Jingle Balls: A Holiday Romantic Comedy Anthology

by Dylann Crush

  “Is this supposed to be an apology because so far…” She tugged her hand and he held tight.

  “I’m sorry I made assumptions about you, and I’m sorry about Harvard. I swear I never saw you before you set foot into Trident’s office. But now that we’ve spent time together, I have to say you are the most fascinating, beautiful, complicated smartass of a woman I’ve ever met. And I’d figured that out before the wine cave incident.” Sincerity shone in his warm whiskey brown eyes.

  “The wine cave incident? Is that what we’re calling it?” Excitement danced along her skin.

  “Yeah, that’s what we’re calling it. I’d been turned on all night sitting next to you and once I touched you...” His eyes hooded and he leaned closer, the heat from his body singeing her bare skin.

  She licked her lips. “So now we’ve both apologized. We both realize our chemistry is off the charts…”

  “Yes, our chemistry is intense. But this isn’t just sex. I like you, Phoebe Hollingsworth. I’d like to see you again. Outside of work. Will you go out with me?”

  And now she was melting inside. “I like you too, Rafael Cruz. I will go out with you.” She jerked back. “Wait. What about the promotion?”

  “What?” His dark brows drew together.

  She placed a hand against his chest. “The only thing we didn’t discuss was what happens at the firm next year. We both want to take over, right?”

  Damn, he’d forgotten. How wild was that? “I don’t think that’s something we figure out right now. Is it a game changer for you?”

  “I mean, it’s a big reason I moved to San Diego. But Cliff probably isn’t going anywhere for the next year, right? So we have time to figure it all out.” Her fingers curled into his t-shirt, pulling him closer. “But I think we should double check to make sure that the wine cave incident wasn’t a fluke. I’d like you to kiss me please.”

  Rafe reached forward and gently removed her glasses, placing them down on the table behind the couch. He slid his hands into her hair and tugged her head back, holding her in place. “When you ask so nicely, how could I refuse?” He lowered his head and captured her mouth.

  She wove her arms around his neck and swirled her tongue against his, taking the kiss deeper. He shifted and pulled her down with him onto the fluffy patterned rug in front of the crackling fire. His hands roamed all over her body, excitement tingled along her skin, and heat flared in her center.

  After a few satisfying moments in his embrace, Phoebe lifted her head. “I’m confident the wine cave incident was no fluke. You?” She ran her hands along his lean muscular frame and began to lift off his shirt, desperate to feel his smooth bronzed skin beneath her fingers.

  His sculpted mouth skimmed along her skin and he murmured, “Almost. I think to be completely sure we are making a wise investment, we need to get naked. Now.”

  She arched under his touch. “Mmm-hmm, oh yes, let’s be sure. Unzip me.”

  7

  Rafe’s phone buzzed and he sat up and grabbed it off his nightstand. His firefighter brother Jake’s number flashed on the screen with a “Call me” message, so he leapt out of bed.

  Phoebe grumbled, turned over, and pulled a pillow over her wild spill of curls. The sheets slipped, revealing one creamy shoulder. His lips quirked. Not a morning person––he’d need to remember that.

  He grabbed his sweats off the floor and headed downstairs. Might as well make some coffee––they hadn’t slept much last night. His body reacted at the memories of the living room, and the shower, and his bed. The wine cave incident had most definitely not been a fluke.

  If he had his way, the wine cave incident was the beginning of a mutually beneficial merger.

  Once he reached the kitchen, he called Jake. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, well, I need a favor.” Jake rarely asked for help––too damn stubborn––so this was unusual.

  “Anything.”

  “Can you call Mom? Amanda’s parents invited all of us for Christmas Eve and you know Dad likes to make his famous Christmas dinner. Please.” Jake had recently married into the McNeill clan and now lived with them on Pacific Vista Ranch.

  Rafe took out the coffee beans and grinder. “Sure. I’ll call him and ask him to do it on Christmas. New traditions and all that. On one condition.”

  “Anything.” Jake’s voice was eager.

  “Ask Amanda if I can bring a date.”

  Jake groaned. “Man, seriously? This is family.”

  Rafe rubbed his hand on his chest. “I met someone. She’s different.”

  Jake was silent for a few moments... “What’s her name?”

  “Phoebe. She’s incredible. Special. I want you to meet her and I don’t want her to be alone on Christmas. Deal?”

  Jake laughed. “Deal. My big brother met someone––it’s a Christmas miracle. Thanks, and see you Thursday night.”

  Rafe turned to hit the coffee grinder and halted. Phoebe stood in the doorway, looking disheveled and adorable in one of his old Harvard sweatshirts.

  “I’m incredible and you’re making plans for Christmas?” She squinted at him and he realized when he’d carried her upstairs last night, she’d left her glasses in the living room.

  He crossed the room in three strides, wrapped her in his arms, set her on the granite countertop, and stepped between her legs. “Well, I was going to come upstairs and bring you coffee and convince you to stay in bed with me all morning. I think you’re incredible. But since you heard me, yeah I’d like you to spend Christmas with me.”

  She bit her full lower lip, bare and pink this morning, “Oh, I’m already convinced. But Christmas with family is a big deal…”

  “Phoebe, I’ve never brought a woman to Christmas before. I meant it when I said I wanted us to see where we could take this. And I feel like we really met for the first time at the Jingle Balls ball last night. Kind of like an unexpected gift. My family means the world to me and the McNeills live on this incredible ranch in Rancho Santa Fe. You’ll love it.”

  She smiled and stroked a hand down his chest. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m really close to my family too, so this year was going to be tough without them. Yes, I’d love to spend Christmas with you.”

  His chest tightened and he wrapped her in his arms, slanting his mouth over hers. “In the meanwhile, I’ve got a few ideas for this morning.”

  She slid her fingers into his hair and murmured against his lips. “Oh really? I don’t have to be at work until Monday.”

  He shifted back, whipped off the sweatshirt, and ran his hands down her gorgeous naked body. “What a coincidence, Ms. Hollingsworth. Neither do I.”

  “Merry early Christmas to us.” Her lips curved up and she pulled his head down to meet her kiss.

  Also By Claire Marti

  Rafe and Phoebe’s story is part of my Pacific Vista Ranch series. Check out previews of these award winning books, Nobody Else But You, The Very Thought of You, and For The Love of You on my website: https://www.clairemarti.com/pacific-vista-ranch.html

  If you love steamy beach romances, check out my award winning Finding Forever in Laguna series. You’ll find previews of Second Chance in Laguna, At Last in Laguna, and Sunset in Laguna here: https://www.clairemarti.com/mybooks.html

  About Claire Marti

  Claire Marti started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress.

  Finally, Claire followed her heart and now focuses on two of her true passions: writing romance and teaching yoga.

  Part XII

  One Jingle or Two

  MK Meredith

  About… One Jingle or Two

  Breast cancer survivor, Alora Kingsley is fierce and brave…a warrior by all accounts. Then why does she fe
el like the only thing people see is her missing boob? So, when Nate Ward shows up at her door with his eyes all but falling out of their sockets, she slams the door in his face. To bad he’s the blind date her best friend set her up with—and the hottest thing walking the cobblestones of Cape Van Buren.

  Nathaniel Ward makes no mistake when it comes to love. It’s not for him. Not with the illness in his family genetics, but when his well-meaning best friend sets him up with a sexy, firecracker, she challenges him in all the best ways. Facing what he believes about love becomes a bigger challenge than the Jingle Balls ball he’s organizing to raise money for a testicular cancer awareness nonprofit.

  The most ridiculous blind date in history soon becomes the perfect answer to a very important question: One Jingle…or two?

  1

  With the phone smashed between her ear and her shoulder, Alora Kingsley shoved the donut between her teeth, ignoring the crumbs of dried glaze that fell to her shirt, then looped two more donuts on the fingers of one hand and grabbed her coffee cup with the other. Navigating her way around the sprawled forms of her three opportunistic dogs sunbathing in front of the three large windows of her apartment, she wished she could switch places. Sleeping all day and belly rubs seemed like a good gig—if only it didn’t have to include licking herself.

  But then again, that’s what Maxine Van Buren would call a self-care opportunity.

  Maxine practically ran the town of Cape Van Buren, much to her judge-husband’s chagrin, people wanted her moonshine and advice like they wanted Girl Scouts cookies. No one ever said no and they could never get away with just one. And Maxine living in the apartment upstairs had the woman way too close for comfort at times.

  With a groan, Alora sank to the couch, setting her cup and donuts on the coffee table in front of her just in time to catch the one falling from her mouth. She talked while she chewed, wiping her chin with the palm of her hand. “You should have heard the nutless prick, Sage. He kept going on and on about transparency and equal visibility, completely missing the point that Eclectic Finds is offering the largest donation the Cape’s testicular cancer awareness group had ever seen. What’s the big deal anyway? Blayne is trying to give back to the community—the least the foundation can do is feature us at the Jingle Balls ball.”

  Her cousin’s chuckle sounded from her cell’s speaker. “You said ball.”

  Sage was a successful comic artist for The Van Buren Tribune and had the humor of a twelve-year-old boy. She and her fiancé met through a tumultuous partnership that led to the digitizing of Sage’s grandfather Horace’s newspaper, and now that they were happy, they wanted everyone else romantically happy too.

  Alora shoved the rest of her donut into her mouth on a smile, washing it down with her coffee. Snapping her fingers, she chastised, “Focus, woman! I need to figure this out. He’s a complete ass, and I promised Blayne. Besides, I’d really love it if just one damn thing could go right this year.”

  “It will. Forget about Adam MacKenzie. He was a player. In my opinion, you had the perfect relationship with him. Fairly easy, decent sexy, and over before you could get too attached.”

  Alora frowned. She’d actually really liked Adam, or at least she thought she did? “It’s not just Adam but more…why he left.”

  Silence followed for a moment, and Alora filled it with another bite of her second donut.

  “I understand. I don’t know how to make you feel better. He was an asshole.”

  “No,” Alora said, “I mean, yes, but it’s also very common.” Absentmindedly, she trailed her fingers down the left side of her chest, over the flat nothingness that used to be a breast. It was a numb, barely-there sensation that seemed less real if she didn’t look at it. A unilateral mastectomy that had trouble healing meant delaying reconstruction for a year to increase her chances of healing. And the resulting asymmetry was apparently something Adam couldn’t handle.

  With a groan, she flopped back against the couch. “Why did I let you and Parker talk me into this blind date?”

  Sage squealed with excitement. “You’ll see. We’re brilliant really. Also…I worry about you. You haven’t even tried to put yourself back out there. Speaking of blind date, won’t he be there soon?”

  The doorbell rang just as Alora took a sip of her coffee, making her flinch. “Shit! Shit!” Coffee spilled down her nude second-skin camisole.

  “I’ve got to go.” Clicking her phone off, she dried her hands on her boxers and made her way to the door. Keeping track of time was not her forte. Damn it. She wasn’t ready for this. In more ways than one.

  Yanking the door open, she pasted a smile on her face. “Hello, you must be Nate.”

  Broad shoulders and a shocked stare greeted her. The guy was a looker but apparently not the brightest moose in the forest. Clearing his throat, he dragged his gaze up with such effort she remembered she’d never put on her prosthetic earlier, and she glanced in horror at her chest.

  There she stood, coffee spill, donut glaze, and one boob staring up at her blind date.

  Fuck a duck in the North Cove pond.

  She stepped back and closed the door.

  Nathaniel Ward swallowed hard. What the fuck was wrong with him? He’d had his share of hot women before, so what the hell was he thinking, staring at her chest as if his hormones were in charge? His mother would have verbally beaten his ass for that kind of disrespect. You don’t grow up with three sisters and a single mother and not cultivate proper respect for the opposite sex.

  But goddamn.

  Alora’s top was skintight and, with whatever she spilled on it, completely see-through. She was distractingly gorgeous. Petite with a wild mass of curly red hair, her light brown eyes almost gold as they bored holes in his head.

  His body tightened at the thought of the rest of her. When Parker had told him she was his type, he wasn’t lying. Nate had always had a soft spot for strength in small packages. And this woman had it in spades. No one else would open the door to a stranger in their most natural state. Clearly, she’d been through a lot and gave no fucks about it.

  That was something he could climb all over.

  Or better yet, let climb all over him.

  Knocking on the door, he called out. “Hey! Can we try that again? I’m Nate!”

  “You’re early! And rude!” she yelled back.

  Fuck.

  He’d already spent the better part of his morning arguing with a woman representing Eclectic Finds who wanted special privileges for the gala. It always drove him crazy how people with money felt so entitled.

  The blind date was supposed to be a distraction to help him forget about the looming gala or the fact that he had no idea what the hell he was doing but still had to make it the most successful gala yet. Now, he was getting close to a two for two fail, and the day wasn’t over yet.

  Besides, the date would get his sisters off his back. Parker understood him. There were no family or children in his plans. No way he’d pass his genetics on to his children. His buddy knew him well enough to set him up for some fun, not a future.

  “I’m actually right on time, and I’m sorry.” No reason to try and hide it. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from the swell of her breast or that pert nipple.

  He really needed to get out more.

  Too many days working around testicles would screw up anybody. But the Jingle Balls ball was important. The money raised by the testicular cancer awareness nonprofit provided vital funding to continue research and education for a better understanding of the disease.

  He knew all too well.

  Burrowing a little deeper into his jacket, he tried knocking again. “Look, I’m an idiot. Can we try that again?”

  The autumn breeze off the Atlantic was cold, but he found that he loved the smell of the ocean air mixing with the fall leaves. Traffic was non-existent on Garden Parkway NW behind him, and the skies were a brilliant blue. The scent of pastries from the North Cove Confectionary down the street made his sto
mach rumble.

  No place better than the town of Cape Van Buren. He owed Parker, but he’d never admit it.

  “I know it was rude, but you’re—”

  The door flew open. “I’m what? Lopsided?”

  He shook his head to shake out the confusion. What the hell was she talking about? Lopsided? Then it dawned on him. That’s what she thought he’d been staring at.

  Mortification seared his chest. “No, that’s not what happened.”

  She’d changed into skintight jeans and a sweater, this time an even set of breasts at her chest.

  And if he thought he’d miscalculated her strength for even one second, she made it crystal clear. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “Can I come in? Start over?” He glanced over her shoulder, taking in the large couch, floor pillows, and three dogs sprawled across her floor. They certainly didn’t give a fuck about him.

  Alora held his gaze with an iron will.

  He winced but kept leaning in. “I didn’t mean to stare, but I wasn’t expecting to see breasts when you opened the door.” Saying it out loud made him sound worse than a completely ignorant ass. Was he fourteen?

  “You mean breast. Let’s be real here.” She crossed her arms.

  “No. I mean, yes, I noticed that too, but that is not why I stared.” He offered the coffees he’d brought from the Flat Iron Coffeehouse. “Here, Sage told me what to get. I’m a dumbass and have no excuse.”

  Her eyes shifted between his and the coffee. Finally, on a sigh, she stepped back.

  “I didn’t want to go on this blind date in the first place. It’s only fair you know that. I’m not trying to be mean, but this isn’t really the best time for me right now…as you saw.” She led him into the main living area and sat in the far corner of the couch.