12 Naughty Days of Christmas 2018

by Isabella Kole

  “Yes, Kelly, it was. Our own fairy tale perfect Christmas Eve. But it was only the first of many. We’ll make every Christmas just this special. Not with money, or gifts, or fancy trips, or elaborate plans. What made this year special was the love.”

  She nodded sleepily. “Once upon a time,” she began.

  “Once upon a Christmas time,” he amended. Then he pulled her into his arms and fell fast asleep.

  The End.

  Courage Knight

  Born in Iron Mountain, Michigan, Courage grew up in a two parent home, fourth out of five children. She learned to read early and often skipped school so she could stay home and read something much more interesting than dry, boring textbooks.

  Her husband’s career moved them around quite often while raising their four children, creating a rich and varied background from which she draws to create interesting settings for her stories. She has lived in the plains of southwestern Minnesota, the dairy farms of central Wisconsin, near the dog sled trails of Michigan’s upper peninsula, the green hills and oil wells of northeast Oklahoma, among the tobacco crops and kudzu vines clinging to the mountainside in western North Carolina, and now she enjoys taking her grandchildren dog sledding with her in the upper Midwest.

  Don’t miss these exciting titles by Courage Knight and Blushing Books!

  Fort Laramie

  Unlikely Heroes

  I Do, I Do, I Do

  Christmas Gifts

  Lorelei Island

  The Singles Club Anthology

  Elvish Wishes

  River and Sky

  Sky's Limit, River's Reward

  Stolen Hearts

  Cupid's Wager

  Johnny's Bride

  Neverland Colony

  Starla's Savage, Book 1

  Untamed Love, Book 2

  Anthologies

  Halloween Treats

  Non-Fiction:

  Do-It-Yourself Editing

  His Christmas Elf

  12 Naughty Days of Christmas 2018

  Megan McCoy

  To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

  -Helen Rowland

  Prologue

  “Is she ready?” she whispered, watching her sleep.

  “He is ready, and he needs her. She’s been wanting this for a year,” he said.

  “But,” she began and sighed. “I have a bad feeling.”

  He stroked his beard and said, “Bad or just different?”

  “I don’t know. I just know something doesn’t seem right.”

  “When have I been wrong?” he twinkled at her.

  “That time you put me on the naughty list,” she pouted.

  “Which time? And you deserved every spanking you received.” He ran a finger down her cheek and she shivered.

  “Did not.”

  “Did too, but yes, she is ready. And yes, this won’t be a usual placement, but yes, it will be successful.”

  “She doesn’t like the cold.”

  “She will like being with him more than she will dislike the cold. We will make sure she has proper gear.”

  “Says the man who drives an open sleigh on the coldest night of the year,” she laughed and settled down on his lap. “I trust you.”

  “I know you do, and,” he kissed her, “rightly so. I’m very trustworthy.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I hear,” she said, and gave her another look. She looked like an angel sleeping so sweetly. She’d be missed, but he was right. It was time. “You promise it will be all right?”

  He shook his head. “No, it won’t be all right, it will be right.”

  Chapter 1

  Christmas tree? Decor? He hadn’t even unpacked his socks yet. No way was he putting up a tree this year or do whatever decor was, no matter what the Historical Society seemed to think. Sure, he’d moved into this house knowing that there were some strings attached because it was on the town’s list of places to go and see, but he’d only moved in last week. Now they expected him to decorate to be part of some kind of town Christmas walk for charity? By the end of next week? He shook his head and dropped the paper, then sat down and looked around. Maybe this was a mistake. He’d thought starting a new life in a new town would be good for him, but all he felt was overwhelmed. He needed to get over it. Between unpacking from the move and starting his new job – just this morning – he was only tired. Putting on a pot of coffee seemed like a good idea, or he could just go to bed, get up early and start over. He’d forgotten that the tv service should be turned on now, and he could use some background noise. It was just too quiet.

  The sound of a sappy holiday movie came on, and he watched it through half closed eyes, too tired to turn the channel to a game. He sure could use a Christmas Elf. How did you get one of those? Was it like the turkey hotline? Could you just call them up and order one? He’d feel better after some sleep, he decided and kicked his shoes off, settling back on the couch, too mentally and physically worn out to go to his bed, which wasn’t made anyway. He’d been sleeping on the couch for the last few days and deemed it quite comfortable. He’d bought it, and his bed, plus a few pots and pans, the first day he moved in when the moving company said it would be another week until they arrived. The rest of his furniture should be here in the next few days, and hopefully he would feel more at home. Home? What was that? He hadn’t had a home since his wife died two years ago. Just a place to hang his clothes.

  Drifting off to sleep, he woke up to the doorbell. Blinking, he figured he must have slept a few hours, because there was a different sappy Christmas movie on now, and the doorbell rang again. Who would be here this time of night? He didn’t know anyone in town, and it sure wasn’t his furniture delivery. Sales person? If it was a neighbor needing sugar, she was out of luck. He had coffee and eggs and not much else. Hearing the sound of what had to be sleet hitting the windows, Luke sighed. Well, what did you expect when you moved to a town named Blizzard? Sleet seemed right. Miserable just like he was.

  Whoever it was at the door didn’t seem inclined to go away, he decided and got up to answer it, just to make the bell stop ringing, not because he cared. He flipped the porch light on and there stood a small female, holding an even smaller suitcase. Was she lost? In trouble? Opening the door, he said, “Hello? Can I help you?”

  “Luke! I knew you were home! I’m Ellie and here to be your Christmas Elf!”

  Okay. “Do I know you?”

  “Nope. Straight from the North Pole and soaked to the skin. Mind if I come in?” She shook her wet hair and smiled at him in a way that made him want to take her in, for some very odd reason. Shivering, she looked at him with the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. Surprisingly, he wanted to take her in and protect her, but first of all, dry her off. She literally dripped, and must be soaked to the skin. “Where did you come from?” he asked, thinking she was confused.

  “The North Pole,” she repeated, “but I am pretty sure it’s colder here than there.” Despite her almost violent shivers, she smiled again and once again, he felt almost under a spell.

  “Come in,” he said, hoping he wasn’t going to regret this, but he could leave her stranded on his stoop? No, he couldn’t, although he wasn’t certain why.

  “Oh, thank you, she said. “Despite what you may have heard, elves don’t really like being cold.”

  “That was something I didn’t know,” he replied and took her suitcase from her. It didn’t feel very heavy. Something odd was going on, very odd. “Here, come stand by the fire and I’ll get you a towel.” Sure, the fire was one he turned on with a switch, but it looked real and put out some heat.

  “Thank you.” She looked around. “You haven’t been here very long.”

  Well, that was obvious from the sparse furnishings and the boxes he’d brought in his car lined against the wall. “That’s okay.” She smiled at him again and said, “I love having a big project.” />
  “Who are you again?” he asked, and opened a box labeled ‘bathroom’ to grab a towel.

  “Ellie,” she said. “Thank you.” She shivered again, and started drying her hair.

  “Would you like a hot shower and I’ll make some coffee, if you want?” What was he doing?

  “I would love a hot shower, and hot chocolate would be wonderful,” she said. “I promise I look better when my lips aren’t blue.”

  Yeah, he meant hot chocolate. What else would an elf drink? Did he have any? “Bathroom is first door on the left,” he said. “Towels and soap and things are in there. You need anything else?” Why was he treating her like a guest? Maybe he was asleep and dreaming? Had he been drinking? No. So it must be sleep.

  “I’ll be back in a jiff!” she said and all but danced out of the room. He confirmed he was sleeping when he went to the cabinet and pulled out a box of instant hot chocolate mix – with marshmallows, of course. He never would have bought that, he felt quite certain. But here it was, right next to his favorite mug he didn’t remember unpacking and a Christmas mug he didn’t remember he owned. Huh. Sleep cooking was a thing, right? Why not? Maybe instead of an elf, she was a witch. Wrong holiday, he told himself.

  He started heating hot water for the mix, and looked around to see if any cookies had magically appeared in his cabinet. No such luck.

  “I’ll make cookies tomorrow while you are at work.” That lilting voice with a slight, strange accent he couldn’t place came from behind him. Of course she would.

  He put the mugs down on the kitchen island and saw she was dressed, or undressed, in a thick, dark blue, fluffy robe that he couldn’t figure out how it could have been in that small suitcase. Blue slippers that curled at the toe, naturally. Elf wear. Was that a thing? Her short curls danced damply all over her head and she perched on his bar stool as if she owned it.

  “Yum.” She took a sip. “You make great cocoa. I’m starting to feel almost human again.” She smiled at her own joke.

  “Thank you. Now, tell me once more, in small words I can understand, who are you and why are you here?” Sleeping men still needed to know things.

  She smiled at him, flashing perfect teeth and blue eyes his direction and once again he felt mesmerized. “My name is Ellie and I’m here to be your Christmas Elf. You do need help, don’t you?”

  “I do need help.” He needed a lot of help, quite obviously. “Who sent you?”

  She smiled again and for the first time he noticed dimples. “Well, who do you think?”

  He was not going to say it. He just wasn’t. No way. “Never mind,” he said.

  “We have a lot to do tomorrow, and you have to work,” she said, picking up both their mugs and rinsing them off. “Do I get the couch or do you? Shall I make up the bed for you? It’s been a while since you slept in a bed. I’ll do that.” With that she got up and just… went to make the bed?

  What was wrong with him? He couldn’t just let a strange woman spend the night. What if she were a serial killer or something? Was she just taking over his life? Why was he allowing this? He wasn’t. Shaking his head to clear it, he pushed a strand of dark hair out of his eyes. He hadn’t had a hair cut in ages, and why was he thinking about that? Who cared?

  “Miss.” He went into his bedroom – his bedroom, why was she in his bedroom? – where she already had sheets and pillows on the bed. Last he’d seen them, they were folded up on the closet shelf so he could use the bed as a shelf and dresser.

  “Ellie,” she reminded him. “Grab this end please, so we can shake the comforter out.”

  And he did. Why?

  “There you are,” she said. “All comfy and ready for a good night’s sleep and you need a good night’s sleep, don’t you, Luke?”

  He opened his mouth to tell her he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since his wife died two years ago, but instead found himself nodding, and suddenly in bed. Well, this is where a sleeping man should be, after all, in bed. He felt her lips on his forehead and a whispered, “Sleep well, my Luke.” and then she was gone to wherever elves go. Back to the North Pole? On the couch? Who knew? He just knew he couldn’t remember ever being this sleepy while already sleeping, and succumbed.

  Waking up in the morning, Luke looked at the clock he didn’t realize he’d plugged in and thought about his strange dream. He hadn’t slept for more than four hours in years, and here he’d slept until almost nine o’clock. He needed to get up for work. Did he smell coffee? Maybe his elf had made him coffee. Grinning at his foolishness, he got up and went to the bathroom to shower. He must have unpacked in his sleep, because there were fresh towels and all his toiletries set out. Letting the water sluice over him, he smiled. A curly headed elf with blue eyes in a blue robe and curly toed shoes. What was wrong with him? Everyone knew elves wore green. He didn’t even dream properly.

  Getting out of the shower, he realized he only had fifteen minutes before he had to leave for work. Brand new job, he could not be late, even if he was the boss.

  He followed his nose to the kitchen, more puzzled than upset. Why did he smell coffee and his favorite, toasted banana bread?

  He stood at the archway to the kitchen and stared. So now he was having waking dreams.

  “There you are!” She said it as if she were delighted to see him. No more blue robe and blue curly toed shoes. Black leggings and a green flannel shirt and real shoes – sneakers. Where did she hide all these clothes? In the small suitcase? Maybe she had a car out in the driveway. “Have a seat. I’ll bring you eggs and banana toast, and bacon just the way you like it, extra crispy.”

  “How do you know how I like my bacon?” Of all the questions he could have asked, it was that one?

  She just smiled and he accepted the coffee she handed him, black and strong. “I have to go to work, and I have to say, I’m a little uncomfortable leaving a stranger here alone.” What was wrong with him? Why wasn’t he kicking her out? Calling the cops? The men in white jackets? Something, someone. Instead he was just sitting here sipping coffee, eating the best banana bread he’d ever had, and staring at her dimples as if they held all the answers.

  She cocked her head in a way that made her curls bounce and gave him a look with those bright blue eyes he thought he’d dreamed. “I’m not a stranger. I’m your Christmas Elf.”

  “Well, that just explains everything, doesn’t it?” he said.

  She nodded vigorously. “It does. Eat up, you don’t want to be late for work. I packed you a little lunch.” She held up a small container he’d never seen before.

  The eggs were delicious, the banana bread had to be homemade, coffee perfect, and the bacon was bacon. Bacon was always good.

  He started to eat, then sat back. “You’re not eating with me?”

  “Not today, you go ahead.”

  Luke scraped part of his eggs onto another plate, added half his toast, and put a strip of bacon on it. “Eat.” he said.

  Her dimples danced and she said, “I’m not drugging you, Luke.”

  “Then I’m not drugging you, Ellie. Eat.”

  Giggling, she took a bite of toast and said, “I’m a vegetarian. I don’t do meat.”

  “You cooked it,” he said.

  “And you are going to be late for work if you don’t eat it,” she said. “More coffee?” Not waiting for an answer, she took his cup and refilled it.

  He left this strange elf woman in his house for some reason he didn’t understand, as he walked out the door to go to work. He did know however, that it felt right. Luke rolled his eyes at himself. Not drugging him, indeed. Would he have anything left in his house when he came home tonight? Who knew? He’d find out. Luckily, there wasn’t much to take – until his furniture showed up anyway.

  He just hoped she was still there, and he did not know why.

  Ellie stood at the door, watching him leave, waving, and feeling every bit of the 50s housewife, sending her man off to work. Although, maybe she should wear heels and pearls or a tie
d-up blouse and capris with flats instead of jeans and sneakers. Well, she had a lot to do today, and this was comfortable. First of all, get the man unpacked – what little he had here anyway, and then make him those promised cookies and a nourishing hot supper. He needed someone to look out for him and perhaps, just maybe, he would return the favor and give her what she needed.

  Looking around, she sighed a little. There was so much to do for this man, and she had such a short time to do it – the Christmas season – and unless something changed drastically, she’d have to go back. She didn’t want to go back. She’d begged for this project since last Christmas, but had been told it wasn’t time yet. Waiting an entire year was hard. This entire project was hard, but she was up to it. And unbeknownst to anyone, even her boss, she had plans and goals that exceed the plan set in place.

  Smiling, she wished she had an apron to tie around her waist, just because it seemed so housewifely, although really, leggings seemed more the go to; so she was properly dressed as a suburban soccer mom, minus the kids, of course. Rolling up her sleeves, she set her priorities: follow up on his furniture that should arrive today, and unpack the boxes. Then she had a few errands to run. She would wait to make cookies till closer to his home time, so the house would smell like Christmas when he walked in, but start some stew in the crockpot this morning so that is simmered all day. He’d slept well last night, for the first time since his wife passed, over two years ago. She was glad about that, obviously she was a calming influence on him, just like she planned to be. Hopefully, this was a new start for him.

  Giggling, she knew it was, that was why she was here, and she wouldn’t let him down. Her phone rang and she swiped it open. “Morning, Boss! Yes, sir, it’s going great, no worries at all. Yes, sir, will check in tomorrow or if I need anything.” Sighing happily, she rolled up her sleeves and started to work.