Jingle Balls: A Holiday Romantic Comedy Anthology

by Dylann Crush

  “I’m going to science the shit out of your weird beer and then I’m going to jingle your balls again. Like jingle all the way into next year. Got a problem with that?” Her words muffled against my chest.

  “No problem whatsoever. As long as I can deck your halls,” I quipped back, my cock already stirring just feeling her pressed against me.

  She snorted at my ridiculous attempt at a Christmas joke. I felt giddy, my veins on fire for the successful woman who could do so much better than me.

  “All I want for Christmas is you?” I teased. “Frosty the snowman wants a sleigh ride? Want to ride my red-nosed—”

  “Stop!” she yelled, pulling her head back and laughing. “Just shut up and kiss me, Mr. Annoying Man.”

  So I did.

  Also By Marika Ray

  Links to all her books can be found here:

  https://marikaray.com/index.php/my-books/

  Steamy RomComs:

  Love Bank - Jobs From Hell #1

  Uber Bossy - Jobs From Hell #2

  Man Glitter - Jobs From Hell Novella

  The Missing Ingredient - Reality of Love #1

  Mom-Com - Reality of Love #2

  Desperately Seeking Househusbands - Reality of Love #3

  Happy New You - Standalone

  Sweet Romances:

  The Marriage Sham - Standalone

  The Widower’s Girlfriend-Faking It #1

  Home Run Fiancé - Faking It #2

  Guarding the Princess - Faking It #3

  Lines We Cross - Nickel Bay Brothers #1

  Perfectly Imperfect Us - Nickel Bay Brothers #2

  Steamy Beach Romance:

  Sweet Dreams - Beach Squad #1

  Love on the Defense - Beach Squad #2

  Barefoot Chaos - Beach Squad #3

  * Novella - Handcuffed Hussy

  Beach Babe Billionaire- Beach Squad #4

  Brighter Than the Boss - Beach Squad #5

  * Novella - Christmas Eve Do-Over

  About Marika Ray

  Marika Ray is a national bestselling author, writing steamy and sweet RomCom to make your heart explode. All her books come with a money-back guarantee that you’ll smile at least once with every book.

  Marika spends her time behind a computer crafting stories, walking the beaches of southern California, and making healthy food for her kids and husband whether they like it or not. Prior to writing novels, Marika held various jobs in the finance industry, with private start-up companies, and then in health & fitness. Cats may have nine lives, but Marika believes everyone should have nine careers to keep things spicy.

  If you'd like to know more about Marika or the other novels she’s currently writing, please join her newsletter list here (and you’ll get a free RomCom…double bonus!): http://bit.ly/MarikaRayNews

  Part XVI

  Not So Silent Night

  Piper Rayne

  About… Not So Silent Night

  Catch up with the Rooftop Crew when Rian scores a contract with a huge charity benefit ball that will put her sweet goodies on display for an entire room of potential customers at the Jingle Balls benefit for testicular cancer awareness.

  From the minute the crew steps into the fancy ballroom, Dylan tries to bring everyone together to deliver a speech about Rian, but no one’s ready to cooperate, making for an entertaining evening for everyone except Dylan.

  You’ll get every one of The Rooftop Crew’s point of view in this short story plus some foreshadowing of the couples still waiting for their happily ever afters in the series.

  1

  Rian

  All nine of us walk into the grand ballroom of the hotel in downtown New York—myself, my boyfriend Dylan and our friends, Blanca and Ethan, Sierra, Seth, Knox, Jax and Frankie who Dylan and Jax both work with at Dylan’s tattoo shop. Frankie is a single mom and I’m glad she’s able to join us tonight. I could use the extra support.

  It’s my first big catering job, and it’s such a fancy event that I’m beyond nervous.

  “It’s gorgeous,” I say as my hand clasps over my heart.

  “I know. The chandeliers and the table settings…” Blanca continues listing every item but my mouth-watering stand of cake balls.

  “I’m talking about the cake balls. This is my first big event.” I beeline away from my group of friends to make sure no one messed with my display after I set up earlier today.

  Lucky for me, the chapter president of the testicular cancer nonprofit lives in Cliffton Heights and had sampled my items before and loved them enough to pick me.

  I inspect the display of two large purple and silver frosted balls with an array of different cake batters inside. It all still looks like perfection.

  “They look delicious.” Dylan’s hand rests on the small of my back.

  I glance up at my fiancé, his bad boy image mixed with the black tuxedo and bow tie induces a mix of wanting to pull him into the coat check or dance with him all night.

  “Do you think it’s too much? I mean two balls when…” I lower my voice. “Some people are left with one or none after their battle with the disease. Is it insensitive?”

  He kisses my temple and chuckles in my ear. “You’re overthinking everything per usual. Isn’t this event also about raising awareness?”

  I nod. He’s right. As usual. He’s so much more levelheaded than me.

  “Come on, let me get you a drink.” His hand slides from my back to wrap around my hand.

  I take one last sweeping glance at the table. I went with purple since it’s the ribbon color for the cause, but I mixed in silver and white. The small plaque on the table in front of my display says ‘Donated by Sweet Infusion’ with my logo on it. It all looks so beautiful that I’d like to take a photo, but that’d be tacky, so I opt to follow Dylan to the bar instead.

  Of course, once we reach it, we find Knox keeping the beautiful redheaded bartender busy with his flirting. He nods hello to us, and the redhead’s eyes don’t stray from Knox for long as she asks Dylan what she can get us.

  Dylan looks back to me. “I’ll just have champagne,” I say.

  Dylan orders me a champagne that I could’ve swiped off one of the trays floating around, and he orders himself a whiskey on the rocks.

  I raise an eyebrow after he tips the bartender. He mumbles something to Knox about speech at the table and Knox nods, but he doesn’t leave.

  “What’s up with the whiskey?” I ask.

  He chuckles again and a light flutter spurs in my stomach. I love him so much.

  “Did you think I’d order a Milwaukee Beast in a can?”

  “No, but are you even going to enjoy the whiskey?”

  We locate our table and it’s completely empty of all our friends that I invited to join us tonight.

  Dylan sets his whiskey down and wraps both his arms around my waist. “I’ve been known to do shots of whiskey. Especially when I’m harboring feelings for the blonde neighbor across the hall who’s way out of my league.”

  I kiss him, sliding my arms around his neck. “I think you have that backward.”

  He shakes his head. “Look where you are. A huge charity event that will probably have these highfaluting people knocking on your door to work for them. You stood up to your parents, started a new venture and made it a success.”

  His compliment warms my heart and I smile. “But none of that would’ve been possible without you showing me the ropes of being an entrepreneur.”

  Dylan’s modest, but the fact is he took what was a failing business and now has two locations. He taught me a lot.

  “You give me too much credit and don’t give yourself enough as usual.”

  I glance around. “Want to go make out in the coat room?”

  He pulls me closer. “I’d love to. Hell, I’d take you against the bathroom stall right now.”

  “Did I voice an argument against that?”

  He shakes his head and smirks. “Damn, I love your insatiable sex drive.”

 
; In all truth, I never even realized the height of my sex drive until Dylan and my relationship shifted from friendship to lovers.

  A voice comes over the speaker, asking for everyone to sit down so that dinner and speeches can begin.

  “Unfortunately, you also invited these goons to the event,” he says and steps back so I see what he does.

  Each of them with a drink in their hands. How did the cocktail hour end so fast?

  Knox whispers something to Jax, who rolls his eyes. I think we’re all about done with Knox and his attempt to forget Leilani in every random girl he finds. Even Jax seems to have had enough, and he’s no saint.

  Sierra slides into her chair and pouts. “I swear if he doesn’t get here in five minutes, I’m going to go ballistic.” Adrian’s flying in from Sandsal tonight and meeting us later.

  Blanca shoots her a sympathetic smile and gives her a pat on the arm as Ethan pulls out her chair. She smiles up at him and says thank you.

  Frankie sits down next to Seth. “What’s your problem?”

  He nods to another table, making all of us turn to see what he’s looking at. You’ve got to be kidding me. Evan is here, too? Evan works at the bagel shop that competes with Seth’s family’s one, and though their families are bitter rivals, we’re all pretty sure Seth actually likes Evan. I mean, what’s not to like? She’s gorgeous.

  “Why would she be here?” I ask Seth.

  “Drug dealer’s daddy is a big, powerful man. She didn’t listen to a damn word I told her that day at the dog park when I filled her in on who her boyfriend really is.” He shakes his head and huffs.

  Dylan slides my chair out. “Sit down and enjoy the night. Forget all their drama,” he whispers in my ear.

  I follow his instructions but while we all sit, he remains standing. Raising his whiskey glass, he clears his throat. Everyone is lost in conversation about Seth and Evan.

  “Focus, everyone. This is for Rian,” Dylan says.

  They all look at him and I turn in his direction as well.

  “Thank you, I just wanted to say—”

  But he’s cut off because the bartender slides a piece of paper to Knox as she passes by, stealing everyone’s attention.

  Knox opens it up to read and laughs, then pushes back his chair.

  “Hold up, I have something to say.” Dylan attempts to stop him, but Knox tucks his chair back into the table.

  “She just offered to give me a testicular exam. I can’t pass that up. Isn’t that why we’re all here?” He laughs and weaves through the tables in the direction she was headed.

  Dylan shakes his head and sits down, looking defeated.

  I pat his thigh and lean toward him. “Thank you,” I say.

  His jaw clenches and he sips his whiskey. As though none of them remember that Dylan was trying to give me a speech, they all go into conversations on their own.

  Having my friends here celebrating my big night is enough for me. I don’t need Dylan to publicly speak his sweet words of praise because he gives them to me every day in private.

  2

  Knox

  I’m on my way down the hallway when I’m grabbed by the arm and pulled into a dark room.

  “Hey,” the voice of the hot redhead purrs in the dark as she pushes me against something hard and her hand slides down my front until she’s cupping my dick.

  “Hey yourself. I’m just here for an exam,” I say.

  Her other hand falls to my belt buckle where she makes quick work of the zipper and slides it down.

  “Sure thing, sir. I’ll first do a quick check with my hand.” She slides her hand under the waistband of my boxer briefs and palms my cock that’s happily gaining girth to impress his new friend. “Then I may have to use my tongue and my mouth. I hope that’s okay.”

  I hold up my hands, but she can’t see me because it’s dark as fuck in this room.

  The smell of vinegar and cleaning supplies tells me we’re in a janitor’s closet. Not really original, but who am I to complain?

  Leilani used to want to have sex in crazy places, but she would’ve picked a bathroom, the coat check, or somewhere we were more likely to be caught. She loved the risk of getting caught, it got her off. I went along with it, but the cop side of me always thought, ‘I can see the headlines now.’

  I shake my head to get her out of my brain and focus on the girl who wants me. The girl who went above and beyond to sneak me into this room. The girl whose hand is currently wrapped tight around my cock, pumping me up and down as her tongue licks up my neck.

  “Damn you’re big,” she coos in my ear.

  “And he’s not even at full mast yet.”

  “Let’s see if I can’t help out with that.” She drops to her knees and pushes my slacks and boxers down to pool around my ankles.

  I lean back and enjoy her mouth on me. My eyes close as she grips my base and glides her tongue up my length, encasing her soft lips over the head of my dick. A shiver runs up my spine with the sensation. Damn, she feels amazing.

  I’d do about anything right now to see if she’s staring up at me. Seeing a girl staring at you with your dick in her mouth is one of the hottest things about getting a blow job.

  Her one hand teases my balls and I pump with my hips into her mouth.

  She sucks harder, gripping my base tighter, going to town on me. My hands hold on to the shelving unit behind me, white-knuckling it.

  I’m so damn close.

  She moans like she’s getting off just as much as me, and that always tips me over the edge.

  I pump into her mouth two more times before I still and my orgasm rips out of me with one silent word, “Leilani.”

  I’m not even finished coming when her mouth is off my dick and the light flickers on.

  I squint, but her fiery eyes aren’t hard to miss.

  “It’s Janie, you jackass,” she says.

  She flings the door open and stomps out. Before the door shuts again, Seth walks by. Stops and shakes his head. “Let’s cross our fingers there’s no chlamydia.” The asshole actually raises his hands and crosses his fingers.

  I shut the door and look around for anything to clean up with. Janie picking the supply closet turned out to be handy at least. I open up a roll of toilet paper and wipe the cum off my dick.

  Once I’m presentable again, I walk out of the supply closet and into the bathroom to wash my hands.

  Seth sidles up next to me at the sink. “Seriously, why don’t you actually move on?”

  “I could say the same to you.” The guy has a hard-on for his family’s nemesis and continues to deny it. “And FYI, I am moving on. Hence the blow job from the bartender.”

  He dries his hands with a paper towel and tosses it into the trash. “That’s not moving on. That’s drowning your damn sorrows. How about an actual date? I can fix you up.”

  “I don’t need to date. Dating means you want a relationship. I don’t want a relationship.”

  He claps me on the shoulder as I dry my own hands. “You gotta hop back on the horse. Leilani was a free spirit. A wild horse. A mustang. You’re more like a…” He stares up at the ceiling to think, and I groan that we’re even having this conversation. “Comfortable recliner. You know, the kind someone can rely on after a hard day at the office. You’re steady and always there. You’re not looking for a ton of excitement in life.”

  I shake my head and leave him in the bathroom. Comfortable recliner, my ass.

  He follows me. “Did you take offense?”

  I don’t respond.

  “It’s a compliment. A girl like Leilani can’t be tied down to one place. It was an unrealistic expectation. But you guys had fun.”

  Anger lights like gasoline in my veins. If he says her name one more time, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.

  “You and Leilani just weren’t—”

  I grab him by the lapels of his tuxedo and push him against the wall. His eyes flare open in surprise. “I fucking loved her, okay?
I loved her.”

  I drop him, knowing I’m reacting like a jackass.

  Seth straightens out his tuxedo jacket. “Sorry man, I know you liked her, and you’ve been struggling but I thought it was more an ego thing. I didn’t know you had legit feelings.”

  “Now you do.” I walk away, swiping a champagne glass from a server who passes by and heading back to the table.

  My salad plate is there untouched as everyone else has moved on to their dinner.

  I sit down and Seth joins the table a second later, sliding into his chair.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Sierra points to Seth.

  “What?” He places his napkin in his lap.

  “Your face is red.”

  “Nothing,” he mumbles.

  Dylan stands up. “Okay, can I have your attention please,” he says like he’s the teacher in front of a class.

  I lean back and cross my arms. He’s going to praise the love of his life, Rian. Good times. So glad to be here.

  We all focus our attention on him, but then Frankie’s phone rings in her purse.

  Dylan sighs as she answers and then rushes off to the lobby.

  Rian runs her hand over his thigh and kisses his cheek, but I’ve known Dylan long enough to know he’s about to lose his shit.

  3

  Jax

  “I was looking over the schedule at the shop. Saw that another bachelorette brigade booked another party,” Frankie says from next to me, placing her napkin on her lap.

  “Jealous?”

  She scoffs. “Why would I be?”