Christmas Is for Lovers: 6 Hot Holiday Romances Read online

  When I slipped the top off the box, there was a single, old, rusty key. No note. No explanation.

  “What is it?” My mom looked over my shoulder.

  “It’s a key, but I haven’t got a clue to what.” Sarah shrugged her shoulders and so did my mother. “He didn’t tell you?”

  Sarah shook her head. “No, he said you’d figure it out.”

  “When did you talk to him?”

  “This morning, before I came over here. He called just before old man Swanson called about the house at the lake, which brings me to ask you for a favor.”

  “Sure, what do you need?”

  “It seems someone left a light on in the house. Could you go and check it out? You still have the key, right?”

  I felt embarrassed to not have returned the key last night. It was an oversight, or maybe I was just hanging on to the past for a little bit longer.

  “I’ll head over now if you guys can keep an eye on Tommy.” I could hear him strumming his guitar upstairs.

  “That’s what grandmas do,” they said in unison.

  I didn’t anticipate being back at the lake house so soon. When I parked the car, I went straight to the front door. Through the window, I could see the kitchen light on. I swear I turned it off, but obviously I didn’t.

  When the door popped open, I inhaled his scent. It was as if he were standing in front of me in his tight blue jeans and snug T-shirt. I listened with false hope that maybe he was here. Maybe he’d shown up for his mom and was waiting to surprise her. Stillness greeted me.

  I walked through the house and nothing seemed out of order. The beds were made, the closets shut, the taps closed tight. Only the memory of Beau remained. I breathed him in once more before I locked up the house and walked to the end of the dock.

  Chapter 25

  Beau

  I tiptoed behind her. “You’re trespassing, you know.” She jumped a foot in the air and turned around to face me. She was a hot, beautiful mess. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail. She didn’t have a bit of makeup on. Her sweatpants hung off her hips, and she was perfect.

  “Beau. What are you doing here?”

  “I told you I’d never leave you.” I took a step forward, and she fell to her knees on the hard wooden dock.

  “You have to. What about your contract? What about the band?”

  “Haven’t we made these mistakes before, Mandy? The contract was for three years. You’re the rest of my life. Which do you think has more value?”

  She rolled back to her bottom, and I took a seat in front of her. “I’m not worth what you’d give up.”

  “No, you’re worth a hundred times more.”

  “Oh, Beau, you’ve made a mistake.”

  I grabbed her hands before she could bury her face in them. “It’s a mistake if you don’t love me.”

  “I do love you, that’s why I let you go.” She looked at her hands sitting on top of mine and a look of understanding crossed her face.

  She was always too slow and like every other time I slapped the top of her hand, I brought it to my mouth for aftercare. My kisses rained over her knuckles.

  “If you’re going to be my wife, you’re going to have to do two things.”

  Her eyes widened. “Your wife?”

  I ignored her question and continued with my demands. “You’re going to have to trust me to make good decisions when you don’t.” I gave her a what-were-you-thinking-look. “And you’re going to have to get better at chicken.”

  “That’s all you want?”

  “No, baby, I want so much more, but I’ll start with that,” I pulled her into my lap and slanted my mouth over hers, “and this.” The kiss started timid and turned torrid. Our tongues danced as our bodies melded together. It was a forever kiss, one that would be burned into our hearts. Unbreakable for all time. She clutched my shoulders like she’d never let go and that was a good thing because I’d never allow it.

  “Let’s go inside so I can make love to you.”

  “Oh, God,” she groaned.

  I pulled her up and lifted her into my arms and raced her inside. It took me about two point five seconds to get her naked and another second to bury myself deep inside her. I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to live anywhere else but her body.

  I stroked her with every ounce of love I possessed. “I love you, Mandy. This is forever.” I pounded into her, hoping she’d remember those words the next time she decided to make choices for us. “You’ll marry me, and we’ll be a family.” She nodded and moaned. I sucked in her nipple and she sucked in her breath. I could feel her tense. “Say it, Mandy. Say the word I want to hear.” I reached between us and pulled the words from her.

  “Yes. Yes. Yes,” she screamed until the words softened into a whisper.

  Her words caused a storm in me that couldn’t be tamed. I shook and trembled over her body until everything I had to give this woman poured deep inside of her. She was the beginning and end for me. There would be no others.

  Glistening in the afterglow of perfect lovemaking, she rolled to her side and walked her fingers up my chest until her palm laid over my thundering heart.

  “What’s going to happen now?”

  I gripped her hand to my chest, refusing to let it go. She was my heart and her hand felt right there. Turning, I faced her. “I’m glad you asked.” I kissed the tip of her nose and nipped at her swollen lips. “It just so happens that Rocco Piat wanted to work with BT and the Bads as much as we wanted to work with him. We renegotiated the deal. I took a small pay cut, but in the end, I came out ahead. I got the job and the girl.”

  “Do you have to be in California?” She sucked in her cheek, and I could tell she was chewing her worry away.

  “A couple days a month. That is, until our studio is ready, then we can work from here, too. Did you know that Rocco has a place in Aspen?”

  She pinched herself. “Nope, not dreaming.” Then, she bolted upright. “Oh, my God, it’s Christmas and I left my son with our mothers.”

  “No, you left our son with his grandmothers and besides the nice little sugar high he’ll get, he’ll be fine.” I rolled from the bed and pulled on my jeans. “Ready to see your Christmas present?”

  She looked to the crotch of my jeans. “Every perfect inch of it.”

  “Get dressed. We have things to do and wishes to grant.”

  We left her car in the driveway and climbed into the SUV. A side-glance at Mandy told me she was looking at life through a new lens. Her green eyes shone like flawless emeralds as I drove through town.

  When I stopped at the old Grady place on Diamond Lane, she burst into tears.

  “It’s a diamond in the rough, baby, but it’s your diamond.” She flung herself across the center console and kissed me senseless.

  “You bought this old house for me?”

  “No, I bought it for us and our family.”

  She leaned back and gave me a come-hither look. “Do you know how many bedrooms this house has?”

  “Yep, and I plan to fill every single one of them with a screaming little Tinsel.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the rusted key I gave her. “Shall we practice?”

  We entered the rickety old house. It looked better on the inside than the outside. Mandy always had a way of seeing the good inside of things, including me. I took my shirt off and laid her back on the floor of the grand entry. This was our place and we’d christen it this Christmas with love.

  “Beau,” Tommy raced toward me. “You’re back. I knew you’d come back.” He lifted his arms, and I pulled him in for a big hug. I was late to the daddy date, and I hoped he’d allow me to hold him and hug him for years to come.

  “I’m here, buddy. I’d never leave you.”

  “I knew it.” A big grin took over his face. “ If you left for good, who was going to teach me guitar? How was I going to get the fishing pole back?”

  “We’ll get it all figured out, okay? Go get the Grandmas, it’s pinecone time.”
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  Annie came out with a basket in her arms and we plucked the decorated pinecones like apples from the tree. Everyone followed her into the house.

  Stunned by the transformation, I said, “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

  She set down the basket and waved her hands around like a game show host. “It’s a work in progress.” She looked at Mandy with motherly love. “We started with a water theme, but it didn’t go so well.”

  I pulled Mandy to my lap on the pink beanbag chair. “Oh, I don’t know. I think you may be on to something.” I nibbled on my girl’s neck while our son handed out wishes.

  The thing about pinecone wishes was, you weren’t always sure who the wish came from or who it was for.

  Mom started the event by pulling out the tiny paper tucked between two red, glittered scales.

  “I wish everyone a merry Christmas.”

  We looked around the room and yelled, “granted.” Then, we moved on to the next.

  Mandy read the green glittered cone. “I want Beau to be my daddy.” Everyone let out an “oh” before they yelled, “granted.”

  Annie read the next one. It was a multicolored thing of beauty. “I, Beau Tinsel, want to own Mandy’s heart forever.”

  The only one who could grant that wish was Mandy, and she didn’t hesitate to scream, “granted.”

  Tommy pulled the slip of paper from his pinecone. He studied the words before he spoke. “I want everyone to be happy.”

  “Granted.”

  I had the last pinecone, it sparkled gold in my hands. The little paper unfolded in my fingers and I read its inscription. “I want another grandchild as sweet as Tommy and as pretty as Mandy.”

  No one said a word. This wasn’t a wish we could grant at this time.

  Tommy broke the silence. “The thing about wishes is that they can come true anytime.”

  We exchanged looks with one another.

  “I promise that I’ll do my part to grant this wish.”

  Mandy raised her hand, “Me too.”

  Annie clapped her hands and shouted, “It’s as good as granted.”

  And that’s how we started our holiday as a family. We ate roasted chicken on a rickety Formica table and relaxed on a rainbow of beanbag chairs.

  I tucked Tommy in with a song and left my guitar on Mandy’s bed and unlocked her window. She clung to me as I kissed her goodnight. Little did she know, I was going as far as Mr. Peters’ house to borrow the ladder.

  Epilogue

  One Week Later - Mandy

  Times Square was at capacity as Tommy and I stood in the wings of the stage, waiting for BT and the Bads to bring in the New Year.

  Beau walked to the mic and silenced the crowd.

  “This next song is dedicated to a girl I’ve loved since the day she was born.” He looked at me and flagged me over.

  I shook my head. I wasn’t bright lights and big city. I was all about Beau and what happened between the sheets.

  “Mandy, come out here.” My face became bigger than life as every camera zoomed in on me. I was on display across Times Square and in hundreds of thousands of homes across the world. I was the envy of every woman who ever loved a rock star.

  Gripping Tommy’s hand, I inched my way to the center of the stage.

  “Hold this for me will you?” He pressed a kiss to my lips and handed me the mic just before he dropped to his knees in front of our son. “Tommy Sawyer, you’re the son I’ve always wanted, and if you’ll have me, I’ll be the best dad I can be.” He whispered something into his ear and Tommy nodded.

  Tommy reached for the mic, but before I’d give it to him, I looked to Beau for guidance. When he nodded, I relinquished it.

  “Hi.” The thousands of bodies surrounding us absorbed his little voice.

  “A little louder, buddy.” Beau gave him an encouraging pat on the back.

  “Hi,” Tommy repeated. This time, the world could hear him. “My name is Tommy Sawyer. I know it was a mean mommy name, but my new daddy asked me to be a Tinsel and I said yes.” The crowd erupted into applause.

  Beau took the microphone and looked at the crowd. “In about ten years, you better be watching for Tommy Sawyer-Tinsel. The kid is already shredding.”

  The band began to play a song I didn’t recognize. I slipped my hand over Tommy’s and tried to slink off the stage. “Oh no, you don’t.” Beau held me in place, turned toward me, and sang his new release. “My Forever.” At the end of the song, he took a knee again and in front of the world, Beau Tinsel proposed to me. Seconds later, the ball dropped, confetti flew, and good wishes rang out while I brought the new year in with my family—my future husband and son.

  The house would take a year to renovate so we stayed at the cabin and worked on Mom’s wish. It took us forty-four days, but on Valentine’s Day, we stood on the doorstep of Mom’s renovated house. When she opened the door, I held up the positive pregnancy test and we all yelled, “granted.”

  An excerpt from Cole for Christmas

  I had a feeling my life was going to change from the moment I woke up. It could have been wishful thinking, but the sun was brighter and the air crisper. Maybe it felt different because I was desperate for change.

  I pulled in front of 35 Thunder Ridge Lane and allowed myself a moment of unbridled envy. The multistory stone and timber home stood by itself at the end of Thunder Bowl. It was the perfect ski-in and ski-out home. In the distance, snowboarders raced down the mountain at breakneck speed, kicking up clouds of powder in their wake. The bowl was for daredevils and pros not beginners like me.

  When the owner had called, he’d been desperate for a decorator, and I’d been desperate for a paycheck. Breaking into the Aspen scene had been impossible. Since my arrival early last summer, I’d been shunned at every turn. Tight-knit communities full of rich people didn’t open their homes or wallets to strangers.

  I hoped the housekeeper had left the key by the front door as promised. I had three days to transform this house into a winter wonderland, and I’d need every minute. Mr. Cole’s family was arriving December twenty-third, and he wanted his house decked for Christmas. His exact words were, “I want to give Norman Rockwell a run for his money.”

  As promised, the key was tucked into the topiary by the front door. It slid smoothly into the lock and with a gentle turn, the door fell open. Wow. The great room was . . . well . . . great. So great time stilled as I took in the grandeur of a home many could appreciate but few could afford.

  A stone fireplace stretched from the hardwood floors all the way to the twenty-foot beamed ceilings. The sixteen-foot tree I’d purchased today would be perfect tucked between the fireplace and the wall of glass.

  It took pinching myself to be certain I wasn’t dreaming. I was really in this house, doing this job, and earning a paycheck. Out of habit, I began to mentally note my plan of attack. It would take several hours to put the tree together before I could get to the fun stuff—decorating. If the temp agency came through, that time would be cut in half. Hired help was a luxury I couldn’t afford, but efficiency was worth the price, and an extra body would be a boon.

  Thankfully, Mr. Cole had given me an ample budget. I didn’t blink an eye when the tree cost around three thousand dollars. A good quality tree would last many years.

  I hoped this job would be my breakout project. It was also my ticket to making it through the winter. I refused to fail. To crawl back to Los Angeles and beg Ryan for help would be unbearable. I couldn’t imagine bringing myself so low. I left with my clothes, my car, and my dignity, and now realize I don’t need much more than that.

  Note to self, never sleep with the boss again.

  “Hello,” a deep voice called from the front door.

  I whipped around to see tall, dark, and muscular. “Thank the Lord. I’m so glad you’re here.” I tossed him the keys. “Open the trailer and start by bringing in the tree. It’s in the five boxes toward the back.” He hardly seemed prepared for the task. Dresse
d in khakis and a button-down shirt, he looked more suited for selling the house than decorating it.

  I’d expected a long-haired ski bum, not a down-on-his-luck pretty boy. I hoped the man could work because I had no intention of going easy on him since he failed to dress for the job. However, those muscles would be an asset.

  “I’m—” He reached to shake my hand, but I shook my head and pointed toward the door.

  “We can get chummy later. Right now I need you to get the tree out of the trailer.” Surprise lit his eyes. “I have three days to get this house ready. When Mr. Cole brings his family here, I want them to feel like Christmas couldn’t exist anywhere else.” He was standing there looking at me like I’d grown antlers. If he didn’t step into gear, I’d have to send him packing. I wasn’t going to pay for lackluster performance. “Move it.” And he was out the door.

  I suppose I should have let him introduce himself. I would remedy that as soon as he brought the first box through the door. It’s not my norm to be rude, but the hours would evaporate if I dallied, and a rushed job was never a good job.

  While he muscled the tree boxes from the trailer, I muscled the furniture into a new Christmas-tree-friendly arrangement. The fireplace and tree had to take center stage. However, the large A-frame window was too beautiful to ignore.

  Whoever decorated this space originally did an outstanding job. The furniture was versatile and worked well when separated. The soft leather sofa was a perfect fit in front of the fireplace. With the massive tree to the right it would be a comfortable place to camp out on Christmas morning and open presents.