Christmas Kisses, page 1
Christmas Kisses
Copyright © 2019 by Loni Ree
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue 1
Epilogue 2
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Loni Ree
Prologue
Sophie
“Sweetheart, watch how much you drink tonight. You don’t want another ‘Lennox rumor’ for everyone to spread, now do you?”
While Mom shakes her head sadly, my sister, Megan, rolls her eyes and mouths, “Don’t worry.” It’s a well-known fact that the Lennoxes don’t do well with alcohol.
The last time Megan got drunk, she’d spent the whole evening at Lucky’s pouring cheap margaritas into her best friend, Tricia, who needed support because she’d just discovered that her husband was sleeping with his secretary. Somehow, while inebriated, my sister and her sidekick hatched a brilliant plan to get back at the asshole. Now, months later, the whole town still talks about the anniversary party from hell with the very special dick cake. Megan’s bakery, Sweet Treats, created a cake with a huge fondant dick displayed across the top, with the message, “Wanted you to finally have a big dick. Our accounts are now as small as YOUR dick,” and presented it to Tom at what should have been his and Tricia’s second anniversary party. Instead, it turned into a party to announce their divorce. Tricia is much better off without the jerk, and there’s yet another tipsy Lennox story to tell.
Tonight, Megan and Tricia are dragging me out to celebrate Tricia’s freedom since her divorce became final yesterday. We’ll see how this turns out. At least, where we’re going, no one should know us so there won’t be any new Lennox stories!
Chapter 1
Sophie
My head is pounding to the beat of the music that’s blaring through the dimly lit room. Since we arrived several hours ago, Megan and Tricia have danced and flirted their way through the bar while I hold down the table. Partying isn’t something I do well. When they stumble back to the table, Megan notices the empty glasses and starts looking around for the waiter.
Knowing I’ve hit my limit, I decide to head her off. “I think I’ve had enough. You know two margaritas is pushing it for me.”
As usual, Megan ignores me as she rolls her eyes and signals for the waiter to bring another round of drinks. Since my legs are feeling like rubber, another round is a very bad idea.
I’m trying hard to have a good time, but I’m still missing my little buddy. My jerk neighbors complained about the adorable German Shepherd puppy I was fostering, and my asshole landlord forced me to find a new foster family for him. Ever since I dropped him off, I’ve missed the little puppy like crazy. Megan’s right; I need to find a new apartment, but I never have the time or desire to look.
While my mind is wandering, Megan hip checks me to get my attention. “Hey, stop pouting. We’re here to have fun.” When the next round of drinks arrives, I promise myself this is the last.
Midway through the bad idea drink, my thoughts are interrupted. “You see that mistletoe hanging over there?” Megan slurs as she points to the green sprig stuck above the hallway leading to the private dining area. “I bet you my blue Louboutins that you won’t kiss the next guy that walks under the mistletoe.” My mouth drops open in shock as Megan raises her eyebrow and smirks. She knows I love those shoes. I practically drool every time she wears them.
After considering my options for a moment, I decide to find out more details on her bet. “How involved does this kiss have to be?” I need to make sure I won’t get myself arrested for a pair of shoes. Fabulous, expensive, way out of my “still paying student loans” price-range shoes. In the back of my mind, I know I’ll regret letting the alcohol and Megan talk me into this insane idea.
“Just a kiss, on the mouth.” Megan smirks, and I look over at Tricia, who’s shaking her head. Tricia realizes this is another Lennox story in the making.
As the silent message passes between me and Tricia, Megan screeches, “Oh my God, he’s perfect! Get your ass over there before he gets to the mistletoe,” and shoves me off of my barstool. After barely managing to catch myself, I turn and stumble again when I see Mr. Drop Dead Gorgeous walking in the door of the bar.
“Holy shit, he’s hot,” Tricia mumbles behind me, and I nod in agreement. This guy is tall, and I mean really tall. And he’s hot. Smoking hot. I’m betting his business suit is custom made, the way it fits his tall, muscular body so perfectly. His arrogant face has just enough stubble to give him a little bit of a bad boy look.
Before I realize what’s happening, I’ve made my decision and am moving toward my prey. Since I don’t have a solid plan, I decide surprise is my only option. When I get close, I look up into his chocolate brown eyes and point above his head. “Look, mistletoe.” He blinks several times, then his mouth drops open in shock, and I take that as an invitation to wrap my hands around his neck and pull his head down for my kiss. The second our lips meet, my body lights up from the inside as electricity moves through me. He groans in the back of his throat and pulls me into his strong arms. While his tongue explores the inside of my mouth, he drags me closer, and I feel every inch of his hard body up against mine. As I melt into his strong frame, his hardness presses into my stomach, causing me to lose sense of our surroundings until I’m rudely reminded that we aren’t alone.
“Sorry, bud, but you’re taking up the whole fucking hallway,” is slurred as my mastery man jerks out of our kiss suddenly, and I blink several times to clear the fog from my mind. A very drunk jerk is holding on to my guy in an attempt to stay on his feet.
When my guy looks back at me apologetically and winks, mouthing, “One second,” mortification overrides the alcohol as the realization that I just passionately kissed a stranger in the middle of Old Timer’s Tavern washes through me. While his back is turned, I overhear his conversation. “Let me help you to a barstool…” Without considering the consequences, I run for the exit. Luckily, Megan and Tricia catch up with me out on the sidewalk.
“Hey, why did you run? That guy looked like he was really into you.” An out of breath Megan grabs my arm as I hail a cab.
“How could you let me kiss a stranger?” I turn and blast her.
“It’s not a big deal. We’re miles from home. No one knows us around here. There won’t be any new Lennox stories back home in Naverton. You don’t have to worry about Mom hearing about this.” She tries to reassure me as memories of the kiss run through my mind. During the cab ride to Tricia’s house, regret blasts through me. I don’t even know my mystery man’s name.
Jason
Rushing to a work dinner party after a busy day at work, I’m shocked when my dream girl walks up and kisses me under the mistletoe. Looking into her bright green eyes sends my senses into overdrive. The urge to kiss all the freckles on her cheeks and follow them down past her collarbone to see how far down her body they go slams through me. Unfortunately, she slips away while my back is turned. I spend the rest of the weekend pissed at my crappy luck and wanting to kick my own ass for letting her get away. I should’ve let the drunk asshole hit the ground after he plowed into my back. She ran while I helped the bastard to a barstool. Afterwards, I searched the Tavern and asked around, but no one knew the beautiful brunette or her friends. The girls paid cash for their drinks, so there’s no way to trace their credit cards.
By Sunday afternoon, I’ve given up hope of finding my girl, which has turned me into Scrooge himself. I never did make it to the dinner, and Jordan has tried to call several times, but I keep ignoring him. After I Jordan’s attempts to reach me go unanswered, Candace starts calling every hour. Being one of a set of triplets is awesome until you want time alone. Then, it’s impossible to hide from other two. After those two fail, my uncle’s calls begin. My nerves can’t take the unceasing aggravation, and I finally turn my phone off to get a little peace.
“You’re an asshat for letting me worry all weekend long. At least pick up your phone and say I’m alive,” Candace screeches as I walk through the lobby of Kane & Associates. As I get to my office door, I turn and smile at my sister. “I’m alive.” Luckily, Uncle Harris is walking past and starts talking to Candace before she has the opportunity to follow me.
Shortly after the three of us graduated law school, we started working at Uncle Harris’ law firm. It’s a little annoying at times, working with close family, but I wouldn’t give it up for the world. When we were teenagers, our parents died in an accident, and U
I’m staring at the computer screen, trying to get my head on work. When my office door flies open, I roll my eyes as Jordan strolls in. “Candy is on the warpath now. She woke me up at six a.m., wanting me to call the police because you never showed up at the dinner. I convinced her that you were fine, just being an asshole, but I’d hide out for a while if I were you.”
“I met a girl,” I blurt out.
Jordan’s mouth falls open before he stutters, “You blew off a dinner with a client because you met a girl?”
As I shake my head no, Jordan raises an eyebrow and waits for me to continue. “I met my Holly.” Jordan should understand what I’m feeling since he instantly fell in love with his next-door neighbor a few months ago. Our family has given him hell for how fast their relationship is moving, but we’re also incredibly happy for him.
Understanding dawns in his eyes, and he whistles under his breath before he smiles widely. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Don’t be. I lost her.” He blinks several times as I tell him the whole story. When I’m done, he suggests using our investigators to look for my girl. Figuring I have nothing to lose, I ask for a meeting with the head investigator and initiate a search for my gorgeous, mystery woman. A search that’s basically a needle in a haystack since I don’t know anything about her except a vague description.
Chapter 2
Jason
The week drags by slowly without any leads on my girl’s identity. It takes groveling and promises, but Candace finally forgives me for ignoring her calls last weekend. I dread the coming weekend and the firm’s annual Christmas party. This year will be especially difficult, knowing Jordan is going to bring his new love and I lost mine.
On Friday night, Candace is waiting for me in the hotel lobby. “I’m happy you showed up tonight.” I roll my eyes at her dig. Maybe she hasn’t completely forgiven me. We’re standing with Uncle Harris when Jordan and Holly arrive. My brother and the gorgeous redhead make a striking couple.
It’s not a Kane & Associates Christmas without a little drama, and after dinner, one of the bitchy secretaries causes a scene when she accuses Jordan of using Holly. Luckily, Holly doesn’t believe the troublemaker, and Uncle Harris and Jordan have her escorted from the dinner. I look at Candace and shake my head; this has been a trying night. As I turn away, a woman walking by the entrance catches my eye. She strongly resembles my girl.
Without thinking, I head to the door and follow her down the hall. When I reach the corner, she turns to the side and I get a good view of her face. My mystery girl is walking down the hallway, and my memory didn’t do her justice.
Before I can rush after her, my head slams into the wall as the kitchen door flies open, sending me reeling backward. Then, a tiny blonde comes rushing through. When she sees me staggering and holding the back of my head, she cries out, “Oh my God. I’m so sorry.”
Blinking several times to clear the lights flashing behind my eyelids, I swallow down the nausea before I try to respond. “No problem. I was in the way.” As I pull my hand away, the blood covering my fingers causes the dizziness to return, and my assailant grabs my hand and leads me to an empty room to sit down.
“Meghan is going to kill me. Let me look at your head, then I’ll get ice for it.” Her screeches cause the nausea to intensify, and I groan. I lay my head on the table and pray for the room to quit spinning. The blonde returns with another woman and places an icepack on my head while explaining to a redhead, “There’s never anyone walking down the back hall. I just threw the door open and bam. He went down.”
“Holy shit,” the redhead shrieks, and my eyes slam shut in pain. “Don’t you recognize him? He’s Louboutin man.” My ears perk up. I’ve never heard myself compared to expensive shoes before tonight.
“No freaking way. Sophie is going to have a heart attack.” As the conversation is flowing around me, I close my eyes and pray the hammer banging through my skull kills me soon. In the back of my mind, I remember that I’m losing my chance with my dream girl, but right now, I’m too sick and dizzy to do anything about it. After the two chirping birds finally agree that I need medical assistance, one grabs some poor server to help drag my nearly deadweight ass out the back door. Evidently, they figure it’ll look bad for their bakery if anyone finds out they’ve damaged a guest. Hello, it’ll look worse when the guest dies. I need help.
Hanging on to the seat and praying, I decide I probably would have been safer driving myself, concussion and all, since the blonde’s driving skills are non-existent. “Please don’t get us killed before we get to the hospital,” I moan, and the crazy woman looks at me and glares. Figuring her driving has to be better when she’s looking at the road, I decide to stay quiet the rest of the ride.
By some miracle, we manage to arrive alive, and I somehow keep my dinner inside my body. I almost kiss the doctor when he tells my assailant-slash-rescuer that he’ll take over my care. As my luck would have it, she refuses to leave my side, and I’m in no condition to argue. It’s a typical Friday night in the emergency room, and we end up waiting for hours.
“Is he okay?” It’s the redhead from the party standing outside the emergency room cubicle. “Yes, they said he’ll need a couple of staples and a ride home. Nothing major, just a good knock to the head,” her accomplice whispers.
“Thank God. I’d hate to explain to Sophie that you permanently damaged the guy she’s been mooning over.” My ears perk up. This conversation is starting to interest me.
“Ladies, who’s Sophie?” They both turn shocked eyes toward me as I ask, and I realize they totally forgot I was lying right behind them.
“My sister. She cleaned your tonsils off in Old Timer’s Tavern last Friday night.” Both women giggle and groan. Even through the pain, I relax for the first time in a week. I’ve finally got a lead on my girl.
I’m about to question them about my girl when the doctor breezes in and kicks the ditzy duo out to fix up my head. They promise to stay and take me home, so I lie on my stomach and try to relax through the pain. After the torture, the doctor gives my two friends instructions then discharges me. Before I know it, the redhead has taken charge and is leading me out of the hospital.
“Just drop me off at the hotel. My car’s there,” I mumble as I fall into the death trap again. This time, I’m sprawled across the backseat, hoping to be further from the possible impact. Relief flows through me as the car pulls to a stop, and I drag myself into a seated position. Looking out the window, I see the front of a cute two-story home with a wrap-around porch covered in Christmas lights. It hits me then; the ditzy duo have kidnapped me.
“What the…” I groan as loudly as the pounding in my head will allow.
“We wanted to talk to you about my sister. Don’t get your panties in a twist. You’re safe.” As the redhead rolls her eyes, the other conspirator snorts. This may be my chance to find out about my mystery girl, so I fight back the pain and allow the two women to help me into the house.
It takes a while. These two take more tangents than a geometry test, but I finally get the entire story of last Friday night. I’m not too pleased that it started out as a bet over shoes, but I’ll get over it. Megan, the sister, assures me that Sophie has regretted running out on me since that night, which soothes my ruffled feathers a little. I still plan to make my little shoe-loving angel pay for my suffering.
The ditzy duo gives me the perfect opportunity to get my girl. I can’t believe I’m taking advice from these two, but they swear Sophie will love my gesture. As Tricia drives me home, I shake my head and laugh to myself. My family would have a field day if they could see me now. I’m usually the level-headed triplet, and I’m about to adopt a dog to get the girl.
