“I’d never hurt her intentionally. You have my word.” I know these are just words to him, but I will prove I’m worth putting his faith in.
“Good. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…call me Chris.” He flashes me a quick grin as Misty comes barreling out of the back room.
“Did I miss anything?” she questions as her head swivels back and forth to look at both of us.
“When were you going to tell me your name was Mistletoe?” I change the subject, not wanting to throw her dad under the bus.
“If you were more observant, you would have noticed already.” She taps the name tag on her uniform as she walks right past me. “I need to get back to the shop so my dad can eat his lunch is peace.”
My eyes widen in shock. How the hell did I miss that on her nametag?
“No rush, sweetie. It’s a slow day, I’m going to wait for my pizza to arrive and head home.” Her dad winks at me while she can’t see.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” she says before ducking out the door.
I follow her out the door toward the truck, which seems to have been transported out of a Hallmark movie.
“What do you think? I told you it was a little conspicuous.” Misty gives me a bright smile as she leans against the side of a cherry-red 1957 Chevy fleet side pickup truck with a white top.
As I walk closer to the truck, images of her chocolate-brown hair spread across the white leather seats as I make her mine fill my mind.
Didn’t her father just warn me away from treating his daughter like anything other than a princess? But I can’t help myself.
I notice some mistletoe hanging from the antenna of the truck and get an idea. I stalk toward her, caging her in with my arms.
She stands up straight, looking around nervously. “What are you doing Lucas?”
“Just following tradition,” I mumble before capturing her lips with mine once again.
Unlike last time, Misty wraps her arms around my neck.
“The things I want to do to you, little Mistletoe,” I growl as I nip and suck along the collar of her uniform. “The only thing missing is a flat surface.”
She gives my chest a gentle push, and I take a step back. I should probably apologize for attacking her in the parking lot, but I’m not sorry.
“You’re supposed to kiss someone under the mistletoe, not whenever you see one,” she quips.
I watch as she reaches behind her and opens the door before sliding in.
“Semantics.” I flash her one of my panty-dropping smiles before shutting the door and heading toward the passenger side. Before I open the door, I take a deep breath and adjust the bulge in my pants.
“I would let you drive it, but my dad loves this thing more than me.”
“I sincerely doubt that,” I respond, gently placing my bag on the bed before climbing into the passenger side door with Santa’s Sleigh written on it in calligraphy. I slide across the beautiful white leather seats with red piping and buckle in before turning toward Misty. “There is nothing about you not to love, Misty. This truck is something for your dad to drive. You’re something he will cherish forever.”
We stare at each other for what seems like an eternity.
“If you’re not careful, I may start believing you want something from me other than a place to stay,” Misty responds before turning forward and cranking the engine.
“How do you know I don’t?” I mumble under my breath, hoping the rumble of the engine masks my words.
When she doesn’t respond, I take that as a good sign. We drive the short way to the manor, and Misty points out different tourist-type locations along the way.
I know I should be listening, but my mind drifts back to her words from a few moments ago. I didn’t believe love was in the cards for me, especially with my issues in the media, but meeting her is a breath of fresh air. Misty doesn’t have any expectations. She has no idea what I do for a living or what people have been saying behind my back. All she knows is Lucas, the man, and no one else.
Her voice brings me back to the present. “We’re here.”
I immediately take in my new home away from home. Mistletoe Manor isn’t what I expected to see. In my imagination, it was a small cottage with Internet and maybe a nice tree to sit under. Instead, a sprawling colonial-style home with a grand entrance sits before me.
“Not what you were expecting, is it?” Misty asks as she heads for the front door.
“Not even a little,” I respond before jumping out, grabbing my bag, and following behind her.
She quickly opens the door, bringing a cozy entry into view, and toes off her boots. “Take your boots off. I don’t think you want to step in a puddle of ice later.”
I flash her a bright smile as I head toward the small bench by the stairs. As I sit and begin taking off my boots, she continues.
“All the rooms are upstairs obviously.” She points to a small hallway to the left of the bench. “There is a bathroom here, and through here is a living room and the kitchen.”
I quickly stand and follow her into the living room. The space is decorated minimally, with a few Christmas signs and a decorated tree to the left of the entertainment center, framed by two medium-sized couches.
“It’s nothing too fancy, but you won’t want for anything.” Her cheeks darken once again as she continues into the small galley-style kitchen. “I stocked the fridge with some essentials. There are also a few steaks and chicken breasts in the freezer. I wasn’t sure what you would like to eat, but there is a grocery store in town. If there’s anything else you need, just let me know.”
“There is only one thing I need right now.” I stalk toward her, and she backs away from me until she collides with the small bar.
“What might that be?” Her voice quivers as her pupils dilate.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say Misty is as hungry for me as I am for her.
“You.”
I capture her mouth. This time, I have her right where I want her, and I’m not letting her get away.
Chapter 6
Mistletoe
Lucas suddenly lifts me as if I weigh nothing and places me gently on the bar top. “This is your last chance to run, Mistletoe,” he growls as he nibbles his way down my neck. “I have every intention of making you mine tonight. There will be no going back.”
“You’re practically famous, and I’m a small-town Christmas elf,” I respond as a million other reasons it won’t work between us filter through my mind.
“My job makes me famous, but it’s just a job. It doesn’t define who I am as a person, and it sure as hell doesn’t dictate who I am going to be with.” Lucas leans back slightly and cages me in with his arms. “I have never been one to believe in love at first sight until I walked in and saw you.” He continues to stare deeply into my eyes, searching for something, before he continues. “I know it's crazy, but you are the person I can picture spending the rest of my life with. If you tell me no, I will back off, but I know you want this as much as I do.”
Can I take the chance that Lucas wants me for longer than a one-night stand? That I could have a life with him outside of his quick getaway for the Christmas holiday?