The Reindeer Falls Collection: Volume One

by Jana Aston

  "You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?" Keller looks at me with such reverence my heart nearly skips a beat. He reaches up and runs a lock of my hair around his fingers. "You've seduced me since the moment we met."

  "That's what you were thinking when you wiped flour off my face? That I was seductive?" I grin at him, not entirely sure he's serious. "Or was it burning a perfectly good tray of snickerdoodles like a baking novice that got you all hot and bothered?"

  "It was the flour," he clarifies with a slow grin. "When I swiped the flour off your face, I wanted to bend down to naughty elf height and kiss you."

  I grin. I'm not the tallest girl and he is a very tall cup of tea, so the description fits.

  "Why didn't you?" I lean forward, bracing one hand on the bed beside his head, the other still wrapped firmly around him. "Why didn't you kiss me that day?" I ask, my lips brushing against his in a teasing whisper.

  "We'd only just met. Thought it might have been a bit creepy to kiss you mere moments after we exchanged names."

  "I was mentally thinking very dirty thoughts about you the entire time," I admit.

  "You were not." He smiles, as if I'm joking or trying to flatter him.

  "Oh, I was." I nod my head earnestly. "You told me my cookie was outstanding and I immediately pictured you naked." He laughs, his chest shaking. I squeeze him harder in my hand, stroking from root to tip, twisting with my wrist at the tip and rubbing my thumb across the head of him.

  "Is the reality living up to your fantasies?" His voice is strained, gruff. His hands move to circle my waist, as if to assist in moving me to a position more advantageous for both of us.

  "It's better." I run my gaze appreciatively over his body. "So much better. But you said I was in charge. That I could have my wicked way with you," I remind him with a pointed look at his hands.

  "You can't expect me not to touch you," he objects. Then he runs his hands up and down my sides, thumbs skimming the undersides of my breasts as he does. Hmm. Being a naughty elf is hard. So many decisions. I bite my lip while I debate the merits of restraining his hands versus the merits of letting him touch me.

  We can save the Christmas ribbon for another day, I decide.

  "What did you see in me that day? That made you want to kiss me while I was covered in flour and flustered by your presence at the Busy Bee Inn?"

  "I thought you were beautiful, straight away. Then you started talking and I was captivated with your passion. The way you carried on about candied ginger"—he grins—"it was delightful." He pauses here to run his hands over my hips, sliding them up my back to draw me closer. "I thought you were intelligent and charming and vivacious and I knew instantly that I wanted to spend more time with you."

  "Kissing time?" I raise an eyebrow in question.

  "Kissing time. Errand time. Baking time. Whatever time I can get."

  I grab a condom and remind him I'm still in charge as I maneuver it out of the package and slide it over the length of him. Then I rise onto my knees just far enough to position him exactly where we both want him. He wraps his hands around my waist to steady me while I lower myself, slowly, easing onto him as I stretch to accommodate. Full. So full. He drags me forward for a kiss when I'm finally settled, the feel of his tongue against mine in perfect tandem with the rise and fall of my hips as I move over him. My own hands slide up his chest to wrap around his shoulders, clinging to him.

  His wicked hands slide across my skin as if they've explored me a thousand times before and know every curve and dip and hollow that will drive me mad. He’s whispering filthy things in his British accent that have me blushing even as I ride him with abandoned enthusiasm.

  "Show me how you touch yourself," he demands, taking my hand and placing my fingers over my clit.

  My eyes widen for a moment. I’m a bit shocked at the request, even considering my position straddling him. Then he groans, a small murmur from his throat as his eyes drop to my fingers. He swallows, as if the sight is causing him some great erotic distress. And seeing the look on his face, I don't want to deny him. I don't want to deny him a single thing.

  I rub two fingers over myself while he watches. My fingers circle with firm strokes, growing more frenetic with each sigh and grunt that Keller emits as he gets closer to his release while I get closer to mine, tightening around him, fingers moving and thighs shaking from the exertion. And then I'm there. I nearly black out from the release. Tightening around him, I sag forward, head on his shoulder as I attempt to catch my breath and regain control of myself. He takes over, thrusting from below in a few short jerks until he's found his own release, my name on his lips as he does. Then he rolls us over, still joined so that he's on top. The weight of him should be suffocating but instead it feels like a security blanket, warm and reassuring and comforting.

  "Good job taking the lead, Gingersnap," he murmurs into my ear, lips warm and soft against my earlobe. The light brush is enough to make me excited all over again.

  Am I afraid of taking charge in bed? No.

  Am I afraid of falling hopelessly, irrevocably in love with this guy?

  Yes. Terrifyingly, yes.

  In the morning, Keller makes me breakfast in bed. Of course he does. It’s a perfect fluffy omelet using a variety of ingredients he scrounged up in my fridge, and it’s the most delicious omelet I've ever had, not even because I’m eating it in bed with him. He also brings me tea in a Santa mug. We eat off the same plate, legs huddled under my blankets, and it’s almost as enjoyable as the night prior.

  Just almost. I'm not a crazy person.

  We spend the morning lounging on my couch while watching Christmas movies on Hallmark. I've always sort of fantasized about falling in love at Christmas, but also I thought it impractical. And unlikely. And super ridiculous.

  Except now I think it's happening to me and the joke is on me because it's even better than every one of these silly movies put together.

  Keller helps me bake for the Busy Bee Inn on Saturday. We test out some gingerbread recipes in anticipation of the final challenge on The Great Gingerbread Bake-Off next week. We bake snickerdoodles for Old Pete and Keller tests a new recipe for red velvet waffles with a cream-cheese glaze on the Inn guests.

  On Sunday I take him to dinner with my parents.

  Yup, my parents. And they love him. He tells my mother naming me Ginger Spice was an inspired choice and she beams in pleasure. He compliments my father on the holiday light display at their house and honestly, there's no faster way to my dad's heart.

  It's as if I'm living my own Christmas romance movie. But with sex. Really great, mind-blowing sex. Don't you hate it when someone says they had mind-blowing sex? Like what does that even mean? Let's just say we check a whole lot of things off my naughty bucket list and I'm a very, very happy girl.

  Chapter 12

  "I'm in love." I sigh happily and take another sip of my grasshopper mint mocha while strolling down Main Street with my sister Noel. It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the air is crisp, there's a hint of snow in the air and I, Ginger Spice Winter, am in love.

  "With who?" Noel seems real unimpressed with my declaration. She's not even looking at me, instead peering at a window display as if it's more interesting than me finding my soulmate. My Christmas soulmate.

  "With Keller," I deadpan. "Who else would I be referring to?" I add, a bit of sarcasm to my tone. "Did you think I picked up some random guy last night and fell in love? Honestly." I grunt a little at the end of that sentence to indicate how ridiculous I find her lack of support.

  "Keller? The guy you've been referring to as a jackal since you met him last week? The guy you're competing against for ten thousand dollars of prize money? The guy leaving Reindeer Falls as soon as The Great Gingerbread Bake-Off is done filming?" Noel says all this with a bit of an attitude if I'm being honest. She could use a little Christmas spirit.

  But sure, fine, yes, I might have thought Keller was a jackal at first. But only for like a minu
te. And yes, we only meet last week. But that is hardly the point. The point is, Noel is behaving like a lump of coal.

  "Yes. Keller!" I refrain from calling her a heartless shrew because I've got the Christmas spirit in me even if she doesn't. "And he's going to stay a while."

  He did say something like that, right? I'm going to stay a while, is what he said. Which, now that I'm recalling it, doesn't sound like a binding agreement of any kind.

  "What does ‘a while’ mean?" Now I've got Noel's attention. She's abandoned her window to level me with a big-sister look of skepticism.

  "I don't know, Noel." I wave a hand dismissively as if it's irrelevant. "A while. He said to trust the magic."

  Oh, snap. I should have left that part out. I cringe, I can't even hide it. She's gonna be all over that magic bit.

  "The magic?" Noel's eyes widen and her lips part. "Did you get out your love globe and ask it for dating advice?"

  I took apart a Magic 8-Ball and a snow globe when I was twelve and reassembled them into something I called the love globe. I tried to convince my sisters it held magical powers and only worked in the month of December.

  It didn't go over real well.

  "Not real magic, Noel. Don't be such a cynic. He just meant holiday magic." At least I'm pretty sure that's what he meant. I don't know him that well yet. Maybe he's a part-time magician or something. Or maybe he actually believes in magical snow globes.

  Hmm.

  Whatever, not a deal-breaker.

  "Ginger, are you serious right now?"

  "Pretty serious." I nod excitedly. "He's the one." I smile and twirl in a circle. I'm wearing a red coat and it swirls in perfect harmony with my heart. I come to a stop to find Noel looking even less impressed with me than she was a moment ago.

  "I can't deal with you right now, Ginger. I have actual real-life problems."

  "Like what?" I wrinkle my nose at her because I'm not sure what problem she could possibly have that she didn't have the last time I saw her a mere week ago.

  "I slept with Santa Claus last night, for starters."

  "You did not." I gasp. Mostly because Noel doesn't have a boyfriend. Also because I don't think she's into kinky roleplay so the visual of what she just said is a bit much to take in. Then again, if she is into kinky roleplay, I really don't want to know.

  "I did," she moans. "I really did. His suit is still lying on my bedroom floor."

  "His red suit?" Hmm, maybe I do want to know just a little bit more.

  "Obviously the red suit, Ginger!" Noel throws up her hands in dismay. "Does Santa own any another suit?"

  "Snap, Noel! This is serious." I say this as earnestly as I can, which given the circumstances is saying a lot.

  "I know." She crosses her arms and huffs, staring across the street at I don't know what. Then she bites her lip and shakes her head as if she's replaying something in her head.

  "Question though," I interrupt her pondering. "How is he gonna make the rounds on Christmas Eve without his suit? He can't slide down chimneys in his underwear. Everyone knows he needs the suit to make the entire thing work." I have to blink a few times, but I manage to get this much out without breaking into the giggles.

  "I hate you." Noel snaps to attention long enough to glare at me before she turns on her heel and heads to the next store, paying no attention if I'm following or not.

  "You should at least hang it up, don't you think?" I ask, running after her. Because of course I'm nowhere near done with this conversation. This is the best conversation I've ever had with my sister. In the entirety of my life. "What if Santa doesn't get it back in time to have it pressed? He can't pull an all-nighter delivering presents in a wrinkled suit as if he's on the sleigh ride of shame, Noel! Think of the children!" This time I break, and I start laughing. I laugh so hard I have to clutch my stomach and bend over so I don't pee.

  "You're a terrible person, Ginger. I hope you get a stocking full of coal."

  "Well," I sigh as I stand up straight again, shrugging, "I probably will now that you've got an in with Santa."

  "You're my least favorite sister. I wish Holly was here. She'd be supportive."

  "That's doubtful. You weren't very supportive about her hot boss problem. You teased her shamelessly."

  "So did you!" Noel reminds me, clearly aghast that I've omitted my share of the blame.

  "Oh, I absolutely did," I quickly agree. "As the youngest sister I have to take every chance I can get to tease either of you. I'm so rarely not the target myself."

  "Well, I guess this is your lucky week, Ginger Spice," Noel says drily. She knows I hate being called Ginger Spice but I'm so happy right now it doesn't even bother me.

  "Keller calls me Gingersnap," I tell her with a big goofy grin on my face. "Isn't that adorable?"

  "Don't make me gag," Noel groans. This one-night stand with Santa really has her distracted.

  "So what are you gonna do about Santa Claus?"

  "I haven't the slightest idea." She shrugs. "But isn't that your British chef coming out of the old auto shop?" We've reached the section of Main Street where the Cass River curves underneath, the spot where the old auto shop sits, tucked into the curve of the river on one side with Main Street access on the other. My dream bakery location. Noel nods her head across the street and sure enough, that's Keller. Keller, shaking hands with Sean Knight of Knight Realty.

  "Yeah, that's him," I agree, a bit confused. What is he doing with Sean?

  We spent the last three days together, until this morning when he got a phone call and ran off.

  He said he had a meeting. Not sure what kind of meeting he could have in Reindeer Falls, but I didn't ask and he didn't offer more information than that. He kissed me like he loved me, smiled, and took off.

  Which was fine because I had plans to shop with Noel this morning. I wanted her to distract me from the Great Gingerbread Bake-Off finale, which we’re filming today. So I didn't really think twice about Keller running off, too distracted by all the magic swirling around. By the competition and the holidays and my naive heart.

  Now, as I watch Keller get into his car while Sean slaps an “under contract” sign over the Knight Realty sign in the window of the old auto shop, my breath catches. Not in a good way.

  Did that rascal just steal my dream location?

  "I gave that jerk my gingerbread," I mutter. Shocked.

  Chapter 13

  Keller is already at the community center when I arrive. After I saw him stealing the location for my dream bake shop I left Noel so I could go home and change four times before I saw him at today's finale of The Great Gingerbread Bake-Off. I needed the perfect outfit that said “you're a jerk.” Unfortunately, such an outfit doesn't exist so I settled on a fitted black pencil skirt and a green silk blouse. Sure, the skirt might not be the most practical thing to bake in, but it makes my butt look amazing and that's almost the same thing.

  Errr, okay, that's not the same thing at all, but if you've ever needed someone to know how badly they've blown it, you'd understand. The adorable vintage dress I planned on wearing just would not do. I don't want to look adorable today, I want to look like regret. Like the sexiest baker he's ever seen. Which is probably not saying much because baking doesn't really lend itself to sexpot status. No one is baking in sexy lingerie. Or at least they shouldn't be. It's really not safe. Probably not very hygienic either.

  Anywho. I look great. That's the point.

  Keller's being wired up by the sound technician when I arrive. He shoots me a heart-melting grin and I nearly cave. I nearly skip across the room to his side and fall into his arms, but no. No. I remind myself of the competition and where my focus should be. Where it should have been all along.

  Wasn't this my worry from the start? That'd I'd lose my focus? Take my eye off the prize? Give a jerk all my gingerbread secrets?

  It was, so I ignore his charming smile and grab my apron. Resolute. I shall be resolute in my focus. I will persevere. I am woman, hear m
e roar. Blah blah.

  However...

  "You're a cheating jackal," is what I say the moment Keller is finished with the sound technician and makes his way over to me.

  "What?" Keller looks confused, as if he wasn't cavorting with a realtor at my dream bakery location only hours earlier.

  "I knew it. I knew you were a jackal but I was distracted by your face."

  "My face?" Keller’s smile hovers as if he's unsure if he should smile or frown. As if he's got no idea what the heck is happening.

  "Yes! Your stupid attractive face! It's a distraction. You're a distraction, just as I predicted."

  "Ginger." He pauses as if he's unsure how to phrase whatever he wants to say next. Then he reaches up and removes the microphone attached to his collar before he continues. "Are you attempting to pick a fight with me as some kind of bizarre foreplay? Are you still hung up on that hate-fuck? Because I'm not really sure what's going on right now."

  "No! I'm doing no such thing!" I don't think. Have I got this wrong? Am I overreacting? Gah, he's confusing me. Again. Standing here looking all befuddled and handsome and the opposite of hate-fuckable. Maybe I imagined the entire thing? But no, I'm not entirely crazy. I saw him standing outside the old auto shop, shaking hands with the listing agent. After I'd shown him the property and told him all my dreams for it.

  The sound technician comes scurrying over to replace the microphone Keller just displaced, the show producer hot on his heels. "Everything okay here?" he asks.

  Keller snaps, "Yes," as I snap, "No."

  "Okay, okay. I like the tension here," the producer says, head bouncing back and forth between us with interest. "Network will love this." He grins as both Keller and I turn to glare at him in unison. We're both pulled to our stations before we can say another word, each of us sneaking covert glances at the other. Or maybe not that covert since we both keep catching the other one looking.