The cocoa spills all over my hand and I yelp. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What amIdoing? What areyoudoing? This is my stand, too.”
“What are you talking about? This is the Candy Cabin. Not a Santa rest stop.” I shake most of the cocoa off my hand and take a step back so I’m not pressed against him.
“Yes, I’m Santa.” He’s so much taller than I am that I have to crane my neck to look up at his face. Except his face is mostly covered with a huge, white, curly beard. Max starts to lick the cocoa off my fingertips.
“Are you…tipsy? Had too much mulled wine? I mean, that’s cool. It’s the holidays. Happens to us all. But you’re intruding here and I’d prefer it if you left.” I’m trying to look past the fluffy white beard. Something about this Santa is familiar.
Santa crosses his arms and rests them on his stomach as if he’s mocking me. “No can do.”
I look around wildly, trying to see if anyone I know is around. But who’s going to help me get rid of some weird, trespassing Santa? I try a different approach.
“Look, if I give you some cocoa on the house, will you go away?”
He shakes his head. Over the scent of the cocoa, there’s a fresh woodsy scent. How odd; Santa smells good. I have to resist leaning in for another sniff.
“Okay, I’ll throw in a cookie.” A small crowd of people has started to gather and I need to get back to work.
Santa pauses and then nods.
Finally! I pour some cocoa and hand him the cup, then a cookie. Our fingers brush and a thrill runs down my arm. I must have hypothermia or something, because why am I getting all frisky over Santa Claus?
He moves past me to the side and Max follows him, eyeing the cookie. I start to serve customers, expecting Santa and his hound to disappear. Except they don’t and he just stands there, watching me as I carefully ladle out the cocoa.
Once the crowd’s gone, he walks to stand at the front of the stand.
His voice is deep. “Didn’t expect to see you here, Melody.”
Wait, he knows me?
“I have no idea who you are, Santa. Pull down that beard, please.”
He tugs the long white beard from his face. His chiseled jaw is covered in dark stubble, his mouth unsmiling. Tall, dark, and handsome - all the clichés. It’s the one guy I had an unrequited crush on all through high school and beyond.
My brother’s grumpy, gorgeous best friend.
* * *
ChapterTwo
KEATON
I’m staring at Melody and I can’t stop. Without the stupid Santa beard it must be obvious how much I’m gawking at her, so I pull it back over my face. Having her close to me completely unexpectedly has left me with a raging hard-on. I’m glad of the huge baggy pants and all the padding.
“Keaton?” She turns her head to the side, looking me up and down.
“Yes.”
“Why are you dressed up as Santa? And is this your dog?” She points at Max.
“Yes.”
Her forehead wrinkles as her eyebrows draw together. It’s adorable. “Meaning…yes, it’s your dog?”
“Correct.” I can only give her one-word replies. Melody’s grown up from a lovely teenager to a drop-dead gorgeous woman. Her golden hair is longer than I remember, silky and luxurious, while her red lips are plump and inviting. She’s all soft, eye-popping curves and so damn beautiful, even wearing that terrible reindeer sweater, that it’s scrambling my brain. I need to get it together.
“And…the Santa thing? Is this an all-year habit or just for the holidays?” Melody smiles. At least she finds it amusing.
