

Holiday Romance Short Stories

Published at Smashwords.com and Copyright 2013 CJ Hawk

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This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and strictly fictional. The final story contains adult content and is intended for mature adults.

Table Of Contents

Chaos At Christmas - Mystery Romance

Snowflake Kisses - Light Hearted Romance

Baby Its Cold Outside - Chick Lit.

Save Santa The Trip - Be Naughty

Holiday short stories to get you through the holidays with a bit of Mystery, a dash of Romance and an ending with a whole lot of steamy mistletoe kissing going on.

Sexy Miss Claus is coming to town, and she wants to save Santa the trip by being naughty, then again, being nice might just bring her romantic cookies and milk guy back on around to snuggle. Take your pick. There is naughty, oh so naughty and there is lighthearted romance nice. It's the holidays so everything gets a bit of spice with it.

I'll start you out with a bit of Chaos at Christmas, add in a dose of heartwarming holiday ending, add a dash of light-hearted romance and end you with a steamy Christmas feeling. Each story is a bit different, there is laughter, pull on your emotional heartstrings, have you wondering about the magic of mistletoe, dreaming of a white Christmas and ending with ah... romance.

CJ Hawk writes chick lit in many forms, mystery, and romances both naughty and nice, light-hearted reads and good old-fashioned feeling for a chick that needs her lit. Here are a few toss another log on the fireplace holiday stories and fill up my spiced apple cider dear, because winter time and books are like frosting and a cupcake. They just go together so nicely, but the creamy filling makes it naughty. Enjoy.

Chaos at Christmas - Mystery Romance

**I wanted to take my mother's annual holiday to-do list** and put it in my fake fireplace of burning gel on glass rocks that sat in a modern frame on my living room wall. It was the semblance of tossing it in there that made me want to do it; however, the beautiful white glass rocks and the image of ugly black torched paper in those sparkling rocks stopped me from doing something stupid.

I, Amanda Brock, did not like other people's to-do list, only my own. My five foot six frame and size eight body had enough mental compartmentalizing going on that I did not like someone else adding to the weight of my mental repertoire that I must get as much done as I humanly possibly can. My mom's holiday to-do list always made me nuts, but what made me crazier was the fact that she never did it digitally. It always came in a nice holiday looking envelope on some type of cheery holiday paper and a personalized list of what was expected.

One year she screwed up and sent me my sisters. I was livid. My sister Jasmine had half the amount of things to do then I did. My, how quick my father was to cover up my mother's mistake by making me feel better that I can handle twice as much. It's not that my sister isn't capable; it's just that she put the capital P in procrastination and that in itself could create doomsday effects on my mother's holiday planning.

I glanced again at the neatly typed list, inevitably on her old typewriter. Some things about my mom would just not progress. She finally broke down, got a cell phone, and tried to return it when she thought it was broken, when in actuality, all she needed to do was charge it.

On the list was five bricks of Velvetta cheese, twenty cans of Hormel brand chili no beans, pull top style a must. This year's Hallmark holiday ornament, dated of course. A request for six different rolls of wrapping paper, at least two hundred fifty feet in length, and a forklift size box of bows. There were at least twenty-five things on this list, some easy, some not so easy. The last item was pretty darn clear in its explanation for the family holiday event - bring a future husband date - ugh!

Try as I might, I have asked my mom if we could at least be green by skipping the bows, yet the gawking look I got will be forever embedded in my mind. You know that look your mother gives you as if you just told her that you will never give her a grandchild. That look.

I glanced over the typical annual deed of donating goods and gifts to the church for the holiday gift giving on Black Friday. Why she always insisted that I had to do it that day, I will never know? My father said that my mother felt that if she donated before Thanksgiving, it would be as if she was materializing the meaning of Christmas, however, to give the day after when the world is at a shopping frenzy, it will put her one step closer to heaven by getting them so early. Yet, she was not the one driving them there at the designated time of seven pm to meet the pastor who awaited her visit every year.

The annual play for one of my cousins was on the list as a 'must' family does together, along with the zoo lights which last year had us there in five degree weather. No freaking animal was out of their warm cave or indoor hideout and there was an electric hitch that caused the pretty lighted displays to go out. Probably froze their titty wires off.

Further down on the list was helping my Great Uncle Morty with his outdoor Christmas decorations. He is the reason we no longer have chip dip made of Velveeta and chili with beans. Four years ago was unbearable. That and I always slip a squirt of beano on something tasty the minute he walks through the door, and then I practically shove it into his mouth.

Helping Great Uncle Morty is kind of trip down memory lane. I have been helping him since I was ten, the year after my Great Aunt Mildred passed; God rest her soul. That year he gave me a brand new five-dollar bill and every year after that he continued to do so. When I approached the age of twenty, I told him that it was really a symbolic gesture, and that he did not have to do it. I will never forget his crackly voice barking at me. "What? You don't appreciate the value of the dollar. Every penny counts. That's five smackaroonies if you ask me. Go buy yourself something nice, or better yet, do what I do, get five of those scratch tickets and win yourself some money."

I'm thirty now, or at least that is what my driver's license says but my mother says I'm turning into an old maid if I don't settle down with a man soon and start having kids.

I had a man. A great one, then we grew apart with each departure he served with the army. One tour home and we both agreed that it was too hard to continue, well actually, I insisted that we need a break.

I for one liked to party and post it, which I knew he saw on my Facebook. I think he just wanted to sow his oats elsewhere as the fiery flame of passion had been doused between his months away on duty all too often. Then again, that is what I told myself he felt to help ease my guilt over breaking it off.

I also was not even sure if I wanted to be an army man's wife until we broke if off for good five years ago, and then I never wanted anything more in my life.

Funny how when the things you take for granted most are gone that you want them even more.

We still kept in touch. Staff Sergeant Sam Jamison. I wrote him often and posted silly jokes for him to see. He called me once from Afghanistan and then finally sent several postcards simply written with not much more than a take care and his name. He was never very good in the communications department, and I often did things with overkill. OMG I am going to be my mother someday at the holidays - yikes!

I glanced in the mirror at myself while reading my mother's holiday to-do list and saw a grown mature woman with her first smile wrinkles around her green eyes. I had not resulted to Botox, but I did have at least fifteen pairs of sunglass all made with an SPF shield to them. My long brown hair was still up in a twist from work, and my white starched dress shirt was open to a gorgeous piece of beaded jewelry that my friend Caitlin had made me.

I still found myself to be youthful looking and attractive, but ever since Sam broke it off with me, Caitlin informed me that I had put out that vibe that told men I was not interested, which, I kind of wasn't. However, the last five years have been more about my career and the material processions I can buy myself with bonuses than finding my next true love and making a difference.

My cell phone ringing with my mother's picture displayed brought my attention back to my mother's list, soup kitchen duty. I intended on avoiding her for twenty-four hours until I cooled off about the list. It's not that I didn't want to participate in things like the soup kitchen duty feeding the homeless; it was that I didn't want to do it with my entire extended family. I actually think the shelter did not want the entire family there either, but with the amount of food we cook and bring, they can feed several meals of leftovers for several nights. Might I add that my family is big on food and cooking, add those two holiday giving triggers together, and you get a whole lot of leftovers going on.

One of the last items on the list was my mother asking me if I came up with the design for this year's Christmas card that we get printed every year in the masses and spend three weekends after church from three weeks before Thanksgiving so that we can have them post marked, try to guess, the day after Thanksgiving. Not a day before and not too late as she wants to be the first Christmas card that everyone gets so they will send back. That and she likes to boast at the hair salon how I designed the card.

Of course, I did the design. Once I graduated from art school, not that my career went that direction, I was nominated as the card designer. It took only one year of me not having it to the printers on time to realize that I needed to have next year's design done, at least a year in advance. Last year, I did three of them because work was getting busier, and I knew that time would be here before I knew it.

I went to my desk in my spare room and opened the drawer to my watercolor drawing of a big white church in a small town with snow-covered paths, people gathering at the church doors, carolers singing by the pond and snow-covered mountains in the background. In fact, there were always snow-covered mountains in the background and this year, that is where I shall be for the holidays. Alone, in a cabin at a ski lodge in the mountains with just me, a roaring fire, a glass of wine and good book or two. My mother did not know it yet as I was still trying to work up the courage to either ask or lie about where I would be on Christmas day.

I set the list down that had other items that I raised an eyebrow at and turned on my laptop. The more I thought about this, the more I realized that I was going to do this. Come h.e. double hockey sticks or high water, I was going to give back the to-do list, book an expensive over indulgent getaway, buy a new pair of snow boots I've had my eye on for the last week at a cost of over five hundred dollars, and I was going to spend my first Christmas in peace and quiet.

That being a far cry from what I was about to face with my mother as I drove up their driveway to see the Thanksgiving decorations going out as the Halloween decorations were getting packed away. My mom was big on displaying the house like a storefront holiday window.

I quickly realized that this was not going to be easy. I'd rather birth a small hybrid car before telling my mother that I was going to skip out on Christmas and all the festivities, but the cabin was already booked; the snow boots bought and the holiday bonus - don't fail me now.

Twenty-four hours later, I arrived at my mothers. I gave my father a hug, and he gave me a package with no return address. I quickly opened it and inside was a lavender bath spa kit. I looked for a shipping label or gift tag, wondering what crazy relative sent me a gift without a return address. I had several, so it was not unusual.

My father is the spitting image of the comedian who did that hilarious movie with gophers and a golf course back in the eighties; just add a lot more wrinkles and a flour dusting of grey hair. He walked in and peeked over my shoulder. "Ah. Somebody sent their Christmas gift awful early. Maybe they know that you just got the annual Holiday to-do list. It's a big one this year. Your mother has been working on this since at least July. No rest for the weary."

"Ha-ha. Funny. I'm going in to talk to mom." I jokingly made the 'ugh' look on my face as I walked back to my car to put the unknown sender gift inside and then headed in to meet my maker, mom that is.

"What do you mean exactly by not being here for Christmas?" Gulp. There it was. That look from my mother that told me she could shoot fire daggers at me any minute. Just in the nick of time, my father walked in all loose and happy like.

"Amanda! Hey honey, I've got something in my office for you." He quickly directed me out of the line of fire from my mother's hurt look to the inner sanctuary of his, over filled with books, office. My dad liked to read; either that or he just told my mom that so he could escape her grasp of to-do lists once in a while.

My father directed me to an old extra office chair. "Sit. So what was your mother screaming about that you won't be here for Christmas?"

I let out a huge puff of air and spent the next two hours talking with my dad. A small compromise was met. He would handle a few things on that list for me, and I could take the holiday vacation, only as long as I did everything else on the family gathering list and... was here for Christmas Eve mass at midnight. Which meant, I would be late for my wonderful secluded holiday cabin vacation, but it was a compromise I could live with. I hugged my dad and then shot him a text with a link of where I would be staying, just for emergency purposes only.

As I walked out the back door, letting my dad explain the compromise to my mom, I got the travel agent on the phone, ever so thankful I ordered a refundable or changeable vacation. One can never be too excited about a vacation with my family - things were always bound to change.

**Bah Humbugging...** Therefore, I guess deciding that my few to-do list items as a holiday contributor was an ok exchange of my mother letting me go freely to my cabin rental if I left after Christmas Eve morning church service. She did not want me on the roads at midnight, so she adjusted the entire family's schedule so that we all go to church that morning - together.

With an attempt not to make it look as if, that once again, my father and I had not teamed up together so that I could win out, I rolled my eyes and stomped my feet, begged my father to intervene while telling my mother that I wanted to go the day before Christmas Eve. However, my mother won out by a landslide with her evil eye look and speech of damnation if I did not contribute to the true meaning of holiday season - or so she thought. My father and I knew her all too well.

The Velveeta, chili with no beans, buying binge, my father gladly took from me. I told him it was not good for my single girl image, and he told me that any excuse to help get me married off soon was a good enough reason for him to be seen with that much processed cheese. If we lived in the land of the cheese heads, maybe I could attract a man, but in the heart of Denver, not so much.

Fast approaching it came. It was the day after Thanksgiving, and my entire family was texting back and forth, about how miserable they were. My sister was out shopping by five a.m., while I was trying to lay in my bed thinking about the mysterious package that arrived in my mailbox earlier this week. There was no return address, and the postmark was from the local post office. Inside, the package was two books of recent releases from my favorite authors, a pair of fuzzy red chenille socks, a white super soft blanket, some packets of cocoa and a bag of marshmallows. I had to wonder, did I have a stalker who knew about my holiday vacation or was this some strange gift from my father to say he supported my decision to take a break. Then again, he was the only one I told exactly what my plans were for my vacation, so it must be him.

I waited until he was up for his morning coffee and traditional after Thanksgiving breakfast of leftovers before I texted him a thanks for the early vacation gift package.

He texted back. 'What package?'

I popped my eyes open in disbelief. Could it have come from someone else and if so, who? It wasn't like Caitlin as she always made me something for the holidays, it was her trademark. Sam would do something like this back when we were dating, but he was still in the Middle East. Maybe, there was a card that I missed when opening it.

I scoured through the box and its wrappings and came across a small typed card like a florist would send. In handwriting, I did not recognize, it simple stated. 'For the holiday vacation you always dreamed of."

It had to be Sam or actually, his mom. He was the only one, besides Caitlin that knew I dreamed of spending my hectic insane to-do list holidays in a remote secluded place where my crazy family couldn't reach me. I decided to let it go, and after Sam got home, I would ask him if he sent the package.

By five o'clock that evening, on Black Friday, I was at my mom's kitchen helping her clear the left over dishes while my father loaded up my car with donations to take to the Church. There had been a bit of tension between my mother and me since I asked to have a Christmas alone. "Hey mom. Thanksgiving was wonderful as always this year. Everyone enjoyed themselves."

"Christmas will be no different darling. I'd wish you would reconsider." She asked merrily as if that would change my mind with her happy singsong tone of voice.

"I think it's time I finally take a vacation. Sam and I always talked about doing this. Now just seemed like the right time." I handed her a dish I dried with a towel, and she put it in the cabinet.

"Well, then why don't you wait until he's back after the New Year? Although, your cousin Steve, mentioned that he might be in earlier than that." She talked to the air in the room more than talking to me as she turned her back and walked over to the counter behind us to wipe it, leaving me to put the dried dish away on my own.

It was a diversion tactic she had used many times to get her way when things were not going just the way she wanted. As soon as I put the dried dish away, I flipped the dishtowel over my shoulder and turned to her, waiting for her to look at me.

The minute she turned, she smiled sheepishly. I smiled back. "Look ma. I just wanted to do this because it seems the holidays have become such a hustle and bustle long list of things to do. I wanted to go the week before Christmas and shred your list, instead, dad talked me into doing the preempt holiday stuff, and I think that's fair. Don't you?"

She gave me a wry smile. "I think you won't understand until you are married with kids of your own, and you want to have everyone together for the holidays. Then!" She pointed into the air with emphasis. "Then you will understand all the things I do for you during the holidays."

I muttered under my breath. "Whatever ma." That heartwarming exchanged meant that we came to some kind of nonverbal agreement. However, she wanted to have the last word in.

"And when are you going to get yourself a husband. You know Sam would make a great husband but noooo." She let that word out with a long wind of breath for emphasis. "You had to go and screw that one up. I don't suppose he'd give you a second chance?" She turned back to the sink to wash the last of the dishes as I set the dishtowel over her shoulder and kissed her cheek.

"I don't suppose so ma. But if he asked, I would say yes." In the reflection of the kitchen window, with the dark of the night letting the kitchen light act as a mirror, I saw a huge smile on my mother's face.

"Don't be late to the church. Pastor is expecting you promptly at seven. I have a check in the card for him and why don't you see if you have anything in your room you might want to donate."

I patted my mother's shoulder and walked upstairs to my old pink, white laced, stuck in the middle years bedroom. The minute I opened my door dreading the mission of finding something else to donate, I was shocked to say the least.

"What the... hey ma, you want to come explain this." Before me, my long-forgotten bedroom that my mother always kept as a shrine to my youthful days had been painted a soft lilac over the pink. My old white wood canopy bed replaced by a treadmill. My bookcase full of stuffed animals and souvenirs now replaced by a small bookcase full of DVDs, hand towels and hand weights along with a TV on the wall. As I glanced around the room, happy that my mom moved on, but sad that she never warned me. I heard my mother's voice holler up the stairs.

"That'll teach you to forget about Christmas and bah humbug about the to-do list."

I now realized what was taking my father so long to load up the back of my SUV, my old bedroom stuff. I frowned as I walked downstairs. I kept the frown on my face until I kissed my mother's cheek, which was still acting miffed about the whole thing. Then as soon as I saw my father, I let my smile escape as we both broke out in laughter.

"It took you 'bah humbugging' as your mother put it to get her to finally clear out that old room and turn it into her workout studio like she's been talking about all these years. Best Christmas gift you could give your old dad. Now I can go to the gym in peace, without her hanging around me."

I padded his belly. "Do you really work out, dad? Or are you just enjoying the scenery?"

We both broke out in laughter.

**Empty Stockings...** Pastor Dan was not where he normally stood at precisely seven p.m., but who was standing there was quite a surprise. Standing at the door, waiting to get into the back of the church, was a little girl about eight years of age. She had a full head of curly brown hair, mocha colored skin, and the most beautiful brown eyes I have ever seen. They were round and curious as I stood at the door with her, while a box of pink comforter fluff was falling out of the box in my hands.

"He'll be here in a minute. He always comes when I ring. Unless it's past midnight, then I have to use the bush over there." I watched the little girl point to a row of bushes by the parked navy minivan under the light of the parking lot. "In an old metal coffee can of course. What's your name?"

"Uh..." Before I could answer, the door opened and Pastor Dan stood there with a huge smile on his face. The little girl darted in with her roll of toilet paper partially trailing behind. My eyes grew huge in question as the Pastor invited me in. We both looked after the little girl, and then he invited me to sit on the wooden pew facing the alter.

"Amanda Brock, my you look more amazing with the years, just like your mother." He was always a bit of flirt with the ladies. I blushed.

"Pastor Dan. How are you?" I sat the box down in the corner of the pew and moved to sit next to the Pastor a seat away so that I had room to sit next to him.

"Wonderful. Ready for all the holiday commotion to commence and you?" His youthful look of forty was showing fewer wrinkles than me as he spoke with jolly affection.

"I wanted to magically poof into thin air, mountain air that is and rent a cabin over the holidays. Just me, some books, a warm blanket, fuzzy socks and a fire." I let my mind wander dreamily at my plans, and then I added. "Which I am, but I have to attend Christmas Eve morning mass first. Promised my mother."

"Ah. I see. I heard Sam will be back after the New Year. You two have any plans?" He had always been interested in our reconnecting, as he knew how much my heart was broken by my bad mistake.

"I hope so." Just then, the little girl came skipping down the aisle and stood before us.

"Hi. I'm Amanda, what's your name?" She questioned with her big brown eyes.

I let my eyes go big in excitement as I replied with glee. "My name is Amanda too."

"That's a beautiful pink blanket you have in that box." She eyed it with a bit of desire, like I do when I see a new pair of boots in a store window display, all lit up and begging me to take them home.

I pulled the blanket out of the box. It smelled freshly laundered by my mom, which was no surprise. She never donated anything that smelled of dust. I held the blanket out to her and offered it up. "You can have it. It was my blanket when I was your age."

"Really?" She offered up in surprise.

The Pastor nodded his head with a yes as I simply replied. "Merry Christmas."

I watched her practically wrap herself up in the pink bundle of soft chenille and lace. When her eyes looked back to mine with a happiness that melted my heart, she replied. "Thank you. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Amanda. I hope all your Christmas wishes come true."

"Nice to meet cha." She turned and skipped on down the aisle towards the back door from which we both just entered.

As soon as she was gone, I turned to the Pastor and asked. "What is that situation about?"

"Temporary placement." He finally interjected into the silence. "Shelters are full this time of year. Both parents were laid off. The dad is working two jobs now, but they are trying to save up for rent. Therefore, they only stay at motels if the shelter is not available on cold nights. Other nights, well, I let them park out back. They use the restroom until midnight and the shower in my quarters to clean up in the morning. It's quite sad that we don't have more that we can do for them. Quite honestly, I pray for them as the nights are getting colder."

I patted the Pastor's hand and spoke with sincerity. "You are kind and I am sure what you are doing is helping."

"Let's get those donations in back so you can get on your way."

In that moment, as I walked outside to my SUV and saw the minivan with a family parked under the light, I knew that my new boots, my luxury vacation and lavish self-giving gifts of spa day and shopping spree in the mountains was not going to happen.

As soon as the last box was unloaded, I gave the card with the check to the Pastor in the back storage room. As I reached into my purse, my holiday bonus check, still in the envelope brushed my fingers. I looked at it with a smile as I pulled it out with a pen.

"I want to give you this. To make sure they don't spend Christmas in a parking lot. It should be enough for at least two months' rent somewhere, food and some gifts." I endorsed the check over to the church with a merriment that made my heart elate.

"Bless you Amanda and Merry Christmas." Pastor Dan smiled with a look of happiness that he could make the Christmas wish come true.

**Mystery Under The Mistletoe...** The annual family gathering for decorating the Christmas tree was actually quite nice. One strange thing happened on my way back out to my car, something that had me wondering if there was someone playing a little trick on me.

The holiday tree trimming went off with a fart. Yes, Uncle Morty got one in on all of us. Apparently, he visited the buffet restaurant for breakfast with some of the his old, excuse the pun, farts, and they had a tooting grand time. He had a bowl of red beans and rice, at breakfast, really. Yes, Uncle Morty was just that way.

He slid me a small Christmas card. Inside was a five-dollar bill for helping with his holiday lights earlier this week. I winked when I opened it and then bent down to whisper in his ear. "I'll buy me some scratch tickets."

Just as I stood back up with Uncle Morty patting my hand on his shoulder, he ripped a loud one which inevitable got the reply from my dad. "Darn barking spiders." The entire room eroded into laughter as my mom spritzed the air with a cinnamon and apple air freshener around Uncle Morty's backside.

The buffet-style food setup held enough food to feed all of us for a month. There was something about trimming a tree right after the first major snowfall that had all of us Brock's cooking up a storm. I for one had made ten loaves of pumpkin bread dribbled with cream cheese frosting. I brought nine to share, as one of them was already half-eaten back at my house.

There was one strange food item on the table, which caught my eye. As I spooned some onto my plate, I looked around wondering who put it there. "Who made the hot artichoke dip?" I questioned out aimlessly into the room. My dad turned away with a look of guilt as my sister chimed in something about Sam's mom dropped it by for the event.

Every year that we were together, Sam always came to my family's tree trimming party and every year he brought this wonderful hot artichoke dip that his mother taught him how to make. He always put it out in this big bread bowl, and I always ate half of it, while Sam would whisper into my ear that he had ideas on how we could burn it off later.

Later always came with our own holiday traditions. A few rounds of lovemaking and a lot of laughter about how we should get started on my mother's holiday to-do list together. He was always a great distraction and later a great help on that list. So why did I hold such a grudge to him joining the army? I suppose it was because I felt, back then at least, that he chose the army over me. That leaving me was an easy thing to do. That was what I thought, but deep down, I should have known it was probably the hardest thing he ever did.

So, you could imagine my surprise when I went out to my car, full belly of hot artichoke dip, a few added items from my mom for my to-do list, which I was actually feeling gratified in doing after visiting the church. There under my windshield wiper was a single white carnation bundled in some baby's breath, and a white snowflake bow tied around the stems. It was placed suggestively under mistletoe attached to the tree branch that hung over the driveway. Someone had to of been creative in placing it there.

I picked the white bouquet off my windshield and looked around to see who might have placed it there. No to and from tag, but a small card that was typed with the words 'Snowflake Kisses'. It was something Sam had done after the last two family tree trimming events. I feigned a weak smile as I put the carnation to my nose figuring Sam's mom probably put it there in memory of long ago Christmas Holidays of Sam and me, while dropping off the traditional dip. However, the hanging mistletoe seemed a bit much. I had a feeling his mom had hopes of us getting back together. Hopes that I shared as well.

As I drove home, I wished that it had come from Sam. That he was home safe now, and we could spend the holidays together. It was in that moment that I decided that if he did come home early, for him, I would cancel my vacation. As of now, with him not due home until New Year's Eve, I was still going. Not to a lavish five-star ski resort with spas and shopping sprees, but a simple one-room cabin with a real fireplace in a not so popular destination.

As I drove, I remembered back to texting my dad during the holiday tree trimming with the new destination, and he texted back asking what happened with the other place. I walked over, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered into his ear. "Change of heart. Cozy and simple."

My sister interrupted our little moment with a loud yell. "Ma, Dad and Amanda are texting each other again while in the room." Twenty-five years old and she is still tattling on me. Ma yelled something about not being rude and putting our phones away.

I was three blocks from home when my gas dinged a low-level alert. I pulled into the gas station and after paying for my gas; I walked inside and bought five one-dollar scratch tickets.

As I sat in front of my fake modern fireplace on the wall, a cup of hot tea on the table next to me, I scratched those five one-dollar tickets, and I'll be a monkey's uncle. "Thanks Uncle Morty. I'm still going on that snowy cabin vacation, guilt free." I held the winning lottery ticket up in the air and spoke to Uncle Morty as if he was in the room. The winning was not big enough to quit my job, but just enough to pay for that secluded cabin rentals by the river with no guilt as I was still figuring on how to pay for this little dreamy holiday vacation.

**Dreaming of A White Christmas...** A postcard arrived for me in my mailbox the week before Christmas. If you must know, I was already packed for my trip, at least as much as I could be. It was my stubborn way of protesting that I could not leave the day before Christmas Eve like my original booking, however, I had to admit that the holiday season now seemed a bit cheerier this year. That or I was ecstatic in knowing that Sam would be home after the New Year. Not that we were dating, just that his postcard in my hand with a silly looking Santa waving at me had only a few written words on the back. "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. Love Sam."

Well, that was the first time he wrote the word 'love' since our official break up. Dreaming of a white Christmas might be hard if he is dreaming from the Middle East where he is stationed. I had to wonder, was he hoping to get home a few weeks earlier as everyone heard and if so, could I or would I cancel my vacation just at a chance that we could see each other again? Absolutely. At the thought of a second chance, I knew I would.

I held the postcard up to my lips as if to kiss it, telling myself that I wished I was kissing him now. I finally tucked the postcard into my purse and hoped he got the small Christmas care package I sent him back at Halloween. I knew that shipping to someone in the service can often be delayed by weeks due to the volume, but even if he got it a week late, I knew it would make him smile.

I put a picture of us in that package of when we were five and forced to hug each other for our mother's cameras. We wanted nothing to do with each other back then, but it was not shortly after that picture that one Sneaky Sam, as I liked to call him when we were young, caught me off guard by flipping my skirt up past my waist. The shock to a six-year-old girl caused me to put my hands on my hips and lean towards him with a pouty lip about to scream I am going to tell. It was then that he dropped a huge kiss on my lips. Something sparked that day back when we were six, something so magical, that by the time we were fifteen, we were an inseparable pair. That is, until I felt we needed some, finger quote here - space at an adventurous time in my life, my twenties.

It was my own selfish process of; I wanted him, but not the him that was in the Army and leaving all the time. I wanted a boyfriend who had a great career and was going places, just as if I was trying to do. Not some grown-up boy who was playing pistols and shooting the bad guy. However, after last year's raid on his platoon and the rescue of one of his wounded, did I finally realized this was adult stuff he was dealing with. I wrote him a ten page letter telling him - everything.

I started with the fact that we were star-crossed lovers since that first kiss on my parents front porch one Halloween night, in costume, at the age of six, and that I was selfish in wanting my space. How I never wanted anything more than to be an army wife, the day we broke up or correctly so, I broke it off with him. That I was overdue in telling him this, but I felt that if that had been him that was wounded in that raid or worse, I would not want him not knowing how I truly felt.

It was three months later that I got my first and only letter from Sam. If I was not mistaken, he probably rewrote it a hundred times before finally sending it off to me. It was sweet and to the point. It told me that he would always love me as his best friend and that if I was just emotional from the trauma of what happened to him and his platoon, he understood. That I needed to think long and hard about what I really wanted and perhaps the next time he was back, that we could talk.

Unfortunately, for Sam, the day he came back for a short break, I was out with friends, getting drunk and had declared one of the partygoers as my hang on man. Someone else we know posted the pictures, and it did not look good for me. I had them take the pictures down, but not before Sam's mom called mine asking if I was dating the young man in the pictures.

For that very reason, Sam was unreachable on his time home, and we never got to see one another.

I tried; I really did. I texted, sent emails, and even wrote a devoted I love you letter that very next week. The only thing I got back was a postcard on my birthday, and that was simply signed. "Forever your friend. Sam."

As I clutched the current postcard in my purse that read Love Sam, I was sure of one thing. As soon as this vacation was over and the New Year arrived, I would be among those army wives waving a banner as the returning platoon exiting the plane. It would simply say; I love you Sam!

**Ah finally Christmas...** The rustic cabin was nice. Not nearly as nice as the five-star winter resort I originally planned on staying at while wearing my new five hundred dollar boots along with my four hundred dollar matching ski jacket I thought I had to have. That thousand between those two materialistic items and the extra two thousand plus I would have had to pay to stay at the resort, was enough money to rent a motel room for an extended period, feed and holiday gifts for the little girl I met out at the church parking lot that day after Thanksgiving. Pastor Dan told me he would not tell them who paid, but that I wanted to make sure they had a warm and wonderful holiday. According to him, it was all they needed to get back on their feet. My feet, they still looked spectacular in last year's boots, and the smile in my heart radiated out since that day.

I opened the door to the cabin and set my luggage off to the side. There inside was a five foot freshly cut evergreen Christmas tree, covered in small colorful lights, lots of poorly draped silver tinsel and badly strung line of popcorn and cranberries. I blinked rapidly at what I was seeing. Was this someone's sick joke? Only Sam would do tinsel and string popcorn like that. It was one of the things that he did that made me absolutely crazy at Christmas. I always replaced the popcorn and cranberry string with beautiful three-inch ribbon and took off half the tinsel he used and tossed it in the trash. It was a tradition. Then as I glanced at the bottom of the tree, the already burning fireplace illuminated a few well-wrapped packages and a huge roll of red and gold three-inch ribbon.

I sat down in the big comfortable chair that sat in front of the fire and began to cry. Sam set this all up. Probably, with my dad's help as he was the only one with the address of where I was staying at. I began to think about the mysterious packages - all from Sam, I was sure now. How my father had a hard time keeping a straight face around me, my mom as well, I commended them. I wondered if they both knew about Sam and this mysterious holiday way of being here but not being here gift he gave me.

I let the last few years of deeply missing Sam seep deep into my bones as my body began to relieve itself of all the sorrow of lost years. I heard my own puffs of sorrow as I sucked in air and released with tears. It was the best Christmas gift ever, or so I thought.

Just as I was recovering from full tear mode, I realized there was a knock on the cabin door. I wiped my eyes and figured the cabin host for the twenty or so cabins on the river mountain property was there with the complementary basket of goodies I ordered when I booked with the travel site.

I opened the door with a slow methodical pull as I took a deep breath and prepared myself to put on a happy face.

There, before me, was the man who kissed me so many years ago as a little boy on my parent's front porch. In his arms was a huge bouquet of red and white roses. He wasn't wearing his army uniform; he was in civilian clothes, a fresh haircut, a clean-shaven face and a look to his sparkling brown ones that told me all this Holiday mysterious happenings had one culprit in the end - him!

I squealed with delight. "Sam!" I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him for dear life. He faltered back a step or two but regained his balance and kept me elevated as my arms practically hugged him to death. When my feet finally hit the ground, my lips met his. The start of the kiss was covered in the salt from my tears. So when he pulled away first, I knew he was going to ask.

"Why you crying?" His voice felt like feathers stroking my skin as it vibrated through the air.

"You. This." I mumbled out as I reached up and pulled his face down for one more kiss.

When he pulled away, he had a mischievous look to his eyes. "So are you surprised?"

I shivered from not only the cold, but also the realization that he must have been home for the last few weeks. Was he planning this or deciding if our love needed a second chance?

He wrapped his arm around me, handed the half-crushed bouquet of flowers to me, grabbed his luggage in his other hand, and directed me inside to where it was warm. As soon as we were inside, his luggage looking particularly right next to mine, he kissed me again.

This time, the kiss felt as if the emotional part of all this was subsiding at the realization while the electric sexual switch just got turned on. I pulled away, needing an answer before we ended up naked in front of the fire.

"So does this mean you've been planning all this to win me back or been having trouble deciding if we should give it a second chance like I asked for?"

He kissed my forehead and then got down on one knee. His faded jeans so worn but tight in the right places, his dark-green sweater fitting tight across his muscles, his twinkling brown eyes glowing up at me as he reached from in his front pocket and took out a small black velvet box.

"I love you, Amanda. I wanted to surprise you. I decided not to let everyone know I was back. I wanted to see your face when I got down on my knee, surprising you here and if this trip didn't happen, like it almost didn't, then I was planning on doing it at your mom's house tonight."

I watched him open the box to a beautiful silver ring with a small diamond on it. It was the last thing I was expecting on this holiday vacation. I took the ring out of the box, slipped it on my finger and held it up to my face. "It's beautiful, Sam."

"Is that a yes?" He stood up from kneeling and wrapped his arms around me. As I looked up into his eyes, I smiled and sheepishly answered. "That's a yes!" **The End.**

Snowflake Kisses - Light-hearted Romance

Miss Kayla Riley knew that dating a student's single parent might not always work out. She had dated three, and she was out of swings. She committed last year's resolution to never date, another one of her kindergarten student's single dads, every again. It just made the rest of the school year difficult when it did not work out.

Besides, most of the single dads screwed up with their wives in the first place. What made them any better of a prospect to marry after they divorced? No, her mind was made up. She was not going to even eye another attractive father who was so lovingly adorable around their child as a volunteer in her kindergarten class. No sir-ee.

So why could she not take her eyes off one particular dad. His child was a new kid at school and there seemed to be some adjustment to a new school that was making the child extremely shy. Not to mention the fact that when she tried to talk to the child's father, she herself was a bundle of nerves. However, he was adorable in the way he read stories to the kids every Tuesday and Thursday promptly at nine-thirty before their first recess break.

Ah. His soft brown hair in a wavy fashion, told her that he did not quite work at a corporate setting in a suit. Maybe he was a shift worker at nights. She noticed his lack of a wedding band right off from the first day and in place of the mother's information on his child's placement information was the grandmothers.

'That's enough'. She told herself. How could she possibly be even thinking potential date material when her track record was less than stellar? However, he did make those khaki casual pants look good in the rear factor. Narrow waist meant he was health conscious. Broad shoulders meant he worked out. His angular jaw had a distinguished look about him, and if she wasn't so smitten with his bright blue eyes that popped against his tanned skin, she might have an ounce of self-control not to stare.

"Miss Kayla, my nose is bleeding again, and Mikey is eating glue." Tugging at her long denim skirt was five-year-old Samantha, who just dropped blood on her new brown suede boots. They did not pay kindergarten teachers enough to deal with the day-to-day activities of little kids, let alone a reimbursement clause for all the clothes these kids ruin.

She feigned a weak smile at Samantha as she grabbed a wade of fresh tissues she had just replenished in her navy cardigan sweater pocket. "Here Samantha. Apply some pressure. Heather? Can you help walk Samantha to the nurse?" She spoke out to the high school helper earning her volunteer hours. However, even Mr. Corbin was affecting the brain space of her teenage helper, as she had not taken her eyes off him since he walked in this morning.

'The powers of an attractive man never work out well. Better to settle for a simple looking guy.' She told herself.

Before Heather reacted, Mr. Corbin quickly walked up and started to guide Samantha out of the room with his son Jimmy trailing behind. Something must have happened to make him so attached to his father. Perhaps she should talk with the student counselor to see what the story really is.

By the end of the morning kindergarten class, Kayla had to admit to herself that having Mr. Corbin there was an easy thing on a dateless girl's eyes, but the relief when he left, so she could act her normal self around the kids, and parents, was abundant. She would need to figure out what dastardly bad thing it is about him so that his good looks and caring fatherly ways did not keep melting her heart. There had to be something there. Nothing a little Internet research might help her out with.

By the end of the day, the staff meeting covered the upcoming holidays. She hated that they could no longer call it the Christmas celebration, but she knew that some of her kids celebrated other holidays this time as well. She herself was a huge fan of Christmas and this year; unlike last, she would be alone. Not dating some student's dad who looked sparkling on the outside, but had some serious baggage once she opened the package.

The staff meeting has covered all the basis of who does what for the holiday play, requests for what the teachers might need for their classroom parties and the parameters on asking parent volunteers on bringing in food. Last year's peanut scare, which knowing the parent that did it, was an honest mistake; however, store packaged products only can be set out for the kiddos to eat. Nothing homemade, which was sad, but understandable.

Kayla left the meeting laughing with her coworkers, but her mind was still thinking about how great Mr. Corbin looked in his Navy casual button-down shirt. It matched her sweater. She put a visual of the two of them in a picture in a kid made frame in her mind and then sighed aloud.

"What's up?" Tess, the newly engaged first-grade teacher chimed in from behind. One caret ring sparkling from her engagement finger and a smile that would just not fade away for all the drops of water in the ocean since her knight in shining armor asked for her hand in marriage. Kayla realized that Tess's happily ever after love story with a single dad of her student really did give her hope with meeting the right man. It was her bad track record that kept her from trying over and over again.

"Ah, nothing. I've just got a million things going on with the kids and there's this new student and his dad who volunteers two days a week. I guess I was just thinking about them." Really, him, she told herself, but she was not about to openly admit she had yet again, another crush on a student's father. This business of being a single teacher was tough when your biological clock is nudging while working around the adorable children all day. The tougher kids, well they were the reason she knew that parenting wasn't all unicorns and bouncy balls. It took grit and commitment, which so many of these parents did not always display. She supposed that was why when a good-looking dad took interest in his child at school; she got a little dopey eyed around them.

Tess had no idea that Kayla's mind was whirling around about this student's dad.

"Who's the kiddo?" Tess offered up.

Kayla had no doubt that she might know the entire story as her sister Melissa was the student counselor at the school.

"Corbin. Jimmy Corbin. New kid. Transferred in from the east coast. His dad volunteers twice a week." Kayla spoke the last sentence almost with a sound of dreaminess to her voice.

"I see." Tess teased. "His dad's a hottie. Widowed, so no divorcee baggage there. Melissa says that having his dad come in and talk to her when he comes in to volunteer is like the highlight of her day. He's a hottie." Tess laughed openly.

"She's married." Kayla detested.

"Honey, she's married but she is not blind. She blames the pregnancy hormones. Says it makes her look at men with desire. This coming from a woman who only had eyes for her husband right before he got her knocked up. Speaking of which, she found out it is a girl. I am so excited. I can't wait to get her the first pair of pink baby UGG boots." Tess's eyes sparkled with thoughts of shopping. She is a borderline shopping addict and now that she was going to be an auntie; all those adorable little-girl clothes were going to knock her unconscious. Someone needed to freeze her credit cards in a big block of ice.

"Well." Kayla opened the side door of the school out to the parking lot for Tess and herself as she looked at the early setting sun. Soon it would feel almost like nighttime, by the time they left school. "I will admit he is easy on the eyes. I just know my track record, and I think I should refrain from it for a while longer."

"I don't." Tess tossed out there quickly. "I think you should dress spectacular on his volunteer days and maybe offer to meet for coffee one day. He might take the bait."

"I doubt it. He does not seem interested, but hey, let's catch up with each other on Friday and see if we can help each other out with the holiday planning. I have my high school aid planning on cutting out as many paper snowflakes as her fingers can handle with those child safety scissors." Kayla laughed as she hit the remote open button to her small silver Toyota Camry.

"Have her cut thirty for me. I've got twenty four students with a possibility of two more before the holidays start. I can use them for their projects. I'll have my parent volunteer pack those little Ziploc bags of shiny stars in rice with a trinket in each one, and you can play that game I did last year where when I show a picture of the trinket the kiddos have to guess who has the bag." Kayla remembered that game. It did not go over well with her students, so why on earth would she want to do it with kindergartners.

"I'll pass on that one. It would take one small kid to rip open a bag, dump out the mess and some other kid to find the trinket and choke on it. But hey, I would like to borrow your bubble machine you used at Halloween. That could be fun. I could have the kids dance to music and when it stops the bubbles start. I don't know. Maybe something like that." Kayla tossed out there more talking to herself in planning mode than Tess.

"I think you need to have Mr. cutie Corbin give you some snowflake kisses for the holiday; that's what I think needs to happen." She teased.

"Good night Tess." Kayla laughed as she got in her car and closed the door. She waved to Tess in her small dark-blue SUV and saw the glimmer of her engagement ring sparkle against the last glinting rays of the sun. So what if it made her a little jealous to know that Tess had found her man. She wasn't going to give up hope; she just needed to get out there a bit more often so that she was seeing other men besides her student's fathers.

That night at the grocery store, Kayla had her mind on one particular man and his smile, Mr. Corbin. Just as she rounded the corner with only a few things in her cart, she ran her metal shopping cart into none other than the man who occupied her romantic brain space.

"Uh. Hi. Mr. Corbin?" She sputtered out.

"Call me Chris. Jimmy's dad." He smiled up with confidence, but his words sounded nervous.

She touched his arm. "I know who you are silly." She joked.

It was the moment his eyes looked to where her hand touched his arm that he smiled with a look on his face that he liked her hand there.

"Sorry I ran my cart into you." He offered as Kayla mentally replied to herself. 'I'm not.'

He looked into her cart and then back to his. Neither one of them had anything perishable in it yet, so he offered up a suggestion. "Can I buy you a coffee?" He motioned his head towards the front of the grocery store where it held a small in-store gourmet coffee shop with places to sit and have a quiet drink, well, as quiet as a grocery store can offer.

She smiled up at him and thought to herself, what the heck, why not? "Sure. That would be great."

By the time the two of them sat down with their coffees, and their grocery carts tucked into a corner parked out of the way. The nervous tension of running into each other was quickly fading.

"So how's Jimmy doing when I'm not there volunteering? Losing his mother at the age of three was hard for him, but this move here to live with his grandma seemed to have caused even more emotional detachment issues?"

Well, that explained why Mr. Corbin was there two days a week and Jimmy would not leave his side when he was.

"Great actually. When you're not there, he usually hangs by me, but I guess what you just said explains that. I don't mind. He's quite the adorable little boy. A lot like his father." Almost stunned she let the flirtatious remark slip.

He smiled at her and replied. "Jimmy talks about you all night long. It's kind of hard not to think about you when all my son does is talk about you."

"Well he doesn't talk much at school." She inquired.

"Well, once you get him at home around the dinner table; he doesn't stop talking. He really likes school." He laughed with a look on his face as if he was remembering something.

She watched him rub his finger along the top of the plastic coffee cup lid as he looked down. When he looked up, his eyes carried a sparkle of mischief. "Hey, I was actually here to do grocery shopping, but Jimmy's grandma is watching him. You want to get out of here?"

They both looked at the few items in their carts and back to each other. "Stranded carts on aisle five." She joked as she stood up and put her purse strap over her shoulder.

The minute they were out in the parking lot, Chris put his hand to the small of her back, and Kayla felt an instant warming feeling. "Mind if I drive?"

She smiled as she looked over to him to answer his question. "Not at all."

The first place they went was a drive-through Christmas light show. The sign told them to tune into KWZA 101 am to listen to the holiday music. As they drove in his dark-blue truck, with the holiday music playing, she felt swept away in the holiday magic of it all. By the end of the display, his right hand was resting on hers on the seat console between them.

The minute they pulled out of the drive through display, he turned to her and asked. "The night is young. How about ice skating? There's an outdoor rink for the holiday season over by the movie theatre?" He asked in a questioning tone as if he wanted the night to not end.

Kayla smiled coyly over at him. "Why Mr. Corbin? I do believe you are making this a date?"

His look turned serious as he pulled over under a streetlight. It told her that perhaps he had something to say. Her heart skipped a beat as maybe she misinterpreted this situation. But how could she? It was a date wasn't it?

When he had his truck in park, and he turned to her with his full attention, she saw the look of lust in his eyes, and she was almost sure he was going to kiss her. Instead, he cleared his throat and his husky voice spoke out with apprehension. "The first time I walked in your classroom..." He paused so she spoke up unsure.

"Yes?" She whispered out.

"Well. I found myself making sure your left finger didn't have a wedding band on it. I kept staring at you when you weren't looking. I'm only saying this because Jimmy noticed and you know how kids are. I thought maybe he might have said something to you. Then the other day, I wanted to ask you out but one of the teachers in the nurse's office was talking to another teacher..." He laughed and paused. "You look amused. What are you laughing at?"

"Listening to school gossip are we?" She joked. She could only imagine what they were talking about.

"You know it. Got to get in good somehow." He teased.

"Oh don't you worry. You have half the female staff in a sexual tizzy." 'Did I just use the word sexual?' She bantered with herself internally.

"Oh. I see." He looked embarrassed for a second before he looked back up into her eyes. "And you? How do you feel? Besides the fact that you apparently announced in the teachers' lounge that you would never date another student's parent again." He laughed awkwardly. "Because that is what I heard in the nurse's office and it kind of made me apprehensive to ask you out."

He paused as she sensed he was hesitant, so she spoke up quickly. "I would love to go out with you. On a date. That is, if this isn't a date already, because I thought it was." She laughed uneasily.

It was in that moment, that she watched a very attractive man turn from nervous to rather debonair. She watched him lean in as his right hand slid behind her neck. She felt his hand gently pull her closer to his face as his lips began to approach hers, and his eyes looked as if they ignited with fire. His few words whispered out before his lips dropped to hers, resonated in her head. "Then it's a date."

The way his lips tingled against hers, sent a warm sensation to her core. She would have like to dip her tongue into his mouth, but a car horn honked, and it was apparent they were blocking someone's driveway with the bed of his truck. They both pulled back and began to laugh as he waved to the driveway owner and put the car in drive to get out of the way.

"So ice skating then?" He asked rather cheerily.

"That would be wonderful."

The outdoor holiday rink was well decorated with fake fur trees, sprayed with a dusting of white fake snow. The white twinkling lights on the trees gave a romantic atmosphere along with the old romantic Christmas songs playing over the speakers surrounding the rink. There were a few families there, along with several teens and a few other young couples like themselves.

Kayla had not skated in years but loved the feel of the motion as they began to skate around. Chris talked about his growing up in the northern colder skates and playing hockey. He briefly mentioned that he saw there was a picture of her roller skating in the teachers' lounge.

That caused Kayla to laugh. "Yup. That's me. I am the official Skate City fundraiser school representative. I love to roller skate. A bit different from ice skating yet kind of the same."

"Well, just let me hold on to you and help you keep your balance, he offered."

By the time they made it back to the grocery store parking lot, it was a quarter past nine on a school night. Kayla did not want it to end, but she knew that the alarm clock on her nightstand would not be going off any later than she would like.

"I had a wonderful time." She offered up as she stood with her car door behind her.

"So did I." He replied before leaning in towards her, his arms on either side of her and his face just inches away. "So I would like to take you out again. On a real date." He let his lips dropped to hers before she could answer. When he pulled away from the kiss, she felt as if her knees could buckle.

She looked off to the large white shiny snowflakes that hung from the store's parking lot lights as decorations and thought of how this Christmas was turning out to be the best one ever.

"What are you looking at?" He leaned backwards and glanced around the parking lot.

She laughed gingerly. "Oh nothing. Just those big snowflakes over there."

He nodded his head and leaned back in towards her. She was almost certain he was going to kiss her again, but he spoke up first. "You never answered me. Perhaps you need another snowflake kiss." He looked up for a second and above them was one of those sparkly snowflakes. Just as he started to turn his attention back to her, a huge white real snowflake landed on her lips.

They both laughed lightly for a second until his lips dropped back to hers, and she was back to feeling that flutter in her stomach, the weakness in her knees and the inability to think straight. When he pulled back from the kiss, they both noticed that a full-blown snowstorm had kicked in around them.

"Wow!" She echoed out as he stepped back and they both started to look at the snow coming down hard and fast. She began to twirl around with her arms outstretched as if she was trying to catch the snowflakes in her hands.

She heard his voice ask her with a calm happy tone. "Can I take that as a yes?"

She stopped her twirling to look at her best Christmas miracle of all. "Yes!" The next thing she felt was his strong arms around her, twirling her in a circle as her feet felt like they left the ground.

'How's that for snowflake kisses?' She internalized and just as she did, his lips dropped back to hers as the twirling stopped and their tongues began to intertwine in their mouths as if the dance had only begun. **The End.**

Baby Its Cold Outside - Chick Lit.

_Author Dedication: Lynne U, this one is for you, because you suggested it. Sometimes the season before the holiday can lead up to Christmas Romance._

The fall foliage was brilliantly displayed like a whimsical picture with broad strokes of yellow, orange, deep red and a dusting of brown. The foliage viewing season was in peak for viewing the aspens with a friend; the only problem was that my friend had to cancel on me today due to her new job. I sent out a few texts, and an old coworker of mine texted me back. 'Lynne meet me at the trail head at precisely ten a.m.'

I gathered up my long brown hair and put it up ponytail style. I laced up my Solomon hiking boots. I checked the battery on my Nikon camera. I refilled my stainless steel water bottles and tossed them in my backpack with some Uber bars for energy on the trail head.

I grabbed my keys by the garage door that were hanging on the wall, slid my sunglasses on my head and then opened the door to the garage. The minute I hit the garage door button to open, and my car was flooded with early-morning sunlight; I knew this was going to be a great day.

My brand-new Volkswagen Jetta purred as I started her up with the push key ignition. I had driven an old beater and saved up to pay cash for this one. Its sleek gun battle dark grey exterior shimmered in the early-morning light. The darkened windows and platinum grey leather interior gave me stealth like feeling as I flipped my blinker on to turn right onto the main street out of my neighborhood.

My work troubles from my new employment seemed to slip away as I merged onto Highway Fifty-Eight heading through Golden, Colorado and right past my old job at Coors Brewing Company. I had many years of fond memories of that place, but sometimes a career advancement decision is the move a woman like me needed to make. I had a strong vision of my future, and I was locked on to be a very successful executive at my new job.

The golden glow of the aspens, against the light blue of the early-morning sky, decorated my drive along the highway until I got to the base of the mountain road that I needed to turn on before reaching the turn off for the trail head.

I arrived about fifteen minutes early, to see that the local firehouse had several people getting ready for some kind of rescue training mission. They seemed to be gearing up and talking to each other with a common brotherhood casualness to themselves.

I suppose if I wasn't single and admiring the backsides of the strong hero laden men, that I wouldn't be parking my car while fixated on what it would be like to watch one of them strip for me all Magic Mike style. Let me tell you, there is just something about a man in uniform with some nice muscles, tanned face and a bright white smile to catch a girl's eye. I'm recently single and looking, so sue me.

One particular, very handsome might I add, man had my attention or should I say, he seemed to not have taken his eyes off of me since the moment I got out of my car and began stretching to warm up for the hike. Perhaps my forward bend was a bit of a tease; I was hoping that maybe my hike would somehow intertwine with golden eyes looking at me now.

His broad shoulders narrowed down to a waist that I was sure held a six-pack, and I am not talking beer. His tan work style pants were holding the nicest looking round firm behind that a girl could dream to get her hands on. I watched him load up on survival looking tools and then slip on a bright-colored vest that alerted hikers to the fact that they were local rescuers in training.

It was those eyes that captured me first, mixed with that full head of dark hair, that solid jaw line and tanned complexion; I was a bit smitten. Oh heck, let's be honest here. I was freaking going crazy down in the action department if you get what I mean.

I heard a name being called out to grab a man's attention from the group leader. "Hey Trey, eyes over here buddy."

If I wasn't mistaken, he was Trey, and he just turned fifty shades of red as he looked down at his feet, back up to me, and then to the group leader.

Just as he turned his attention around to what the group leader had to say, I heard my phone ding with a text. It was my old coworker Mike, and he had to cancel. I was not all that bummed, seeing as Mr. Sexy Fireman might think my old friend Mike was a beau when really he was just a great hiking buddy who also liked to take pictures.

I grabbed my backpack out of the passenger seat, hit the lock on the door and closed it. Just as I got my pack on my back and turned towards the trail, I noticed the lot was filling up quickly with families. I wanted to get ahead of that kind of hiking traffic, so I proceeded to walk at a fast clip right past the rescue team.

"Hey where's the fire at?" I heard called out to what I thought might be me as I rushed past. I turned and looked at the group as all ten men and two women were looking at me. I turned to look behind me and then back to them. I feigned a weak smile and shrugged my shoulders. I had no idea who said it, but they were obviously talking to me.

The group leader began talking again, and everyone's attention went back to him. I smiled coyly at the man whom I was sure whose name was Trey as he still had his attention on me with a warm inviting smile.

I turned my attention back to the trail and began my ascending hike to the lookout point.

It was not long before some teen boys barreled past me. At least, they were kind enough to say excuse me, but when they added the word 'mam' at the end, I cringed. I didn't think I looked old enough to be a mam, but turning thirty last year sure did put me on the prime time list of soon to be shriveled eggs, or so my mother protested as she asked me when I was going to marry. I thought you had to have a man in your life to marry and the last man I had was not exactly marrying material, thus the deceased dating situation.

A few families with worn-out kids were already turning back down the trail as they had probably gotten an early start. Little kids on parent's backs, half asleep as the older sibling ran down the hill just testing fate's abilities to let them trip on a rock or untied shoe lace. I smiled as they went past with a faint 'good morning' to my voice.

The lookout point was crowded with early-morning hikers, taking pictures, pointing out to some wildlife out in a field below and general self-picture taking to upload to boast where they were at to their social cronies. I had every intention of doing the same, but I wanted just the right photo. One that made me look as if I was on the top of a mountain with golden colored aspens on one side and a huge open space of sky and nothing below on the other. I had just the idea of where I could take that selfy picture to post.

By the time I found the hidden point of the old trail that was supposed to revive the trail back to its natural state, I had second thoughts. I am a stay on the trail kind of gal. I rarely ventured off, but I did really have the perfect spot in mind. Therefore, I looked around, saw nobody and took a chance. Besides, I am really not off the main trail by much. I would still be in shouting distance if something were to happen. I've got my huge ass can of bear spray that if a soon to be hibernating bear were to approach I could spray him, or by the time I got the safety notch off, I could clobber him over the head with it. I did a little internal laughing at the memory of getting it in a hiking goodie basket from my mom earlier this month. She was sweet that way.

The old trail had some new growth to it, so I did a tipsy toe kind of hiking style to stay on the dirt part of the trail, occasionally having to jump a distance to avoid large patches of new growth. I was feeling guilty enough as it was, going off trail, let alone worried that I might smash down the progress of nature.

It was short distance up to the exact point of where I wanted to take the picture. I climbed to the top of the large boulder covered in moss on one side and stood out as close to the edge as what I felt was safe. It was not a far drop down if I fell, maybe twenty feet, but it was a drop I did not want to happen.

I secured my footing and stood hip distance apart as I looked out at the scenery below. Unfolding before me, was the lush valley scenery by the river, dressed up in colors from the shades of fall collection. I took a deep breath in and let the fresh mountain air fill my lungs.

I could hear the faint rambling of conversations below me as I looked out to the surrounding valley and thought of this moment being worth the peace and serenity I was receiving from standing out here on a ledge on my own. Don't worry, my guilty conscience will kick in later when I think about going off trail. I just cannot seem to get totally away with doing something bad when my mind is poking a finger at my brain telling me that not following the rules will only lead to trouble.

After a few minutes of serenity breathing and peaceful feeling, I let my guilty conscience have its say. I bent down, opened my backpack, grabbed my camera and figured five more minutes won't hurt. I began to take pictures from the rock I was standing on and did a range of pictures that started at one end and followed all the way through the gorgeous fall showing of color to as far in the other direction I could take.

Now it was time for the selfy pictures. I'm not normally the type to shoot a million 'hey look at me' pictures, but sometimes you just got to let the world know what you are up to. The first few pictures taken and my head was half in the picture, but the leaves and blue sky surrounding me looked perfect. By the ninth picture, I had perfected my technique, and I got the perfect picture. I had a happy, fresh air induced smile on my face along with a shine to my eyes. It was a look as if I had just been laid, which, since it had been awhile, I would take this glossy air fresh mountain air high over the cobwebs that were beginning to take home down there. Although, just glancing at one particular fireman did a bit of dusting if I do say so myself.

It was with that thought of my dreamy golden-eyed hero that I took a misstep and began to lose my footing. I let out a mangled sound of mishap as I felt myself going over the large boulder in slow motion style. My camera was the first thing I let go in order to get a grab hold on the edge of the boulder before I would peril down the gravely side about twenty or so feet down.

I did not hear my camera land, nor did I think that it would survive the fall. What I did realize was that I was in a bit of a conundrum. "Help." I cried out, but it sounded meek as I was still trying to gain my breath. I decided to try a little harder. "Help. Up here." The second attempt sounded much better and if there were any hikers passing below on the trail under the ledge that I might actually get lucky.

Seconds passed as I felt like I was hanging on for dear life. Those seconds felt like hours as the burn in my arms began to take hold from my muscles trying desperately to hold me up from falling, not to mention my fingertips were feeling numb.

I started to feel my fingers slip away from its hold, and I prepared myself mentally to land hard below. I put my mind in the frame set that ass first, protect my head, and a broken arm or leg is easier to mend than a broken back. Just as my last ounce of grip denied me the safety of the rock, I kicked out my feet and prepared to land feet first. What I had not seen below was the long gravel like slope that captured me at ten feet and began to slide me down the hill as if I was a kid in a playground. I was almost sure I heard myself giggle. That moment quickly faded.

At the end of the slope, was a large boulder. My body had turned more on its back as I rode for twenty or so feet, maybe more. I had my feet out in front of me, and my foot became lodged between a rock and hard place - literally.

"Ok, that was brilliant." I acknowledged to myself, as I realized my backpack and cellphone were up there, my camera - who knows where, and me in a spot that at least got me closer to the hiking path. I decided to quit talking to myself and start yelling for help. "Help!" I barreled out from my lungs with a fresh dose of air and a primal ability to survive. "Help. Up here. I've fallen." I started to giggle at the last sentence, then jokingly spurt out the rest in a laughable tone. "And I can't get up."

Not that this was a joking matter. However, the humor of it all was sweet karma telling me that yes, I did a bad thing but hey, I survived. I hope. I continued yelling out pleas of 'help, up here, I've fallen'. Hope was beginning to fade after what felt like minutes, yet I am sure my time perspective was off, and it was only more like fifteen seconds. I had terrible thoughts of a bear finding me and noshing on me for his wintertime fat, all the while my huge can of bear spray lay deep inside my backpack. I quickly imagined my mother crying profusely at my funeral while speaking out between tears. "If only she had put that bear spray on her waist with the belt clip I bought her, she would be alive today. For God's sake, why did she not listen to her mother?"

There it was. The internal guilt of what if might happen and the ever-repeating inner voice of my mother talking to me in question as to why I just do not take her advice. I laid back onto my back and began to laugh profusely, thinking about my mother, my witty inner banter repertoire and how this situation was actually quite funny, that is if I survive.

"Hello?" A manly voice hollered out towards my direction. I looked up and standing over me was, I suspect his name is Trey. His golden-brown eyes shined with delight. His white smile flashed a mouth full. His tan skin and dark-brown hair hung around his face like a halo. He was my hero. If this was karma biting me in the ass, well it sure felt good.

"Is this yours?" He held up my camera with a questionable look on his face.

I sat up leaning against my palm of one hand while I extended my other hand for my camera. Just as I reached for it, a pain jolted through my leg. I cried out in pain. "Ouch!"

He bent down, set my camera in my lap and reached for my leg. "Don't move. Hey guys, I need a little help here."

From the tree covered corner rounded the rest of the fire rescue team. It was in that moment, that I realized if I had not rammed my foot where I did in my landing, I probably was close to the bottom of the old closed-off trail and near the one that I should have stayed on. A voice from behind teased the very man who had his hands on my legs. With only my jeans between our skin touching, and even with that material between us, I felt that all so romantic tingle travel up my leg. A little nature pain reliever never hurt a gal.

"Hey Trey. We thought you could handle this one on your own." Teased a man's voice from behind me.

A few manly laughter sounds came from behind, but I was afraid to turn and look because I was sure I was red in the face. However, before I could muster the courage to turn, I heard Trey's serious voice. "She's got her foot twisted and wedged between that rock and the ground. On the count of three, I need you guys to lift it, and I will guide her foot out"

His voice was serious, and the joking stopped as two men stood over the large rock, a set of strong hands lifted under my shoulders, and I heard them count to three. Within a flash of an instant, the rock was lifted up and away; I was pulled backwards as Trey guided my foot with care. One of the females bent down with an emergency pack and began to take off my hiking boot. My foot was already swollen and the pain shot through me with a sharp intense feeling. I felt Trey's hands surround my face as he looked into my eyes and told me to focus on something else.

I took a deep breath and looked into his golden-brown eyes. I saw the caring concern in them along with a sexy stare that had my pain quickly melting away. His hands surrounding my jaw were strong and his lips begged me to kiss them. I found myself focusing harder on the gorgeous face of the man before me than what the woman was doing with my foot. Time felt like a magical bubble as we sat looking into each other's eyes, as voices around us went into what felt like a rescue mode. When he finally pulled away, my foot was wrapped up in a split and the woman was packing away supplies.

"It's just a bad twist. Nothing broken. I'd say you'll be walking on it in a day or two. Ice it for twenty minutes an hour. Keep it elevated and take something for the swelling." Her voice sounded so proficient and intelligent. I could tell she had been at this job for a while. It was the moment that I noticed her eyes as she looked to me and then to Trey as if to say, all right lovebirds, it is time to go, or at least that was what I thought her eyes might be saying.

I feigned a weak smile. "Thank you guys. Thank you so much." I glanced around behind me as Trey's hands had already dropped, and he stood up looking down at me.

Someone from behind teased. "Stay on the trail."

I laughed. "I know. I know. Believe you me, when you found me laughing, I had a rendition of my mother telling me the same thing." That caused a few laughs as I looked around with an innocent look to my face of I will never do that again.

"My backpack..." I started to mention as I looked up from where I fell, which as I looked at it now, it wasn't even a bad fall, just a bad landing.

"I'll get it." Another fireman offered as he shot up the mountainside like it was nothing.

Trey motioned to another fireman, and they both hoisted me up and began to support me under my arms, lifting me off the ground. Trey spoke up as they began to walk me towards the trail. "It's a ways down the trail. Mikey is heading down to get the board. Once on the trail, it would be easier to strap you in and carry you down, then to try to help you hobble all the way down the trail."

I let out a deep breath and realized that the last of the hikers would see what an idiot I was. Nevertheless, I guess there really was no other safer way. I saw my camera wrist strap around Treys wrist and smiled his way. "Thanks. For saving me,

and my camera."

"About that." The other guy joked and began to laugh. "You almost hit Trey here on the head as it fell from up above. It bounced off his shoulder, and he caught it. Good thing for you, his used to play semi-pro baseball. Once he looked to see what images were on the camera, well let's just say he wanted to play hero of the day."

I raised my eyebrows in Trey's direction. "Sorry. Glad you're a great catch." That last line almost sounded like a pick up line, which got a few chuckles from the rescue crew as most of them were blazing past us and heading downhill.

By the time I got back to my car, I realized that my right foot was not in driving condition. I was about to ask someone to drive me home when the lead man took my backpack and started looking for my keys. He spoke up in an efficient manner as if there were no questions, only orders to be followed. "Trey. Drive the lady home. Call Mitch for a ride back to the station. I want a full report by oh-eighteen-hundred. Miss, I suppose you'll be ok once you get home?"

I feigned a weak smile. "Yes. I'll call my mother, but she will never let me hear the end of this." I raised an eyebrow and looked to Trey in question. The captain looked at both of us and then back to me.

"Well, then, Trey if it's alright with her, you can stay to help her out until she's capable of getting around on her own."

The ride back to my house was quite at first. I think we both were a bit shy about what happened. I for one could not have asked for a better hiking day. Then I saw my camera on the console between us and picked it up.

Trey spoke up first. "You got some great pictures by the way. I decided to look at them when it hit me on the shoulder. It actually told us where you were at. I use to hike up that old trail all the time. Don't feel so bad. They only closed the trail because it was getting too worn down. They wanted to let some of the vegetation catch back up, so technically you weren't off the trail." He laughed.

"Technically." I laughed back.

"Lynne Michaels by the way." I turned to him driving my car thinking how handsome he looked in it. Hell, he would look handsome in anything.

"Trey Wilson." He turned briefly and flashed a sexy smile that caused the last of any cobwebs down there to completely dust away.

I was officially in smitten mode and if my handsome hero needed to give me some tender loving care to help my pain, well, so be it. I laughed internally at my own inner joke. The smile on my face caused a bit of curiosity.

"I don't know what's so funny, but the smile on your face tells me that the pain can't be that bad."

I found my inner flirtatious diva and went with it. "I think it's your sexy smile that caused my pain to go away. I don't suppose you'd want to stay and help me recover."

He looked ahead as he had to turn back on to the main highway and then once we were merged into weekend traffic he glanced over to me for a second and then put his attention back into the driving of traffic as he spoke out confidently. "I can stay and help you recover any way you need me to."

With that sexual insinuation, I gulped down and realized that my life was looking pretty darn good. I could not have asked for a better Christmas gift, a wee bit early, but I gift I wanted all the same.

_Christmas Week_ and my entire east coast family was very understanding of me not being able to take time off from my new job to fly out for the holidays. I decided at the last minute to take my boss up on her offer for the two nights stay at her condo in Frisco. The drive should not be too bad as the Colorado weather was giving us one of its unusually warm Christmas week weather forecasts.

I pulled out my small carry on suitcase for my overnight work trips that I usually take on the plane. I pulled out some leggings, pair of jeans, thermal underwear, and wool socks. I tossed in a few sets of sexy bras and matching panties and thought to myself. Are we really going to do anything other than make love by the fireplace?

Just as I was tossing in a long red silky nightie for in between playtime with a matching robe, a pair of strong arms surrounded me in a hug as his lips dropped tenderly to my neck. "I don't know if you'll need any clothes at all, love. I suppose maybe for the drive home."

I turned in his arms and looked into those golden-brown eyes that had loved me so tenderly since that day on the hike and his rescue.

"Tell me again why we are even bothering to drive up there to get away for the Christmas weekend." I let the words linger off my tongue as I moved in for a kiss. His strong sensual way of returning my kisses always reminded me of the intense feelings between us. The kiss always started out slow and easy with a lingering of tongues and a tingling on our lips. If time allowed, it would quickly turn carnal until we were in a heated naked mess catching our breaths.

Trey pulled back first. "I have a surprise. We have to go there to make it good."

"If you say so, but I think we make it pretty darn good right here." I glanced at the new king-size bed we bought a week after he moved in, which was two weeks after my rescue. A little fast for my mother's taste, but from the moment she met him, she told me he was perfect. I thought so too.

As we sat in front of a roaring fire with cups of hot chocolate and tiny marshmallows floating inside the cup, per my demand, Trey sat down next to me with something else in his other hand. In only his red holiday dorky boxers I bought him with the saying 'prize inside' across the top hem and me in only a kerchief of a nightie, he set his cocoa down on the table and opened up a small black box. The glimmering diamond engagement ring inside told me that things just heated up from sexual fantasy come true to a whole lifetime of hero-worshiping, and I was up to the task at hand.

The minute I spoke yes with confidence, and the ring slid on my finger; I decided that there was one half-naked sexy fireman who was in dire need of a second round of fun.

With the heavy white snowflakes falling in the window view behind him, my barely covered naked body crawling unto his, I chimed out in a well-known sexy holiday song. "Hey baby it's cold outside."

He smiled at me with a singsong rendition of our own to the holiday song with a reply. "Oh baby don't go." We never made it through another verse as we had done before, our lips were tingling as our tongues were twisting and the feel of heated naked skin was keeping us warm. **The End**

**Save Santa The Trip - Be** _Naughty_

She slipped through the holiday banquet crowd in her red slinky dress and red four-inch heels. Her long blonde hair was cascading down her back and over her shoulders, but it did not even cover the amount of bare skin she was showing tonight on the upper half of her body, not to mention her curves below.

Jemma Makers knew the dress was a bit of an overkill. She could shoot her sister, with a marshmallow gun that is, for convincing her to buy this dress and wear it to the annual corporation holiday banquet. There was well over four hundred people in this large convention hall surrounded by tall glass windows. The snow was falling hard outside now and all she wanted to do was go home.

She had only three drinks of warm brandy tickling her belly, as the dinner had not even happened yet. The cab she called would be out at the sidewalk any minute. She just needed to get her long-wool coat from coat check and find her way out, because the minute she saw her crush from the office kissing the sales rep under the mistletoe; she knew; her dress was a waste and there wasn't anyone else here that stroked her interest.

It was in the moment that the crowd parted and a song came over the DJ's speakers, "Hey baby it's cold outside" there he stood. A debonair looking man in his dark black tuxedo, his black hair just reaching the collar of his suit coat and his blue-grey eyes sparkling with mischief. He held a cut glass in his hands, and a stance of a bad boy dressed up to play.

She felt her feet falter as they stopped advancing in the direction she was heading as she spoke out to herself. "Save Santa the trip love, let's be naughty."

She saw laughter light up on his face as he looked down and back up to her with a coy sexiness that just sent the North Pole on defrost alert. She was heating up in masses that would soon have her with a dripping mess on the floor.

He took a step towards her, and she wondered if he heard her sexy banter about being naughty. He most likely could not have; she thought to herself, unless he reads lips. It was in that moment that her cheeks blushed as she bit her bottom lip in apprehension. He was moving in close with a walk of confidence. Her eyes widened as he was almost standing in front of her.

His husky voice whispered against her ear as the crowd of the room's conversation made it hard to have a normal conversation. He began to sing the words of the song to her, in her ear, causing her stomach to flip and her knees to want to buckle. "Hey baby, it's cold outside. Please don't go..."

She laughed lightly as he pulled back and offered his hand to take hers. When she did, he kissed the top, set his half-empty glass on a waiter's tray walking by and guided her towards the dance floor.

Under the darkened part of the room, large snowflake shaped lights in blue dangled from the ceiling giving the dance floor a romantic feel. The warmth of his body felt exquisite against her body as his bare-naked hands gently caressed her bare shoulder and even more naked back. It was a bad dress choice in her mind until he leaned in towards her again and whispered in her ear. "You look like Santa's special package all wrapped up tight for me."

If he only knew how special, she felt at this particular moment. The dress was tight but the way his hand felt caressing her back gave her the strength to tease back. "Well then maybe we should get to know each other so that you can unwrap me."

His light husky laughter warmed her heart as he twirled her around on the dance floor gingerly. "Jay Mathews and you are?" He whispered into her ear as her breasts pressed against his tuxedo with pebbled nipples.

"Jemma Makers." She practically laughed her name out as she felt like a youthful liveliness enter her soul.

"Well Jemma, it's a pleasure to meet you." His wicked sexy smile caused her to heat up internally.

The entire next set of romantic Christmas songs played on as the two of them found a familiar step to the music. His bare hand stroked her back, up to her shoulder and back down, while his other hand held hers, leading her in dance of romance. The entire few moments felt surreal and sensual. His breath tickled her neck in her long blonde hair as her face wanted to nuzzle itself in his collar.

The way they moved around the floor told her that he had a sensual strong side to him. Then she took a deep breath and exhaled thinking how nice it would feel to have his naked body over hers, sliding in and out as Louis Armstrong or Etta James Christmas songs played out in the background.

Her vision of sexual delight was broken with the announcement that dinner would be served.

As her leading man, all dashingly handsome in his tuxedo stood back and looked into her eyes, she was pleading mentally with him that they go somewhere quiet and alone. He took her hand and led her off the dance floor. They did not stop at the buffet, nor did they go to the bar, instead he led her to the coat check, took out his ticket and looked to her with a smile.

"Want to go somewhere better?" He asked with a sexy smile on his face.

In a breathy Marilyn Monroe style, she answered in a heated passion. "Yes!" She opened her small purse that hung over her shoulder with a small silver chain. She pulled out her coat check ticket and some cash. He took the ticket and motioned for her to put the cash back.

As he held out her long red wool coat for her to slip her arms into, she felt almost overdressed, which made her smile. In his arms, her nakedness felt real and safe. She watched him put a dark wool coat on and tip the coat check gal.

He offered his hand as they began to walk to the elevators. As the door dinged closed, and he pressed the button for the elevator to go to the parking garage, he turned to her and reassured her with his blue-grey eyes. "My car is parked in the garage. I had just a sip of that brandy when I saw you, so I am safe to drive the sleigh." He laughed.

"Well then, Santa." She teased. "Where shall we go?"

"Anywhere private where I can unwrap you?" He asked in question as if she might have changed her flirtatious suggestion.

"Well then, perhaps you know of a place." She suggested.

"I do." He smiled as he hit the unlock button of his black Audi A6, parked in a reserved spot. She looked at him for a moment and wondered who he was and what part of the corporation does he work for.

The short drive through the downtown holiday lights seemed magical. As he drove, he would take quick glances to her face and down her body, while looking at her with a passion in his eyes before guiding them back to the road before them. The minute he hit a remote and an elite downtown high-rise garage door opened she knew she had hit the financial jackpot even if it was just for the night.

The moment he offered to take her coat, and it slid off the naked skin of back; she was enthralled with the incredible nightlight view from his floor of his home, the top floor. The entire place seemed to be surrounded with windows and city lights. The lights dimmed to a romantic softness, slow sensual music kicked on, and she turned in time to see him setting a remote on a table.

As he began to loosen his tuxedo tie, she walked towards him with a sultry strut in her four-inch heels. Tonight, she wanted to unwrap her own package. He spoke as she approached him. "I read your lips back when our eyes first met."

She got her hands up to his tuxedo tie, her hips thrust towards him as she looked coyly up at him. "You did? Well then read my lips now." She mouthed the words slow and sensual. "Let's be naughty then."

He smiled down at her as he mouthed back with a whisper. "Lets."

The minute his lips dropped to hers, she knew that she had made the most splendid decision of her holiday. The slow romantic holiday music playing in the background filled her ears with a desire to have the words come true. As Macy Gray's voice sang out 'Santa Baby' in a sultry mix of raspy voice and milk and honey humming, Jemma was lost. Tonight was all about being naughty.

Her naked skin felt an electrical sensation under his touch; his lips tingled against her skin as they began to drop to her neck. The humming in her ears had her shiver with a feeling that made his lips feel like a feather to her skin. His kissing was soft and sensual as he moved his hands to the back of her dress. He quickly unlatched it behind her neck, and her red silky halter style dress was dropping with the aid of his hands, and lord his hands felt fabulous against the nakedness of her back now moving to the firmness of her ass.

She moaned out her sultry feelings as a low growl like sound echoed against her skin.

His heated breath encapsulated her naked breasts as her dress hit the floor. In only her four-inch red heels and red silk panties, because her sister insisted that they had to match while being undressed, she felt more alive than she had ever felt with a man. Little did her sister know, but she would later, that her Christmas catch just got a heck of a lot better than her original intention.

She let her slender fingers wrap up into his thick dark hair as his lips cascaded down her body. She felt his tongue lick the edge of her panties at the top as she moaned out in pleasure. She was dripping wet and wanted to cry out her demands, but the sultry romantic Christmas music had her humming instead.

She could not help herself; she had to see what was under that tuxedo. She tugged at his hair, and he looked up with a grin as she was sure he was about to drop those red silk panties to the floor. "I think somebody needs some help getting undressed." She teased.

He stood himself back up, looked down into her eyes and let his hands surround her face as he dropped a sensual kiss to her lips. When their lips parted, her hands were sliding between the black tuxedo jacket and his white crisp linen shirt. He helped by shrugging it off, and it hit the floor.

Her fingers grazed the front of his chest and there was no doubt in her mind that hard firm muscles laid beneath that white material. He smiled down at her as she began to unbutton one at a time. The second she had his shirt off, she wanted to nuzzle her face against his naked muscular chest for many nights to come, but tonight her hands wandered over his chest like a fine piece of sculpted art. She greatly appreciated all his hours in the gym it must take to stay in this kind of shape.

As her fingers began to unhook his trousers, his hands stopped her. His husky voice filled her ears with passion. "You have me so turned on, that I want to take care of you first."

She could not argue with a man this handsome and willing to gift her the pleasure of an orgasm before him. She let him take his fingers and glide her red silk panties down her legs. The moment he laid her back on his couch, and stood over her as he took his trousers off the rest of the way, along with the rest of his attire, she was in a sensual spiral. He looked down at her naked with a hard-on jutting out towards her.

She licked her lips and sighed with delight. She watched a devilish grin cross his face as one of his eyebrows raised in question. "The package under the wrapping is even better than I could have hoped for."

A small blush rose in her cheeks as she bit her lip in trepidation. He guided himself between her legs, stroking the skin of her inner thighs, sensually teasing her with his fingers, until he brought extreme pleasure to her that her voice sang out in pleasure. She came quick, but knew that she had more in her.

She watched him rise up and position himself. The second he entered her with a stretch her body revived with a carnal passion of desire. His strong arms held him over her as he pulsed in and out. The feel of their naked skin glided back and forth as her mind went to a euphoric spot of nothing but passionate desire for the man.

Their moans of pleasure escalated over the romantic music as their bodies united in ultimate pleasure. The brushing of naked skin, their own music of moans filling the air and the desire unleashed between them had an orgasmic ending of trembling electric pulses in her body as he growled out in possession.

The moment his lips dropped to hers for a soft sensual kiss; she knew that her best Christmas gift came right when she needed it most.

It was not long before the sensual overload on their skin had them cuddling as they talked. He worked on the top floor of the corporation as an executive. He had seen her around, but she was always focused on her work.

Tonight's party, he had one mission and that was to find her for a dance. He laughed and then said the next thing as if Christmas miracles do come true. "Then I saw you, standing there in that killer red sexy dress, looking like the best present ever. You had a look of desperation on your face like you wanted to leave, but the moment our eyes locked, that desperation was replaced with a naughty sensual smile."

She laughed lightly then replied. "I left a cab driver awfully mad outside the party."

"Well sometimes you just have to do what's best for you."

As they talked lightly, the holiday music played in the background, and they seemed more comfortable than she had ever felt with a man.

She watched him get up to turn on the fireplace, walking gloriously naked around comfortably with a semi hard on. She accepted his offer of a glass of warm brandy when he returned to be with her.

Maybe it was the buzz of the brandy, but she grabbed her red dress to cover herself and began to dance around the room slowly to the sultry music coming from the speakers. He watched her take a point step and sing out in a sultry voice to the song. "I really can't stay."

He smiled as he echoed out the words. "Hey baby it's cold outside."

She let her body feel alive and sensual to the music. The afterglow of her orgasm and their ability to connect had her feeling naughtier than ever. This was not ending tonight. He mentioned wanting to cook her breakfast as he turned on the gas fireplace. She felt comfortable with him.

As the last verse ended, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into him on the couch. She giggled as he nuzzled his lips against her neck as he tenderly massaged her shoulders as they began to snuggle up in a cozy position naked.

The following Monday at work, her sister called for an update on the party. She told her that it was better than her wildest dreams. Just as she was begging for details, in walked her holiday present.

This time he was dressed in a dark navy suit with a white dress shirt and dark blue and grey striped tie that made his eyes sparkle. In his hand was a huge bouquet of red and white roses filled with baby's breath and greenery. However, the smile on his face told her that he remembered every single detail from their night together and when he told her he wanted to see her again, she had to wonder. As he walked into her office and knocked on the open door, bouquet of roses outstretched, sexy smile on his face and a parade of curious onlookers behind him looking towards her in question, she felt her body rush with excitement.

Her sister's voice echoed out on the phone. "Hello? Jemma, are you there?" Jemma finally found her voice to reply. "I'll call you back." She hung up and looked at the man who had made her so happy while making love just two days ago.

His voice stroked her skin as he stepped inside and asked. "Santa's elf here to say, it's ok to be naughty and save the jolly old man a trip."

She stood up and walked towards him with a sexy smile on her face. She took the bouquet of roses and then laid a soft gentle kiss on his lips. "Well then Santa's helper, I suppose we should do something about that, like a really long lunch." **The End.**

Dear readers,

Grab your soft blankets, warm socks, hot drinks of delight and your ereader. Take this holiday to load up on new e-books, or a new reader if you must. Find the pleasure in reading a new independent author or one of your old-time publisher favorites. Take that time to escape the hectic holidays by letting your mind unwind with stories of your choice.

Thanks to independent writers and self-publishing, there are so many new kinds of books out there. Although they are not always perfect, nor is the price high. The writers get pleasure in providing for you while you support their hobby turning into a career. For that, may I speak on behalf of all independent writers in thanking you for your patronage and financial support.

As I am fast approaching my third year of writing, taking a bit of this last year off to work a 'finger quote' normal job, I must say that I have not been able to supply my readers with a witty chaotic fiction, a smile induced mystery or my ever-famous steamy romances lately. I have been busy working a city job, which has been supplying me with more than enough interesting characters and laughs to fill up several books, but more so, pad the old college fund which is just about three years away for my oldest son - yikes!

However, in spite of my desire to get my new series out to my readers, I have been working on a country romance series of novellas - break out the big trucks and cowgirl boots. I have been doing some yee-hawing.

In between working on those books, I did want to take some time and give a holiday read to my readers who have supported me. Don't forget to download my free e-read from 2011 Holiday Short Stories, use price match where the book is charged a fee.

I love short story writing because it lets me get out a story that is itching to tap out on the keyboard while my life of two active teen boys, a husband with his own business and now me with my job gobbles up so much of my spare time. 2014 promises to be a year full of new books that have been chugging along, and they are about to be released.

I would like to thank Pandora for its lovely romantic Christmas selection for aiding in writing these stories. Nothing like a good dose of romantic holiday music to get a girl writing.

I hope you enjoyed my holiday gift to you. May the holidays be magical. CJ Hawk

Other Available e-books

Back in the winter of 2011, I wrote a few short stories for my readers and offered them for free. Then came 2012 and I updated the stories, added one and recently republished for my readers to give them a little Holiday delight. On most ereaders, it will be free of charge, however on some, I do not have that control but I offer it at the lowest price of $.99. You can also get a copy of the stories at my website. hhtp://www.cjhawk.com

Some women are born with Common Sense and an intuition that guides them through life unscathed, but not, Amber Jones. She was born a nice Catholic girl but found her rebellious calamitous way by making one mistake after another without much of a life lesson learned, however, that is all about to change. Or is it?

Often in life, you are given choices. One that is clear, concise, and common sense, the other one, well let's call him TROUBLE for short. You are given these choices to make your life easier as the happy caring gods are smiling down on you thinking, you go girl, here you are, your two choices; we know you will make the right one. Then the blue-sky turns an ominous steel gray full of thunderclouds and lightning begins to strike; gale-force winds begin to blow as you make the wrong choice. It's not like you saw all the warning signs. Blue sky to dark. Lightning. Gail force winds. But hey, if you always made the right choices, life would be one very boring highway. Doing what becomes oneself, doesn't always make common sense, but it sure makes life fun.

What does Amber Jones do when a man who seems perfect comes along just when she starts making one mistake after another? Perfection is the farthest thing from Amber Jones horizon. Sure, she has a great job, a nice body, hair that is manageable and a closet that she could brag about at a fraction of its cost due to her thrifty shopping techniques - what more could a woman want? A lot! What she does not have, at the almost ripe age of thirty, is a plan to set the next thirty years in motion without all the continuing chaos or drama that she likes to entertain her family and best friend Marion with.

With all intensive purpose of growing up and making something out of her life, Amber has diligently supplied herself with one of her famous plan of action lists. She wants to take college courses to appease her mom, without quitting her great job with benefits. She would like her boyfriend to take things just a bit more serious, and perhaps do some mature activities like volunteer work, versus spending her entire Sunday watching movie marathons after spending the entire Saturday night embarrassing herself at a karaoke bar.

All it took was one night, one very crazy chaotic drunken night on her part, to turn everything around. Depending on if, she is heading in the right direction when it all settles is up to Amber and her grown-up decisions, or does she find a way to muck it up again?

Lights, camera, quiet on the set please, and action. Jennifer Jones led her young life like some girl's dream of; dance classes, acting classes, private performance teachers. Where did that get her? With a degree in journalism, and the fact that she cannot catch a prime time break. She is left with only short clips and neurotic stories that may, or may not, get some airtime. Her not so glamorous career has shipped her out to some lonely mountain town to cover a news interest story on some whack that thinks he is the Star Ship Enterprise Captain. What she wants is that big news story that lands her in prime-time television, or is it? The minute she sets her baby blues on the son of said whack job, she is smitten with attraction. Can this back country mountain town steal her heart or will the next big news story draw her back into the spotlight?

This short story packs a full story plot with moments of enough romance to let your imagination go wild and plenty of heart felt situation that have you cheering for a happy ending.

Some girls have all the luck, and I'm not one of them. I've gotten myself into some really sticky situations all my life, but this one beats them all. Who can say they had dinner with a dead man? Me. That's who. Add to that, I am currently unemployed and will take any measly bone a person might throw a dog. I am licking that dog bowl for odd jobs that pay cash, as I collect my unemployment check. All this, while trying to please my mother's need to marry me off before it's too late. Between blind dates, odd jobs while looking for a job, interviews with stellar type people - not, I wind up having dinner with a blind date to only be attending his funeral within a week's time.

When trouble strikes, Kia is there. If disaster is dealt, Kia holds the cards. If catastrophe is calling, Kia will answer it. All a girl needs to cope with all of this is her three best friends and maybe a handsome hero. Old Sheriff Cleat has had his fair share of bailing Kia out of trouble or coming to her rescue, but the last one has put him out of commission. There is a new Sheriff in town, and the local women are all a twitter - literally. Kia gets her first run-in with the handsome new sheriff just after she runs her car up a hillside while watching him jog without his shirt on. By week's end, the new sheriff is beginning to think that Kia is either short for catastrophe, or she is trying to find ways to spend more time with him. Kia's best friends have spent a lifetime of dealing with Kia and her God-given attraction to trouble, but they also know Kia needs a man like the sheriff to keep her in line and bail her out once in a while. While Kia quickly becomes short on temper with the handsome hero, she isn't short on need and quickly realizes that having a man like the sheriff on her side isn't such a bad idea after all, but will the corner of Trouble and Catastrophe keep them apart?

Hollywood takes in Alabama, but not for long. One woman thought she wanted the glamorous life but what she got was a backstabbing best friend and her spot on prime-time television for the entire world to see. Back home, no one seemed to care that she had gone and screwed up her life, but there was one question on the tip of her own tongue that kept repeating itself. "Why'd you have to go a do a thing like that?" Not once did she see it coming, but when she went about making the same mistakes back home in Alabama, she knew she needed to get her wits about her. Only problem was, that the one man who mattered most might have decided she was too much drama to handle. It wasn't her fault that she was born with a magical drama disaster wand or was it? Could she learn to be the woman she was raised to be and let the man of her dreams know how much she loves him back, or is it too late, and he decides that loving her hurts too much to be rejected again? Sometimes a southern man knows that if you love someone, she is worth it all in the end. Can this starlet claim Sweet Home Alabama once again? Favorite quote that describes it all. "I was born with a tiara on my head and magical wand that created plumes of drama whenever I waved it."

Can one very feisty artistic woman find comfort and forgiveness in the arms of a man who killed to protect our country, serving as a Navy Seal? It takes a calm levelheaded man to face up to the attitude of one Natasha Kova, a famous artist; whose paintings sell for a price more than Sam Cole's Harley. Natasha's life did not start out easy, and her lack of trust was understandable but Sam Cole wanted nothing more than to love her and protect her. Would Natasha's jealousy and lack of trust push Sam away or would he follow through at the end and not leave a man behind to succumb to their own devices? The passion these two feel could be the explosive device to end their relationship, or it could very well be the reason they find each other in their loving arms once again.

What happens when a book shy girl, grows up dreaming about her next-door neighborhood boy as her dream fantasy man to marry, then runs into him while trying to find her wild side. When Mary Catherine O'Reilly, Mary Cate to her friends, finally succumbs to her best friend's wishes to take her lifestyle up a notch, crazy and wild things happen. Crazy as in doing things a reserved kindergarten teacher would never think about doing, wild as in experiencing the best orgasms of her life with the man of her dreams in places she would never have thought possible. When one-man tugs at your fantasy heart strings for so long and then to have it happen for real, a girl can fall hard. Only one problem, when that man finally gets to fulfill his dreams of having her and is afraid to commit, he can find many ways to make her feel as if he just doesn't have the time now.

A wrench gets thrown in her plans to get wild and crazy for one summer, when her best friend who started all this, ups and marries a man she has only known for twenty-four hours in Vegas. What is even crazier is, the man her best friend marries, is her fantasy man's older brother. Planning a wedding, the demanding MIL insists on throwing, so that the marriage can be celebrated by the entire family causing irritations to rise. Mary Cate finds herself in a tug of war of emotions with the man of her dreams. Can one crazy fast planned wedding bring them together again or will Mary Cate decide she needs a man who can commit instead of finding ways to go around commitment?

Caribbean bound with her best friend until a sip of bad luck makes everything go foggy and dark. Next thing Katy Beck knows is that either her best friend is playing a bad joke, or she just stole her husband, her money and her looks. To make things worse, she just got dumped on the porch of an old run down shack in the middle of a mountain with only her beach bound attire.

Katy had a way of making the worse seem better and maybe a good guardian angel or two. As luck would have it, she was plopped right in the lap of one very hot war hero and famous journalist. However, life isn't always as easy as it seems and Katy wants to make sure she offers more back in her life then a set of DDs and a pretty smile.

With every trick of the trade, Sabrina left a trail of misery for Katy. However, that is nothing a good sense of humor and new friends can't take care of. Plus, a little shiny thing called gold doesn't hurt either.

Sidney Sampson had no idea that one fateful day; while doing fieldwork, investigating a dead officer's crime scene, her whole life would change. One man, who should be dead, flutters his eyelashes on her cheek. While Sidney squirms needlessly to get off the dead cop's body, from the recent bomb explosion that landed her there. What happens next is a total misunderstanding between them. The flutter of his lashes and the firm member of his anatomy told her that dead men don't blink twice.

Once a simple life and career, following the footsteps of her father who raised her alone, Sidney was more than ready for change. Her job as a police coroner wasn't her dream job, but it was where life led her while growing up without a mother. In fact, her whole life was in dire need of change. She wanted a better job, but had no idea what. She wanted more fun friends, but only ended up with dull boring friends. She wanted to find her feminine wiles along with a sex life, and all she has gotten lately was a kiss on the forehead after a blind date, and a boring closet filled with durable work khakis and brown comfortable work loafers.

Life is about to change for Sidney. Could she learn how to be her own woman, finding more purpose in life without falling head over heels in love with a man who is so wrong for her in so many ways?

Some girls just can't catch a break. One-minute Samoa Moore's life had reached a breaking point, and she just had to get away from the life that was dragging her down. The next minute one very hot war hero cop has her slammed up against his police cruiser, and she realizes her plan is not going accordingly. Her body's reaction immediately betrays her attitude of do it alone from here on out.

Officer Matt Bourne is no stranger to women the likes of Samoa. However, he can't help but want to do the honorable thing and protect her. Her irresistible sex appeal is too much for his do right attitude, and Matt's do right attitude makes Samoa realize that falling back on a man isn't so weak after all.

With Samoa's seedy past fast at her heels, will she get the second chance she deserves, all while falling in love with the man who saved her or will things fall apart once more?

When two young hearts experience their share of heartache, the last thing they want is to fall in love. Coming back home to take care of a parent with Alzheimer's is enough to make a man insane. Insane enough to fall for a woman that he can't take his mind off of. One that is only visiting his old hometown, that's just like Mayberry, to escape a past that hurt her. This relaxed laid-back town can't slow the pace of their fast beating hearts.

With a guarded heart and a knack for making the big corporate money, Jill Waltz was no stranger to going it alone. Then one crazy drunken night she is caught in several compromising positions with her married boss, and she knew her life was about to be turned upside down. First of which, she was to be shipped to the branch office in the middle of nowhere. Little did she know that the man that stole her heart ten years ago would show up in the same place to discover that their love never extinguished. Leaving her wondering if happily-ever-after does exist or will she mess up this second chance and hope that third times a charm.

Some suburban moms just can't catch a break. There is humor in raising kids, guinea pigs, soccer moms and Nutella. Toss in two new roommates to make ends meet, crazy daily chaos and a desire to have the green grass she once had, and you get a story about a mom that makes it all work out. A light, uplifting read, that any mom could easily relate to. Humor in all the right spots and just a touch of romance to give it all a happy ending.

This book is dedicated to all the moms in my life. We have laughed through the most diverse oddities and cried about the worst. We talk about our kids with hopes and wishes, and we complain about them like nobody's business. We are the most important people in our family's lives, yet we are often the most under appreciated. This book is to you. May you remember that the grass IS NOT always greener on the other side.

Metaphorically speaking, we as women are our own worse critics. We need these things, so we can look in the mirror to say, 'ah, my grass is looking pretty green'. If it takes a box of hair color, a new outfit or to shed a few pounds to make the grass seem green, then so be it. However, Maybelline Briggs isn't looking for the Holy Grail of Eternal Youth, just a way to get back on her feet through all the chaos.

Light hearty funny mystery with quirky characters and laughable discretions. Chick Lit General Audience meets Funny Mystery.

Sometimes luck gets turned around, so what does a gal have to do in this town to get it back? Fired from her secret government job seemed like the tip of the iceberg in her streak of bad luck. However, that was nothing compared to the business of leprechauns, frozen bank accounts, credit cards, and having to drive an eighty's green Gremlin car around town.

With the luck of the Irish on her side, Katie McAllister, endures a calamity of eccentricity to get her luck back while solving the mystery of the leprechaun. With the help of old friends and new, and a very adorable white puppy, she not only gets her luck back; she finds the man that almost got away.

This quirky chick lit mystery will have you smiling or shaking your head in disbelief at every chapter. In the end, you'll be quoting the Irish.

The corporate world has an unwritten set of rules that could make it is easy to be caught up in the intrigue of it all, while trying to make your way to the top. Jennifer Everest knew that setting standards for herself that some might seem as extreme also fought against her nature of something else. Then along comes an attraction that is so strong it is hard to ignore, and she wants to break all those rules. Can one woman who dominates in the boardroom and bedroom, allow herself to be submissive to a man in order to get what they both want in the end? Steamy Novella.

Country Home Romance Series Coming Soon!

The road home can seem lonely, but the moment your heart is home things always seem to work themselves out. One woman left her worries behind, only to find out that life isn't any better away from home. Family is where her heart belongs and perhaps a love that was lost will find its way back.

Trying to fit in where others think you don't belong is a hard thing to do. Some girls just got to put on their boots and pull up their britches. There is no wrong side to the ranch if you just open your heart and whistle a country tune.

Growing up in the country had her dreaming of nothing more than leaving it for the big lights of the city. Yet coming home for a tragedy seems to have pulled her back to her roots. Going country can happen to any girl at any point in her life, it's just that some particular times are better than others. AND MANY MORE COUNTRY ROMANCES COMING SOON!

hhtp://www.cjhawk.com

This is a fictional story with no reference to real people or places. Any similar names are strictly coincidental and have been created in the author's mind purely for fun or reference. Every character created is from the author's imagination; every place or name created is to give the reader a mental image of where the story takes place. If the story lists an actual person, place or thing, all information in the story is purely reference or to give the reader a mental idea about the location but does not in any way dictate the true nature of that area. Any reference in a story by this author that could be seen as prejudice is not a true semblance of the author's ideals, it is strictly to create a character in the story and allows the reader an idea of how that character might think or feel. Author reserves the right to place any books on sale or promotional price at her discretion. This book cannot be made into print form without the authors consent.

