Page 6 of Bah Humbug Mate

What the hell was Colby up to?

“I do. You’d be more than welcome to stay. I’m not sure how full Trudy might be and Windsong is so far outside of town. One of the apartments upstairs might be more convenient. Let’s move you down to the other end of the bar…” away from Colby “…by the fire. I’ll get you a burger started—fries or rings?”

“Fries. I remember thinking your fries were the best I’d ever tasted.”

He moved her closer to the fire and further away from Colby. He put in her order and went back to give her the cup of hot cocoa she wanted. Hot cocoa? In a pub? He flirted with her, more out of routine than any real interest. The girl was wearing Christmas lights, for god’s sake, and Dash hated the holidays. Hated them. When her order was up, he served her and then moved back down to Colby.

“Pretty girl.” Dash nodded. “You know, she could very well be the answer to your problem.”

“What problem?” asked Dash.

“The problem of your grandmother’s stipulation that stands in the way of you inheriting what I assumed to be a substantial sum.”

Dash looked up at Noel, watching how the firelight seemed to dance and create light and movement in her hair.

“I know her herd has been having a hard time of it,” continued Colby. “Their machinery is outdated and breaking down. Having an influx of money could really help.”

Dash looked between Noel and Colby. She certainly was easy on the eyes. Underneath all those layers, she had a comely, delicious figure with full breasts and a small waist that flowed into hips that looked perfect for a man to hold on to as he enjoyed all that her lush body seemed to offer. Her ginger hair tumbled down her back, the snow having made it wavy. Dash felt arousal kick in and begin to surge through his system.

Giving Colby a sly grin, he said, “I do believe you might be right.”

Dash wandered back down to where Noel was sitting, wiping down the bar and bussing the other tables as he went. Colby was right. He’d heard the same thing—that her herd was struggling financially. It actually made sense, as more and more people were buying fake trees. They were easier, both to care for and to use for more than one holiday season.

That might make her and her herd amenable to his proposition. Sure, it was ten years, but he’d be willing to sign a contract that said he’d look after them for life. Bringing her another cup of cocoa, he leaned against the backbar.

“I’ve heard everyone complaining about sales being down. A lot of people aren’t sure if the holiday season will be enough to pull them through. You guys doing all right?”

Flipping her hair behind her shoulder, she looked at him suspiciously before taking a sip of cocoa. “We’re doing fine—maybe not as many preorders as last year on the trees, but we’ve seen an uptick of sales in our handmade ornaments and decorations.”

For reasons he would never question later, Dash inhaled her scent deeply. The same feeling of being hit over the head and punched in the gut he’d felt earlier assailed him again, only this time it made sense. Colby was wrong. Noel Brooks wasn’t just the solution to his problem. She was so much more than that. She was his fated mate.

Dash ran his finger along the back of her hand and smiled as she shivered before drawing her hand back. He called back over his shoulder to get one of his staff to cover the bar.

“Let’s you and I go sit in the back booth. I think I may have a solution to both of our problems.”

CHAPTER 3

NOEL

With just the slightest hint of trepidation, Noel allowed Dash to escort her to the back booth where both he and Colby Reynolds were known to do deals. She couldn’t imagine what Dash Samuels might want with her. She just hoped she didn’t make a damn fool of herself. She’d had a crush on Dash for the longest time and had sometimes even imagined he might be her fated mate, but he seemed so set against fated mates and Christmas. Who could be opposed to either?

He waited as she slid into the booth.

“Okay. I want your word that you’ll hear me out before throwing your cocoa in my face, punching me in the nose, and/or storming out of my bar.”

“I’m not generally predisposed to do any of those.”

“You haven’t heard my proposal yet.”

“Well, then, I’m all ears.”

“I don’t know how much you know about me, but I pretty much grew up on my own. My parents and our herd were all killed…”

“Dash, I’m so sorry. Where did you go? How did you survive?”

“My caribou took care of me. I lived for years mostly in my altered form. At first it was because I was too frightened to shift back. After that, it was just easier to accomplish basic survival.” He didn’t really want to get into it. He neither wanted nor needed her pity. “I found out recently that my grandmother had been looking for me for years. By the time she found me, she was dying. By the time I found out about her, she was dead.”

Noel reached out and placed her hand over his, saying nothing.

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