Moonlight and Mistletoe

by Dawn Temple

  Empowered by his response, she tortured them both by shimmying her hips. His erection swelled further. Kyle let his head fall back. She took immediate advantage, nibbling down the exposed length of his throat.

  He groaned. “You’re making it impossible for me to do the right thing.”

  “This feels awfully right to me.”

  “Yeah, it’s great, but…” His wide-palmed hands cupped her cheeks, his thumbs strumming her lips as he tilted her face. Desire flushed his skin and darkened his eyes. Worry bracketed his tightly drawn lips. “I don’t want to screw this up.”

  She pancaked her hands over his. “I know ignoring the future and the differences between us isn’t practical, but will a couple of hours really change whatever it is you’re so anxious to discuss?”

  “No.”

  “Would it help appease your conscience if I told you I’d been dreaming of making love to you when Brinks woke me?”

  She’d begun to lose hope of ever convincing him, so when Kyle’s mouth swooped down and stopped her litany of good reasons for making love, it took her a few seconds to catch up.

  Goodness, she loved the way this man kissed. It felt as if he wanted to touch all four corners of her soul in one deep breath.

  “Tomorrow, we talk.” His intensity warmed her every bit as much as the sensual feel of him between her legs.

  “Yes, sir.” She crawled up his chest, leaving him no choice but to pick her up and carry her upstairs. She worked his buttons loose and nibbled his skin as he made his way through the darkened house.

  “Shayna,” he growled into her mussed hair. “You’re killing me.”

  Bent at the waist, Shayna tied a towel turban-style around her long, wet hair and stood up, causing the towel wrapped around her breasts to slip. She caught Kyle’s stare in the bathroom mirror, his thoughts clearly visible.

  “Oh, no, you don’t.” She wagged a finger at his nearly naked reflection and cinched up the slipping terry cloth. “Thanks to your remarkable shower skills, I’m already running late.”

  “Are you complaining?”

  “Goodness, no. I’ve never had such a thorough scrubbing.” Warm heat stained her cheeks at the memory of all the places Kyle had kissed and cleaned. “But if you touch me again, I’ll never make it to the parade on time.”

  “So I can look as long as I don’t touch?” He settled on the lip of her claw-footed tub, the towel he wore opening to expose a delicious amount of inner thigh.

  “I don’t think that’ll work, either. You’re a distraction, Kyle, no matter where you are or what you’re doing.”

  “At least this way, one of us is happy.”

  “Oh, I didn’t say I wasn’t happy. Just wonderfully distracted, which I can’t afford to be this morning. Please, take pity on me, for the children’s sake.”

  “How about this? I’ll go put on some clothes and promise to keep my hands to myself, but I have to stay close. We still have things to discuss.”

  “Okay, but you have to quit looking at me like that.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like you’re picturing me naked.”

  “But I am.” His grin turned wicked. “You’ve got the most beautiful body, sweetheart.” He stood up and crossed the narrow bathroom in a single stride.

  “Kyyyylllle.” She drew out his name, desire flaming through her body again. Goodness. This man had turned her into an insatiable wanton. She prayed it would never end, but at the moment, she needed to find a pause button. “Please behave.”

  “Yes, ma’am. But first…” His lips captured hers in a promise of delights yet to come. Gentle and unhurried, it was the kind of kiss they ran the credits over at the end of a romantic movie.

  He released her lips and gave her bare shoulder a teasing nip. “Better cover up fast before I break my promise.” He returned to the bedroom, leaving her trembling and hanging on to the bathroom counter for dear life.

  Her old green robe hung on the bathroom hook, but Shayna felt the need for more protection. She pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a golden sweater then tackled drying her hair. It would need to be set on rollers before she could twist it into Ms. Noel’s fancy updo.

  A steamy cup of coffee magically appeared just as she turned off the hair dryer. She took a grateful sip before scanning the small space and finding Kyle, once again perched on the tub. He wore a pair of jeans and a snug white T-shirt under an open flannel shirt whose blue and black pattern really set off his stunning eyes. His feet were bare, which she found uncommonly sexy.

  This was getting dangerously close to her idea of domestic bliss.

  Concentrate, she ordered herself as she dug out her hot rollers. Remember the kids.

  “I received the letter from Chester’s office yesterday,” he said.

  Fabulous. He couldn’t have picked a less sexy topic. “I tried to call you and tell you about it, but I kept catching your voice mail. I didn’t want to tell you such great news in a message.”

  “Great news? Baby, this isn’t great. It’s a disaster, and it certainly isn’t in your best interest. I can’t allow you to submit that letter to Walker. He’s not going to respond well.”

  “I don’t care how he responds, although it seems to me the bigger fuss he tries to make for me, the more attention he’s going to attract to his mistakes. Once he thinks it over, I’m sure he’ll realize it’s not a very good idea.”

  “Oh, you’d be surprised by what that man would consider a good idea.”

  “Listen, I discussed the whole thing with Chester, and he agrees with me that—”

  “Chester isn’t as competent as you might think. No lawyer in his right mind advises a client to turn down such a huge settlement offer.”

  Shayna quickly started twirling her hair around the heated rollers. “A lawyer who understands his client’s wishes does. I’ve never wanted his money for myself, and as for the good that money could do for others, I decided I couldn’t sacrifice my own soul, my own principles, not even for that.”

  She clipped a pin against the final roller and pulled out the bag that held her meager makeup supplies.

  He reached the end of the room and spun, stalking back to her. His eyes softened as he ran the backs of his fingers over her cheek. “Shayna, he will destroy your happiness if you don’t give him what he wants. He’s already taken the first step by arranging—”

  “Wait!” she interrupted, her hands flying out between them. His words sparked a light bulb in her brain. “You shouldn’t be telling me all this. Scumbag or not, he’s your client. If anyone finds out about this, won’t you be in deep trouble?”

  “This is just between us, Shayna. No one will know.”

  “We’ll know, and you’ll hate yourself. The one thing you aren’t, Kyle, is dishonest. If you violate your client’s trust—no matter how much the man doesn’t deserve it—it’ll haunt you forever.”

  She pushed to her feet and stepped around Kyle, who hadn’t moved a muscle. “Don’t say anything else.” She double-checked the contents of her makeup bag, added her toothbrush and toothpaste, a handful of hair pins and a can of hairspray. “I’m leaving. Right now. You have to finish this discussion with my attorney, who I promise you is a very sharp and loyal man.”

  She rushed into the bedroom and grabbed the hanging bag that held her costume and her boots. Remembering her blasted pantyhose, she quickly snatched them from her drawer and wedged the hose and the makeup bag in a side pocket.

  A quick mental run-through assured her she had all she needed for her transformation into Ms. Noel. With the rollers still twisted into her hair and her costume draped over her arm, she headed downstairs to find her purse and her keys. Kyle followed her down the stairs, trying to resume their conversation.

  “It’s not a technical violation of attorney-client privilege.”

  “Technicalities don’t change the truth. I can’t let you do this.”

  Her purse sat on the kitchen table, a few feet from where Brinks waited
patiently for his breakfast and his morning walk.

  “Walker is no longer my primary concern. You—”

  Man, she wanted to hear the end of that sentence, but she couldn’t let himself dig this hole any deeper. Purse on her shoulder, she leaned in and interrupted him with a kiss.

  The heavy costume on her arm and the warm rollers on her head affected her balance and technique, but she still managed to stop his flow of self-incriminating words.

  When she pulled back, they were both a bit dazed.

  “Oh, and one other thing I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

  “I don’t know if I can take any more revelations this morning, Shayna.”

  “This one’s easy. The other night, I forgot to tell Santa what I wanted for Christmas, and I was wondering if you could give him a message from me.”

  The dazed shake of his head was part agitation, part admiration. “What do you want Santa to bring you this year, little girl?”

  “You.” She laid another hot, quick kiss on him. “All I want is you.”

  Standing in the People’s Bank parking lot decked out in full Ms. Noel regalia, Shayna was still high from the stunned look on Kyle’s face. Her wish had definitely taken him by surprise, but judging by the way his lips had clung to hers, she was pretty sure it was a good surprise.

  Happy enough to power every Christmas light in town, she surveyed the chaotic scene around her. The parade gods were certainly smiling down on them today. The morning’s crisp air had everyone in a Christmas mood. The sun dangled in a cloudless, endless blue sky, adding just enough warmth that the Fighting Lion cheerleaders didn’t have to wear sweatpants under their short skirts. Concession stands scented the air with funnel cakes, apple cider and sausage on a stick.

  Perfect day for a parade.

  A series of horn blasts announced the arrival of the youth center van as it entered the parking lot. The van’s door slid open, coughing out a dozen excited, costumed children. Their giggles and shouts carried across the crowd of parade riders and volunteers. Nothing summed up the joy of Christmas like a bunch of happy, hopeful kids.

  She spied Danny making his way across the lot, flanked by his two precious daughters, Shelley and Tina, the reigning Junior Miss Noel. Tina would ride next to Shayna on the princess float. Danny, filling in as Santa since Elmer’s back was still out, was the parade’s grand finale, and as such, would be on the final float. Shelley would watch from the sidelines with Lindy and Travis.

  After Shayna, Shelley and Tina had finished complimenting each other’s dresses, Danny, wearing the new, longer Santa pants she’d made for him, cleared his throat and nodded to his left. “Did you call out one of the major networks?”

  “No. As far as I know, channel five is the only station planning on covering the parade. Why?” She looked over her shoulder, where a three-person television crew stood off to the side, panning shots of the pandemonium. None of them wore channel five’s signature bright blue jackets. “Oh. Well, extra publicity can’t hurt, right?”

  “No, but I’m not real jazzed about the whole state seeing me in this getup.”

  “Don’t worry. Once you get the padding and beard on, no one will recognize you.”

  “I sure as hell hope so.”

  “Daddy.” Shelley and Tina scolded together.

  “Sorry, girls.” Danny gave a chagrined smile. “Let’s go find Lindy. It’s time for all of us to take our places.”

  The next several minutes were a whirlwind of confusion. Nerves needed to be calmed, dresses needed to be fluffed, float decorations needed to be repaired, and for some reason, all these calamities ended up in her lap.

  Once she had the barrage of last-minute details ironed out, she looked again for the production crew. Their presence had niggled around her thoughts, and she’d begun to question their purpose. Their lack of obvious station affiliation bothered her.

  Hitching herself up on the princess trailer, she surveyed the crowd. A reporter she recognized interviewed the high school band’s tuba section. The crew surrounding her wore distinctive blue jackets.

  A gaggle of goose bumps sprang up on her arms as she searched for the second, obviously well-funded crew. Her bad feeling quickly grew to a pit-of-the-stomach dread.

  Finally she spotted them, standing on a knoll, high enough to take in all the activity in a single shot. Standing slightly behind the camera operator was a squat fellow she’d never met but recognized instantly.

  Steven Walker.

  Cold sweat covered Shayna’s body. What the hell was he doing here? Was this what Kyle had tried to warn her about? Her hands began to shake so badly she had to grip a waist-high candy cane to keep herself upright.

  Why, oh why hadn’t she taken the low road and greedily listened to all the secrets Kyle had been anxious to spill?

  Because Walker can no longer hurt you.

  Just as quickly as the panic had spread a moment ago, peace now settled over her. She had nothing to fear from this man. Still, it might be best not to confront him until Walker also knew about his loss of negotiating power. No sense airing all that dirty laundry prematurely.

  Before she got carried away imagining the stunned look on Walker’s perennially smug face, Shayna brought her attention back to today’s event. Parade time was almost here.

  Trucks and tractors fired up, the rattle of diesel engines adding to the roar of excited voices. Recorded Christmas carols blared out over the PA system while the marching band tuned up.

  She prepared to jump down and help the little ones line up, but from the corner of her eye she noticed a familiar blond head pushing his way to Walker’s side. Even from this distance, the anger and disappointment on Kyle’s face was clear.

  He was obviously seconds away from telling off his biggest client and sabotaging his career. She couldn’t let him do that, not when the misguided man still thought she needed his protection.

  She loved him too much to stand aside and watch him throw away a goal he’d worked half a lifetime for. No matter how good his intentions.

  As the other parade princesses began climbing aboard the float, Shayna jumped off. She waved at a surprised, fully costumed Danny and started running through the scurrying crowd.

  Behind her, Danny shouted her name, but she didn’t slow down, didn’t look back.

  Her focus remained pinned on Kyle and Walker. Judging by the hand gestures and the distance the crew had given the two men, things were not going well.

  By the time she reached them, Shayna was completely breathless. She had to stand there pulling in deep draws of air before she could alert them to her arrival.

  “I haven’t been too impressed with your advice, Anderson, so I made an executive decision.” Walker was puffed up and red in the face.

  “Surprising her isn’t the right way to handle this. You should have at least shown her the courtesy of an advance warning.”

  “Advance warning?” That shrill voice stole what little breath Shayna had managed to recover. Dressed in white leather pants and an indecently tight red sweater, Patty stepped from behind a long, solid-paneled white van. “Isn’t that what you were giving my baby girl when you slipped inside her cabin this morning? Or maybe you were too busy slipping her something else?”

  Her mother’s crude comment drew a loud hiss from Shayna, but Kyle’s “What the hell is she doing here?” overpowered the sound.

  “I’m just here to enjoy the festivities,” Patty replied in a frighteningly normal voice. “And to support my beautiful daughter, of course.”

  “Bull!” Shayna thundered her way into the conversation. She’d had enough of her vindictive birth parents and their nonsense. “You’re both here to intimidate me into reconsidering my refusal.”

  “What refusal?” Walker shoved Patty aside, turning confused eyes to Kyle. “She responded and you didn’t tell me?”

  Kyle nodded, but his attention remained focused on her. This morning’s intimate warmth was nowhere to be seen. “We received a
fax yesterday, but I didn’t forward it because Ms. Miller’s response was ill-advised and poorly conceived. I was hoping to convince her to reissue the offer with a more acceptable set of demands.”

  Shayna wasn’t sure which hurt more. The fact that the love of her life had just essentially called her an idiot or the ease with which he slipped back into power attorney mode.

  Ms. Miller, indeed.

  Even though she knew the two of them didn’t have a future together, it still stung to be so soundly reminded.

  Knowing a clean break would be best for them both, Shayna called up every ounce of poise and self-control in her body. Back straight and head held high, she turned her back on Kyle and addressed her worthless, conniving parents.

  “If you two want to continue to torture each other over a relationship that soured twenty-five years ago, then go right ahead, but I refuse to let either of you drag me into this mess ever again. I won’t take sides, and I won’t absolve either of you for the horrible way you treated me. From here on out, I never want to hear from either of you again.”

  Their shocked, blanched expressions were priceless. She wished she had a camera, but then, she imagined the little red light on the huge television camera meant Walker’s own people were capturing this moment much better than her little digital ever could.

  Unable to bring herself to look in Kyle’s direction, Shayna started to head back to her float—somehow, she had to rise to her role as parade hostess—but Kyle’s fingers captured her wrist.

  “Shayna?”

  In that moment, staring into the vivid eyes she loved so much, her heart actually felt broken. How could she have forgotten that she was nothing more than a case, the means of getting that promotion?

  Drawing the shards of her pride up from where it had crashed around her ankles, Shayna stiffened her spine and forced the tears from her voice. “Mr. Anderson, my apologies for getting carried away earlier today. As you can see—” she swooped her hands dramatically over her costume “—I’m a Christmas fanatic. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I don’t want to hold up the parade.”