Christmas Down Under: Six Sexy New Zealand & Australian Christmas Romances

by Rosalind James

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Jenna said again. “Though I may have to ask you to take Sophie’s place as my rugby tutor.”

  “I’ve been teaching Jenna all about footy,” Sophie told her aunt. “She didn’t know much about it before.”

  “That’s putting it charitably,” Jenna laughed. “But Sophie’s an excellent teacher.” She rested her hand on Sophie’s head as the little girl beamed with pride.

  “We don’t get to go to the game tonight with you, though,” Sophie told her aunt with disappointment. “Too late, Dad said. We have to stay at the hotel with Nana instead.”

  “The weekend will be busy enough, with the wedding on Sunday,” Jenna told her. “And you can watch the game on TV with your Nana.”

  “It’s not the same, though,” Sophie scowled. “It’s not fair. Just because Harry’s too little. I’m not. I didn’t fall asleep last week.”

  “I know it’s disappointing, but your dad said no,” Jenna reminded her. “And I agreed with him. Can you give me a hand with this luggage, please?”

  Sophie still looked mutinous, but didn’t protest further, grabbing a wheeled case and moving toward the carpark with the others.

  “Thanks for the lift,” Jenna told Sarah as she climbed into the front seat of the Toyota people mover. “I hope it isn’t putting you out. I could have hired a car as well. Then Finn could have used it after tonight.”

  “Dunedin’s not what you’d call a sprawling metropolis,” Sarah said. “We can walk nearly everywhere we’ll want to go from the hotel. Finn knows that. Besides, I couldn’t wait to see my favorite niece and nephew.”

  “We’re your only niece and nephew, Auntie Sarah,” Harry piped up from the back seat. “So that’s silly.”

  “Like I said. My favorites.”

  “Are Nana and Grandpa here yet?” Sophie asked. Jenna was grateful that she seemed to have put aside her disappointment over missing the game, at least for the time being.

  “At the hotel, waiting for you,” Sarah promised. “And they asked me to invite you to join us for dinner,” she told Jenna. “They’re quite keen to meet you.”

  “Me?” Jenna asked in surprise.

  “Seems they’ve heard a fair bit about you from their grandchildren, these past months. And from Finn, I gather.” She cast a quick glance at Jenna. “You’ve made an impression.”

  “That’s nice to hear. I’d enjoy having dinner with all of you.”

  “You may change your mind once you know how many that is,” Sarah grinned. “Most of the family’s here for the wedding, as well as all Ella’s family and friends. And everyone who could manage it got here early to go to the game tonight. It’ll be a bit of an open slather, I’m afraid.”

  “Sounds fun,” Jenna said determinedly.

  “We’ll meet at six, then, in the lobby,” Sarah told her as she pulled into the hotel carpark. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  * * *

  “How ya goin’?” Sarah asked as they began the trek to Forsyth Barr Stadium that evening after dinner, their large family group just part of the happy throng headed that way, many wearing All Blacks apparel or carrying the distinctive black flag with its silver fern, some even having decorated themselves with white and black face paint in honor of the occasion.

  “You were right,” Jenna admitted. “Fun, but a little overwhelming. I’m going to have a job remembering everyone’s name.”

  “Finn said you’d been a teacher. You must have had some practice remembering names.”

  “True. More challenging in the pub, though, than in a nice orderly classroom.”

  “Why are you doing this now? Being a nanny, I mean,” Sarah clarified. “Bit overqualified, aren’t you?”

  “I’m taking a year off,” Jenna explained. “I’d been living in Wellington since I moved to New Zealand, and never even got around that much. I knew I wanted to live someplace else, but I wasn’t sure where. So I traveled around the North Island for a while, working in cafés, staying in backpackers’ hostels, looking for somewhere to settle. I tried New Plymouth, Rotorua, a few other places. I ended up in Auckland, because …” She shrugged. “Because everyone ends up in Auckland, right? I was visiting a friend there when I saw Finn’s advert. I was missing working with kids, and the timing was right. It seemed like a fun thing to do, just for now. I like to cook, and Finn’s an appreciative audience, let me tell you. I’ve never cooked for anyone who ate that much, or enjoyed it as much as he does. I love that.”

  “How’ve you found it, other than that?” Sarah asked. “Sounds like a dead bore to me. How does my baby brother rate as an employer? Besides eating so much. Didn’t realize that was such an attractive trait.”

  “I realize it may not be everyone’s cup of tea,” Jenna laughed, “but I do like it. I was born with an extra domesticity gene, I guess. And it’s hard for me to imagine Finn as anyone’s baby brother. It sounds so funny.”

  “Well, I’m seven years older,” Sarah conceded with a grin. “So I do remember when he was a baby. He didn’t come into the world wearing those size fifteen boots. But come on now, tell me. How’re you going with him?”

  “Great. Although we didn’t start off too well, when I first interviewed. He thought I was after his money. Or maybe it was his body.” Jenna giggled, then slapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry. Getting a little too relaxed here, I’m afraid.”

  “Thought you were having a go, did he?” asked an amused Sarah. “Not really that surprising. He may not be much in the looks department, but he doesn’t actually break the looking glass. I know he’s had more than his fair share of girls interested. It’s being an All Black, I reckon.”

  “I didn’t mean … I wasn’t saying he wasn’t good-looking,” Jenna said, horrified. “He’s very attractive. I mean,” she stumbled, “I’m sure he does. That he has. Oh, dear.” She gave up. “I’m just digging myself in deeper, aren’t I?”

  Sarah laughed. “Yeh. You are. No worries.”

  Interesting, Sarah thought as they entered the stadium. She’d been suspicious when her mother had told her how often Finn had mentioned Jenna’s name during his phone calls. And now that she’d met her, she was definitely wondering.

  * * *

  “Nice,” Jenna told her as they found their seats in the rapidly filling stands of the modern covered stadium. Sold out this evening, she’d read, despite Dunedin’s small population. “Very comfortable, isn’t it?”

  “It is now,” Sarah agreed. “But it used to be known as the House of Pain, before the new stadium was built a few years ago. Because the ground was so shocking to play on. And because the Highlanders, including Finn then, were famous for dealing out a good hiding to teams unfortunate enough to come down here to play. Still hoping for a good hiding tonight, of course.”

  “I noticed that the crowd’s pretty lopsided,” Jenna agreed.

  “Nothing Kiwis like better than dealing to the Convicts,” Sarah agreed with satisfaction. “Not even beating the Poms.”

  They stood and cheered with the rest of the crowd as the All Blacks ran out onto the field behind Finn. Jenna’s heart swelled to see him on the field and projected on the large screen overhead, features set in the hard, determined lines he assumed for every game, big body rock-solid under the skintight black jersey.

  “Phew.” Jenna sat back down again as the crowd subsided following the national anthems and the emotional haka. “It’s only my second time seeing that in person. But even on TV, it gets me every time.”

  “Me too,” Sarah admitted. “And I’ve watched them do it for years. Don’t think it does the Aussie boys any good either.”

  Jenna thought back to the way the Wallabies had lined up, hands on each others’ shoulders in their gold and green jerseys to face the aggressive black wall. “Do you think it actually scares them?”

  “It should do,” Sarah told her. “As the ABs have won about seventy percent of the test matches they’ve played against them, from the beginning of t
ime.”

  “There’s that much difference?” Jenna asked in surprise.

  “Where did you say you’ve been living recently?” Sarah wondered.

  “It’s true,” Jenna admitted. “I’ve been here more than seven years now, and I’m a permanent resident. You’d think I’d know more about rugby.”

  “I’d think, yeh. If you ever plan to apply for citizenship, reckon you’d better educate yourself. The ABs rank first in the world nearly every year, by a fair margin.”

  “I know much more than I used to,” Jenna assured her as the Australian team lined up to kick off. “Thanks to Sophie.”

  And Finn? Sarah wondered. They didn’t talk much during the continuous action that followed, except when Sarah was forced to explain a penalty or point of strategy that had eluded Jenna. She couldn’t tell for sure, but Sarah was reasonably certain that Jenna’s eyes were mostly on Finn, whatever else was happening on the field, and suspicion began to grow into certainty.

  “Want a beer?” she offered at the halftime break.

  Jenna smiled. “I think I’ve done my drinking for tonight, thanks. I have to get up and catch my plane tomorrow. That’s going to be hard enough as it is.”

  “Why don’t you stay over till Monday, come to the wedding Sunday?” Sarah asked. “Unless you have special plans. Finn said you’d be on holiday anyway. I can change my room for one with two beds. You’d give me some company. Be my date, eh. You wouldn’t need to be fussed about the kids, either. Mum’s already booked a babysitter for them for the reception.”

  “Dan and Ella won’t want somebody added to the guest list at the last minute like this, though,” Jenna protested.

  “Let’s find out,” Sarah suggested. She turned in her seat. “Oi, Dan! Can I bring Jenna to your wedding, take Kieran’s spot?”

  “Good as gold,” he called back from his spot two rows up.

  “Sorted.” Sarah turned back to Jenna with satisfaction.

  “Pretty formal,” Jenna laughed. “Just about as formal as going to a rugby game two days before your wedding.”

  “Not just any rugby game,” Sarah pointed out. “A test match in Dunedin doesn’t happen that often. Having a chance to see Finn play—that’s not something Dan’s going to pass up.”

  “Is Ella all right with that too?”

  “Course,” Sarah answered in surprise. “She’d be here too if she didn’t have so much to do.”

  “All right,” Jenna said. “I’m accepting this as a major cultural event. And thank you for the invitation to stay with you. I’d like that very much. I don’t have anything to wear, though. I only brought clothes for a couple days. Certainly nothing appropriate for a wedding.”

  “Excuse to go shopping,” Sarah decided. “Sweet as. I’ll take you to the Meridian Mall tomorrow. We’ll get you sorted.”

  “I don’t want to put you out,” Jenna began.

  “How much shopping d’you think there is in Motueka?” Sarah demanded. “Or Nelson, for that matter? I’ll tell you. Bugger all. I’m going with you, and that’s that.”

  * * *

  “I don’t know,” Jenna said dubiously, tugging upward on the scoop neckline of the metallic copper-and-black print dress, then turning to see how the skirt looked from behind. “I like it, but isn’t it too low in front?”

  “Nah,” Sarah said confidently. “It’s perfect. If I’d ever looked like that, believe me, I’d’ve taken advantage of it.”

  “For a wedding, though,” Jenna protested.

  “Your girls aren’t having a song and dance,” Sarah told her. “Just peeking out a bit to wave a wee hello. We’ll find a black shawl for the church. Good as gold.”

  The shop assistant chimed in. “It’s lovely on you. Like your friend says, just a hint of cleavage. The skirt’s not far above the knee, and not too tight, so you’re not showing too much down below. Cleavage or leg, one or the other. That’s the rule.”

  “Does it make my bum look big, though?” Jenna asked.

  “You’re balanced,” the assistant smiled. “That’s obvious, in that dress. Here.” She dove into a neighboring carousel. “See if you fit this.”

  Jenna took the wide black patent belt with its double row of buckles and fastened it around her waist. The assistant nodded. “Even better. Makes your waist look tiny on top of that skirt. You have a beautiful figure. No reason not to show it. Add some heels, and the boys’ll be sitting up to take notice, I guarantee it.”

  Jenna hesitated. “Excuse us a moment.” She took Sarah’s arm and walked a bit apart.

  “What is it?” the other woman asked.

  “It’s Finn,” Jenna explained. “He told me once that my swimsuit was too … revealing. I’m a little concerned about what he’s going to think of this.”

  Sarah stared at her in astonishment. “Your togs. The ones you wore in the spa last night?”

  “Yeah. I know, ridiculous, right? You’ll notice I’m still wearing it these days. But still. I am the nanny. Maybe I should be more conservative.”

  “Not tomorrow, you’re not the nanny. Tomorrow you’re my date,” Sarah told her firmly. “And I demand that my dates be dead sexy. Finn can go stuff himself.”

  * * *

  “Here we are. Undies,” Sarah told Jenna, pulling her into a lingerie boutique adjacent to the shoe shop where they’d just found the perfect pair of black heels.

  “I have underwear, though,” Jenna told her. “At least, I do once I wash some.”

  “Huh,” Sarah snorted. “I saw your undies. Not nearly good enough.”

  “How do you look?” she called a few minutes later from outside the dressing room. “Bloody hell,” she said when Jenna pulled open the door to allow her inside. “Those are the goods, all right. And I have another idea too.”

  “Why do I need all this?” Jenna protested. “It’s expensive. Why can’t I just wear what I have? Nobody but me is going to see it.”

  “That’s when you need it most of all,” Sarah explained. “You need to feel sexy to look sexy. Which is why we’re doing hair and nails next, and having our legs waxed. And maybe a bit more,” she smiled mischievously. “My shout. Girls’ day out. I don’t get them very often, and I’m taking full advantage of this one. I already booked us in, so don’t argue. Because looking good where everyone can see it isn’t enough. You need to know what’s under there, imagine how gobsmacked all those boys would be if they could see what you’ve got. That’s your secret weapon.”

  If Finn had thought Jenna’s cossie was too sexy, Sarah thought with satisfaction, wait till he got a squiz at her in that dress. She hadn’t missed the way his eyes had tracked Jenna when she’d moved around the room at breakfast that morning, or that he’d laughed and smiled more than she’d seen in ages. And she didn’t think it was all down to winning the Championship.

  She hadn’t liked Nicole above half. From what she’d heard and seen, none of the women Finn had dated since her death had been much chop either. But Jenna was different. She was exactly the kind of woman he needed in his life, if only he had the sense to see it.

  She’d give that a bit of a nudge. Then it’d be up to him.

  Quite a Nice Dress

  “Hi, Jenna!” Harry bounced in the pew of the church the following afternoon. “Come sit by me!”

  “Shhh,” Jenna cautioned him as she slid in beside him. “Use your quietest voice, please.”

  “Your dress is very pretty,” he said in a stage whisper.

  “Thank you. You look very handsome yourself,” she told him. “You too, Sophie. That outfit looks even nicer than I remember.”

  “Nana helped me with my hair,” Sophie explained, touching a hand to the pink headband that matched her dress. “I couldn’t make the headband go right, and Daddy couldn’t either. I wanted to ask you to help, but he said no.”

  Jenna smiled. “Your Nana did a good job. You look lovely.”

  “Thanks for taking them shopping,” Maureen Douglas told her above the children�
�s heads. “I was a bit worried, with Nyree gone. And Finn’s hopeless.” Her blue eyes looked Jenna over warmly. “You look lovely yourself. That dress is stunning with your hair.”

  “I thought, maybe a bit much with the red tones,” Jenna confessed. “But Sarah convinced me.”

  “And I was right, wasn’t I, Mum?” Sarah asked, sliding in beside her. “Don’t I have a gorgeous date, Dad? Kieran’s been well and truly replaced.”

  John Douglas smiled wryly. “You have a cheek, Sarah Bee. But yeh, both you girls look very pretty. I’m glad you could join us today, Jenna.”

  “Thank you for including me,” Jenna said. “Everyone’s been so kind.”

  “We’re grateful to you for everything you’ve done for the kids,” Maureen told her. “We’ve heard heaps about Jenna, haven’t we, John? It’s nice to have the chance to get to know you a bit ourselves. since our grandchildren are pretty special to us.”

  They turned towards the front, quiet now, as the music changed and the groom and his groomsmen came out from the side door at the front of the church.

  “There’s Daddy,” Harry whispered excitedly. Jenna squeezed his hand and shot him a reminding glance, and he subsided.

  Finn did look handsome, though, she thought, the severe lines of the black dinner jacket and white shirt setting off his powerful physique. He was the tallest of the four men standing together near the altar, and by far the most imposing, though none of them were small.

  * * *

  Finn saw her looking at him, and a corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile. He wiggled his fingers at his kids, seeing them unable to resist the temptation to wave at him, even under their grandmother’s and Jenna’s admonitory influence on either side. Then his eyes returned to Jenna. She’d done something with her hair, and it fell in soft, shining auburn waves onto her shoulders. He couldn’t see much else from here, except that she looked pretty.

  His attention was diverted by the swelling music, the sight of the two bridesmaids beginning their slow walk down the aisle, followed by the maid of honor and the bride. His cousin had done well for himself, Finn thought as he watched the procession. Ella was down-to-earth and warm, like Dan himself. They seemed well suited. He’d give this one a good chance of lasting. Not like his own marriage. He couldn’t help thinking about it, whenever he went to a wedding these days. And there’d been heaps of those.