Finding Mistletoe : Christmas of Love Collaboration

by AJ Alexander

  Misty slides her hand down my legs and reaches between her legs as she hums.

  “Hmm, your lips look so good wrapped around my cock,” I growl as my balls tighten, begging for release. “Seeing you on your knees will be burned into my brain.”

  As I get closer to coming, I lose control, pumping faster in and out of her mouth and causing drool to drip down her chin.

  I tug on her hair, attempting to get her attention. “You need to stop, baby. I’m going to come.”

  Instead, she tightens her hold on my cock, gripping the base tightly as I moan out my release. She moans around my cock as she swallows, licking me clean with a satisfied smile on her face.

  “I need you again.” I hoist her up into my arms and rub my cock between her folds.

  “Ready to go again so soon?” she responds with a smirk.

  “I have no intention of letting you sleep tonight.”

  My cock has hardened with the knowledge that it’s time to bury myself inside her. She gasps in surprise and begs me to fuck her harder.

  “Fuck yes, Lucas!”

  Hearing my name on her lips turns me into a wild man as I spin, pinning her against the wall. Her legs tighten around my waist as her walls grip my cock harder, almost milking the cum from my balls.

  “Lucas!” she screams so loudly that I’m glad there isn’t a neighbor around for a few miles.

  I continue to pump in and out as her juices drip down my balls. “I’ve been waiting my entire life for you.”

  I’m betraying my feelings with the emotion in my voice, but I see it mirrored back at me in her eyes. Misty whimpers as I continue at a punishing pace, her walls gripping me tighter as we both tumble off the edge.

  She unwraps her legs from around me as I slide out of her and gently place her on her feet.

  “I guess a bath is out of the question.” She kisses my cheek, flashing me a bright smile. “It’s the thought that counts.”

  Her stomach rumbles once again, and we both laugh loudly.

  “My first act as a boyfriend, and I’ve failed. I guess I’m not meant for romance.” I release her quickly and pull my boxers back on.

  “I wouldn’t say failed. You gave me exactly what I wanted.” She heads toward the other end of the bathroom, turning on the standing shower. “Who doesn’t need a daily dose of Vitamin D?”

  I flash her a bright smile and swat her ass. “Food first. Then you can have as much Vitamin D as you want.”

  “Promises, promises,” she giggles.

  I quiet her with a kiss. I wasn’t expecting to find the girl of my dreams in this sleepy Christmas town, but one thing is for certain: Mistletoe Claus is going to be my wife. There is no doubt in my mind about it.

  “Ugh, I hate mornings,” I mumble into my pillow.

  I reach over in search of Misty, but I feel cold sheets instead. After dinner, we went another three rounds before passing out in bed at around two this morning. Sitting up straight in the bed, I search the room for any trace of her, but come up empty.

  “Maybe she’s downstairs,” I mumble to myself as I slip out of the bed and grab my boxers off the floor.

  When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I am met with silence. I quickly scan the living room before entering the kitchen and start a pot of coffee. While the coffee machine does its thing, notice a folded piece of paper on the fridge with my name written on it.

  “She must have left me a note,” I mumble into the empty room.

  I unfold the paper, and it seems Misty called her dad to pick her up this morning, leaving the truck with me, and told me to meet her at the shop if I wanted to see her.

  “I guess my girl wants to spend more time with me.” I crumble the piece of paper into a ball and toss it into the trash can.

  After having a cup of coffee, I grab my bag from the foyer and rush upstairs to take a shower. I replay everything that happened last night in my mind as I enter the bathroom. Last night was one of the best nights of my life. Hopefully it leads to something more between Misty and I.

  I have never met anyone like her before. Not only is there not a fake bone in her body, but she has a great sense of humor. She is unlike anyone I have ever met before. Although there are a million reasons for me to leave Misty alone, I can’t. Better yet, I won’t.

  I quickly reach the top of the stairs and head into the bathroom, drop my bag on the floor, and turn the shower on full blast. As the shower heats, I glimpse a faint bite mark along my neck from Misty as she rode me hard on the couch after I had her for dinner.

  Even more eager to see my girl, I quickly remove my boxers and step into the shower. In a matter of minutes, I’m dressed and ready to head out the door. Who would have thought I would be this excited to see someone I met less than twenty-four hours ago?

  As I pull on my boots, I’m thankful I don’t have the hitchhike back into town. It’s cold, not to mention it snowed most of the night. Not the best weather to be walking in. I throw the front door open and notice the Santa Mobile parked in the same spot.

  Unfortunately, someone other than Misty is sitting on the hood.

  “I’ve been waiting for you,” Hana purrs, attempting to sound sexy, but what comes out sounds more like whining.

  “Keep waiting.” Noticing a car parked a few feet down the road, I shake my head. I don’t have the patience to deal with Hana’s nonsense. “If you don’t mind climbing down, I need to get back to town.”

  “Perfect. I need a ride anyway.”

  She smiles brightly as she skips toward the Santa Mobile, reaching below the passenger side door and bringing out a hide-a-key.

  “Everyone has a spare key somewhere, right?” She answers my unspoken question as she unlocks her door and slides in, slamming it shut behind her.

  I storm over to the passenger side, throwing the door open. “The key?”

  I hold out my hand expecting her to place the key in my palm, but she wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me into her body. Warning bells go off in my head. Clearly, Hana is determined to get my attention. I was trying to let her down gently, but she needs to be put in her place.

  “What’s the rush? The Christmas troll isn’t around to get between us this time. Why don’t we go back inside and have some fun?”

  I lock my muscles in place as she attempts to pull me in for a kiss.

  “Get the fuck off me, Hana. I’ve never been violent with a woman, but you are pushing my boundaries,” I growl before removing her arms from around my neck and pulling her out of the truck.

  “You’re going to regret this, Barnes. We were made for each other!” Hana screeches. “There is no way you really want to be with her when you can have me.”

  I shut the door before bending down so I’m at eye level with her. “When are you going to get it through your head that I’m not interested?” I pluck the key from her fingers and walk around to the driver’s side. “Have a safe trip back to town.”

  Hana stands, stomping her foot like a two-year-old as I ease past her and make my way out of the circle drive.

  As Hana disappears in my rear-view mirror, feelings of dread settle in my stomach. I can’t fathom why Hana was sitting in the driveway when I woke up this morning, but it can't mean anything good.

  Chapter 8

  Mistletoe

  I jump as the bell over the door rings.

  “It’s just me, Misty,” my dad says before laying a comforting hand on my shoulder. “What has you so jumpy?”

  I flash him a fake smile as I step backward. The last thing I want to tell my dad is that I had sex with Lucas last night and I think I might be in love with him. Not the easiest conversation to have with your overprotective father, now, is it?

  “Nothing, Dad. I just didn’t sleep very well last night.”

  My dad gives me a knowing smirk. “The last thing I expected was to get a call from you asking for a ride home.”

  “Thanks for picking me up. I didn’t want to wake Lucas, and I knew I had to be here to
open the store.” I let out a nervous giggle. “I didn’t want to leave him stranded. So, I left him a note and asked him to come by after he woke up.”

  A note on the fridge probably wasn’t the best idea, but I forgot to get his number last night.

  “I could’ve managed. We don’t have any appointments until later this afternoon.”

  Thankfully, my dad doesn’t ask any more questions. I’m horrible at lying; he would see right through any excuse I come up with.

  “You two spending some more time together today?” my dad questions as he pretends to dust the Christmas village beside the register.

  “I don’t know yet. I hope we can hang out after I get off work.” I do not want to be having this conversation with my father, of all people.

  “Well, make sure you have everything you need for work tomorrow. We have a busy schedule. I can’t afford for you to be late because you have the stop at home.”

  “Got it, Dad,” I mumble before ducking into the back room.

  Thankfully, I do need to print out the Santa visit appointments for the day. Any excuse to not be in the same room as my dad right now. Christmas—which is our busiest time of the year—is only a few weeks away. Now that it has snowed, I’m sure people will flock to town for their own piece of Christmas.

  I take a seat at the computer and pull up the appointments for this afternoon. Most people think it’s odd that we take appointments for visits with Santa, but because we have such a small store, he wants to make sure each child has a lasting memory of their visit with him. Once I make sure everything is correct, I print out a copy to keep at the front of the store.

  I should head back out front, but ever since Lucas told me how the media follows him around, I’ve wanted to see exactly what I would be getting myself into. I take a deep breath and open a fresh web browser, quickly typing his name into the search bar.

  Articles begin popping up, all linking Lucas to some Hollywood actress named Kayla Campbell. The page is full of headlines claiming Lucas and his on-again, off-again girlfriend have gotten back together. I click on the first link, and a picture of the two of them in a rather intimate embrace pops up. Lucas told me not to believe that was in the papers, but he could also be trying to hide things from me.

  “It’s not like I’m going to be in a relationship with him. Lucas lives in the city and dates supermodels. Why would he be interested in anything long-term with me, anyway?” I reassure myself, trying to forget everything we said to each other last night.

  Lucas Barnes is a professional basketball player with the world at his feet. I’m a small-town Christmas elf. We have nothing in common. This can’t be anything but a short Christmas fling, one I know I’ll never forget.

  I continue scrolling down the list until I find another headline that piques my interest: Kayla Campbell Is Engaged. Just as I’m about to click the link, my dad comes up behind me.

  “How does the schedule look for today?”

  I jump in surprise, closing the web browser quickly. The last thing I need is for my dad to ask questions.

  “Sorry, hon. I didn’t expect you to be so deep in thought.”

  “No problem. I don’t know why I’m so jumpy today.” I give him a reassuring smile before handing him the schedule. “Nothing too crazy today, but you’re booked all afternoon. I’m sure this is the calm before the storm.”

  “I’m sure it is. Last year was so bad that I thought I was going to need to hire a part-timer, but as always, you made it work.”

  “I’ll always be here for you, Dad. Although Christmas isn’t my favorite time of year, this town is my home. Why would I ever want to leave?”

  He opens his mouth to respond just as the bell chimes.

  “I’m going to take care of this customer. You should head home to grab your suit and have some lunch. Your first appointment is in about an hour.” I hurry toward the front of the shop.

  It’s not that I don’t want to get out of Santa Claus, but my dad needs me. If I leave, there will be no one here to take care of him or help with the shop. This shop is his life. There is no way I could leave him to take care of it alone.

  “Sure thing,” my dad responds as he steps out front.

  “Why didn’t you wake me up before you left this morning?”

  My head snaps up. Lucas is standing in front of me, his hands balled into a tight fist by his side.

  “Yes, I saw your note,” he continues. “But I also saw Hana as soon as I walked out the door.”

  That’s strange. I know Hana lives near the Manor, but there is no reason for her to have been waiting for him when he came out.

  “I had to work.” I cock my head to the side in question, wondering why he’s acting like that. “I figured you would want to sleep in.”

  “True,” he deadpans before striding toward me. “I’m sorry. Seeing Hana there first thing this morning freaked me out. After the last run-in we had with her, I was worried something happened.”

  I roll my eyes. “Didn’t you see the note on the fridge?”

  “Yes, but I feel better knowing you’re alright.” Lucas buries his nose in my hair.

  I giggle before wrapping my arms around him. “We’ve known each other for less than twenty-four hours. I doubt I’m that important to you.”

  “I meant ever word I said last night, Mistletoe.” Lucas pulls back, framing my face with his palms. “I’m falling in love with you.”

  “Last night was fun, but I don’t think a repeat is a good idea.” I turn my back to him, wrapping my arms around my waist. “You can keep the truck until it’s time for you to leave. Your bike won’t make it in all the snow.”

  “I don’t understand. What changed since you woke up this morning?”

  I bite my lip, willing myself not to cry. “It won’t work between us. I have to stay here to take care of my dad and the shop. I’m the only person he has in the world since my mom died. I can’t desert him.”

  “No one is asking you to, Misty. The city isn’t that far away. Three hours, max. We can make things work between us.”

  “What about Kayla?” I sniffle, unable to control my emotions any longer. “I’m sure she’s waiting for you to get back.”

  Lucas grabs my shoulder, spinning me around to look at him. “Didn’t I tell you not to believe everything you read and hear? What did it say about Kayla and I?”

  “I saw pictures of you together looking very cozy and a headline about her being engaged.”

  Lucas smirks. “Did you happen to read the article?”

  “No.” I look at him sheepishly.

  “Yes, she is engaged, but not to me. That photo is from the day Kayla let me know about their engagement. Brad is an everyday guy and they wanted to keep him out of the spotlight.” He sighs before reaching into his pocket for his phone. “No one asked. They just assumed like they always do. Kayla and I haven’t been together in over a year.” He scrolls through his phone before hitting a few buttons and bringing it to his ear. “Shelly, Kayla spilled the beans. My girlfriend found an article officially announcing her engagement.”

  A loud screech comes from the other line before he shoves the phone in my direction.

  “She wants to speak to you. I promise anything she tells you about me is a lie.”

  “Hello,” I say into the phone. “Can I help you?”

  “What’s your name and what do you want?” Shelly’s commanding voice fills the line. “Lucas may be a professional basketball player, but he isn’t made of money. How much will it take for you to leave him alone?”

  I pull the phone back from my ear, glancing back and forth between it and Lucas. On what planet does anyone believe this is appropriate conversation?

  I take a deep breath to calm myself before responding. “I don’t want anything from Lucas. If this is how you treat the women in his life, no wonder he has scandals popping up all the time. I may be from a small town, but I’m not a gold digger. Did you ever think Lucas legitimately wants to spend time
with me?”

  Lucas chuckles before trying to cover it up with a cough.

  “If that’s all, I’m giving the phone back to him. I have work to do. Have a nice day.” I shove the phone back in his direction before spinning around and try escaping to the back room, but Lucas grasps my hand.

  “You aren’t going anywhere,” he whispers into my ear before releasing his grip.

  I watch as he places his phone on speaker.

  “Does she pass?”

  “With flying colors. Hell, with her attitude, you may not need me anymore. This one is a keeper. Don’t fuck it up,” she responds, then promptly hangs up the phone.

  I stare at him for a few moments before either of us speak.

  “That was Shelly, my publicist. You can think of her as my mother. She always said when I found the girl I wanted to be in a real relationship with, I needed to call her. She would make sure you had good intentions and weren’t just using me for something.”

  “I would never do that. Is that the person you think I am?”

  “Of course not, but Shelly doesn’t know you. Now that you’ve won her over, she will do anything for you. She’s a tough nut to crack, but she is loyal.” Lucas brushes his lips against the end of my nose. “So, you’ll be my girlfriend, right?”

  I roll my eyes and smile, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Let’s just make it through the next few days. Then we can see what happens.”

  He sighs. “It’s better than nothing. What time do you get off work?”

  “Around six. I can have my dad drive me back out to the Manor.”

  “I’ll come back and pick you up, and then I’ll make dinner and we can talk about what it will take to convince you to be my girl.” He flashes me another smile before barreling out the door, once again leaving me speechless.

  Chapter 9

  Mistletoe

  The rest of the day is uneventful. My dad has a few appointments that show up, and they spend a decent amount of money on ornaments and pictures before leaving. It’s been quiet most of the day, and although we’ve had a steady flow of customers, I would much rather be spending time with Lucas.