COPYRIGHT © 2017 Mrs. Claus (An Anthology)
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This book is a work of fiction, containing five individually written novellas by Amanda Lanclos, Chelsea Camaron, Lacey Black, Laramie Briscoe, and Skye Turner. Names, characters, establishments, or organizations, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously to give a sense of authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Mrs. Claus is intended for 18+ older, and for mature audiences only.
Cover design by Concierge Designs
Formatting by Masque of the Red Pen
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Falling for a Saint by Amanda Lanclos
Santa, Bring Me a Biker by Chelsea Camaron
Exes and Ho Ho Ho’s by Lacey Black
Unwrap Me by Laramie Briscoe
Mission Complete by Skye Turner
“Elodie, can you come in here please?” Nick’s voice booms from his office, in the way that it always does. With authority.
“Yes, sir, I’ll be right there!” Jumping up from my desk, my palms slide over my bright red pencil skirt. Walking swiftly into his office, which is directly across from mine on the bottom floor of Claustine’s Toy Emporium, one of the world’s biggest toy retailers and manufacturers, I can’t help but have my breath stolen from my lungs.
Nick Claustine is a man to be admired, with those amazing bright blue eyes, perfectly styled chestnut brown hair, and a beard he started growing for no shave November. The man was a sex symbol and made my lady parts tingle every single time I got near him.
“Good morning, Elodie. Christmas season is upon us, which means that Santa will be coming around Thanksgiving. Everyone in the store knows that Santa really comes here, so I’ve got to keep the hype up.” His eyes look down at the desk, then back at me. He looks as if he’s sad, but I can’t really tell. “So many people are forgetting the magic of Santa Claus, but we’ve got to get the momentum going again.”
Sitting down in the chair across from him, my eyes scroll over my iPad. He’s always so adamant on the magic of Christmas and making sure so many children believe in the power of Santa, I wonder what he really has up his sleeve. I’ve never met a man more giving than Nick. Just last month he loaded up three eighteen wheelers and brought them all over Colorado for the children in orphanages and shelters.
His fingers tap on the desk as he thinks, trying to come up with some sort of idea to help the magic of Christmas continue to thrive here. I’m sure it takes a lot of that to drive the toy sales. But it seems like it means so much more to him than it does anyone else. He truly loves the season, and for him, it’s special. I wish more people saw that when they viewed the world. He may be a millionaire, but the man wants more happiness than he wants money.
His blue eyes look up at me, sending a wave of heat rushing to my cheeks. I’ve been caught. “Elodie, can you make arrangements for a flight? I’d like you to go with me if you can. I need you to see something so you understand why this is so important to me.”
Did I speak that out loud? Oh, dear…I’m losing my shit with him. It’s got to be that beard. “Yes, sir. If you’ll send me the information, I’ll get it booked. I don’t have any plans, so I’ll be good to go. I’ll just see if my sister can watch the cat for me.”
“Great, we’re going to head to the north to see my father. I’ve got some business to attend to up there and he’s requesting I bring you. He has to approve of you helping me run the family business.”
I look at him in shock, my mouth opening and closing like a fish as I think of what the heck he’s talking about. Finally it opens, and I ask, “Run the family business? I’m only you’re secretary, not your partner.”
“Just talk to the man. He has to believe you believe in Christmas and Santa as much as everyone else. He’s a bit of a vigilante when it comes to that kind of stuff.” Nick runs his hand over his beard before he smiles, his dimples showing on his cheeks. “So, my beard, you like it?”
My eyes go wide, my body goes rigid. Shit, I said that out loud, too. I’m going to just go die in my office of embarrassment now. “It’s very fitting for you, Nick. It brings out the blue in your eyes. I’m sure Macy will enjoy it when she gets home from Paris.”
“She’s been back, we aren’t talking. We haven’t talked in a year. Stop making excuses for admiring me.” His eyes trail over my body as he stands slowly. “Dad wants us to come see all the stuff he’s thinking of adding to the business, and he’d really like to meet the person who helps me. That’s all this is, Elodie. Think of it as a paid vacation to the far north.”
“Is it going to be cold?” My nose scrunches as I think about all of the snow that’s on its way here. I hate the snow, but I love fall in Colorado.
“I can’t tell you exactly where we are going, I just need you to let Tripp know that I’m going to need him to bring me home. And yes, you need to pack for cold weather.” His smile continues to grow as he thinks of home and it makes me smile. He stands swiftly, grabbing a piece of paper off the desk, hiding what I now know is an erection in his pants.
No way! I’ve worked for him for four years and he’s never once came onto me. What the hell is going on around here?
“Can you make sure this order is sent off today? Clive was supposed to come pick it up, but I’m worried the old man is just getting too old to remember anything, and I sure as heck wouldn’t want the kids to be upset that their favorite toy isn’t in the stores.”
Snapping out of it, I grab the piece of paper, our hands touching and I swear I feel a jolt of electricity shooting through me. But this isn’t how our relationship works. I’m not into my boss, even though he is very handsome. “Sure thing, Nick. I’ll get that ready and I’ll let Tripp know he’s needed. When should I plan for us to be gone?”
“Tonight if you can make it happen, if not, first thing in the morning. It’s kind of imperative that I get Dad’s business model going. Christmas is in ninety days, as it would have it. He’s stressing out and Mom says the only way to get him to stop is to go up there and try to get him to let me go ahead and take it over.”
“Take it over? I thought you did all the running as it is.”
He smiles that devilish smile before he taps me on the nose. “You see, Elodie…you have a lot to learn about this business. But there are things I can’t tell you about, you have to see them for yourself.”
Rolling my eyes, I look out the glass window to see Sarah sitting at her desk on the phone. “You act like you’re Santa’s son or something with how secretive you’re being. You planning on bringing me to the North Pole?” I can’t help but giggle after saying that with a straight face.
He coughs a little, his hand sliding over my shoulder. “I suppose, Elodie, you’ll be surprised when we get to where we are going, won’t you?” His eyes have a twinkling of playfulness in them, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I like this side of Nick Claustine.
The next morning, I don’t know what the heck I’m thinking as I board the small plane, with Nick at my side. It’s not that I don’t trust Tripp and his flying ability, but I know we are going to be on this tiny plane for over ten hours,
and I just worry about its ability to keep me safe.
Nick grabs my arm in a reassuring squeeze, causing me to look up at him and see the beautiful blue of his eyes, and his lips are upturned into that smile, the one that makes my knees go weak. “Are you afraid of flying, Elodie?”
“Not really of flying, but this plane, yes.”
He nods his head as his hand grips mine while we taxi down the runway of the private airstrip. “I’ve been on many trips with this plane, but I prefer flying in the family one. You’ll see it soon enough. This one may be small, but you will be safe. I promise.”
Nick starts talking about himself, and he has me captivated. His eyes light up as he talks about home, all of the traditions he has with his parents. It makes me wonder why he lives so far from them.
My head cocks to the side as I think about what all he’s saying, trying to figure out the reason he moved all the way out to Colorado. “Why didn’t you stay with your family if you love it so much there?”
“You’d think I was crazy if I told you the truth before you got there to see it for yourself, Elodie. Just trust me. You’ll love it there, too. There’s just something about the ranch that makes you happy.”
The ranch? I did NOT take Nick as a cowboy. “Ranch? Nick, no offense, but I don’t see you in Wranglers and cowboy boots.”
He looks at me with a shocked look on his face before laughter fills the small cabin of the plane. I’m beginning to think he’s lost his mind, but he finally speaks through the laughter. “No…I don’t…I mean…it’s a ranch…but not the type you’re thinking of.”
“Well, if you wouldn’t be so dang secretive and tell someone some details, I wouldn’t be the laughing stock of the plane.” I huff, turning to look out the window at all the scenery that’s passing below us. This country truly is a beautiful place to be, and it’s even more beautiful as we get farther north. The ground turns from beautiful red, orange, and brown leaves in the trees to sparkling white.
He is quiet for a good bit before grabbing my shoulder again, causing me to gasp when a jolt of electricity courses through my veins. The heat I’m feeling could probably melt every inch of snow covering the mountains we are flying over right now. “I didn’t mean to laugh at you, I hope you’re not upset with me. I just…I’d rather you be surprised and get the full experience of where we are going rather than me tell you. You may think I’m crazy if I told you the truth.”
I huff, sitting back in my seat. “My gosh, Nick. You’re acting like we’re on our way to see the North Pole and Santa Claus.”
His back goes ramrod straight, his eyes falling to the ground before he turns his ice like stare at me. Gone is the sweet and playful boss I’ve known and now, there is a man I’ve never seen before. “Maybe I underestimated your belief in magical things, because, Elodie…that’s exactly where I’m taking you. My father is St. Nick. But I see I’m not the best judge of who believes in him.”
My mouth opens and closes like a fish as I try to put together the words swimming in my brain. I’m pretty sure Nick has lost his mind. No, maybe aliens abducted him and they’ve replaced him with a robot. Or maybe he’s taking me out here to kill me. I didn’t take him as a crazy ass man. Oh shit. I’m in trouble.
“Elodie, I can see the wheels turning in your head. I’m not lying, and I’m definitely not going crazy. I truly am the son of St. Nick. How do you think I’ve been the major retailer for so long? When your business relies on the toys, you kind of have to stockpile them.” He gives me a small smile that lightens the coolness in his eyes, but it’s still not enough for me to not be on guard. “You’re just always so excited when Christmas rolls around. I thought I may have actually found someone who loved it as much as I do. It’s kind of my life.”
My voice shakes as the words come from my mouth, “I don’t really know what you want me to say here, Nick. Even if this is true, it’s kind of a big thing to lay on someone in a matter of moments.”
He nods in agreement before looking out the window with a huge smile on his face. “Well, it looks like you’re about to get the experience of a lifetime, Elodie.” He points in the direction of a huge wooden house with a white fence surrounding the property. There’s a huge red barn full of what looks to be reindeer and down in the distance is a big green building that I can’t really make out. Over the fence, there is a huge iron gate that reads North Pole. “Welcome to Santa’s Wonderland,” Nick says with excitement in his voice.
I’m left speechless as I take in my surroundings. I can’t believe this is actually a real place. What in the world am I getting myself into? Why in the world did he believe that I would be okay with this? I mean, Santa really is a real person? How old is he? And how old is Nick? Information overload, I’m about to pass out. Oh, dear Lord.
“It’s beautiful,” I say in awe as the small plane makes its decent into the craziest dream I’ve ever had. This has to be a dream. Only this time, Nick isn’t naked and inside me.
He chuckles beside me, his face back to the old carefree Nick I know. “You aren’t dreaming, and as for the last part, Elodie, I’d be a very lucky man to be naked and inside you.”
“Oh, my god! I’m going to die of embarrassment now.” I can’t believe I said that out loud. My face turns red. I can feel the heat burning all the way down my neck and onto my chest, and it is definitely not the kind of heat I was feeling earlier when Nick touched me.
He grabs my hand to help me out of the chair and my breath catches. He looks me right in my green eyes and smiles brightly. “This week is going to go better than I planned.”
Two Weeks Earlier
“What do you mean?” My voice shakes with fury as my father relays the message. If I was being honest with myself, I would have realized that this day would come. I was thirty-eight, and not getting any younger. My father was getting older as the days went by. His father was long gone and while we carried on this family tradition, it wasn’t supposed to be my time any time soon.
My dad’s jolly voice comes through the phone, sounding a little less jolly than I’ve ever heard it. “Nickolas, I never wanted to force you into settling down, son. But our traditions rely on your ability to find love. Your sister can marry, but her husband would never be able to become what a true Claus can. I know it seems like a lot, my boy. But I have to have a legacy to leave behind, and neither of us is getting any younger. Besides, if your momma doesn’t stop baking all these sugar cookies, no amount of magic will help me squeeze down a chimney this year.”
His chuckle comes through the line and my mind is brought back to the reason of Christmas. My family has known the real reason of Christmas from the beginning, but my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather saw the children who didn’t get gifts on our Savior’s birth, and he wanted to do something about it. So he created Claustine’s, a store in England that still stands to this day. He worked around the clock to make sure that children whose families couldn’t afford a toy would get a toy. It started a tradition that now requires a lot more to run, but because of our good deeds, we were rewarded with magic to help us get around quicker.
Sighing as I run my hand through my hair, which I’m surprised hasn’t started going white by now, I think of what to say. “Dad, I don’t really know anyone that’s even remotely interested in me for me, and not for my money, or our family traditions. I keep my head in this business, which makes it hard to even get out and truly find someone.”
“Son, I know how hard it is, but I promise, she will stumble into your life without you even realizing it.” Just as he speaks the words, the one woman who’s caught my attention, but is off limits, walks by my door with a smile on her face. She waves at me through the glass of my window. My breath catches in my throat as my assistant, Elodie, walks by in a bright purple dress that hugs her curves in all the right places, and it has a zipper all the way down its back. The woman really doesn’t know how attractive she is.
“I may have someone in mind, Dad. But I haven’t ever p
ursued it because she works for me.”
“Elodie Masters?”
I chuckle slightly because, of course, my father would know. He’s Santa for crying out loud. He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so you better be good for goodness sake. Sometimes I really hate that part about his gift. “Yes, Dad, Elodie.”
“Bring her with you when you come in two weeks. Share your life with her, son. She’s a good girl, and even if she doesn’t think she believes in the magic of Christmas, she does. I know it in my heart.” He’s about to speak again when I hear someone holler his name in the background and he’s rattled. “I’ve got to go. One of the elves has hurt themselves. Call me tomorrow. Love you, son!”
“Love you, too.” I hold my phone, realizing I’ve said it to a line that isn’t even live anymore. My father has the world on his shoulders right now, but I help him by keeping toys in stock and manufactured here as we continue to grow in popularity every year.
My mind begins to spin with all the thoughts of what I am going to do, because there is no way I can make Elodie just fall in love with me. I don’t even know if she looks at me romantically. Some of the things Dad has said to me have me on edge. I’ve got to have a legacy to leave this to. Does that mean I have to have a son? What if I only shoot Xs and no Ys? I mean, this is a lot to take on. And what if I can’t find someone who wants to be with me? Dear Lord, I’m in major trouble.
“Um, Nick. Are you okay?” Elodie’s voice comes into my mind, stopping all of my thoughts in my tracks as she stares at me with concern evident on her face. “I’m afraid if you pull your hair any harder while pushing your fingers through it, you’ll be bald before Christmas.”
I can’t help the laugh that comes from my mouth as I stand, leaning my hip against the desk as I notice her eyes rake down my body. Oh, Elodie. Mission accepted. Dad, I’ll give you a legacy. I just have to find a way to make her get on that plane with me. “I’ve just got some family stuff I have to take care of, just stressful. Dad’s going through that whole settling down stage.”
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