Read A Christmas to Remember Online

Authors: Hope Ramsay,Molly Cannon,Marilyn Pappano,Kristen Ashley,Jill Shalvis

Tags: #Fiction / Contemporary Women, #Fiction / Romance - Contemporary, #Fiction / Romance - Erotica, #Fiction / Romance / Collections & Anthologies

A Christmas to Remember (3 page)

BOOK: A Christmas to Remember
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Chapter 5

Two days later, Melissa had set her plan in motion. She was temporarily staying at the hair salon, on the futon in her office. It was in town, relatively safe, and best of all, free. She’d made calls and arrangements and was ready for action.

Ian had no idea what was about to hit him.

First, she headed to the fire station with a box of cupcakes from the bakery run by her friend Leah. This meant they were the best cupcakes ever, perfect bribery material. As a whole, the fire station was a close-knit, closed-mouthed group, but Melissa knew for a fact that free desserts turned the first responders into social butterflies. She handed them out and learned that Ian was “pissy” and in his office.

She left the guys and headed down the hall. Ian’s door was open. He stood in front of his desk on his cell phone, a hand in his hair.

A little breathless at the sight of him, she gave him a little wave as she kicked the door shut behind her and set a cupcake on a corner of his desk.

Eyes on her, Ian finished his phone conversation. Then, looking amused, he tossed his phone aside and sat on the corner of his desk. He didn’t say a word as she stepped between his long, spread legs and put her hands on his broad-as-a-mountain shoulders. Shoulders strong enough to carry a lot of weight, a lot of burdens, most of which weren’t his. “Hi,” she said softly.

“Hi.” He stroked a finger lightly over the bandage still on her temple. “You okay?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

His hands went to her hips, but he didn’t pull her in as she’d hoped. Leaning in, she put her mouth to his ear. A hot spot for him, she knew. She let out a soft breath and licked his lobe and was rewarded when he groaned. She took his lobe between her teeth and held it.

His fingers tightened on her, as if maybe he was going to push her away, but he didn’t. His eyes drifted shut. And almost as if he couldn’t help it, he very slightly tilted his head to the side to give her better access. “Mel.”

His voice held a warning tone, but she didn’t stop. Instead she tugged just a little.

“Feeling all better, I’m guessing,” he muttered, but he didn’t fool her. His eyes were his sexy, half-mast bedroom eyes. She loved his sexy, half-mast bedroom eyes.

“Can I see you tonight?” she asked.

“We’re not bed buddies anymore, remember?”

His voice remained even but she knew she’d caused him pain in the past. She was going to make it all better. And then never hurt him again. “I have something I want to show you.”

“I think I know this game,” he said dryly. “And it’s a great game. But we already played it out, Mel.”

“It’s not that,” she said softly. “It’s something else.”

Their gazes locked and held. He studied her for a long beat and then slowly shook his head. “I can’t.”

“Can’t, or won’t?”

“Won’t,” he said.

Unexpected roadblock. She absorbed the pain and forged through it. She’d never been easy; she couldn’t expect him to be. “Please?” she murmured, cupping his face, loving the feel of his two-day scruff against her fingers. “Just this one last time?”

She knew it was the
please
that did it. He’d never been able to resist
please
from her. And she should be ashamed of herself for using it against him, but she wasn’t above doing whatever she had to do to prove herself. “Ian?” she whispered, holding her breath for his response, and after a heart-stopping beat, he gave it, a single almost imperceptible nod. He’d see her tonight.

Now all she had to do was get it right.

* * *

She enlisted the help of Ian’s older sister Kaley.

“Remember the deal,” Kaley said, letting Melissa into Ian’s house with her key. “I do this for you, and you—”

“I’ll hold up my end of the bargain,” Melissa promised.

Kaley looked at Melissa. “You know I didn’t want you for him,” she said.

Melissa nodded and ignored the pang of hurt. “I know.”

“I wanted someone to love him.”

“I do,” Melissa said.

“I wanted someone to keep him.”

“I intend to,” Melissa said.

Again Kaley looked at her. “For whatever reason, I actually believe you,” she finally said. “Don’t stop loving him, even when he’s pissed at you for this. And he
will
be pissed.”

Melissa knew it. But Ian had risked all for her, including his own life. She had to risk back, and if it meant making him mad in order to reach him, she’d do it. She’d do anything. “I know what I’m doing,” she said, and hoped to God that was true.

* * *

The sun was just coming over the horizon when she heard Ian’s truck pull into his driveway. Melissa jumped up, carefully put his present in the pantry, and was skidding back into the living room when Ian walked in the front door.

Melissa smoothed her outfit and stood there, her heart pounding so loudly that she was shocked she could still hear the front door swing open.

Ian took one look at her and blinked in surprise. “What the hell?”

“I’m an elf.”

He opened his mouth and then closed it again. “Since when do elves wear tutus and wings?” he finally asked.

“Since all the elf costumes were taken, and the only thing left that was green was this fairy costume.” She thought she saw his lips twitch and took heart in that. “I would’ve gone for Mrs. Claus,” she said, “but there were none of those left either.”

There was a funny look on his face, but then he distracted her by sniffing the air dramatically. “Cookies?” he asked, heavy on the disbelief.

She understood the sentiment. She was a terrible cook, and he knew it. She could burn water without trying. He’d never appeared bothered by that in the least; instead he’d cooked. He was good at it, having learned out of necessity at the firehouse. He’d always said he didn’t mind.

But
she’d
minded. She wanted to be able to give him a fraction of what he gave her. “Chocolate chip cookies,” she said proudly.

He paused again. “You made me chocolate chip cookies?”

Okay, so she’d bought the dough from Leah, but hey, it was close enough. The first batch was in the oven, giving off a delicious scent. “Yep.”

Ian eyed his living room. Every corner now dripped with the holiday decorations she’d spent all night putting up. Garland, lights, trim… She’d brought in a tree, too. A huge one that she’d had to bribe the high school kid at the tree lot to help her drag into the house. He’d left before she could coax him into helping her put the tree in a stand, but Melissa had sort of leaned it back into a corner and called it good. She had used her own decorations. She hadn’t had very many, but thankfully her small holiday box had been in her shop’s storage closet and not in her apartment.

Ian’s gaze came back to her, veiled as he looked over her “elf” costume. “I thought you said you didn’t hear anything I said to you when you were unconscious,” he said.

“I didn’t.”

He kept looking at her. She had no idea what he was thinking because he was good at hiding his thoughts when he wanted to. He walked to the tree and fingered a tiny set of shears hanging from a gold ribbon. “I don’t decorate for Christmas.”

She moved in close. “You used to.”

“You know why I don’t now.”

She ran a hand down his back, feeling the easy strength of him. And the tension that was barely leashed. “I know you love Christmas,” she said quietly. “And Ella wouldn’t want you to keep ignoring it.”

Closing his eyes, he turned away. “Why are you here, Mel?”

To win your heart
. She’d been careless with it once, but she’d never be again. “Everyone needs a little holiday spirit,” she said.


Everyone
has plenty. Downtown is practically glowing from all the lights and decorations. It’s enough.”

“I was hoping to bring
you
some cheer. Your family’s hoping you—”

“Melissa.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Don’t.”

But she had to. She’d promised Kaley. “It’s just one meal, Ian. Brunch, tomorrow, at your parents’ place. They—”

He moved to the front door and opened it. A not-so-subtle invitation for her to get the hell out.

Instead, she turned back to the tree and added a few last ornaments.

The door slammed, and she went still, afraid to look and see if he’d left.

“I wish you hadn’t done this,” he said from right behind her, making her jump. The man moved like smoke. “Or spent your own money—”

“I didn’t spend much money,” she said. “I used my own decorations.” She kept herself busy fussing with the tree. She could feel him strong and warm at her back. She let her eyes drift closed, having to fight the urge to lean back into him.

Reaching around her, he lightly tapped on a plastic firefighter hat swinging from a red ribbon. She’d written his number on it in black Sharpie. “I just got that one,” she said. “I tell myself it will keep you safe.”

“And what about you? What will keep you safe?”

She moved to the couch, to her purse. Pulling out her phone, she brought up a craigslist ad. “I’ve been looking for places to move,” she said, showing him.

He looked at the duplex on the screen, silent.

“It’s only a few blocks from here,” she said. “A better address, yes?”

He looked into her eyes. “Yes,” he finally said, but she got the feeling he’d nearly said something else.

Once upon a time he’d have said
live here, with me
. But she’d thrown that away. Her heart ached as she dropped her phone to the couch and then climbed onto a stepstool to place the star on the top of the tree. “There,” she said. “All done.”

Ian didn’t say anything as she backed down the ladder, moved it across the room, and once again climbed it to tie a sprig of mistletoe to a ceiling beam.

She worked her way down the ladder to the bottom rung and realized that there were two strong forearms surrounding her, securing the ladder. Already breathless, she stepped to the floor, turned, and found herself practically in Ian’s arms.

He glanced up at the mistletoe she’d placed overhead and then into her eyes. “You looking for a kiss, Mel?”

He was teasing her, which she took as a good sign. Better than showing her the door again. As she knew all too well, Ian had come from a large family, including four sisters. He’d probably known how to distract and redirect a female by age two.

But
Melissa
wasn’t teasing. She was serious, and a day ago she’d nearly been
dead
serious. “Yes,” she said. “I want a kiss.” Among other things…

Ian looked into her eyes for a long beat, then gave one shake of his head. He started to move away but then he stopped. Staring down into her face, he slowly pulled her in. He still wasn’t showing much, but that was okay. She had a lot of catching up to do. Feeling her throat tighten, hoping she was going to be able to reach him, she slid her hands up his chest. “I missed this,” she murmured. “Missed you.”

“Melissa,” he said on a ragged groan as her arms wound around his neck. “What are you up to?”

“If you don’t know, I’m doing it wrong.”

His hands were still at her hips, his fingers digging in as if he was getting ready to push her away from him. She held on and met his gaze. “I’m trying to show you something.”

“What is that, exactly?”

“That I want you,” she said.

“Wanting was never our problem,” he said, and nudged. He was hard.

This gave her a surge of anticipation that made her entire body tremble. She wanted to kiss him more than she wanted her next breath, but this wasn’t going to be their usual “friends with benefits” situation. This time, she wanted it all. “I want to give us a
real
shot, Ian.”

“Because of what happened the other night,” he said, not sounding impressed.

“Because of what
almost
happened the other night,” she corrected. “A near death experience makes people rethink things.” She paused. “Like mistakes they’ve made.”

“Yeah, it does.” He never took his eyes from hers. “I’ve seen hundreds of people go through it. It wears off,” he said flatly.

“This won’t.”

He didn’t move. So she did. She pulled his head to hers, then looked at his mouth.

And then that mouth was touching hers, lightly at first, then not lightly at all.

“You believe me,” she whispered in relief against him.

“I don’t know what I believe,” he said, voice rough. “But I know I want you back.” Gently fisting his hand in her hair, he tilted her head to suit him before kissing her like he meant it, parting her lips with his and slowly stroking her tongue with his own. When they were both breathless, he pulled back to look at her, let out a low, innately male sound that made her quiver, and then took her mouth again. And again. And again, until a huge crash sounded.

They both jerked and whipped around in time to see the tree still vibrating from its fall. Broken glass and ornaments littered the living room, a virtual graveyard of Christmas, and as Melissa stared at it in horror, the fire alarm went off.

Oh no…

“My cookies!” She ran to the kitchen—the smoke-filled kitchen—and hurriedly turned off the oven. Then she pulled out the cookies. Burned to a crisp.

Ian strode to the window and shoved it open to let in the twenty-degree, icy winter air before turning with an intense look in the direction of his pantry.

“Melissa,” he said with shocking calm in the middle of such chaos, “why is my pantry barking?”

Tossing aside the oven mitts, Melissa opened the pantry and scooped up the eight-week-old black lab puppy with the red bow around her neck. “I didn’t plan for it to go like this,” she said. “But…” She tried for a smile as she thrust out the puppy. “Merry Christmas?”

Ian stared at her, and then at the wriggling, panting, happy creature in her arms. “You got me a puppy?”

Melissa set her in his arms.

The puppy went ape-shit ecstatic at having a new person to lick to death. Trying to get at Ian, she was running a marathon in place, desperate to get closer. The second he pulled her in she made happy little puppy sounds, then sighed a big puppy sigh as she relaxed into a boneless state and… peed on him.

BOOK: A Christmas to Remember
5.44Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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