by Elisabeth Naughton, Alexandra Ivy, Cynthia Eden, Katie Reus, Laura Wright, Skye Jordan
If he leaned in even a little bit, she was going to kiss him.
“Morning.” He gave her an almost knowing smile. “Workout?”
She nodded. “Like you said, I need all my energy today.”
Someone cleared their throat. Carol glanced behind them. When had four people gotten in line? How long had she been staring at the beautiful man?
When she turned back to the counter, Gabriel was handing Kelsey a twenty dollar bill. “I’ll take coffee black. And the lovely Miss Cardini’s Christmas coffee is on me.”
Belly. Curling. Toes too, maybe… “You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s done.” He gave her a wink. “Plus we don’t want to hold up any of these good folks on Christmas Eve, do we?”
She smiled. Couldn’t help herself. “I guess not. Thank you.”
After they got their coffees, they walked outside together. The weather was spectacular. Bright and sunny and perfectly cold. Every inch of Main Street looked like it was either covered in icing or crystals. Without acknowledging it, they headed toward her store.
“So, what are you up to today?” she asked.
“You mean besides working on my toboggan skills?”
She laughed. “Oh, honey, that could take all day.” Honey?
He took a swallow of his coffee. “I also have some work to finish up.”
She stopped just outside the picture window of her store, the tree twinkling merrily and welcomingly behind the glass, and faced him. “Um. No.”
His brows lifted. “No?”
“You’re not working on Christmas Eve.”
He laughed softly. The sound moved over her skin like a caress. “I’ve worked on Christmas Eve for the past five years, Carol. It’s no big deal.”
“It’s a huge deal,” she countered. “I won’t allow it.” What was happening? Had she just said that?
“You won’t allow, huh?” He took a step closer.
She shook her head and forgot her name.
“Dare I say that you too are working on Christmas Eve, Miss Cardini?”
She could smell the soap he’d used that morning. Like a pine tree or something. It was intoxicating as hell. For one second, her mind brought forth images that were far too erotic to be having at nine a.m. on Main Street. But there they were: Gabriel, naked and standing under the hot spray. She didn’t know for certain, but she guessed he had a serious set of washboard abs. He’d been pressed against her back a few times last night. She was sure she’d felt ripped muscle.
Along with another muscle.
Heat surged into her cheeks. “I’m only working on Christmas Eve day,” she clarified. “Something tells me you go all night.” Oh God! Deep embarrassment gripped her.
A smile broke on his handsome face. “You’d be right. I do go all night.”
Things were happening to her insides. Things she’d never experienced before.
“You all right, Carol?” he asked, his grin widening. “Coffee too hot for you?”
She shook her head.
“Good.”
“Come with me,” she blurted out.
The smile on Gabriel’s face died, and fire fairly erupted in his icy blue eyes.
“Oh,” she stuttered as people milled past, talking and laughing and planning their day. “No. I mean, come home with me. Gah! I mean, come home to my family’s house tonight with me. To celebrate.” Yeah, just keep talking, keep explaining. Keep saying things that sound super dirty. You don’t look like a complete nutjob or anything.
His gaze shifted to her store, and his nostrils flared. He looked a little…uneasy. “I don’t know about that.”
“Oh, come on,” she pressed, knowing she probably shouldn’t. And yet, she really wanted to see him tonight. “My parents would love it. They’ve been begging for me to bring home a man for Christmas…” She stopped. Again. What was her deal? She just couldn’t seem to help herself. The stuff that was falling out of her mouth when this man was around. Maybe he needed to kiss her to shut her up? Yes. Good plan. “They like company,” she continued. “That’s all I’m saying.”
His eyes delved into hers. It seemed like he was weighing something.
“And I’d like the company. Your company.”
His lips curved into a soft smile and he reached out and cupped her face. His eyes pinned to hers, he let his thumb brush across her lips.
Oh my. The warm feeling inside her chest, that truly she’d thought was from the candy cane coffee, was expanding. As he touched her, the world around them seemed to fade into just sunshine and snow. Kiss me. Kiss me. What was happening to her? With this man—Gabriel. A boy—no, a man from her past who she’d always hoped to see again. Hoped would have found a good life and peace and—
“I’d love to,” he said.
“Really?” The smile that broke on her face had to be a foot wide. “Great. Do you like roast beef? Because that’s what we always have on Christmas Eve.” She was babbling. “Roast beef and mashed potatoes, rolls and salad.” Horror struck and she gasped. “You’re not a vegetarian, are you?” She couldn’t remember what he’d eaten the night before. She couldn’t remember anything at that moment. He was touching her. All she could do was talk, and talk, and talk some more. “You don’t have to have the meat. There’s going to be plenty of other—”
Her words fell away as he leaned in and captured her mouth with his own. Instantly, she melted against him. Forget candy cane coffee. Forget the store. Forget everything. But his kiss. His hot, wet lips on hers. Breath commingling, and the dark groan that came from his throat. More. She wanted so much more.
But instead, he eased his mouth from hers and whispered against her lips, “I love roast beef.”
Breathlessly, she smiled.
He kissed her again. One time. So soft her knees nearly buckled. “What time are you done tonight?”
Done? Tonight? With what? Why was he still talking when he could be kissing—
“We close at five.”
The voice was intrusive and coming from very near Carol’s right shoulder.
Dammit! She broke away from Gabriel and sort of stumbled back, her fingers to her lips, her coffee all but forgotten. Oh, she could still feel him. And his scent was imprinted on her nostrils.
She turned to glare at Babette. But the woman was staring at Gabriel. Not that Carol blamed her. He looked gorgeous and predatory and in need of a good f—
“Thank you, Babs,” Carol ground out before that thought took hold and never left.
Gabriel grinned wickedly at Carol. “Yes, thank you, Babs.”
“Anytime,” the woman answered.
“You can stop eavesdropping now and go inside,” Carol told her with sexually frustrated venom in her voice. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I think you need to come now,” Babs said.
Carol turned to look at her friend. “What? Why?”
This time Babs didn’t look at all playful or flirtatious. Her expression was grave. “Trust me.”
Something pulsed in Carol’s stomach. Babs rarely got serious with her. “What’s wrong? Is something going on?”
“That eavesdropping thing, well it comes in handy sometimes.” Her gaze flickered toward Gabriel, but no doubt finding him benign, she continued, “I just found out that someone bought our building and the one next door. Whoever it is plans to tear them both down and put up a hotel or a B&B.”
“What?” Carol’s heart plummeted into her boots. “No.” She shook her head. “No. Jerry would’ve told me. This doesn’t make any sense.” She turned to Gabriel. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go. Five o’clock?”
Gabriel looked cagey as he nodded. But Carol didn’t have time to try and decipher the expression.
Babette continued to drop bombs as she followed Carol into the store. “And Billy down at City Hall says the paperwork has already been filed. Eviction notices will be going out right after Christmas.”
Oh, shit. She was in full panic mode now. This couldn’t be happenin
g. Not with her beloved store. The store she’d worked her whole life to own. She needed to call Jerry. There had to be a mistake. And if, God forbid, there wasn’t, she was more than ready to do whatever it took to stop this from happening.
She headed for her office, her chest feeling far too tight. It looked like she might be doing battle on Christmas Eve after all.
* * *
Gabriel moved down the street without knowing where he was going. He’d driven himself into town today, and who the hell knew where he’d parked his car. In fact, who gave a shit about the car?
The look on her face.
His guts twisted. He’d put it there. And contrary to what he’d believed yesterday and many of the yesterdays that made up the past ten years, it had given him no satisfaction. It had seemed the perfect plan. Buying up and tearing down Christmas Carol’s Shop & Crafts. What he did best. The sweetest revenge on the person who took him away from the only family he’d ever known. Broken heart for a broken heart. But instead, it had made feel only anger at himself.
Christ, he was weak.
There had to be a way. Maybe true satisfaction would come from her knowing who had taken her life’s work, her heart from her—and why.
The bitterness that had grown inside him since birth latched on to that idea and dug its poisonous talons in.
As he crossed the street, he spotted the flower shop, Silver Bells. Bad news should always be accompanied by roses. Tonight, as they walked down Evergreen Way, stood in the same spot where she’d made the choice to ruin his life, he’d tell her.
And no doubt, he thought, yanking open the flower shop door, his guts twisting once again, she’d tell him to go straight to hell.
Well, too bad, he’d already been there. And it was all her doing.
The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.
–Burton Hillis
Chapter 5
Carol sat at her desk in her tiny used-to-be-a-broom-closet office, listening to Nat King Cole and trying not to cry. In the seven-plus hours since she’d found out from Babs that her building would not only be sold, but torn down, she’d learned absolutely nothing. Jerry, her landlord, was in Aspen with his family, and the three emails she’d sent him had gone unanswered. Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it—it had been a very profitable day. Carol wanted so desperately to feel celebratory. Great day. Favorite time of year. Christmas Eve. This was supposed to be her bliss. But the fear of losing her shop—not because of its financial strains, but because some bastard, some grinch, wanted to tear it down and build a hotel—owned her.
There was a soft knock on her office door.
“Come in,” she called.
Babs entered with a thin-lipped smile. She looked really pretty, festive, in her white sweater and skirt. She eyed Carol’s red skinny jeans and black silk top. “You look nice.”
“Thanks,” Carol said. “You, too. Say hi to your family for me?”
“Of course.” She was quiet for a moment, then she sighed. “We’ll figure this out, Carol. We’ll fight it. The whole town will back you. This place is—”
“I know.” Carol nodded, feeling tears at the back of her throat. “Have I ever told you what a good friend you are?”
The woman smiled sheepishly. “Course you have.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a small box. She gave it to Carol. “Here. For you.”
“Aww,” Carol looked up, into her friend’s eyes. “What’s this?”
Babs shrugged. “Just a little something.”
Carol took the gift and unwrapped it. Inside the small box was a pair of mistletoe earrings. They were delicate and beautiful.
“Not that you need an excuse to kiss that hot man,” Babs put in. “But this makes it cool anytime.”
Carol laughed. The sound was far from merry. But she tried. “I love them. Thank you.” She turned and grabbed the gift on her desk. “For you.” She handed it to her friend. Babs, of course, squealed like a five-year-old as she ripped open the paper. It was something she did every year. But this year, the sound was more than welcome. It was needed.
“Oh, Carol,” she exclaimed, wrapping the black silk scarf she’d been coveting for months around her neck. “I love it!” She enveloped Carol in an enormous bear hug. “Thank you.”
Carol hugged her back. This woman could make her crazy, but in the way only good friends who are as close as siblings could manage.
“Well,” Babs said, pulling back, her eyes a little misty. “I don’t want to be late for dinner. And neither do you. Walk me out?” Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Carol’s hand and tugged her out of her chair. “I want you to have a great night, and I want all the details after Christmas.”
“Mmm hmm,” Carol answered evasively as they left the office.
“You have to promise,” Babs insisted, petting her new scarf. “All the dirty sex details.”
Both women came to a gasping halt when they realized they weren’t alone inside the store. Gabriel. He was standing near the tree, looking unbearably handsome in black pants, a black sweater and a steely gray wool coat.
“I think I’ll be going now. Merry Christmas, all.” Eyes wide and humor-filled, Babette left Carol’s side and made her way past Gabriel and out the door.
“Want to fill me in?” he asked the second she was gone, his eyes dancing with mischief.
Face flaming, Carol shook her head. “Let me just get the lights and we can go.”
“Need any help?” he asked, a thread of wicked sensuality in his tone.
“No, I’m fine.”
“Yes, you are,” he said softly, darkly.
Oh my. Her insides pulsed with his words. Maybe this could work. As a temporary balm on her fear and worry over losing the store, not to mention her apartment upstairs. Maybe she could let herself forget for the night. For Christmas Day, too. This beautiful man was taking her home. To see her family. She was going to do everything in her power to relax and have fun.
It took her only seconds to power down, and when she met him at the door, he held it open for her with a devastating grin. Cold air rushed over her heated skin. It was glorious.
“Ready?” he asked, blue eyes piercing into her.
She nodded. So ready.
His gaze moved over her. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you. And you look…” Hot. Sexy. Mistletoe-earring worthy. “Very nice.”
He laughed as she walked past him out the door. “Say, I thought we could take a walk before going to your parents.”
“Oh. Yes. That’d be great.” She finished locking up, then turned to face him. Her breath caught in her lungs. Seriously, he looked so handsome it almost hurt her eyes. “But if you don’t mind, can we do it afterward? My parents are expecting us at six.”
The sudden shift in mood startled her. Right before her eyes, Gabriel went from lighthearted and flirtatious to uneasy.
“You okay?” she asked him.
“Of course.”
“Don’t worry,” she said with a soft laugh, believing his discomfort stemmed from meeting her parents. “They’ll love you.”
He led her to the car, which was sleek and black and had a driver up front. The man who’d come to fetch the toboggans.
“Good evening, Miss Cardini,” he said as she got into the backseat.
“Merry Christmas, Frank,” she returned, which she was pleased to note elicited a smile from the ultra-professional man.
“To 625 Peace Street, Frank,” Gabriel said brusquely, settling into the warmed leather seat beside her. “We’re expected at six.”
* * *
“That’s so exciting,” Kay Cardini said, placing another slice of roast on Gabriel’s plate, which was already packed with potatoes, green beans and salad. “Investments. Sounds very important.”
“I enjoy it,” Gabriel told her in between bites of some damned good mashed potato. The woman had a gift.
She grinned at him. “Never a dull moment, I’ll bet.”
“Yes, exactly.”
“And you live in New York?” Carol’s father, Jack, asked. The man was tall and lean, and had probably the kindest eyes Gabriel had ever seen. And he’d seen a lot of eyes.
“It’s where I spend a majority of my time,” Gabriel said, wondering why he felt a little strange saying that in front of Carol. Like he needed to explain further. But explain what, he wasn’t sure.
“But you have house here now?” the man said, filling everyone’s glasses with either wine or sparkling water.
“I do,” Gabriel confirmed. “It’s up the mountain a couple of miles. Right on the border of Holly.”
“Oh,” Kay exclaimed, looking around her candlelit table. “In the mountains. I’m always telling Jack we should move up there.”
“And I’m always reminding her we don’t have a four-wheel drive,” Jack said with a laugh.
“It’s beautiful,” Carol told them. “His house. The view is breathtaking.”
“You’ve been there, honey?” Kay asked, her eyes alight with both surprise and interest.
“Last night actually.” She glanced up, across the table and gave Gabriel a smile. “We went…sledding.”
“There it is.” Carol’s younger brother, Mike, who was sitting to Gabriel’s right, elbowed him in the side. “She race you, dude?”
“She did.” Gabriel acknowledged, his eyes pinned to Carol.
“She kicked your butt, didn’t she?”
Gabriel laughed. “She did.”
Carol’s smile broadened, and though her gaze remained on Gabriel, her words were reserved for her younger brother. “Don’t make me send you right back to college, kid.”
“Seriously, dude, watch yourself. She’s the most competitive person I know,” Mike informed him. “See that last scoop of mashed potatoes?”
“In the blue bowl?”
“The very same,” Mike said.
Carol was shaking her head.
“If I make it known that I want it,” Mike told him, “it’ll be gone before I take my next breath.”
“That’s insane,” Carol exclaimed.
“Yeah, it is. Doesn’t make it any less true.”