Page 2 of Wrapped Up By the Mountain Man

And why had I never seen her around town before?

As I settled into my chair and took notice of the long line of families waiting, a few familiar faces stuck out in the crowd and waved.

Usually, I’d wave back, sayho, ho, hoor something else Christmassy, but my mind wasn’t here.

It was still inside the gingerbread house with Mrs. Claus.

“You good? Feeling okay?” Marty asked, his voice pulling me out of my fog of fantasies.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry. This getup takes some getting used to at first.” I motioned toward the beard and wig. I took a deep breath and sat up straight.Focus, Luke.

“Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, children!” I waved. I stood and waved some more while grabbing my belly and chanting ho, ho, ho.

The little kids loved it and began cheering and clapping.

The cheers grew louder, and when I turned back, I saw Mrs. Claus walking toward me. Bea still looked amazing, even dressed up as an older lady in the floral red dress with an apron, her silver wig and hat a perfect fit.

She held a tray of cookies in her hand and a huge smile stretched across her adorable cheeks.

Santa was definitely stepping up his game this year. It was time to impress my better half.

Merry Christmas to me.

CHAPTER TWO

Bea

“The last thingI want to do after teaching kids all day is go play Mrs. Claus and take pictures with more kids,” I whined to my close friend and fellow kindergarten teacher Zoey after a particularly long day.

I pulled out the snow brush from my trunk and began cleaning my car off. “Okay, that sounds way worse than I meant it to.”

Zoey laughed as she swiped at the snow on the roof of her small car. “No, I totally get it. We’re wiped by the end of the day. But remember all the extra money you’ll make. You’ll have extra money for shopping and to add to the Hawaii dream vacation fund. Also, you never know, but maybe Santa will be hot.”

“Hot? Really? Isn’t it usually an older guy?”

“I would think so, but who knows. I haven’t been to Appleridge’s Christmas village since I was a kid. Maybe one of the hot mountain men floating around town will be inside the Santa suit.” Zoey wiggled her eyebrows, and I tossed some snow at her.

“I’m not looking for love, Z, you know this.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s what we all say when we’re single.” She walked over to me and pulled me into a hug. “Listen, go have fun. Flirt. Laugh. Flirt some more. No one said anything about love. Make your money and be out. Now promise me you’re coming over for Christmas Eve dinner.”

I rolled my eyes sarcastically. “Okay, okay. You’re too good to me.”

“Possibly. But Dave and I want you there. No one should be alone on Christmas.”

“You know I don’t mind. You both have your own families and?—”

“Shh! None of that. You’re coming. And when you find your person, he’ll come too. Now go be the best Mrs. Claus Appleridge ever saw!”

I was still laughing as I pulled my car into the snowy parking lot a half an hour later. I lived in the next town over, Apple Falls, but I didn’t mind the drive. It was pretty this time of year.

The flakes had slowed down for now, but more was expected tonight. Thankfully I had snow tires put on my car last month, which helped ease my nerves. As did laughter. And Zoey was always good for that.

Now, here I was, having walked in on a Santa with his pants down, but I can’t say I minded because, for some reason, he seemed to have very sexy legs.Muscular and thick.

And if the bulge in his boxers was telling me anything, he wasn’t lacking in the size department.

Behave, Bea! Since when are we looking at dicks of guys we don’t know?

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