Naughty Christmas Nights

by Tawny Weber

  If you love something, set it free. If it comes back it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.

  If she was always too afraid to stand up, to take a chance that someone might leave, then did it matter if she had them in her life?

  It wasn’t until she felt the chill on her chin that she realized she was crying. Hailey blinked fast, wiping her face. Then, knowing she owed it to herself to make the most of the lesson—because she’d be damned if she’d lose the most important guy in her life for nothing—she picked up the phone.

  “Mom? Hi. We need to talk.”

  * * *

  HAILEY STARED AT the thick expanse of wood, alternating between wanting to turn tail and run, and puzzling over the view.

  Was that a wreath hanging there?

  It was round.

  It was green.

  It had a red bow and—she leaned forward and sniffed—it smelled like pine.

  Seriously?

  Gage had a wreath hanging on his front door?

  It was so out of character for a man who until last weekend had never even decorated a Christmas tree, she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

  Maybe it’d be better if she left, thought about it for a while, then when she figured out what it meant, came back and tried to talk to him then.

  Her fingers tightened on the ornately wrapped box in her hands, and, since her heart was racing fast enough to run off by itself, she gave a nod.

  Yep, come back later.

  She turned to leave.

  Her way was blocked by a large male body.

  Hailey screamed. The package flew a half foot and her feet almost slipped out from under her. Thankfully this was one of those rare occasions that she was wearing flats instead of heels. Just in case she had to run.

  “What the hell are you doing?” she asked, her words a gasp.

  “Coming home?” Gage said, his eyes dancing and his grin huge. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Hailey debated.

  Running now, given that it would require doing a dash around him, was a little silly. Still, silly had a lot of appeal compared to putting her heart on the line.

  Her eyes eating him up as if it’d been months instead of a few days since they’d seen each other, Hailey almost sighed.

  Damn, he was gorgeous.

  “I brought you this,” she said, holding up the gift. “So here. Merry Christmas.”

  She shoved it in his hands and, figuring she’d sidestepped silly, started to leave. She’d tell him all the heart-baring stuff later. When he thanked her for the gift, maybe.

  “C’mon in.”

  Hailey winced. But her feet froze and her body, always ready to do his bidding, turned to follow. Oh, man, this was harder than standing up to him had been.

  “I didn’t have time to wrap yours,” he said after helping her off with her coat. The feel of his fingers, lightly brushing her shoulders, burned right through her sweater.

  “You got me a present?”

  Hailey gave up trying to look calm and casual, dropping to the couch and staring at him in shock.

  “You really got me something? But I yelled at you.”

  Her mother still wasn’t talking to her after hearing Hailey’s feelings about being dumped at Christmas. Again. And her father? He’d apologized all over the place, then blamed it all on her mother. She still hadn’t untwisted that.

  But Gage acted as if he wasn’t mad. More, he acted as though he’d known he’d see her again, and that they’d be in a gift-exchanging kind of place.

  It was as though nothing had happened.

  Hailey wanted to grab that, to simply let it all slide. Just pretend everything was peachy, that he hadn’t hurt her or screwed her over in the Rudolph deal. Act as if she hadn’t said mean things and yelled accusations at him.

  It’d be so much easier.

  All her life, she’d gone the easy emotional route. Smiles were better than frowns, happy times preferable to angry.

  But...she wanted more.

  She wanted a future with Gage. To give them a chance and see where things went.

  And she couldn’t do that the same old, easy way.

  Then he asked, “Why wouldn’t I get you a gift?”

  “Because we had an ugly fight.”

  “So? People fight. Then they make up, right? At least, that’s how I’ve always heard relationships went.”

  Relationships. They were in a relationship.

  Joy, giddy and sweet, rushed through her. She wanted to stop talking now. To skip right over all this soul-searching chitchat and get down to the naked makeup fun.

  But they deserved more than that.

  Dammit.

  Taking a deep breath, Hailey looked at her hands, then met his baffled gaze.

  “I don’t know. I’ve only had one ugly fight, and it resulted in a big family rift. After that, I was afraid to fight. I was too worried that I’d lose whatever crumbs I had if I stood up for wanting more. Or that the person would walk away.”

  His nod was slow and considering, and the look in his eyes intense. As if he were seeing all the way into those little cubbies and closets in her brain, the ones where she hid all her secrets.

  “So where does that put us? That you didn’t mind losing what we had? Or that you were sure I’d stick around?”

  She peered closely at his face, wishing she could see a hint of which he’d prefer she say. Then, since they’d already established that she was all about telling him like it was, she gave a little lift of her hands.

  “Because you let me be me. You seemed to appreciate my strengths, my opinions. Me. I never felt like I wasn’t important with you. Or that there were conditions on our being together.” She swallowed, hard, then took a deep breath. Big admission time. “I wouldn’t say I blew up at you for no reason. I really was angry. And hurt. But maybe, sort of, I was pushing because a part of me wondered how fast you’d walk away once I got in your face.”

  He arched both brows and gave her an assessing look.

  “A test?”

  Hailey opened her mouth to deny it, then had to close it. Why deny it.

  “Maybe. Sorta.” She looked at her hands again, wishing she had something to do with all this nervous energy. Like run her fingers over his body, or touch his hair. But both of those actions would probably change the subject. And as much as she wanted to, she’d rather get this out of the way before they got on the subject of being naked.

  “You really did offer me a better deal than I was getting from Rudolph. I could have easily taken a ledger of sales like that to the bank and negotiated a loan. Add to it your marketing package, something with such great long-term possibilities? Turning away from it was the worst business decision I could make. I accused you of putting business, your own ambitions, over what we were making together. But I was the one doing that.”

  Hailey winced when Gage’s face creased into a ferocious frown and he looked for a second as if he wanted to hit something. What? He couldn’t take an apology?

  “You’re killing me,” he finally said, pushing off the couch to pace the room. “I had these big plans. I spent the last few days putting everything into place, fine-tuning and perfecting things. And you sweep in here with your pretty smile and fancy gift and blow it all.”

  She shook her head, wondering if all that humility had ruined her hearing.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I quit Milano. Not a break, not a sabbatical, not a sanctioned-but-still-contracted reprieve. I quit.” He threw his hands in the air, as if tossing aside his heritage, his family and his commitments. But he didn’t look upset. Instead, he seemed relieved. Or maybe that was just what she was hoping to see?

  “Is that a good thing?” she asked hesitan
tly.

  “It doesn’t matter now. I’ve busted my ass building a pitch, crafting the perfect way to show you how much you mean and how important you are, and you sweep in here and outdo me. Again. Every damned time I think I’ve got the upper hand, you outmaneuver, outflank and outplay me.”

  Hailey had to pull her chin off her chest and force her mouth closed. He was ranting, but he didn’t seem upset at all. Instead, he sounded proud. As if he was thrilled with her. As if he admired her. As if he really cared.

  “Oh” was all she could say.

  Then, as much as she didn’t want to, Hailey burst into tears.

  * * *

  “HELL.” GAGE CRINGED.

  Not tears.

  Anything but tears.

  “Look, that isn’t a bad thing. I’m not upset about being outflanked and outmaneuvered. It’s like you being on top. I like that, too.”

  Well, that got a smile, but didn’t stop the tears.

  Dammit.

  Gage pulled in a deep breath. He wanted to kiss the wet tracks off her face. He wanted to distract her with a naughty promise. But he was a man who knew the importance of timing. He had to do this now. Even though it was probably going to get him more tears, he manned up and took both her hands.

  “That’s one of the things I admire about you,” he said, keeping his words low and quiet so she had to quit sobbing to hear him. “You’re incredible at what you do. You’re passionate about what you believe in. And you’re smart. Smart enough to call me on being a jackass. Smart enough to see my fears and push me to get over myself and go for the dream.”

  She sniffed, her eyes wide and wet but, thank God, not pooled up any longer.

  “You think I did all of that? You actually like that I called you on being a jackass?”

  “Well, I’m not saying I want it to be my new nickname or anything. But I appreciate that you see me, that you understand me. And that you believe in me.”

  She smiled. It was a little shaky at the edges, but filled with so much sweetness that Gage had to smile back. Figuring he deserved a reward for not running like a sissy boy at the first sign of tears, Gage lifted her hands to his lips, brushing a kiss over the knuckles of one, then the other. She was so sweet. So delicious. Then, his eyes locked on hers, he leaned in and brushed her mouth next.

  So soft.

  So incredible.

  Her sigh was a gentle wash of emotion. Delight and relief, excitement and joy.

  All good.

  But he wanted her passion.

  And he knew how to get it.

  Gage shifted his lips, just a bit, and changed the angle. With a barely there moan, she opened to him, meeting passion with passion. Desire with desire. And, yes, baby, tongue with tongue.

  He wanted to stay here. It felt good here. Safe. No emotional risk. A part of him figured he’d already risked plenty this week. His career. His standing with his family. His heritage.

  There was nothing wrong with waiting a little while before putting everything else on the line.

  Then Hailey gave a tiny moan. Her fingers, warm and gentle, grazed his cheek. Slowly, as if hearing his thoughts and giving him a chance to decide, she pulled back.

  Her lashes fluttered, and then she gazed up at him. Those huge green eyes were filled with so many emotions. The lust made his already-steel-hard dick happy, and the delighted joy gave his heart a little buzz. But it was the trust there, the total faith in him, that made Gage want to groan.

  With happiness. And in frustration.

  Because there was no way he could back down when she was looking at him like that.

  “So,” he started, pretty sure this was the first time in his life he’d struggled with the right words to sell his point. “I talked to Rudy this morning.”

  The excitement shifted in her gaze, a frown leaving a tiny crease between her brows.

  Nice job, Gage thought. Maybe next he could tell her Santa was fake and that Christmas cookies made women fat. She’d probably look just as happy.

  “I wanted to tell him I was off the Milano account. I couldn’t throw Milano under the bus, but did suggest he take a hard look at what sexy really was to women, and to men who didn’t use Playboy to measure their relationships.”

  Her lips twitched, but the frown didn’t fade.

  “He’s sick of the whole thing. Said he’d rather the models strut down the runway nude than have to worry any more about lingerie.” Gage’s lips twisted in a rueful smile. “But he said he was going to think about it. That he’d probably be giving you a call.”

  Gage waited, ready for her to, oh, maybe throw her arms around him. Squeal with excitement. Offer up her undying gratitude and maybe a little love.

  Instead, she pulled away and bit her lip before giving him a grimacy sort of look.

  “You’re so sweet to do that. I really, really appreciate it.” So much so that she looked as if she wanted to throw up, he noted. “But I don’t think Rudy is going to want to work with me.”

  Gage knew for sure the guy didn’t want to work with either one of them. But that was beside the point.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I stole his star,” she said, watching her fingers twist together for a second before she met his eyes with a gleeful look. “For a lot of reasons, she didn’t want to work with Rudy. So Cherry and I are launching a line together.”

  Gage burst into laughter. Poor Rudy. Looked as though his models were going to have to strut down the runway naked after all.

  “What are you going to do about the payoff?” he asked. He’d already talked to his banker, arranged for a loan if she wanted it. He’d figured on wrapping up the payoff in a bright red box, but knew she wouldn’t accept it, so the loan was his backup. Just in case she wanted help.

  “Well, after chewing into you, I called my mother and told her off for just about everything,” Hailey said, sounding proud. “Then, figuring I was on a roll, I called my father and did the same. And then, since I had nothing else to lose, I called Dawn Phillips and told her that revised contract or not, her father and I had an agreement and I’d met it faithfully for three years. That she’d either renegotiate the terms or my attorney would be in contact and we’d settle it in court.”

  Gage was pretty sure his grin was wide enough to pop his ears off.

  “’Atta girl. You kicked ass. I take it everyone stepped up and took responsibility?” About damned time, too.

  Hailey shook her head.

  “Nope. My mother cried and blamed me for ruining her holiday. My father said he’d take my complaints under consideration and discuss them with my stepmother.”

  Damn them. Gage was afraid to ask, but figured he’d started this so he didn’t have a choice.

  “And the Phillips woman?”

  “Dawn?” Hailey pursed her lips before giving him a smile that lit the room brighter than the tree they’d decorated. “She agreed to the terms Eric and I had set. After I’d told her how fabulous the business was doing, and how much more money she stood to make if she let the terms play out for another two years, and then I pay fair-market value on the balance due, she saw the wisdom in waiting.”

  And here he’d thought he’d have to rescue her.

  Gage grinned.

  Once again, she’d outdone him.

  He loved that about her.

  “You’re amazing,” he said with a wondrous smile.

  “I couldn’t have done it without you. Without you pushing me, showing me that there’s more to a relationship than convenience.” She swallowed hard enough for him to hear the click, then took a deep breath and met his gaze. Her own eyes were huge. “I think I’m in love with you.”

  He’d never heard those words.

  Ever.

  Gage’s heart melted.
And then, like the Grinch he’d dressed up as once, it seemed to grow huge. So huge he wasn’t sure what to do with it.

  All he could do was pull her close.

  Before his lips met hers, he whispered, “I think I’m in love with you, too.”

  As they fell into the kiss, the lights of the condom-covered Christmas tree twinkled.

  And Gage had to admit, the holidays pretty much rocked.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from COWBOYS & ANGELS by Vicki Lewis Thompson.

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  Prologue

  December 24, 1989

  Last Chance Ranch

  A WHITE CHRISTMAS was all well and good, but somebody had to shovel the snow off the front porch, and Archie Chance had appointed himself caretaker of that chore. His wife, Nelsie, had tried to talk him out of it, but he was the logical guy for the job. Everyone else was busy wrapping presents and cooking food.

  In the ninth decade of his life, Archie could still wield a mean shovel, whether he was mucking out a stall or clearing a path through the snow. He rather enjoyed both jobs.

  After bundling up in a sheepskin jacket, earmuffs and his Stetson, Archie took a pair of gloves out of his coat pocket and opened the massive oak door. Yeah, it was cold out this morning, but he’d endured worse. Frigid winters were a fact of life in Jackson Hole.