Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge: New Holiday Romances to Benefit St. Jude Hospital

by Sabrina York

  “About eighteen months ago, I was deployed on a top-secret rescue mission. Unfortunately, we had a mole and my mission was compromised. My team and I were captured. I lost two men, and the rest of us were tortured to near death. I don’t remember the last couple of weeks. I woke up in a hospital in Germany with my mother at my bedside.”

  “Who rescued you?”

  “One of my men managed to steal a radio and was able to contact a SEAL team that had been sent to the area to find us. Had it not been for my teammate, and those SEALs, I’d be dead. I spent three months in that hospital. No sooner was I released did my father have a heart attack. I had a few more months of sick leave, so I came home to take care of him and my mom. I was only here a couple of weeks when I realized I didn’t want to return to the military.”

  “What made you decide that?”

  “In part, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to pass the physical, but mostly, I missed having a home. I missed being in one place.”

  She dropped the covers and straddled his lap. “The Army just let you go?”

  He gripped her hips, holding her still. “No. I’m still in the reserves, but I’m more of a consultant than anything else. I’m stationed in Anchorage. I’ve got four years left in my current contract, and I’d consider staying in the reserves if I can stay in Alaska.”

  “I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

  “Me neither. Now can we stop talking? Because we’ve only got fifteen minutes before you told me you needed to get up so you’d have ample time to get ready, and if you hadn’t noticed, I either need to go take a very cold shower, or I need to flip you on your back and—”

  She covered his mouth with her hand. “Or I could do this.” She shifted, reaching between their bodies and curling her fingers over the length of him, squeezing gently.

  “Now that I can get on board with,” he said behind a clenched jaw. His fingertips dug into her thighs, making white impressions. “You were always so aggressive.”

  “I’ve been known to take what I want.”

  “I’m not complaining,” he said between low grunts.

  “Good.” She kissed his neck, right below his ear. He tasted like sunshine and salty air. When she’d been with him three years ago, she’d never anticipated how hard it would be to say goodbye. Their first kiss had been mind-blowingly fantastic. It was as if a fresh blueberry burst inside her mouth. Making love to him had been earth-shattering. But it was the days that followed that had been life changing.

  In less than a week, she’d fallen head over heels in love with a man she’d only physically known for a short time but had felt like she’d known her entire life. Getting over him had been the hardest thing she’d ever had to do and not just because she knew he didn’t feel the same way.

  But because for the first time in her life, she’d questioned her level of happiness in her job and in her life in general.

  Desperation coated her mind like the hard candy shell on a M&M. Greedily, she took him into her mouth. An overwhelming need to please him ravished her like a raging waterfall. The sensation gave her a crushing sense of power.

  His groans grew louder and deeper. His fingers dug into her scalp and twisted with her hair. Boldly, she lifted her gaze, catching a glimpse of the desire smoldering in his bright blue eyes.

  He cracked a sexy smile as he tilted his head, brushing a clump of her hair from the side of her face. He twisted his body, pressing her back against the mattress. “You’re the most beautiful and amazing woman I’ve ever met.”

  “No need to flatter me.”

  He chuckled. His hot breath tickled her skin as he dotted her body with soft kisses. No part of her went untouched.

  Blinking, she focused on the snowflakes melting as they hit the skylight above. The stars filled the black sky, and Colton filled her. Their bodies twisted together into a tight knot that might never become undone. Her hips rolled against his like water rocking a boat. The room filled with their soft moans and steamy breath. Her chest heaved up and down, and her heels dug into the bed.

  “Yes,” she cried.

  No one had ever touched her the way he did. It wasn’t just the physical aspect, which left her breathless and begging for more, but he also flooded her mind, heart, and soul with sensations she had no idea what to do with.

  She arched her back, and her body shuddered. “Colton,” she whispered, holding on to his shoulders. Her lungs burned, and she couldn’t take in a deep breath no matter how hard she tried.

  Colton brought his mouth to hers in a wet, sloppy kiss as his body trembled. He buried his face in her neck while she stroked his back. Her fingernails glided up and down in long, soft caresses. A single cloud floated across the skylight.

  She closed her eyes and sighed. The only reason she’d come to Alaska is because of what it had meant to her mother. Colton was just icing on the cake.

  But she couldn’t have her cake and eat it too.

  4

  No regrets.

  Only sleeping with Flynn hadn’t been the smartest thing he’d ever done, and it would be his heart that paid the price.

  But at least he’d be in Alaska. While it could be a lonely and isolated place to live, it could also prove to be a sanctuary for a man’s soul. The hardest part would be the first week after she returned to New York. After that, as long as he kept busy, he’d manage.

  He tapped his knuckles on the dressing room at the dog sled center. “Are you ready?” He glanced out the picture window. Willie had hooked up one team and was busy hooking up the second. The van from the hotel pulled in, and three women exited the side door. He could have ridden over with them. Normally, he would have driven the van, but he wanted more time alone with Flynn.

  More importantly, he wanted time alone with her after the tour.

  He made sure all the waivers were attached to the clipboards with pens while he waited for the Flynn. “Do you need a hand.”

  “No. I’m good. I’ll be right out.”

  He’d learned years ago never to rush a lady in the dressing room, even a self-confident woman like Flynn.

  “Do I really need all this gear?” Flynn stepped into the lobby wearing her own dark-blue snowsuit, which Colton deemed warm enough. But her undergarments were not up to the standards needed to keep her body from freezing. Nor were her gloves or hat. She’d neglected to bring a face guard, and her flimsy scarf might be designer and cute to look at, but it didn’t serve any other purpose.

  He reached out and rolled down the black mask covering her plump rosy lips. “You’d be an icicle five minutes into the ride without half this stuff.” He planted a quick kiss on her mouth before anyone else entered the building. “You might as well unzip and take off your gloves and hat. We have some boring stuff that I have to go over with our other guests now that they’ve arrived. Three women all about your age. They are from Seattle and have been here in the summer before. They wanted to check out what it was like when the sun almost never shines.”

  “It looks like the sun wants to peek out.”

  “It will be in the sky around eleven but gone by three thirty.”

  “I guess I won’t be working on my tan.”

  He laughed. “But tonight, it appears, will be a good night to see the northern lights, and my bed is the perfect spot to see them.”

  She poked him in the chest. “That might have been a one-time thing.”

  He frowned. “I hope not, but I understand if it has to be that way. Regardless, we usually have a good view of the northern lights this time of year. If not from my cabin, I’ll be on the radio with some of the tour guides, and we can hop on the snowmobile and find them.”

  “I tell you I’m not going to have sex with you, and you shrug it off like it’s nothing. That is not good for this girl’s ego.”

  “Trust me. I want nothing more than to have you in my bed every night. But I respect you too much to be an asshole about it.” He glanced over his shoulder. The three women were petting the
dogs, while Willie gawked at the guests like a sick-love puppy.

  Typical.

  “Is that why you never texted me or tried to call me after I blew you off?”

  “That and I was shipped to an undisclosed location where I wouldn’t have been able to contact you if I wanted to. You were right back then. There was no way we could have given a relationship a shot even if we both wanted to.”

  “We still can’t.”

  “I know.” He patted her ass. “But when in Alaska…” he let the last word linger.

  She glanced up and arched a brow.

  He winked. “I really can’t help myself around you.”

  The door pushed open, and Willie waltzed in followed by three women who were at least dressed properly.

  “Hello, ladies,” Colton said in a sexy drawl. “I see you’ve met my partner, Willie. He’ll take two of you, and I’ll take one of you with my friend here, Flynn. Now I just need you all to fill out these—”

  “Flynn as in New York City, high-heeled, lipstick Flynn?” Willie pulled down his mask and lifted up his goggles. “Well, I’ll be damned. What brings you all the way up here?”

  “Just visiting,” she said behind a narrowed glare.

  “You’re visiting him? Is there something you’ve neglected to tell me?” Willie asked.

  “Trust me, I’m not telling you anything.” Colton hiked up his snow pants. Willie had a tendency to open his mouth and insert his big fat foot. “Now, as I was saying. We need you all to sign these waivers. I also need to take the time to go over some important safety issues. You must keep your hands and legs in the sled at all times, and please, don’t take off your gloves, hat, or face masks while we’re moving. Frost bite can happen out here in a flash. It will take us about sixty minutes to get to our first destination, where we will take a quick break. There will be a shed with bathrooms as well as a snack and some hot chocolate. Our second stop will be at the Denali State Park where one of the park rangers will give a short talk. Finally, we’ll head over to the brewery where we’ll have some lunch and a much-needed flight of beer or wine. Whichever you prefer.”

  “It’s still so dark out there. Is it safe?” the woman with dark hair asked.

  “Both sleds are equipped with something akin to headlights,” Willie said. “The trails have a few lights on them as well. But don’t worry, the sky will slowly brighten.”

  “Will we get to drive the sleds?” the same woman asked.

  “Absolutely. We will give you all lessons at the first stop,” Willie said as he handed out the forms. “Now why don’t all of you introduce yourselves to each other.”

  “Okay, I’ll start,” a woman with long blonde hair said with more excitement than necessary. “My name is Erica. I’m from Seattle, and this is my birthday present to myself. I brought with me my two best friends in the whole world.”

  “Happy birthday,” Colton said, doing his best to be animated. People skills didn’t come to him easily. “What about you?” He pointed to the woman with purple hair standing next to Erica.

  “I’m Joan, Erica’s much younger sister.”

  “And I’m Lisa, the older cousin, but only by a few months.” Lisa had short dark hair and a killer smile.

  Actually, all three women were quite attractive.

  But they weren’t Flynn. Not even close.

  “What about wildlife?” Flynn asked with wide eyes. “My mother told me about moose and bears, and I should have bear spray with me at all times. I didn’t buy bear spray.”

  Colton bit back a chuckle. When they’d had a picnic in the park, she freaked out about a chipmunk that got too close. “It is Alaska. We do have some big creatures.” He made his way over to the counter and pushed his jacket aside, lifting up his weapon. “Don’t let this scare any of you, but Willie and I do carry a gun. It’s just precautionary. We get reports throughout the tour of animals and where they have been seen. We will then avoid those areas. If we do run into a bear, the best thing to do is make a lot of noise. The dogs tend to scare them away, but if they, or a moose, get too close or aggressive, Willie and I will make sure you are protected.”

  “Two summers ago when I was here, we saw a moose walking through the hotel parking lot like it didn’t have a care in the world. Freaked me out,” Lisa said.

  “I’ve gotten two reports this morning from other mushers and so far not a single sighting of anything dangerous in the areas we will be traveling.”

  “Except maybe you,” Lisa said with sultry tone. “Should I be frightened of you?”

  He did his best to keep from rolling his eyes. He’d have to nip this flirting in the bud. No way did he need some tourist ruining his chances of spending another night with Flynn. “All right, ladies. Why don’t Erica and Joan go with Willie, and I’ll take Lisa and Flynn in my basket.” He thought about giving flirty Lisa to Willie, but he figured he could manage her better if he kept her by his side, kind of like keeping your enemies close. Besides, Flynn didn’t have much of a bullshit meter, so she’d put Lisa in her place.

  Hopefully.

  “Make sure you cover up all your skin. Don’t leave anything exposed. If anyone has a problem during the ride, please just raise your arm straight up in the air, okay?”

  All four women nodded as they bundled up, covering their faces.

  “Colton, can I talk to you for a second?” Willie asked.

  “Sure.” Colton did his best to keep from rolling his eyes. “What’s up?” he asked from the far corner of the hut while he eyed Flynn wiggle in her snow pants, adjusting her coat and all her other gear.

  “When did she get here?” Willie asked.

  “You pulled me aside to ask me that?”

  “Hell yeah. I mean. She broke your heart,” Willie said, emphasizing the word heart.

  “I didn’t know her long enough for that.” Colton had told Willie all about Flynn one night at the brewery during trivia night after a long day whitewater rafting followed by a few too many glasses of wine.

  That had proven to be a mistake.

  “Did you know she was coming?” Willie asked. He wouldn’t give up on the questions until he knew everything. He was worse than the ladies at the salon on Saturdays.

  “Look. Her mother recently passed away.”

  “Oh shit. I didn’t know.”

  Colton pinched the bridge of his nose. He hadn’t meant to make Willie feel bad, but he needed Willie to think before he spoke, especially around Flynn. “I know. This trip is all about honoring her mother and in a way her friendship with my mother. It has nothing to do with me or what happened between us three years ago. I’d appreciate it if you could keep anything I said to you about her to yourself, okay? Especially any of the jokes. She wouldn’t appreciate them at all.”

  “Sure thing, man.” Willie slapped him on the back. “We better get a move on.”

  No way would Willie be able to keep his lips sealed. At some point, he’d say something that would insult Flynn, putting Colton in the doghouse. He followed Willie out of the building and helped Lisa and Flynn into the basket. “I know it’s a tight squeeze in there, ladies.”

  “We’re fine, aren’t we, Flynn?”

  Colton wished he could see the look on Flynn’s face when Lisa patted her on the knee. Flynn didn’t take too kindly to most people invading her personal space, but especially not women. Flynn had told him about some chick at work who had been a conniving backstabber. Flynn had made the mistake of trusting this woman, and that lapse in judgment put her on the outs with her boss.

  Colton had to wonder if she was still paying for what that woman had done.

  “I’m going to fall out,” Flynn mumbled.

  Colton chuckled. “If you do, I’ll try not to laugh. Hike.” Holding the harness, he flicked his wrists. The sled jerked forward as the dogs started off the down the path. He used his right leg, pedaling, giving the dogs a little help to start out with.

  “Holy hell,” Flynn said. “Please don’t go too fast
.”

  “Hike!”

  The dogs lurched forward, and Flynn let out a short but very loud yelp.

  Flynn took Colton’s hand and stepped from the basket. “This is breathtaking.” She let her gaze soak in the wintery wonderland. She had to admit, nothing she’d ever seen in the city stole the air in her lungs. The weight of Ashlea and all the problems she created at work left Flynn’s body, leaving her feeling carefree for the first time in a long while. The last time she remembered this sensation had been the first week she’d spent with Colton.

  That made her muscles tighten and twist for different reasons.

  “I’ve been all over the world, and nothing is as beautiful as Alaska, even in the dead of winter.” Colton held her hand, gliding her across an icy patch toward a small cabin with smoke pouring out of the chimney.

  “I can’t believe I’m looking at a real glacier,” Lisa said, jumping up and down in the snow like a little kid. “It’s so beautiful out here.” She grabbed Colton’s forearm, practically hugging it to death. “Did you really grow up here?”

  “I did.” He let go of Flynn’s hand to brush Lisa off his arm, but he did so in a gentlemanly fashion. That said, Flynn suspected that behind Lisa’s face mask, she sported a huge frown. She didn’t seem to be the type of woman who took rejection well, if at all. “But I didn’t appreciate it until I came back to help my folks. It really is a special place.”

  The ice from the glacier gleamed a bright blue against the tall mountains. Large snowflakes floated from the hazy sky. The wilderness stretched on forever and ever. A person could get lost out here.

  Literally.

  “I have to agree.” Flynn shivered.

  “Are you cold?” Colton wrapped his arm around her waist. “There’s some hot chocolate and coffee inside the hut.”

  “I’m actually not horribly cold, but coffee sounds wonderful,” she said. “As long as it’s not with over the top Lisa. That woman is too much and she’s not going to stop until she’s got her hand gripping your balls.”