Christmas Love (Love Collection)

by Natalie Ann

  “So how many things has Calvin destroyed?” he asked, smiling at her.

  He was hoping if he talked about the dog, he wouldn’t be so distracted by her looks. She wasn’t dressed much differently than yesterday, her hair still pulled back. She even looked slightly tired, but she was still beautiful.

  It wasn’t just her looks though. Her personality was right there with it.

  He saw the frustration, the embarrassment, and the fear in her eyes when he came in. Frustration that she was struggling with her pup. Embarrassment there too. The fear was that maybe he’d think badly of her and he didn’t want that.

  “Just my confidence,” she said, but she laughed and he did too.

  “I think that might be harder to do than you think. And it’s completely normal too. You have to let him know who is boss,” he said.

  “Easy for you to say. That’s the most he’s slept since I’ve gotten him. Is it because you’re here?”

  “He knows me, and he knows my voice. You have to have a firm voice with him. When you say no, you’ve got to be sharp with it. He has to recognize the tone more than the word itself.”

  “That’s it? That’s all I’ve got to do?” she asked. “I was up half the night reading things, the other half trying to get him to stay on the floor, which of course didn’t work. Not if I wanted any sleep at all.”

  “Did you let him run and play last night?”

  “Not after you left. I was trying to set everything up.”

  “Puppies like Calvin are smart. They need to be entertained. They need to work. If they aren’t, they get bored and get into trouble.”

  He’d seen her flip-flops by the door with teeth marks on them, but they hadn’t been completely destroyed.

  “I thought you said they were lazy,” she reminded him.

  “That is the bulldog part. I’m thinking there is more boxer than anything in his brain.”

  “Tell me about it,” she said. “What are your thoughts on electric fences?”

  “They have their places for some dogs.”

  “What about these dogs?”

  “Like I said, boxers will stay on the property if you teach them to.” He saw she was hesitating and decided to offer. “Want me to show you how?”

  “If you don’t mind. I’d love to let him loose to play. It’s kind of hard to run around with him on the leash, but we did.” She ducked her head, but he saw the laughter in her eyes. “I had to chase him through the woods. I didn’t realize how fast he was, and was terrified he didn’t want to be with me.”

  He reached his hand over and laid it on hers. She didn’t jump, she didn’t move it away, all she did was look down and smile. Promising.

  “He knows a good thing when he sees it. He’s playing. He wants you to chase him so he knows you want him. That you wouldn’t let him go.”

  “Oh.” She frowned. “I didn’t realize that. I didn’t know they could think that.”

  “Dogs have feelings like people do. Anything you might be feeling, just remember he probably is too.”

  “Thanks,” she said, her face softening, a tenderness coming into her eyes, with a touch of something else. Arousal? He had to be imagining it because now it was gone.

  “Why don’t we take Calvin out now and I’ll show you what you need to do with him. What do you say when you want him to go to the bathroom?”

  “Let’s go out,” she said.

  “In that tone?” he asked. She said it as if she was carrying on a normal conversation.

  “Yes, why?”

  “Just like telling him no, you need to have an inflection in your voice. Something to draw their attention.”

  “What do you say to your dogs?” she asked.

  He wouldn’t blush even if he wanted to. “I say, potty. Just like that. Potty. Notice I put an inflection on the ‘P’? That’s what you need to do.”

  “Guess it works,” she said when Calvin lifted his head and came trotting over.

  “Let’s go do it then.”

  Noelle grabbed the leash, clipping it to Calvin’s collar and then handing it to him. “Show me.”

  “No. We’re going to do it together.” She nodded her head, the two of them making their way out the back door. “Don’t let him lead you to where he wants to go. You show him where you want him to do it. He needs direction and guidance or he is going to continue to rule your house. Remember, you’re still the owner and he needs to know that.”

  They walked around the yard for a few minutes, Calvin doing his business off in one corner. Once they’d walked the property line a few times with Chase praising the pup the entire way, they walked back up her deck.

  “He didn’t even pull me that much,” she said, a little bit of amazement mixed in with a frown.

  He ran his finger down her nose like he would have the pup. “Don’t pout. Though it sure does look cute on you.”

  She burst out laughing. He couldn’t remember the last time he made a move like that and was laughed at. Maybe never. Note to himself...don’t do it again.

  “Sorry,” she said. Guess he didn’t do a good job hiding his frown. “It was just funny. You did that to Calvin. Are you trying to praise me like the dog? Do I get a treat too?”

  He reached for her before he could stop himself. Before he could tell himself it was a mistake. That he was overstepping himself. That she wanted help with her dog. Puppy training lessons, not kissing lessons.

  But he slid his hand behind her neck, pulled her forward and planted his kiss right on her. Rougher than he intended, but when she put her arm around his neck, he realized he was winning when he thought for sure he might get a knee to the groin.

  “Do it again,” she said when he went to pull back. She said he could, so he did. No way he was stopping.

  His mouth slanted across hers, her lips parting, his tongue sliding in, tasting her, savoring her, wanting to never end when he knew he should.

  Just in a few minutes though, because somehow he was lucky enough to get someone who looked like her wrapped around him, and if he was dreaming, he didn’t want to wake up.

  The loud bark told him it wasn’t a dream, but that it needed to end.

  “Should I apologize?” he asked, not sure what to do right now.

  “I’m not, why should you?”

  “Good answer.”

  Calvin barked again. “What’s wrong with him?” she asked, leaning down to pet the floppy ears.

  “Jealousy. He’s a boy. He’s claiming you as his. He didn’t like that I had my hands on you.”

  “Then he’s going to have a mighty big problem in a second,” she said before she yanked him forward and showed him how much she really had no intention of apologizing.

  ***

  Noelle looked across the table at Chase while he cut his chicken. She couldn’t remember the last time she grabbed a man and kissed him like that.

  If there was one thing she hated in life, it was to be grabbed. Something that she experienced way too much to even consider doing to another person.

  Yet there she was yanking him in, dying to have his mouth against hers again.

  Calvin protested and they both ignored him and continued to kiss as if they didn’t have a care in the world that they’d just met. Instead, it felt like a homecoming she’d been waiting for her whole life.

  Now they were sitting here at the table eating dinner with an awkward silence thick in the air like the London Fog.

  “So,” she said.

  He looked up and grinned at her. “So what?”

  “You’re quiet. Guess the kiss wasn’t a smart thing.”

  “We both kissed the other, so that makes us two stupid people then. I for one never considered myself a stupid man.”

  “Same here,” she said, taking another bite of the grilled asparagus.

  “You don’t consider yourself a stupid man either. That’s good to know.”

  She laughed. She really didn’t expect him to have that good of a personality. “Stu
pid woman. I’m smarter than most ever realized or gave me credit for though.”

  “What does that mean?” he asked, picking up his beer.

  His second one. She was sticking with water now. No use pushing anything else with an alcohol haze.

  “I’ve been underestimated or labeled in my life before. Walls get built pretty fast in an attempt to prove people wrong when that happens.”

  “I’d never underestimate you. But I’m guessing with a face like yours, people probably think you can get anything you want with just a tilt of your head.”

  Not the first time she’d heard it, and if she wanted to be insulted, she told herself not to be. He didn’t know anything about her, but he could find out, so she wouldn’t lie either. “It’s been told to me before.”

  “I’m sure most take one look at you and think you’re a model. That’s enough to stereotype someone.”

  She didn’t confirm or deny, only saying, “Like pit bulls.”

  “Exactly.” He reached for her hand again, laying his much bigger one softly on it, which was a huge contradiction to the kiss he treated her to earlier. She liked this side of him too. She’d been known to show different sides of her personality, always keeping most guessing, but she hadn’t done it with him and didn’t have any intention of it. Those days were long gone. “I didn’t mean to insult you, if you were.”

  “I’m not. If we’re being honest, then I’ll tell you I’ve been in front of the camera before.”

  “I would have been shocked if you said you hadn’t been. Then again anyone can be in some ad and claim to be a model nowadays.”

  She grinned. “Exactly,” she said, repeating his word. No reason to say anything else. It wasn’t important.

  All she cared about was the guy sitting across from her liking her for the person who adopted a puppy and was clueless about what to do with him.

  Beauty had no part in that.

  Hot Woman

  Holy shit! Chase was glad he didn’t look up Noelle online before he kissed her a third time last night.

  Talk about wanting to cower in a corner around a woman. He kissed Noelle. The Noelle.

  Of course, he’d had no clue who she was prior. If she hadn’t said she’d been in front of the camera before, he wouldn’t have even looked her up. Though he was tempted to do that once she said she was a photographer, thinking she had her own business, and wanting to learn anything about her that he could.

  She had a website, all right, but she wasn’t someone you could call up and hire. Not that he saw.

  No, her website was all about the photos she’d taken around the world for years. Pictures that had gone back as far as her being a teen model, by the looks of it.

  It was more an exhibit of her work rather than anything that was for sale.

  Now he had no clue what to do. What step to take. What to even say to her.

  Should he let her know he knew who she was? And if so, then what?

  She’s famous! Or she was famous. In some circles she probably still was.

  In his circle, she was just the hot woman who wanted him to kiss her again, and even asked him for it before he left.

  Was she using him? Was she just looking for a man to sink her claws in and toss him away when she was done?

  He had no way of knowing without asking her, and though he’d been thought of as clumsy around women before, he didn’t think he’d be crazy enough to voice that concern.

  “Chase! Are you home?”

  He turned when he heard his sister’s voice and then her two babies went running toward the front door. “In the living room,” he shouted back. No time to think about sexy models with legs up to their ears right now.

  He was about to get rid of the two pains in the butt that had been staying with him for a week, and the relief was overriding that. Nah, nothing could override the fact that he had his mouth and hands on Noelle.

  “How have my girls been?” Tricia said, squatting down and running her hands over the two dogs that were sitting there just begging for attention. They didn’t even run and play like normal dogs, but rather sat and preened. They were divas and knew it and wanted to be treated as such.

  “They’re still breathing, aren’t they?”

  Tricia laughed. “You wouldn’t hurt them and you know it. You’re such a softy around anything other than a human. If it were possible for a man to marry a dog, I’m sure you would. Why don’t you feel this way about cats?”

  “First off, I’d never marry a dog and that’s just a nasty thought. You’re never going to find a man if you continue to say things like that.”

  She looked up and grinned at him. “I don’t want a man any more than you want a woman. What is wrong with us? We are both pretty awesome catches and neither of us wants to even consider it.”

  “I wouldn’t say I don’t want to consider it,” he said, frowning.

  He wasn’t about to tell his sister about Noelle. She had fast lips and she’d want a name. Then she’d look it up and think he was joking. He didn’t want to be called a liar. Nor did he want any interference from his sister.

  “We’re both too cynical. I think we’ve been scarred for life by Mom and Dad.”

  His parents hated each other but decided to stay together for the kids’ sake. Yeah, any parent who says they are doing it for that reason is just lying to themselves. “Most likely.”

  “Have you heard from them lately?” she asked him.

  “Nope and don’t care to either. What about you?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. Mom called me when I was on the cruise. I took it as a reward for the past several months of work. I needed the break and the last thing I wanted was her calling me to tell me about Dad’s new girlfriend.”

  “I didn’t know he had an old girlfriend.” Chase stayed out of his parents’ business and they stayed out of his.

  “He’s had a few in the past year. Guess he’s trying to sow some wild oats, per Mom. I don’t want to think about either of them dating and I can’t get Mom to understand that.”

  “You’re the idiot that answers her calls,” he said.

  “I can’t win. If I don’t, she blows my phone up with texts. The same with Dad. But he doesn’t want to know about Mom. He doesn’t even talk about Mom.”

  “First off, Mom blew my phone up that first year after the divorce too, but she finally got the hint when I didn’t respond. Second of all, what the heck is Dad bugging you about?”

  “Everything and anything that doesn’t have to do with Mom. The weather, his job, the stock market, when I’m going to find a man, and you.”

  “What about me?” he asked. “I haven’t talked to him in years.”

  “And that is why he asks about you,” she said. “Why don’t you two talk?”

  “Old news.” Nothing he cared to talk about with his sister. Or his mother. Or anyone for that matter. He and his father just never agreed on anything and never would. Years of being treated like shit couldn’t be overlooked because his father suddenly found a conscience.

  “Well, I’ll get out of your way and let you get back to your boys. Isn’t that sad? I’ve got girls and you’ve got boys. Neither of us wants the opposite sex.”

  “Speak for yourself. I’ve got nothing against the opposite sex.”

  “For sex,” she said. “Not at all. But nothing else. Unless a man can win over my girls, they’ve got no chance with me.”

  Chase laughed. “No man is going to ever warm up to those dogs, so you’re going to be an old spinster.”

  “Look at the two of us. We’re pathetic. And from one pathetic sibling to the other, I’m going to get my girls home and let them know that they’re loved. You can go play with the boys and give them my apologies for the disruption this week.” She picked up her dogs, one in each arm. “Did you keep them separated the whole week?”

  “Nope, but Bruno is running in the yard in excitement now that the girls are leaving.”

  “And Snacks?” she asked, grin
ning.

  “He’s claiming his chair back and I’m not about to tell him no.”

  “We’re both suckers, too.”

  Chase watched Tricia drive away, then returned to the living room where Snacks lifted his head, breathed a sigh of relief and plopped his noggin back down to proceed with the sawing of wood he’d been doing. “Don’t get too comfortable, boy. You’re going to be meeting a new friend in a few hours.”

  ***

  Noelle drove up the street with Calvin in the car next to her, the window down and his tongue sticking out, drool all over the back now. She’d have to bring her car to the car wash too.

  That would be later. Right now she was on her way for a doggie playdate. It was laughable really, now that she thought about it. Something else she never imagined she’d be doing.

  She parked her SUV in the long driveway at Chase’s house. It was much bigger than hers with a fenced in yard. She should consider one too.

  Calvin barely got his paws on the ground before Chase walked around the side of the house followed by two dogs. One huge guy barking and running around, another smaller one, trotting and checking out his surroundings.

  “Hi,” she said. “Aren’t they beautiful.”

  “This is Bruno. He’s a bit playful. We can bring them to the fenced in area and you can let Calvin go loose. The little guy sniffing your leg is Snacks. If you’ve got food, he’s your best friend.”

  She giggled. “You really named him Snacks?”

  “Dog names seem to find them. Just like Calvin came to you,” he said.

  There was a look in his eyes though, one of recognition now. “You know?” she asked.

  “If you hadn’t told me you were in front of the camera at one point, I never would have tried to find you. Well, that’s a lie. I would have tried at some point, but then I would have felt like more of a fool for not knowing for so long.”

  “I’m the same person I was before you looked me up.”

  “So says the woman who is referred to by her first name only.”

  She shook her head, pulled him forward and kissed him softly. “Don’t think of that. I’d rather you forgot about it. It’s in my past and not my life anymore. Anything you read about me, disregard. Please. Consider me like the stray you found on the street.”