Page 48 of Naughty Santa

“You’re from California. You don’t know how to even walk on snow.”

“I just drove here,” Paris said proudly, but Joe ignored her.

“You know nothing about chicken wire or wrenches or Garth Brooks.”

“Fine. You’re right. But…” She stepped closer and put her hand back on his chest again, this time leaving it there. Over his heart. “But I know you. I know how you make me feel. I know I’ve never felt like this before. I know I can’t imagine not feeling it every single day for the rest of my life.”

Emotions swirled in his eyes. He swallowed hard. “You turned them down?”

“Down flat. They offered more money. Other jobs. Whatever I wanted.” She gripped his shirt in her fist. “And I said no.”

Finally, Joe blew out a long breath, reaching out to grasp her wrist. “Paris, I can’t ask you to stay. I can’t ask you to give everything up.”

“You didn’t ask,” she pointed out. “This is my decision and mine alone.”

“You have a life back in L.A.”

She lifted one shoulder, shrugging. “I exist in L.A., but I live in North Pole. I love this place, the people, the Holly Jolly.” Shegave him a tremulous smile, aware he seemed to have missed her first proclamation. She wasn’t sure if that was because she’d blindsided him or because he didn’t want to hear it. Paris needed to know, so she put herself out there one more time. “I love you.”

Joe’s shoulders relaxed, his tight expression gone. “Thank God. Because I love you too.”

He started to pull her close and lean in, but she stopped him.

“Hang on. I’ve got something for you.”

“You do?” He looked puzzled because her hands were clearly empty.

She stepped back, pulled off the hat, kicked off the boots, and then she opened the coat.

His eyes heated as she shrugged it off.

“That’s a really big bow,” he said, his voice gravelly.

The bow had been wrapped around Santa’s chair at the Holly Jolly before Santa Joe had arrived. She’d found it draped over the table in the back room, so she’d grabbed it and wrapped it around herself like a Miss America sash. The bow settled right over her belly button.

In other words, it covered nothing.

“Yeah, well, you need a huge bow for a big package for a very, very, naughty Santa,” she told him with a wink.

“I thought I had the big package,” he said, stepping forward.

“Oh, you do.” Her seductive tone was ruined by her voice breaking as her emotions bubbled up and spilled over. “But all of this with us, everything…is big. Really big.”

“And naughty,” he added.

“So naughty,” she whispered.

He cupped her face and looked down at her with an adoration that Paris had never seen directed her way before. “Yeah, it is. And that calls for a big bow for sure. And…” He bent forward, putting his shoulder right against that bow, then stood,lifting her over his shoulder just like he had the first day they met.

She shrieked with surprise. “Joe!”

“And a big cup of hot cocoa.”

Paris immediately settled as he carried her to the couch in front of the fireplace. “Ooh, I hope you have a big candy cane for me too.”

He tossed her onto the cushions, following her down. “Don’t worry, California girl, Santa’s got everything you need.”

EPILOGUE

---