of the cupboards. I was dimly aware of what a terrible decision this was and that I should stop. This was my boss. He was my boss.

But I didn't. I couldn't. I was so lost in the kiss that I couldn't tell where I ended and he began anymore.

How long had it been? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Time had lost all sense and meaning. His tongue darted into my mouth, tasting the lingering peppermint from my hot chocolate and I gasped against him.

His groan was all the reply I needed to respond in kind and darted my own tongue out to dance with his. He pressed harder against me, one hand still in my hair and the other on my hip, pulling me tighter into him.

My own hands didn't know what to do with themselves and I gripped the edge of the worktop for support. I wasn't sure I could stand anymore without the support of his body against mine.

Then we broke apart and stood for a moment with our foreheads touching. I was afraid to open my eyes, afraid to see him and his reaction.

When I finally did, his gaze was so intense I had to breakaway within seconds, letting my head fall against his solid chest, my eyes fluttering closed again. I brought one hand up to feel my kiss bruised lips as the rapidness of his heartbeat thudded against the side of my face, confirming that the moment had affected him just as much as it had me.

And then the colour drained from my face, and the reality of the moment hit me. I had just kissed my boss.