Christmas in the City II

by Samantha Chase

  She sighed and gave him a helpless smile. “And the staff was fairly minimal…”

  Gently, Hunter pulled Lexi back into his arms. “Baby steps.”

  “There’s no staff here to serve. Everyone’s bringing a dish – including your parents – and…”

  “That someone else probably made…”

  She rolled her eyes. “Stop looking for trouble. Like you said, baby steps. At least they’re coming and they really seem to be trying, Hunter. We have to give them credit for that.”

  “Maybe…”

  Stepping out of his embrace, Lexi did a final walk-through of the house – the new house she and Hunter moved into less than a month ago. Hunter had sold his townhouse at the beginning of the year and moved in with her, but her house was small and they wanted a place that was truly theirs. Now as she walked around, Lexi still couldn’t believe this magnificent house was hers.

  It was nowhere near as large as Hunter’s parents’ place in Chapel Hill – and they were still in Raleigh close to Hunter’s office – but she did manage to have three Christmas trees of her own scattered around the house. One in the living room, one in the bonus room and one in their bedroom.

  She smiled when she thought of that last one and how much they enjoyed leaving the white lights on as the only illumination in their bedroom while they made love. It was the perfect house for them and she was beyond excited to host their first Christmas together.

  “Before everyone gets here,” Hunter said as he came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, “I want to give you your present.”

  “That’s not how this usually works,” she softly chided, turning in his arms.

  “Maybe I’m starting my own tradition,” he said, and then kissed her until she was boneless in his arms. Lifting his head, he smiled at her and then led her over to the sofa.

  “One year ago, I feel like my life finally became my own,” he began. “And although I’m disappointed about all of the time we lost, I am beyond happy that we got our second chance. I love you, Lexi Hayes.”

  Emotion for this man threatened to overwhelm her. “I love you too.”

  Hunter slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. “And one year ago, I gave you a ring. And I know it wasn’t an engagement ring – it was too soon – but this year, I think it’s the perfect time.” Dropping to one knee in front of her, he opened the lid on the box. “You are the reason I have this wonderful life. And you are the reason I believe in an amazing future. I want to share that with you, Lexi. Always. Will you marry me?”

  Unable to speak, she nodded and tears rolled down her cheek as he placed the stunning solitaire in a vintage setting on her finger. She smiled when she realized it matched her ring from last year on her finger.

  And when he took her in his arms and kissed her, she knew Hunter truly was her best Christmas present ever.

  About Samantha Chase

  New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

  When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, blogging, playing way too many games of Scrabble on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina. For more information visit her website at www.chasing-romance.com.

  Other Books by

  Samantha Chase

  Jordan’s Return

  The Christmas Cottage

  Ever After

  Stay With Me

  The Snowflake Inn

  The Baby Arrangement

  Baby, I’m Yours

  Baby, Be Mine

  Exclusive

  Moonlight in Winter Park

  Friday Night Brides

  Christmas in Silver Bell Falls

  Duty Bound

  Honor Bound

  In the Eye of the Storm

  Forever Bound

  Home Bound

  The Wedding Season

  Trust in Me

  Return to You

  Meant for You

  I’ll Be There

  Made for Us

  Life, Love & Babies Trilogy

  Wildest Dreams

  Love Walks In

  Going My Way

  Waiting for Midnight

  Always My Girl

  This is Our Song

  Roommating

  Where to Find Me

  Website: www.chasing-romance.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/SamanthaChaseFanClub

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3

  Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/samanthachase31/

  Sign up for my mailing list and get exclusive content and chances to win members-only prizes! http://bit.ly/1jqdxPR

  Like Christmas

  A Beauty & The Thief Christmas Novella .05

  Ashlee Taylor

  Chapter One

  The sound of metal hitting cut glass crystal sounded like bells in the expanse of the ballroom. My head snapped up to look around to see where the offending sound was coming from. I thought all the sappy bullshit was over, alas someone wanted to keep it going. I just wanted to get out of here.

  These aren’t my people; I was chosen out of a familial obligation. I like to say I was kidnapped by a band of spray tan orange hussies and made to look like one of them. Yeah, that was until I went back to my hotel room and scrubbed the offending chemical off my skin giving me a little of my pasty white skin back.

  Score one for me.

  My happiness didn’t last long as the smirk and sucking teeth came shortly afterward. The comments made under their breath or when they thought I wasn’t paying attention made me laugh. Especially after the maid of honor called me a bitch, I proceeded to throw the flowers I was holding to the ground ready to take this walking sherbet tube outside if necessary.

  So of course when I saw her stand up, I began to plot the ways I could quickly take her out. I was currently picturing myself ramming into her midsection with my shoulder subsequently knocking her off the platform. I giggled to myself a little too much to which caused the guy sitting on my right to shush me.

  “You’re next buddy,” I gave him a wink and then proceeded to crack my knuckles. He gulped before shaking his head. “Thought so!” I laughed again before taking a huge gulp of the now warm champagne.

  “Hiiiiii,” She said in a very annoying voice. “I’m Karlye, with a Y-E at the end. I am Chantalle’s sorority sister and best friend,” She cheered doing some weird hand gestures and calling out some letters of the Greek alphabet. “I’m totally excited to be here today to share in Chantalle’s and George’s celebration. I was the one who introduced the newlyweds so this is a no-brainer that they would get married, I called it as soon as he picked her up for their first date. He was smitten from the moment they met and she had a ring on her finger three months later. I couldn’t imagine a better outcome for these two, please raise your glass and toast to Chantalle & George,” I wanted to throw up as the resounding cheers went up around the venue.

  Karlye with the Y-E was still standing up, laughing as she downed a glass of champagne when her eyes locked on mine.

  “Bitch,” She mouthed and I made a move to get up, which startled her, causing her to slip and stumble before breaking into a jog in those Louboutin deathtraps she was wearing.

  When the wedding party got up and started to dance to the horrendous dance music, I finally got up in search of the open bar. Once there I ordered a rum and coke and savored every sip.

  “Can I get a jack, neat?” Someone asked
from beside me and the bartender went straight to work.

  “Nice wedding?” The voice asked and I didn’t reply.

  “Partied too hard and lost your voice?” The voice asked, this time, a little closer in proximity.

  Looking up, I took stock of the man standing next to me. He was nice looking; I’ll give him that.

  “Pardon?”

  “She speaks,” He chuckled. “I asked if you thought this was a nice wedding.”

  “Um, guess so.”

  “You guess so, huh. Well, I can tell you’d rather be anywhere else than here,”

  I laughed, sipping more of my drink.

  “How can you tell that?”

  “Well, the fact that you’ve tuned out everyone and everything around you. Not to mention your face, albeit beautiful, tells a lot. You don’t want to be here.”

  “Wow, you’re very observant,” I threw a ten onto the bar top for the bartender before making a hasty escape in the opposite direction.

  I already knew that I was unhappy, I didn’t need some jerk to reiterate that fact to me. Heading straight for the ladies’ room, I needed a reprieve. When I was tucked into the last stall, I climbed up and sat on the back of the toilet letting the tears flow.

  After some time alone with my thoughts, the main bathroom door opened and laughter followed.

  “I can’t believe Emmeline, who does she think she is?”

  “I know, she acts all holier than thou one minute and like a thug the next. I don’t even know why you let her in your wedding, Channy.”

  Was my cousin actually with this group?

  “Trust me, I did not want her to be a part of my special day.”

  “Then why is she here?” One of the group asked.

  “Because I wanted the wedding of my dreams, since Emmeline owned this place I knew she’d give us a family discount. I get to put another thirty grand towards the new sauna I’m having built in my basement while having enough money left over for my new tits.”

  “Scandalous, I’m glad you get to screw her over. I really fucking hate her.”

  “So do I, I mean she’s the worst. How horrible of a person do you have to be when your own parents would rather die than be with their only child.”

  And there it was, my excuse to come out of hiding. I quickly cleaned my face, added some makeup to look semi presentable before I flushed the toilet before making my entrance. When I stepped out of the stall, every one of the bridesmaids and my cousin stood there with shocked looks on their faces. Washing my hands, I went over and over in my head what I was going to say and I knew exactly what that was going to be.

  “Oh Chantalle, I’m so glad I caught you. I’m going to need you to make sure the balance of twenty-two thousand is paid before the end of the night. I don’t like to talk business, but since you brought up my business here I thought what good of time than any.”

  “Wha… what do you mean twenty-two thousand more dollars? We’re paid in full.”

  Drying off my hands, I turned to the group and smiled. “No, according to the contract you have an outstanding balance to be paid by close of your party today.”

  “But... Daddy paid you, I saw the check. It was only a little over eighteen thousand dollars because we got a family discount.”

  “Family discount? Is that written in the contract? Nope, sorry, the contract is for forty thousand dollars that included the venue, servers and food. So, I’m going to need that check because if I don’t receive it, I’ll be making some much-needed calls tomorrow, so that first thing Monday morning my attorney will be filing a lawsuit against you, since after all it’s your name is on the contract.”

  I walked past the now stunned group and maintained the laugh I was holding in at the sight of them.

  “You Bitch!” Chantalle screamed as her friends tried to calm her.

  “I’m a bitch? You’re right, I am a bitch. I’m such a bitch that I’m going to clue you in on something. Your bestie over there Karlye with the Y-E, she and George have been fucking since college. They’re idiots, my whole place is wired with cameras and sound. I watched the video of him and her as she proceeded to break down and beg him for one last time. He was steadfast, though, told her it was over. I thought he’d do the right thing until she offered to let him fuck her in the ass and then I watched as he dropped his pants proceeded to fuck her without a condom or lube. Which I got to say is really fucking impressive, kudos Karlye with the Y-E, you took that dick like a champ. Not that George is big but good Lord woman your asshole is like the equivalent of throwing a hotdog down a hallway.” I motioned wide with my arms to show the expanse before laughing.

  “That’s not true, she’s lying.” Karlye with the Y-E stuttered out.

  “Yeah, I’m a liar, I did mention I have video,” Pulling my phone from my purse, I brought up the video and hit play.

  “George baby,” The voice said. “You can’t stop seeing me, I won’t allow it. I’ll tell Channy!” I hit pause. “You see; I have no reason to lie. Now, make sure I get that money or well… you don’t want to see what I do next.”

  “I hate you, Emmeline.”

  “Feelings mutual, oh and before I forget there’s just one little thing I wanted to say.”

  “What?” Chantalle sneered.

  “The next time you feel the need to discuss the death of my parents, you better make sure I’m not within earshot. I will make sure your face meets with my fist, repeatedly. Well, I got to get back to the wedding. It’s a wonderful affair, your parents must be so pleased,” I laughed again quickly making my exit down the hallway as the roar of voices echoed behind the closed door of the bathroom.

  “You’re evil.” A voice called out, scaring the proverbial shit out of me causing me to jump and hit the closest wall.

  The mystery man from the bar stood in a darkened doorway staring out at me.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you normally hide in dark places to scare people?”

  “Didn’t mean to scare you, I just wanted to let you know that I am very impressed with the way you handled yourself in there.”

  Now I was pissed. “You were eavesdropping?”

  “Well, I watched you go down the hall and then shortly after I saw the group of maids and the bride follow. I thought something bad was going to go down.”

  “I can take care of myself, thank you,” I said before I started to walk away again.

  “Didn’t say you couldn’t. I just thought it’s a bit of an unfair advantage seven against one. Even with the toughest of fighters that odd isn’t one I would go up against.”

  “Like you’d hit a woman,” I scoffed, continuing my journey down the hall. I needed to get away from this crazy man, fast.

  “No, not normally but to protect you I’d make the exception.”

  I stopped and turned slightly to look at him. “Protect me? You don’t even know me.”

  He smiled a bright toothy grin at me. “Emmeline, please don’t think I’m the one lying now. You did good in there with the video and proving to them you aren’t a liar; I am willing to provide the same.”

  I was becoming increasingly angrier by the second. “Sir, I think it’s time to go back to the wedding,” I turned and kept walking towards the last corridor.

  “Okay Emmeline, I’ll go. Just remember that I’m close, I’ve always been close. If you need me, you let me know.”

  “See, that goes to show that you don’t know me, I don’t need anyone.”

  “Keep telling yourself that, Linnie.”

  Now I’d had it, I turned back to give him a piece of my mind and he was gone like smoke, vanished without a trace. I kicked my shoes off, leaving them where they lay and took off towards the furthest end of the building where my office was. My hands were shaking as I inserted the key into the lock, I secured myself inside and headed straight for the surveillance cameras. Finding the right feed, I rewound back the minutes to watch our exchange. When it
got to be the point where he’d referred to me as Linnie, the name I hadn’t heard since my parents were alive. I watched as he went right back into the darkness.

  “What the fuck?”

  I watched the video over and over again and then other feeds before giving up fully. The man who had seemed to appear out of nowhere seemed to have disappeared into the night.

  My phone began to ring, startling me.

  “Hello?”

  “Ms. Billings, it’s Adam.”

  “Oh hey Adam, is everything okay?”

  “Yes ma’am,” He said and I inwardly groaned, I was younger than him. “The party is starting to thin out, the bride and her party have gone. Do you want me to start the cleanup?”

  “Yes Adam, would you mind? I suddenly don’t feel very well and I’m going to head home.”

  “Of course Ms. Billings, please take care of yourself. I hope you feel better.”

  “Thank you, Adam.”

  I disconnected the call, making a mental note to give all of those who stayed to clean a little bit extra for cutting out on them. I went into my private bathroom and changed out of the hideous dress and into some street clothes I kept for emergencies. Making sure everything was off before I exited and locked up my office. I was out of the building and in my car when relief swept over me.

  I just wanted this day over, I wanted it to be done. I looked forward to climbing into my bed.

  Pulling into my driveway, I hit the garage opener and drove my car inside. I was in the house, stripping off my clothes and falling into the bed in no time. That night I dreamed of that strange man and wondered how he knew my parents nickname for me was Linnie.

  Chapter Two

  Sundays, my favorite day of the week. My lazy day, where I can kick back and just veg out on the couch eating junk food, without a care in the world. I walked into the living room and pulled open the curtains to let the sunlight in, I could tell it was going to be a beautiful day. I noticed that my neighbors were out in full force, with decorations galore preparing for Christmas.

  Our neighborhood always seemed to go out in a spectacle of lights each year, as it got closer to the holiday it seemed that the decorations multiplied. The most flamboyant house wins some sort of neighborhood trophy, bragging rights and a gift certificate to the local steak place. I would never win; I didn’t put anything up. A few years back they tried to persuade me into decorating, I smiled a polite smile before slamming the door in their faces. Needless to say they didn’t ask me again, instead, my house was bypassed by everyone. Not that it bothered me any. I mean who is grateful that people don’t go randomly knocking on your door, I know I am.