I'm Your Santa

by Castell, Dianne

  He gripped the rail until his knuckles turned white. They said he was the wild child of the cinema but they had created him.

  And he’d let them.

  He closed his eyes, breathing in the pure salt air. When he opened them, he stared at the magnificence before him. There was something powerful about the waves as they crashed against the rocks, white spray shooting upward.

  There was a time in his life when he would’ve sold his soul to the devil for all this. Maybe that’s what had happened. The devil was calling in his marker.

  This was the role of a lifetime. He’d known it as soon as he’d read the script. It had raw substance, something he could sink his teeth into, unlike the parts he’d played up until now.

  He wanted it and he was willing to go to any length to get it. “What do I have to do?”

  “I’m not sure you can do anything.”

  Jeremy turned. “Then why am I paying you?”

  Monty hesitated. “There is one thing the executive said would save your ass, but you’re not going to like it.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  “Even if it means going incognito?” He waved his arm, encompassing his surroundings. “Leaving all this and living the part. Changing your looks. Becoming the character, becoming Trey Jones.”

  “That’s crazy. How the hell can I pretend to be a preacher? And the press will find out.”

  “We’ll put out a release that you’ve gone to the south of France to study for your upcoming part.”

  “People won’t buy that I’m a traveling preacher.”

  “How can you sell it on the screen if you can’t fool a few people in the public?” He shrugged. “I wouldn’t blame you if you turned it down. Pretending to be a traveling man of the gospel would be a stretch. A long one. You asked, I told you, and that’s why you pay me.”

  Monty looked pointedly toward the patio doors, toward where Cecily was sleeping on the other side. Jeremy crammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. His gaze fell to the terra-cotta tiles, the brown-grout lines.

  “They did offer you the role of the brother,” Monty mentioned.

  His head jerked up. “Supporting actor? I don’t think so.” Monty was good at pushing all the right buttons. “When do I leave?”

  Bailey tossed back the rest of her drink. This was the fix she needed.

  “Want a refill?” Kathy asked.

  She had to think about it. She was already at her limit.

  “I’ll make it a triple,” Kathy added temptingly.

  “You’re killing me. Besides, I really need to get home.” Bailey couldn’t help eyeing the tubs of ice cream, though. No, one double chocolate raspberry swirl malt was all the indulgent calories she needed this week—shoot, this month.

  As if that was going to happen. Her mother had already started her Christmas baking. Pure torture. But the malt had been sooo good and she’d really needed a chocolate fix.

  Being a fourth-grade teacher was not easy sometimes. Why hadn’t she chosen something less taxing? Like brain surgeon, astronaut, tightrope walker, skydiver…

  But school was out for the next two weeks! She loved Christmas vacation.

  The roar of a motorcycle caught her attention, drawing her back to the present. She swiveled her stool toward the door as the man on the cycle pulled under the awning of the burger shop.

  “Someone passing through,” Kathy mumbled. “I don’t know anyone in Two Creeks with a cycle besides my brother.”

  “Not just any cycle. That’s a Harley.” A big black Harley. She sighed. There was just something about a motorcycle that made her want to straddle the leather seat and feel all that power nestled between her legs.

  When she’d only mentioned that she’d like to have a motorcycle, her brother almost had a coronary. Her sister-in-law had liked the idea. But Wade had raised such a fuss that she’d given in and bought a cute little sports car instead. Man, could it corner. Not that she’d tell her brother.

  But this bike was sweet. The guy getting off it wasn’t bad either. She couldn’t see his face very well because of the dark sunglasses and helmet he wore. But the black-leather pants and jacket were sinfully sexy. The bad girl inside her emerged thinking all kinds of naughty thoughts.

  Man, she really must be bored. It was just like she’d told the people of Two Creeks at the last community meeting; they needed to bring in new business and more people or the town was going to die.

  Point in fact, she was lusting over the stranger and he was probably ugly as sin…

  He removed his helmet and placed it on the back of his bike, then combed his fingers through thick black hair. When he turned around, she got the full effect of him. At least six foot two inches of pure male testosterone at it’s finest.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Everything about him was dark: his tan, the stubble of beard…his eyes. He was hell on wheels and Bailey knew she’d burn for the kind of thoughts she was having. Oh, baby, she could already feel the heat.

  “Nice package,” Kathy choked out.

  “You’re engaged.”

  “Am I? To who?”

  “It’s whom and his name is Chad, remember him?”

  She sighed. “Vaguely.”

  They looked at each other and chuckled.

  “Looks like the eye candy is hungry. I’d love to be his next meal. Maybe I have enough time to scribble my name on the menu. TODAY’S SPECIAL: KATHY…NO CHARGE”

  “Shh,” she whispered. “Just act natural.”

  “Then you think throwing myself at his feet would be a little too much?”

  Bailey smothered a laugh. “Be good, and get me a soda—diet.”

  “I thought you had to get home?”

  She stuck her tongue out but quickly straightened in her seat as the bell jingled over the door. She didn’t look toward it. She didn’t have to. Bailey felt him. Her body tingled with awareness. It was a sin for a man to look that damn sexy.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him slide onto a stool. There were only two between them.

  “What’s good?” he asked, words raspy, rough.

  She quickly took a drink of the soda Kathy handed her, hoping the cold drink would cool her down. Didn’t work, darn it.

  Kathy leaned against the counter. “I make a mean burger—best in town.”

  Bailey swiveled slightly in her seat and studied him, then frowned. He looked familiar. Why did he look familiar? Had she dreamed about him? Maybe he was her soul mate.

  If she believed in that sort of thing—and she didn’t. But still…

  “You remind me of someone…” Her brow furrowed.

  He looked right at her and she almost had an orgasm. His intense gaze stripped her clothes away as it meandered over her body. Her nipples tightened. Oh, man, he started an ache deep inside her. She needed a fire extinguisher!

  “Jeremy Hunter?” he supplied. “I hear that a lot.”

  “Huh?”

  He grinned, as if he knew exactly the effect he had on her. “People tell me I look like Jeremy Hunter, the actor.”

  She mentally shook her head to clear it, not sure exactly what had passed between them. Yeah right, she knew exactly what had happened. Testosterone had crashed into estrogen and there’d been a sexual explosion.

  She drew in a deep breath. “Except he has blue eyes and brown hair.” She studied him—which wasn’t hard at all. “And you have a thin scar down the side of your face.”

  “And the fact I’m not an actor,” he said.

  She really liked the sound of his voice. Listening to him talk was better than drinking a triple chocolate raspberry swirl.

  “You could be.” Kathy blushed. “I mean, you look like one.”

  “Except I’m not.”

  “So what do you do?” Bailey knew she was crossing the line from friendly to nosy but she couldn’t help herself. She was curious. Male stripper? Yum, she could envision him slowly peeling off his clothes and…

  “I’m a preacher.�
�

  Bailey had the straw in her mouth but rather than sucking, she blew in it. Her drink became Old Faithful as it bubbled over the top.

  She quickly set it on the counter and looked at the biker. “You’ve got to be freakin’ kidding me.”

  She’d been lusting after a preacher! Oh God, she was going to hell for sure.

  She grimaced. Had she just said freakin’? This was so not her day.

  Two

  Jeremy looked at the woman sitting next to him. He’d been watching her since he’d walked inside the burger joint. He definitely liked what he saw: straight blonde hair that brushed her shoulders and tight-fitting jeans—a deadly combination in any man’s book and he was no exception. He briefly wondered how long it would take him to get her undressed and into his bed.

  His sigh of regret was long and deep.

  A damn shame that wouldn’t happen. He was playing a part. He was Trey Jones, preacher, and he had all the papers to prove it. Monty had made sure of that. The playboy was dead and buried—at least for a while.

  Damn, this was going to be harder than he’d imagined. Good thing he only planned to stay long enough to grab a bite to eat. Temptation would be a distant memory by this afternoon.

  But he couldn’t help smiling. He didn’t think she’d expected him to say he was a preacher.

  “You okay?” he asked when she took another drink and choked. “Do you need saving?” He swiveled his stool around until he faced her, his gaze drifting over her. She filled out her clothes very nicely.

  “I’m fine,” she managed to answer after she caught her breath. “But yeah, after the thoughts I was having I probably do need saving,” she mumbled.

  No more than the ones I was having, he thought to himself, but kept a look of innocence plastered on his face.

  The waitress quickly mopped up the spilled drink with a towel. “I’ll get that burger started, Father…” She frowned. “Pastor…uh…”

  “Trey is fine.” The waitress was cute with auburn curls bouncing all over her head as if she’d stuck her finger in a light socket or something.

  She sighed with relief. “Good. Father just kind of sticks to the roof of my mouth.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, people don’t really expect me to tell them I’m a man of God.”

  “You’re not Catholic, are you?” the waitress asked.

  He shook his head. “Why?”

  “It would be a sin if you didn’t procreate.” She shook her head and walked toward the back.

  “That’s Kathy,” the blonde quickly spoke up as if she could cover what the waitress had said.

  He turned his attention back to her and watched as she blushed. How long had it been since he’d seen a woman embarrassed?

  No, the women he knew played hard and fast. They were out for a good time, maybe a little publicity if they were trying to claw their way to the top of the movie industry, which was fine with him. He didn’t have any desire for long-term relationships.

  But she was cute and sexy and looked hot in a pair of tight hip-hugging jeans and a little blue T-shirt that clung to her curves. His gaze rose to meet hers. “You know my name, what’s yours?”

  “Bailey…Bailey Tanner.”

  “And what does Bailey Tanner do?”

  “I’m a fourth grade school teacher.”

  Ouch.

  It was worse than he’d thought. Sweet and pure. She was off limits, but damned if he didn’t want to test the waters. There was just something about her that made him want to linger.

  Another reason to get out of town as fast as he could. She lived in little Two Creeks, Texas, where they probably still believed in right and wrong. He didn’t play by the rules. Hell, he didn’t even know what the rules were and for that matter, didn’t really care.

  “Here you go.” Kathy set the burger down in front of him. “What do want to drink?”

  “Cola is fine.”

  She nodded and got his drink.

  He bit into the burger. She was right. Best burger he’d ever eaten. He’d almost finished before looking up. “It’s dam…” He coughed. “…darn good.”

  Kathy smiled. “That’s because we raise our own beef.”

  He looked at his burger. He was eating Bossy. Yeah, now he felt a hell of a lot better.

  He washed down what he’d eaten and stood, fishing some bills out of his pocket. “You ladies have a nice day.” He nodded, then headed for the door.

  Monty said he couldn’t pull it off but everywhere he’d gone, people had believed he was a preacher. He was ready to get back home. A week on the road was enough research for anyone.

  But as he stepped out the door, he had to take one last look at Bailey Tanner. Another time, another place, and he would’ve shown her what being a woman was all about.

  She winked.

  Not a quick good-bye wink. No, her wink was slow and sexy. Definitely an invitation wink. A burst of heat rushed through him. If a wink could do that much damage then what…

  He missed the last step, grabbed for the door but he’d already let go. His foot twisted as he tried to stop his fall. The tendons and ligaments stretched, there was a pop and burning pain shot up his leg. He hit the ground with a hard thud.

  God was punishing him. Maybe this was one role he wasn’t meant to play.

  Bailey ran out the door. “Are you okay?” she asked as she knelt beside him.

  “My foot. I think it might be broken.

  “I called an ambulance,” Kathy said as she ran out the door a few seconds later. “Are you okay?”

  “He might have broken his foot,” Bailey nibbled her bottom lip.

  “I’ll get an ice pack,” Kathy said and ran back inside.

  Sirens blared in the background.

  This wasn’t happening. How was he going to get home? He closed his eyes. Oh, yeah, he was definitely paying for his sins.

  “Did you hit your head?” Bailey asked.

  “Did you wink at me?” he countered.

  “Uh…no. I had something in my eye.”

  She was lying. Wasn’t she? He wasn’t positive. The only thing he knew for sure was the fact she was beautiful, and his foot hurt like a son of a bitch.

  But she was certainly sweet temptation.

  A spark of conscience flared inside him. Bailey was off limits. She probably believed in the little house with a picket fence, a couple of cute kids, and a husband with a regular job who actually came home at night. But it was nice that she seemed to care.

  He mentally shook his head to clear it. She was probably afraid he’d sue her because she’d winked and caused him to miss his step. Yeah, she was lying. Bailey had winked. She looked too guilty.

  Crap, he hadn’t planned on this snag. How the hell was he going to shift the gears on his motorcycle with a bum foot?

  Just looking at Trey as he lay on an emergency-room cot was enough of a guilt trip for Bailey. If a hole opened up, she’d crawl into it, and never look back. She’d lied. She really hated lying.

  She drew in a deep breath. “I’m sorry I…uh…winked at you,” she apologized. Had she ever been more mortified? Probably, but this time was different. Her actions had caused someone to get hurt.

  “So you didn’t have something in your eye?”

  She shook her head.

  Janet, the ER nurse, had already taken his vitals and left the room. Thank goodness, they were all normal or she would’ve felt horrible. Not that she thought she could feel any worse than she did right now.

  “I should’ve been paying more attention,” he said.

  Oh, no, he was being nice and taking some of the guilt. She’d been wrong. She could feel worse.

  “It’s Saturday,” a loud voice boomed.

  Bailey bit her lip. The doctor was here.

  “Everyone knows that’s the day I go fishing,” Dr. Canton’s voice bellowed at the nurses’ station. “We need more doctors. Maybe then I could get a blasted day off.”

  “Please tell me that’s not t
he doctor who’ll be seeing me.”

  She smiled, relaxing for the first time since Trey’s accident. “His bark is much worse than his bite.”

  “That makes me feel loads better.” His mouth turned down into a very attractive frown.

  “He really is good.”

  She turned toward the door as Dr. Canton came in. The old doctor stopped in the doorway, removed his glasses and held them up to the light. He pulled a white handkerchief out of his back pocket and cleaned the lenses as he walked the rest of the way into the room.

  He stuck his handkerchief back in his pocket and his glasses back onto his face and stood there looking at Trey. “Well, you gonna tell me what’s wrong or do you want to play twenty questions?”

  Bailey bit back a laugh, clamping her lips together.

  Trey frowned. “Since you’re the doctor, I thought you would tell me.”

  “I’m a doctor, not God.”

  “I fell. I think my foot’s broken.”

  “You’re a doctor?” Dr. Canton asked.

  “No.”

  “Then how the hell do you know it’s broken?”

  This wasn’t going at all well. “He’s a preacher, Dr. Canton.”

  He looked at Trey over the top of his glasses. “You don’t look like a preacher. Never saw one wearing leather pants, leastways.”

  The doctor’s gaze turned on her. She almost started fidgeting but held her stance.

  “You know him?”

  “I was there when he fell.”

  “Janet,” he yelled.

  “I can hear you, you don’t have to holler,” she said as she came to the door.

  “We need an x-ray.”

  “I’ve already called and the tech’s on her way in.”

  He nodded. Janet left.

  “Good nurse but kind of sassy.”

  “I heard that.”

  A grin started to form but Dr. Canton quickly quelled it before it got out of control and became a full-fledged smile.

  Over the next hour and a half they x-rayed Trey’s foot, then wrapped it and measured him for a pair of crutches. Bailey thanked her lucky stars it was only a bad sprain. At least she didn’t have to live with the guilt that she’d caused him to break his foot.