Page 13 of Bah Humbug Mate

Higher and higher she climbed, galloping through the air, using the charged particles that gathered beneath her hooves to race across the sky. This was when she felt free, when she felt in touch with her most true self. She had never thought to experience being a reindeer in any other way. That had all changed from the moment Dash had captured her mouth with a kiss.

She dashed through the sky, charging through icy clouds and back out into the sunshine. She had found freedom in Dash’s kiss; she would give him the freedom of the skies. She glided back to earth, touching down and trotting back behind the rocks. It had made her heart happy to see both the driver and Dash gobsmacked by what they had seen.

Noel quickly shifted back and changed into her clothes. She jogged back to the sleigh and hopped in, burrowing close to Dash as he tucked the lap robe around her.

“You flew,” he finally said. “You really fucking changed into a reindeer and flew.”

She nodded. “See? Reindeer really do know how to fly.”

CHAPTER 6

NOEL

Dash looked straight ahead. It was as if he couldn’t stand to look at her. Did the idea that she could fly repulse him? Had she pushed his belief system just a little too far?

He turned to her. “Holy shit,” he said, starting to laugh. “You really can fly.”

She grasped his hands in both of hers. “You can, too. You’ve just forgotten how or may not have ever known.”

“Maybe you and your herd, but there’s nothing that says my grandmother’s herd…”

She shook her head. “You really don’t know. You really think your grandmother’s legacy, your inheritance, is just money.”

“No; there’s property and business, although I left those with the herd.”

“This is kind of mindboggling to me.”

“What?”

She smiled. “Nothing to worry about. I’m just feeling better about what I’m bringing to the marriage.”

“Are we still getting married?”

She had just assumed that. Maybe she shouldn’t have. “Don’t you want to?”

“Of course, I want to. You just took off, so I wasn’t sure.”

“And I am so sorry about that. I will never, ever do that to you again. I felt so much when you kissed me that I was overwhelmed. I should have talked to you, but instead I took the coward’s way out and ran away. Ironically, it was my father forbidding me to marry you and my aunt cursing at me that settled the last lingering doubt…”

“I never meant to come between you and your family and herd.”

She shook her head. “You didn’t. Tell me something, as much as I hurt your feelings, as much as you didn’t know what was going on with me, were you ever just tempted to turn your back on me?”

“Of course not.”

“That’s because you are my home. You are my family and my herd. My people either come around and accept our pairing, or they don’t. That is up to them, and I will respect their decision. Although I have to tell you, if they don’t want me in the holiday shop, we’re opening one of our own.”

Dash tipped his head back and laughed. “They turn their back on you, Noel, and I’ll build you the biggest and best holiday shop in the world.”

“As long as I have room for my origami originals, it’ll all be good. And I’m going to insist we carry this reindeer snack mix. Try it. It’s fabulous.”

She handed him a clump and instead of taking it from her to put into his mouth, he simply plucked it from her fingers with his lips before moaning. “Oh, damn, that’s incredible. Where has this been all my life?”

Noel bumped him with her shoulder. “Stick with me, Dash, I’ll teach you all about the magic and wonder it is to be reindeer.”

He sat back and regarded her with a serious, intent expression on his face. She thought again she might have pushed him too far. Instead, he grinned. “You know what? I’m beginning to believe you will.”

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her closer and they enjoyed the rest of their ride up to the Point. They talked about their pasts, their hobbies, and their dreams for the future.

---