“Can I help you?” His deep voice radiated through her body, warming her.
You can help me any time you want.
Where the hell had that thought come from?
“I am… hi, I'm looking for Justin Cooper.” Good, her voice sounded firm, not like the dirty elf that wanted to drop to her knees and…yeah.
The man frowned and blinked. “I'm Justin. Do I know you?”
Oh, no, no, no, no. This couldn't be happening. The first man to make her think dirty, dirty thoughts that included a lot of mistletoe and red stockings was the man she'd come here to help. This was not going to end well.
“Justin!” A deep voice from the back to house broke into her thoughts. “Who is it? What the hell are you doing with the door open and letting all the heat out. Whoever it is, let them in, and then you can talk to them. For the love of God, don't let them freeze on our porch. I don't want to have to deal with the lawsuit.”
Rina blinked. Well, that was odd.
Justin cleared his throat and moved back, his arm waving to invite her in. Grateful, she walked into the foyer and sighed as the warmth hit her. Okay, maybe she'd been a bit colder than she’d thought.
“What are you?” Justin whispered.
Rina stiffened. Yes, executives could automatically tell if they were in an elf’s presence, but it was still remarkably rude to point out.
“I think you know what I am, but you don't have to comment on it. You're going to need to learn to think before you speak if we’re going to be able to work together.”
That's good. Antagonize the man before you completely change his life.
So far, she wasn’t doing too well with this whole assistant thing. Even though she’d promoted herself. God, she was going to get fired and thrown into the wrapping department. All the bows, paper, that glitter, sequins and little toy soldiers…
She looked up and found Justin staring at her as if she’d grown a second head. Maybe she had.
“This is not going well. I'm sorry. I'm Rina Brewer. And I'm an elf.”
Justin took a step back and shook his head. “How the hell did I know you weren’t human before you even said anything? Since the dream? Oh, God, I knew I was feeling sick. Am I dead?”
Rina took a step forward and rested her small hands on his form. The heat radiating from him shook her, but she didn't relent. “I'm sorry. I'm not doing this very well. I have some things to say that are very important to you, okay? I know you're going to completely freak out because this is really weird. I promise you, I'm not lying.”
Except for the whole she-shouldn’t-be-there thing, but that was for another day.
“You said your name is Rina? How did you find me?”
“Connie down at the inn told me where you were. I know its Thanksgiving, and you want to be with your family, but it's really important that I talk with you.”
“Justin, who's at the door?” the same man as before yelled.
“It's just for me, Jackson. I meant, my friend needs help with something. Thanks for dinner.”
The others grumbled, and she could hear chairs moving as presumably they were walking toward Justin. He quickly took her elbow, grabbed his coat and steered her out the door. The wind assaulted her, and the cold chiseled its way into her bones again.
“Wait, where are we going?”
“Which car is yours?” Justin asked, completely ignoring her question.
“It's the SUV over there. What's going on?”
“I'm not in the mood to try to explain to my family who you are considering I don’t even know what's going on. So, we're going to go back to my place, and you're going to explain to me exactly what the hell is happening. Understand?”
She nodded and quickly got into her car. Rina gripped the steering wheel as nerves assailed her while they waited for Justin’s car to heat up. Jeez, talk about adding to the tension. She followed Justin to his house, nerves rattling her. Well, at least he hadn’t thrown her out of the house. It could've been worse.
They pulled into the driveway of a nice home that looked as if it were still being worked on. It was a family's home, just waiting for the family. An odd pang shot through her, but she ignored it.
She got out of the car and followed Justin as he walked through the front door, leaving it open for her. She closed it behind her and looked around the house. It looked like a bachelor’s house. It had clunky furniture and nothing on the walls. It needed a feminine touch, badly. At least that meant that Justin most likely didn't have a girlfriend. That was another thing she shouldn't be thinking about.
“Okay, tell me what the fuck’s going on.”
“Language.”
“Oh, no. You come here to my town and tell me you're an elf and that Santa needs me. I know you're the woman who called and giggled on the phone two days ago.”
Rina nodded. “Remember when you were younger and you slid on the ice?”
Justin stiffened then gave a slight nod.
“Well, when you slid… you slid directly under Santa’s ladder. Apparently, you hit your head really, really hard, and you almost died.”
Justin gave a harsh laugh and shook his head. “No, I remember sliding and blacking out. But, I didn't almost die. Considering the fact that I was completely fine the next day, I think you got your facts mixed up, hon.”
Rina narrowed her eyes at his condescending tone but continued. “No, Justin that's exactly what happened. You almost died and then slid under Santa’s ladder.”
“So, that meant I had bad luck or something because, hon, that's not what happened.”
“Will you stop interrupting me?”
“I thought elves were supposed to be all cute and perky.” He grinned a smile that normally would've sent her down in a spiral of need, but at this moment, she just wanted to slap him.
“You don't know the first thing about elves, hon.” She stressed the last word, and he winked at her. Damn arrogant male. “But, you didn't die that night because Santa saved you.”
“Right, because Santa's an all-healing god.”
“No, it's because he has magic. Just like any other paranormal out there. But, there's a price for him saving you.”
“What? He gets my firstborn?”
“What did I say about interrupting?”
“You're cute when you're feisty.”
“I swear to God when men say something so degrading, I just want to slap the hell out of them. You're very, very lucky that I'm here to help you and not to kill you.”
“So, you're an elf assassin now, are you?”
“Oh, peppermint balls!” Any attraction she’d felt for him was slowly sliding away to be replaced by the desire to hit him. Justin cracked up at her version of a curse, and she seriously thought about going outside, finding a snowball, and walloping him. “Because Santa saved you, you will now work for him. You are one of Santa's executives.”
“Huh?”
“I'll explain everything, but you need to know you're in charge of a certain region, to help keep the Christmas cheer and the Christmas spirit alive. Being Santa is a very big job. It takes more than one person to keep the business going. That's why he has executives.”
“I don't know who you are, but you're wrong. I'm not Santa's executive.”
“Look inside and you'll know you believe it. I'm an elf; I don't lie.”
Much.
Chapter 3
The water trailed down his chest as Justin stuck his head under the spray. God, he felt like someone had hit him over the head with a two-by-four. Rina had told him that his body was accepting the magic of his new role and that’s why he felt so sluggish, but he felt like it had to be more than that. Magic wasn’t supposed to hurt this much.
At least it hadn’t looked that way when he’d seen Jordan in action.
It had only been two days since Rina had come into his life and turned it upside down, but everything seemed so different. He rinsed out the shampoo in his hair and tried not to see Rina’s big blu
e eyes and blond hair that she wore so tight away from her face. She'd caught a few curls escaping from their prison, and his hands had itched to wrap them around his finger. He didn't know why she kept all that gorgeous hair, or what he thought was gorgeous hair, in a bun. Maybe it was to make her look more professional? He smiled and ran the soap down his body. Considering she was maybe five feet tall and looked damned sexy with her generous curves, he didn't think the hair was working. As soon as he’d seen her on the porch, he'd known something was different about her, and then when his mind cleared, he’d needed to get his hands on her.
He let out a groan and cursed. He wasn't that guy anymore, that guy who just slept with any random woman and did what he wanted, regardless of the consequences. No, he was the elementary school principal now. He had duties. But just looking at her made him want to throw all that duty crap out of the window and see if her lips were as soft as they looked.
Her lips were plump and had a perfect little bow shape that made him want to trace it with his tongue. He groaned again and gripped his cock. Fuck. He shouldn't be thinking about her and getting himself off. He didn't know how he was going to face her later knowing she was the reason he had to grip his cock and squeeze. His hand was still soapy, and he slowly slid it up and down his shaft, squeezing at the base. He leaned against the wall, a stream of hot water flowing down his chest as he worked his cock, harder and faster as he kept thinking about those big blue eyes and those curves just made for his hands. He increased the pace and thought of her on her knees, sucking him off. And, with that, he came, his body stiffening as he screamed her name.
Holy shit.
She may be freaking cute and sexy, but he couldn't want her. She came with all that crazy myth crap that he didn't want to think about. He turned off the rapidly cooling shower and got out to dry off. By the time he was dressed and had a quick breakfast, the doorbell rang.
Great, she was even prompt.
He tried to get the image of her on her knees helping him out while he was in the shower out of his head as he opened the door. She stood on his porch wrapped up in a fluffy coat, a matching hat, and thick scarf. She batted the lashes of her blue eyes, and if he hadn’t known she was there for business, he would've thought it was flirting. It was most likely because it was cold as hell out there.
Here he was just letting her sit on the porch freezing to death. Good one, Justin.
“Come in, get out of the cold.” His voice sounded gruff, and he cleared his throat.
She smiled up at him, and he bit his tongue. He had no idea what he was, what he was doing, or how the hell he was going to get through this holiday season. All he could think about was the fact that her smile brightened up her face and made him want to kiss her. It was the most frustrating thing ever. She bounced on her feet, slowly unwrapped the thick scarf from around her neck, and removed her hat. Silently, afraid he would say something stupid, like he wanted to bend her over a table or something. He took the scarf and hat from her, and he hung them up on the rack by the door. She took off her coat, and he hung it on the rack too.
This wasn't going to end well.
She wore a green knit dress. The long sleeves slid halfway down her palms and had a turtleneck so that he couldn't see any cleavage. Disappointed, he trailed his gaze down her body, loving and hating the way the dress hugged her curves. It ended about mid-thigh, and she wore thick white tights tucked into dark brown knee-high boots. She looked like a sexy wet dream of an elf. All she needed was her hair down so he could run his hands through it and wrap it around his fists.
“Justin?”
He blinked and looked into her gaze. She was blushing but looked utterly confused at his interest. He didn't know what to make of that. Did she really not know he was acting like a schoolboy and that he wanted her? Or, was she playing him, acting sweet and thinking she could get what she wanted from him? He'd spent way too many years dealing with the way too many women who did whatever they could to get in his bed. When he was younger, he'd enjoyed it. Now, after having to deal with the single, and not-so-single, moms of the children he cared for, he really didn't trust his instincts anymore. Too bad. Rina was sexy as hell.
“Justin?” she repeated.
“Oh, sorry, I guess I'm still feeling a little out of sorts.”
Not a complete lie, but not the reason he was acting like an idiot. He cleared his throat and gestured for her to follow him into the living room. He watched as she looked over his belongings, an odd sense of wanting her to like them filling him. Okay, that was enough of that.
After they sat on the couch, a respectable distance between them so he didn't have the urge to see if her dress was as soft as it looked, Justin broke the uncomfortable silence. “So, Rina, what are you doing here?”
“I'm here to help you figure out what it means to be Santa’s executive.”
“You said that before, but I still don't know what you mean.”
She gave a nervous laugh and tucked a curl back into her bun. He wondered if it would be too inappropriate for him to tell her to take her hair down. Probably.
“I know, I'm sorry. We should have started off on a better foot, but then I had to come in and steal you from your family.” She gave another nervous laugh that turned into a giggle as her eyes widened. “I swear I'm not a dumb blonde, but I'm an elf. Giggling comes with the territory. I hate it.”
Normally, he did, too, but coming from her, he kind of liked it. Dear God, he was a goner. “It's fine, continue please.”
“Okay, before I tell you what you have to do, I want to make sure you really believe.”
He gave a dry laugh and shook his head. “Do I really have a choice?”
She bit her lip then sighed. “No, not really. Why don’t you tell me what you remember from that night? It's always good to start from the beginning when things are starting to change.”
He really didn't want to, but he looked into her eyes and saw a determination there he hadn't seen before. It looked like he wouldn't have a choice.
“I don't remember much. I wasn't the best kid around. You could ask my brothers.” That was by far an understatement. He had been an ass, a troublemaker, one of the worst of the lot, but he didn't want her to know that. He wanted her to like him for some odd reason. “I was sixteen, and I had snuck out on Christmas Eve to go get drunk with my buddies.” He looked at her face and didn't see any disapproval there. Maybe she was just better at hiding it than most. “I got completely wasted, walked home, not because walking and not driving was the smart thing to do but because I didn’t want to deal with the sound of the car waking up my parents. I remember trying to sneak around the back of the house to where my window was, and I must have slid on a patch of ice. From there I just remember bits and pieces of darkness and then a flash, and then I got up, snuck back to my room, and lay down.”
“See? Do you remember anything about what happened when you passed out?”
“No, I thought I'd just hit my head too hard or had too much to drink. The next morning I went downstairs for Christmas and my stocking wasn't on fireplace.” He gave a small smile and shook his head. “For all that I had thought I’d been sneaky, my parents had been better. They'd known I snuck out and had taken away my Christmas morning. They said if I didn't want to act like a Cooper and a part of the family, I didn't get to be part of the family.”
Just thinking about his parents, and the fact that they had died such a short time after that, made his throat close up. Rina reached out and grabbed his hand, and he squeezed back. He kind of liked having her there, having someone to talk to. Damn, he'd been lonely.
“Know what’s funny? Before that night, I would have yelled, screamed, cursed, acted like a complete spoiled brat, and would have promised to change. But for some reason, the fact that I didn't see my name with the rest of my families made me feel like nothing, insignificant, and I knew it was my fault. I didn't change drastically overnight. I still had an attitude problem, but I actually listened to my
parents after that. I still don't know why that was.”
Rina squeezed his hand and nodded. “I'm not completely sure, but it might've had to do with Santa.”
He snorted. Sure, the big jolly guy made him change and stop being a punk kid. Right.
“I know you don't believe me, but you should. When you were passed out, Santa saved your life. You hit your head harder than you thought, Justin.” She sucked in a breath and looked as if she was about to cry.
Without thinking, he tugged her closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He had to comfort her, but he didn't know why. “Hey, I'm fine now.”
He looked down at her, but she didn't cry. Only gave a wry smile. “I know. I just don't like the thought of you getting hurt for some reason. Weird, I know. But, Santa did save your life that night, and as he did, he infused magic within you. That's why you were okay, and that's why you probably changed your ways and thinking, at least a little bit. You had the joy of Christmas and everything happy and jolly running in your veins, even if you didn't know it. That was bound to leave an effect, though, I'm sure your parents had something to do it. I wish I would've been able to meet them.” She looked up at him, and he held back the urge to kiss her. He didn't even know her, and yet he wanted to kiss her? Maybe he wasn't as much of a good guy as he had thought.
“I think they would've liked you,” he said, realizing that was true. His parents would've liked her. She said what she thought and yet had a great attitude. He was in trouble.
He cleared his throat then stood up so quickly that Rina almost fell back. She righted herself and stood near him. “Let's go get some lunch. I know it's not even noon yet, but I'm hungry.” Hungry for a certain elf, but he didn't want to think about that.
“I'm hungry, too. I only had time for a quick cup of hot cocoa this morning. I did some research to make sure I had everything ready for you.” Her eyes widened, and she closed her mouth as if she had said too much.
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