Welcome Home for Christmas

by Annie Rains

  “Can I win her over with coffee and a cinnamon bun, too, you think?”

  She jabbed her fork into a bite of pancake. “My mother is a health-food nut. And she doesn’t believe in coffee.”

  “I’m screwed.” He laughed.

  “Why don’t you go ahead and tell me what’s wrong with you?” she said, lifting her coffee to her mouth. Because he seemed just about perfect from where she was sitting.

  Troy lifted his gaze. “First off, I’m a guy. We’re all pigs.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “So am I. Kind of.” He bit through another slice of bacon. Chewed. “Why don’t you tell me what was wrong with all the other guys you’ve dated?”

  James crossed her mind. “Pigs. All of them.” She shrugged. “But maybe it’s me that’s defective.”

  Troy tapped the table in front of her to get her attention.

  She looked up.

  “It’s not you. I guarantee it.”

  “Maybe I’m boring, like milk toast,” she said, repeating James’s words.

  “I happen to like milk toast. And I find you fascinating. Especially in bed.” He winked.

  She quirked her mouth to the side and looked at him. “I went to a bar last night after you stood me up. An ex of mine was there.”

  The muscles visibly bunched along his jawline. “Sorry about that. Did he bother you?”

  “Yeah. I don’t know what I ever saw in him.”

  “What was your mother’s feedback on that one when you were dating?”

  Allison blew out a breath. “She had a lot to say about him. And all of it turned out to be true. She even predicted that he’d cheat on me.”

  Troy’s brown eyes softened. “His loss.”

  “Maybe. I decided after him that I’d take a break. And that I’d never bring a guy I like home to my mother for her to tear apart.”

  “Which is where I come in,” he said.

  “You’re my decoy. To keep my mother from thinking something is wrong with me.”

  “For the record, there is nothing wrong with you. You’re perfect.”

  Her heart did a silly little dance. “Thank you. You’re forgiven, though. You don’t have to keep trying.”

  “I know. Just calling it like I see it.”

  She sucked in a breath, filling her chest with air. She wanted to believe everything Troy said. Wanted to live in this pretend world that couldn’t possibly last.

  And she didn’t want to use Troy as her decoy anymore. She didn’t want the veil to come off; she liked the guy in front of her. A lot.

  They finished up breakfast and then took a walk down a few of the scenic streets in Seaside. Troy draped his jacket over her to keep her warm. It was cold enough to snow, although she’d given up on a white Christmas here a long time ago.

  But she’d given up on finding Mr. Right, too, she thought, stealing a sideward glance at Troy.

  “We have a little time before we need to go to Mercy’s Place. Do you still want to show me your place?” she asked. “You didn’t get a chance last night, too busy playing the town hero.”

  Troy grinned. “I’d like that very much. Let’s go.”

  Chapter 14

  Troy was nervous as Allison stepped inside and looked around his home. She didn’t say anything at first, and that made his insides twist. He didn’t need anyone’s approval, but he sure as heck wanted hers.

  His gaze moved around the room, seeing it through her eyes. The vinyl flooring of the kitchen was torn in several places. The walls were scuffed, not all of them painted yet. There were no floorboards or crown molding, but that was on his list of to-dos.

  “This place is pretty terrific,” she said, turning to him.

  “You think?”

  “Of course I do. It needs a woman’s touch but otherwise, it’s perfect.”

  He couldn’t resist wrapping his arms around her. “About that.”

  She tipped her head back to look at him. “What?”

  “A woman’s touch. I haven’t really been looking for anything serious. And I’m still not.” What was he even trying to say? “I like spending time with you, though, Allison. And it’s kind of silly for things to end after tonight.”

  She tilted her head and he began to feel like maybe these were just his thoughts. Maybe she wasn’t enjoying this thing between them as much as he was. And what right did he have to want more? He’d never stuck around in a relationship. He always wound up ending things and breaking the heart of whatever woman he was with. But there was something about Allison that made him wonder if it’d be different with her. “You’re not saying anything,” he pointed out.

  “I’m surprised. I wouldn’t think a guy like you would want a woman like me.”

  He pulled back, mouth dropped. “What guy in his right mind wouldn’t want to date a gorgeous, funny, sweet, smart woman who has the biggest heart this side of Seaside? Your exes were jerks.” And he might fall in line with them, his conscience warned. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her. Perhaps this line of thinking was selfish on his part.

  “Maybe that would be nice,” she said as a smile lit up her face.

  “So then, uh, you’re kind of agreeing to be my girlfriend?”

  She laughed. “Do you want to shake on it?”

  “No.” He grabbed her waist and pulled her in. “I think we should kiss on it.”

  Her mouth opened for him. She offered a little whimper and clutched him to her. “I think we have time to seal the deal another way, too,” she whispered, pulling her lips from his. Her body pressed against him.

  There was absolutely nothing boring about this woman.

  He grabbed her ass and squeezed, kissing her again until she was boneless in his arms. Then he led her to his bed and peeled off her clothing, slowly, savoring every reveal of creamy soft skin.

  This woman, Allison, was different. She captured his interest and made him want things. Never in his life had he wanted to add a woman’s touch to his “fort.” He wanted her touch, though.

  He laid back on the bed first and pulled her to straddle him. Lifting a hand, he caressed one breast and then the other, intrigued and turned on by the way she responded. She closed her eyes, parted her lips, and disappeared somewhere inside herself.

  “Hey.” He rubbed his hands over her arms, getting her attention.

  She opened her eyes. “Hmm?”

  “Eyes on me, beautiful.” He traced a finger down her side, watching her shiver under his touch. They shared a smile. “You are perfect,” he told her again, positioning himself under her. Then he lifted her hips and pulled her over him. She moaned, but kept her gaze locked with his. They began to rock rhythmically together as they climbed higher and higher in their arousal. So damn high.

  “Fuck,” he cursed, doing his best not to close his own eyes and come. This was too good. He didn’t want it to end. Not ever.

  She rode him harder, harder, harder until she froze and cried out in pleasure. He let himself go with her.

  “That was amazing,” she said, lowering her body next to his when they were done.

  He kissed her temple. Don’t screw this up, Matthews. This was a good thing he had going. A very good thing.

  “Oh, no!” Allison shot upright in bed. “Time to get things loaded up for Mercy’s Place.”

  He yawned. “How am I supposed to play Santa when I’m mentally undressing my Mrs. Claus?”

  She frowned and tossed his clothes at him. “It’s for the kids,” she said.

  Right. It was a good cause. One he was proud to take part in. “You make me a better guy, you know that?”

  She tugged her clothes on and grinned with her sexed-up hair. “We’re good for each other, it seems. Because you make me feel like the most exciting thing around.”

  “Oh, you definitely are, baby. And if we wouldn’t disappoint a bunch of kids, I’d show you just how much more excited I can get.”

  She laughed. “Come on, Santa.”

  —
<
br />   Allison felt ridiculous in her Mrs. Claus suit. The dress was to her ankles and padded to make it look like she lived on nothing but sweets. She turned as Troy entered the small dressing room of Mercy’s Place and laughed.

  “Ho, ho, ho.” He held a piece of mistletoe over her head and waggled his eyebrows. “Care for a kiss?”

  She went up on her tiptoes and obliged the tradition. Then she slipped her hand in his. “Thanks for doing this.”

  “Hard to say no to something like this.”

  She pressed against him, fully aware that every second she spent with him she was falling a little more. Allison couldn’t seem to help herself, though. Troy made her feel good in a way she hadn’t felt in a long while. Ignoring the little warning bells going off deep inside her, telling her that she always fell for the wrong guys, she kissed him again. Then she tugged him toward the door that led to a room chock-full of excited little kids.

  “No cursing and no grabbing my butt,” she warned, narrowing her eyes.

  “I have nieces and nephews. I know how to act around kids.”

  “Good.”

  They opened the door and all the kids cheered as if rock stars were entering the room. Allison shared a look with Troy that said good luck, and then they spent the next hour and a half making the kids, who ultimately just wanted someone to love them for Christmas, smile.

  When the last gift was handed out and the last story was read, Troy belted out a “Ho, ho, ho” as natural as that of any other Santa she’d ever heard. Which made sense because, as Rhonda had said, he was just a big kid at heart. “Now, I want all of you to continue being good little boys and girls.”

  “And maybe we’ll get our forever families?” little Lucy asked, hugging her Betty doll tightly.

  Allison’s heart ached. She wished she could take the girl home herself. But she wasn’t in the right place for adoption right now. She prayed that the right person would come along for every kid in the room soon, though.

  Troy’s Santa beard fluttered as he blew out a breath. “Let me tell you guys something. Your being here has nothing to do with how good you are. You all deserve a family to take care of you and love you. My elves can’t make families, unfortunately. I wish they could. But I know that there’s someone special out there for every one of you.”

  Little Lucy stood and charged toward him, wrapping her little arms around him. “I love you, Santa!” she beamed.

  Allison beamed at him, too. She wanted to believe he was right; that each of these kids had someone special out there for them. She wanted to believe she had someone special out there for her, too. And that maybe that someone was Troy.

  —

  T minus one hour until the annual family Christmas Eve party. Allison heaved a heavy sigh as she walked through her house to go get dressed. Troy had gone home after leaving Mercy’s Place. He’d be picking her up in a bit to drive to her parents’ home.

  Maybe this time will be different. Maybe Troy will charm her family the same way he’d charmed her over the last two weeks. Well, not the exact same way.

  Her chest swelled with a million happy feelings as she thought of him. And he’d completely won the children over at Mercy’s this afternoon. She stepped into a black dress and accessorized with emerald-colored costume jewelry, then splashed festive color on her eyelids and lips. She heaved a sigh as she stared at her reflection. There was no part of her that wanted to take Troy to meet her family. It was a relationship death sentence.

  She’d just keep him by her side at all times. And make sure he did and said nothing that her mother would find fault with.

  Yeah. She nodded to herself as her phone beeped with an incoming text from Julie. How did it go at Mercy’s Place?

  Great, Allison typed back.

  Did you hear about Henry?

  Allison frowned and typed her response: Yes. I thought I’d go visit him next week.

  Although she had no idea what she’d say. She was mad that he’d taken from so many people. He’d tried to steal from her, too. Just another example of how clueless she was at reading people.

  Good luck tonight, Julie texted then. Whether you’re admitting it yet or not, you like this guy.

  Admitting it, Allison replied.

  Eek!

  Allison could only imagine her friend’s ear-piercing shriek.

  It’s your turn to find love and happiness. You deserve it.

  Allison grinned. Thanks, she typed back. Then she set her phone down and handled a few last-minute touches.

  The doorbell rang right on time. No standing her up tonight. She tapped in her code and turned off her security alarm, then opened her front door.

  Before she could even say hello, Troy stepped in and kissed her. “I love mistletoe,” he said.

  “You don’t need it to get a kiss from me anymore.”

  “Because you and I are a thing now.” Troy grinned. His brown eyes twinkled the way she’d grown to love. “I’m a little nervous,” he admitted then.

  “Don’t be. You’ll be fine,” she said. Because she had a plan that wouldn’t allow for anything other than fine.

  Allison did her best to not completely hyperventilate all the way to Dew Drop Lane in a prestigious waterside neighborhood on the outer edge of Seaside. All the large brick houses were decorated to the max. It was a sport in this community. A competition that she never understood.

  “We need a code word. So if you’re about to completely do or say something that my mom will find fault with, I’ll say something to warn you,” she said.

  “I thought there was no getting around your mom finding something on me. That’s why you chose me to bring.”

  “But that was before…you know.”

  “Before you decided it might be fun to keep me around?” He slid her a glance.

  “I want my mom and stepdad to like you.”

  “All I care about is you liking me,” he said seriously. “But, since their approval is important to you, what’s our code word?”

  She tapped a finger to her chin. “It has to be something we wouldn’t say in natural conversation, so we don’t confuse things.”

  He nodded. “Right. And it can be hard to get my attention sometimes, you know.” He reached for something on his dash and lifted up a branch of mistletoe. “They were selling this stuff like hotcakes at the café this morning. I thought it might do me some good to have it on hand, in case you didn’t readily forgive me for standing you up last night.”

  Allison took the mistletoe in her hand and inspected the shiny green leaves and pearly white beads.

  “If you need to shut me up, just say ‘mistletoe’ and hold it over my head. Kissing you will always grab my attention.”

  They pulled into her parents’ driveway. There was no time for arguing or coming up with anything better. “Fine,” she said, stuffing the mistletoe into her pocket, and hoping with everything inside her that she wouldn’t have to use it.

  —

  Troy felt like he was walking into a hostage situation.

  Careful steps.

  Stay quiet.

  No sudden movements.

  Allison was at stake.

  A crowd was gathered inside the enormous house. The only person he recognized was Dr. Pierce, Allison’s mother. Allison had told him that her mother remarried when she was a child, but Allison kept her father’s name. Thus, the reason mother and daughter didn’t share a last name. They shared the same emerald eyes, though, and the same engaging smile. Everything about Dr. Pierce made him want to relax and be himself around her. Allison had warned him, though. Being himself could only lead to disaster. Not that there was anything wrong with him. Her mother was apparently super critical when it came to the guys Allison dated, and according to Allison, she was always right.

  Troy cleared his throat. “Nice to see you again, Dr. Pierce. Thank you for having me.”

  Dr. Pierce leaned in toward his ear, so that only he could hear her. “And thank you for wearing clothes this
time.”

  Right. He’d been bare chested and wearing nothing but boxers when she’d caught him at Allison’s place earlier in the week. A lot had happened in the span of a week. He’d been at Allison’s only for protection that morning. Tonight he was here doing the same, but his feelings for her were different. He liked her. A lot.

  He offered his most charming smile to the good doctor. “Something smells wonderful. Allison didn’t tell me you were a great cook, too.”

  “Oh.” Dr. Pierce laughed and waved a hand. “I try. Come on in. Take off your coats.” She collected his leather jacket and Allison’s soft wool one, then hurried off to go hang them in a room down the hall. That left them open to talk to Allison’s aunts, uncles, and cousins. Troy’s head was spinning by the time they made it into the living room and sat down.

  “Hi, there.” An older man with dark hair came over and offered his hand to Troy. “I’m Allison’s stepfather, Jerry Pierce.”

  “Dad, you don’t have to introduce yourself as my stepfather. You’re my dad,” Allison said, standing from the couch and hugging him. She sprinkled a kiss on the man’s cheek and turned to Troy. “He raised me from the time I was six years old.”

  “Sounds like a dad to me.” Troy shook his hand and smiled.

  Jerry sat in a recliner across from them. “I was getting a bit overwhelmed in the dining room. A million different conversations and I couldn’t figure out which one I was supposed to be listening to.”

  Allison laughed. “We’ll brave that in a few.”

  “Your lawn looked great, sir,” Troy said.

  “Think I’ll win best lawn decorations?” Jerry asked.

  Troy nodded. “Your lawn was the best by a landslide.”

  This made Jerry laugh. “I’ve won for the last couple years running. When a man retires, he finds strange things are suddenly important to him.”

  They sat and talked to Allison’s stepdad for another ten minutes before they were pulled inside the dining room where a large wooden table decorated with a gold tablecloth and festive candles filled the room. There were dishes with holly leaves on them at every place setting.

  Troy pulled Allison’s chair out for her to sit, very aware that all of her relatives were watching him. By the sound of it, he didn’t have a whole lot to live up to in comparison to her past boyfriends. They said a prayer and then Dr. Pierce invited everyone to dig in. The dishes were passed around as everyone made conversation. The mood was upbeat and cheery, reminding Troy of the dinners at his own parents’ house. That was before his father had died. Before the rift between him and his brother David, a rift that he couldn’t fix on his own. He was proud to be a Marine and wouldn’t apologize for it.