by Elisabeth Naughton, Alexandra Ivy, Cynthia Eden, Katie Reus, Laura Wright, Skye Jordan
“You feel like heading home or you want to grab a drink? I’m not sure if there’s a live band at Yuletide’s tonight, but they’ll have good music regardless.”
She started to glance at her phone but then nodded. Screw it. Sasha was on holiday break and Nora didn’t need to be home for a while yet. And she really wanted to spend time with Jackson, even if she was unsure if she wanted to give things a shot with him. She hooked her arm through his. “Yuletide’s.”
Right off Main Street and Mistletoe Avenue, it was the perfect place to relax.
“What’s your curfew tonight?” Jackson murmured as they reached the main door. The glint in his eyes was pure wicked hunger.
Somehow she found her voice. “I don’t have one.” She trusted her sister to get home in time so if she was a little late, well, she was freaking twenty-five years old. She’d just be late.
“Good.”
When he opened the door, an energetic song filtered out. No live band tonight but the place was packed with customers three-deep at the long, mahogany bar. Bottles upon bottles were stacked behind it.
“I don’t know if we’ll even be able to find—” She stopped when she saw Carol Cardini waving at them from a high-top table. And there were two empty chairs there. Even if she was waiting for someone, Nora and Jackson could join her for a few minutes. At least long enough to grab a drink. When Carol pointed to the empty seats, Nora smiled and nodded.
“That woman is always happy, I swear,” Jackson said, barely loud enough for her to hear.
He wasn’t wrong. Tall, blonde and on a scale of one to ten, she was fifteen on the gorgeous meter. No surprise she had on a red, formfitting dress—her favorite color. With killer curves, it would be easy to dislike the bombshell on principle, especially since she would have given Marilyn Monroe a run for her money, but Carol was so damn sweet. And she always had a bright smile on her face. Lately though, Nora thought she looked a little sad and distracted, no matter the put-together picture she portrayed. She knew Carol’s mom had been mayor, but then had gotten sick. That was before Nora had moved to town though so she didn’t know all the details.
“Jackson!” A familiar and slightly annoying female voice drew both their attention as they made their way through the throng of high-top tables.
Nora turned to find Angelia sliding up to him in a skintight, shimmery silver dress, even though he had his arm around Nora.
Completely ignoring Nora, the pretty blonde gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek noisily. If he hadn’t turned his head at the last minute she’d have gotten his mouth.
The thought of another woman’s lips on Jackson’s made imaginary claws flare up inside Nora. She hadn’t realized she could actually feel that jealous of another person, but damn.
“I’ve gotta run, but thanks for the ride home the other night.” The way she said ‘ride’, there was no mistaking the innuendo of what she really meant.
The words were a slam to Nora’s senses. She’d believed Jackson when he told her that nothing had happened between him and Angelia. Still, there was a tiny, lingering doubt in the back of her mind. She’d never taken Jackson for a liar, but she’d been fooled before. Her last serious boyfriend had dumped her when she got guardianship of her sister. He hadn’t wanted a readymade family. Given how young they’d been she hadn’t exactly blamed him. It had cut deeply though since she’d never pegged him for being so cold and callous. Then he’d pulled the rug out from under her.
It was hard not to wonder if she was wrong about Jackson too.
Chapter 5
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Nora muttered to herself as she glanced around the bookstore. After closing up and heading out with Jackson and the police last night she’d been extra conscious of where everything was. She’d even snapped some pictures with her phone. After she double checked the photos on her phone with the actual window nook in her shop, sure enough the pillows had been moved around.
Nora had taken the pictures once everyone was out of the shop, so there was no chance one of the officers had moved the pillows by accident. She didn’t like knowing someone had been in here, someone who must have the security code. Well, they would have to because she’d reset it after she’d left. At least it narrowed down her suspect pool to three people. Frowning, she bent to adjust the pillows when a bright red scrap of material caught her eye. Tugging it out from under one of the pillows, her eyes widened when she saw it was a bra.
Oh, Lord. Was one of her employees in here doing…whatever with someone? She rubbed the bridge of her nose. At least someone was getting some action. Tucking the bra under her arm, she headed back to the coffee shop side and pulled out her phone to text Jackson. They hadn’t stayed at Yuletide’s long last night and she was still feeling weird about that run-in with Angelia. Jackson had assured her that nothing had ever happened between them, but doubt edged its way in.
Think I solved the break-in mystery. Found a bra tucked in the pillows at work. Someone was in here after we left. They must have the code. Gonna talk to everyone after Christmas, figure out what’s going on. She could call an employee meeting today with the ones who had the code but tomorrow was Christmas Eve and she closed up early. And they weren’t open at all on Christmas so, yeah, calling a meeting like this could wait.
You need better security.
My security’s fine.
There was a pause and she could practically hear his snort of derision. What time do you close today?
Six. She was closing a little early today too.
I’ll be there at six sharp. We’re going to set up a sting operation.
She laughed out loud as she turned her open sign over and unlocked the door. I can’t tell if you’re kidding.
Not joking. We’ll set up a camera and can watch the feed on your laptop. You owe me hot chocolate anyway. We can do it tonight if you’re free.
She wanted to say no, but Sasha had already begged her to stay over at Liz’s house tonight since she hadn’t been able to last night. Nora thought they’d get to decorate the tree tonight at least—since Sasha had slept in this morning they hadn’t gotten to yet. But Sasha was such a good kid and if she wanted to hang out with her friend, Nora wasn’t going to stop her. Her sister had lost a good portion of her childhood because of their mother.
Her fingers flew across the screen’s keyboard. This feels over the top but I’m curious so okay. You want to help me decorate my tree?
Yes. I have an extra present for your tree too. See you at six.
He’d gotten her a present? Her heart started doing that crazy pitter patter again, kicking up a billion notches. She’d actually gotten him something too, weeks ago before their first and last date. She wasn’t sure how to respond and was luckily saved by the little jingle of her front door.
Or so she thought until she looked up to see petite, pretty Angelia striding into her shop. She wore dark pants, boots and a thick jacket and scarf. What was up with this woman? And why did she have to show up before anyone else? Nora didn’t know much about her other than she worked for one of the local real estate companies, and that she apparently had a thing for Jackson.
“Hey, Nora.” She slid her sunglasses back on her head. “You’re here bright and early. Smells good.”
“Thanks. Do you know what you want or do you need a few minutes?”
“Yeah. Latte with non-fat milk, sugar free syrup and no whip. Sixteen ounce.”
“One skinny latte coming up.” Thankful to be busy with her hands, she turned back to her work station.
“So, you and Jackson huh?”
As she readied the espresso machine, Nora just smiled over her shoulder and made a noncommittal sound.
“Look, the reason I stopped by is because I feel bad. I didn’t know you guys were together. If I had I never would have hooked up with him a couple weeks ago.”
At the woman’s words, everything inside Nora went still. She knew Jackson, not this woman. And deep down, it was too hard
to believe he’d flat-out lied to her. But she suspected Angelia was. She gave a casual shrug as she turned back with the drink. “Okay. I put this in a to-go cup but I should have asked. Did you want to sit?”
“Uh, to-go is fine. Do you want to talk?” The words came out stilted, the previously confident woman looking completely unsure.
Not even a little bit. “We’re good, no worries.” She gave her best “shopkeeper smile” and rattled off the amount. She wanted the woman out of her shop.
Angelia blinked in surprise but pulled out a bill from her purse.
After making change she slid it across the counter. “Hope you have a great Christmas.” Nora couldn’t hide the fakeness from her voice no matter how hard she tried. Which wasn’t very much.
Once the woman was gone, she let out a sigh of relief. She knew herself well enough that she’d ask Jackson about this, but she wasn’t going to let jealousy eat her up inside. Heck, they weren’t even together. They were just friends.
Keep telling yourself that, maybe you’ll start to believe it, she thought.
* * *
“You don’t think four cameras are overkill?” Hands on her hips, Nora looked up at Jackson who was on a ladder, hiding the last camera on the top of one of her bookshelves. They all had a wireless connection and some other specs he’d outlined—and sounded impressed with.
“Nope.” He’d been completely focused since he arrived. They’d had to wait an extra fifteen minutes for some straggler customers, but as soon as they’d been alone he’d gone into what she considered his work mode.
It was a little intense. She’d shown up at his workshop early months ago and had seen him show the same sort of intensity when working on a project. He’d acknowledged her, but hadn’t done much other than that. It was the same now. She wasn’t sure why, but that sort of intensity on him was sexy, especially since she kept imagining him showing it in a very different setting.
“I can see why you were a good SEAL,” she murmured.
That caught his attention. He looked down at her, gave her that trademark wicked grin. “I’ve never left a mission unfinished.”
“This is a mission?”
“Yep.” He was back to ignoring her as he finished situating the camera into place. When he was clearly satisfied his ‘mission’ was complete, he let out a grunt that could have meant anything before descending the steps.
“Oh, my God, you look like a kid on Christmas morning. You’re seriously excited about this?”
“Hell yeah. We’re going to bust whoever this is.”
“This is an interesting side to you.” She didn’t bother fighting her grin. It had to be one of her employees with the code but she still wanted to know who it was. Right now she just couldn’t imagine any of them coming in here for some sort of liaison.
“Come on, let me check the laptop, see if all the feeds are coming through.” As he moved to the counter in the bookshop, she decided to just ask what had been on her mind all day.
It didn’t matter that she’d tried to ignore that little conversation with Angelia from earlier, it had kept replaying in her mind all freaking day. “Angelia stopped by my shop today.”
He barely glanced at her, nodded as he typed commands into the keyboard. “Oh.”
“She said she was sorry she hooked up with you a few weeks ago and that she wouldn’t have if she’d know you and I were together.” Which they weren’t, but that wasn’t the point.
“Oh…wait, what the hell?” He straightened, all his focus on her now. Raw indignation played across his features. “She said that?”
Nora nodded, a frisson of relief sliding through her veins at his reaction. “Yeah. I don’t know her at all and I didn’t really believe her but I wanted to tell you.” And okay, ask him if it was true. She didn’t need to ask him though, not now. The truth was written all over his face.
“I haven’t touched another woman since we met.”
She blinked. “Since our date or since we met?”
“Met.”
Oh. Hell. She did not know how to respond to that. At all. Jackson was a gorgeous man, that being an understatement. Everything about him screamed raw sex appeal. And the way he was looking at her now, as if he was a predator about to pounce, had her completely melting. She wanted to step closer, wrap her arms around him and—Gah, not right now. Clearing her throat, she glanced at the computer, breaking his gaze. “We, uh, should probably check the laptop then get out of here.”
She could feel his gaze on her, scorching hot. But she was apparently feeling extra cowardly because she refused to look at him. Too many emotions slammed through her at that revelation. And she just couldn’t deal with how it made her feel. It was hard to believe that he hadn’t been with anyone since meeting her, but that knowledge warmed her from the inside out. She just needed to figure out what she wanted to do about it. Well, the truth was, she wanted to see where things went with them. She’d been fantasizing about the sexy man for way too long.
After what felt like an eternity he turned back to the computer. “Feeds are working,” he murmured after a few minutes, pinning her with his gaze again. “Let’s get out of here. I’ve been thinking about that hot chocolate all day.”
The look in his eyes told her he’d been thinking about more than hot chocolate. Way more. So had she. She was pretty sure she was done just thinking about it. Every time she looked at him, she remembered the way he’d stroked her to orgasm, the way his expert fingers had slid inside her, teasing and gentle… Just like that her body heated up and she felt her cheeks warm. Yep, it was definitely time to move on from the “just friends” category.
* * *
“I can’t believe you’ve never seen A Christmas Story.” Jackson had his arm stretched out across the back of the couch as she set their two mugs on the side table next to him.
“Then I’m glad I’m about to remedy that.” Ignoring that little voice in the back of her head that told her she was asking for heartbreak, she sat next to him and curled into his side. She wasn’t going to flat out jump him, but she’d come to realize that they would likely never be just friends. Not with the sizzling chemistry between them.
Jackson’s only reaction was the slightest jolt so imperceptible she wouldn’t have felt it if she hadn’t been tucked up against him. His arm dropped from the top of the couch and curled around her shoulders, holding her in a loose enough embrace. That subtle, spicy scent that always drove her crazy teased her as the previews started. They had the laptop set up on the loveseat and so far, nothing exciting had happened at her shop. Which was just as well. Every second that passed she was finding it harder to care about anything but what it would feel like to have Jackson in her bed.
“You want me to pick you up tomorrow?” he murmured, his deep voice sending little shock waves across her senses.
His voice shouldn’t affect her so much. “No, but thanks. I was going to bring her a bottle of wine or some dark chocolate truffles from Holly Jolly Chocolatier, but should I bring something else?”
“Just yourself.” His voice had taken on a different tone, his grip tightening ever so slightly. They’d decorated her tree with lights and two boxes of ornaments when they’d first arrived and the sparkly white lights reflected off the television.
Not that she was really focused on anything else other than Jackson. Being held by him like this, all she could focus on was his strong embrace and the crazy way he made her feel. Her skin felt too tight for her body. She wanted to strip off his shirt and jeans and do the same with her own clothing so she could feel him skin to skin.
After a few minutes the arousal was so intense she couldn’t ignore it. “Jackson…” She looked up to find his gaze hot, intense and completely on her. He didn’t seem to care about the movie either.
Before she could think about the consequences of their actions—other than blinding pleasure—he grabbed her hips and tugged her so that she straddled him.
She braced herself against hi
s shoulders and sank down completely over him, savoring the feel of having him between her legs like this. She was done fighting these feelings. It would suck if she got hurt, but if she never gave into this temptation, she’d never know what they might have. The truth was, the thought of him with someone else while they just remained friends shredded her up in ways she’d never imagined.
Jackson let out a groan as he grabbed her by the back of the head in a completely dominating grip. He met her half way and pulled her down to him, his mouth hungry and insistent. When his tongue demanded entrance into her mouth, she moaned into him, meeting him stroke for stroke. It was like her body had a mind of its own as she rolled her hips against him.
His erection was thick and insistent even through his jeans. She wanted to feel it inside her, wanted to be completely taken by him. Her nipples pebbled tightly against her bra cups as his hips jerked once, his arousal something she couldn’t ignore.
Jackson tore his mouth from hers, his blue eyes bright with hunger as he stared up at her. “Want to see more of you,” he rasped out, his breathing as erratic as her heartbeat.
She nodded, her heart rate out of control. She wanted to see more of him too—all of him. When she started to reach for the hem of his shirt, he froze.
“Damn it.” The sudden curse made her fingers freeze on his shirt.
“You don’t want—”
He tilted his head at the laptop. “Someone’s in your shop.”
The most insane part of her brain wanted to just keep doing what they were doing. To strip off the rest of their clothes and— “We’ve gotta go, huh?” Because if he said no—
He groaned and pressed his forehead to hers. “I think I might kill whoever’s in there.”
Forcing her muscles to work, she slid off him. The pulsing ache between her legs was even more insistent now. Now that her body knew she wasn’t getting any more from Jackson, it wanted him even more badly. “I think I might help.”