by Dahlia Rose
“All the more reason you should start going again.” Nicholas encouraged her with a smile and covered his heart with his hand. “Please give this lowly man a chance to enjoy a wonderful night with the most beautiful lady he has ever seen.”
“Nicholas . . .”
“Tell me, Neeva. Let me be there for you, please. I won’t let you fall.”
He came closer, and his scent filled her nose. She could swear she could smell peppermint.
Neeva made her voice light. “There’s nothing to tell.” She couldn’t let him in. He would only be here for a short time. “I’ll go with you since you are being such a good man to help me today.”
Nicholas grinned. “You have made my day absolute perfection.”
“Sure, sure, you know Santa Claus shouldn’t be doing hard work on his vacation.”
“You wouldn’t believe how much work I have this time of year. This is the most relaxed I have been in a long time,” Nicholas responded.
Neeva rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. “I thought you would have given up the notion, but you’re going stick with the Saint Nicholas thing, aren’t you?”
“Yup.”
“I’m going out with a maniac later.”
“How about a kiss to seal the deal?”
“No.”
“Please, just a little one.”
“Don’t make me regret this, Nicholas.”
“Oh, all right.”
This was how the rest of the day went for Neeva, with Nicholas teasing her, and she played right along. She felt herself smiling more often than not. She was apprehensive about the night. He could make her forget it all. Feeling anything filled her with fear, but she was also excited about spending more time with her pretend Santa Claus.
Chapter Four
It seemed as if the day flew by like a lightning strike. People came, and in only a few hours, everything that Neeva owned that could float on the water was rented out. All except one. Nicholas grinned as he skimmed across the water on a Jet Ski with her arms wrapped around his waist. After he had convinced her to take a ride with him, she closed the shop and ran inside to change. When she came out of those doors, Nicholas was speechless. She wore an aquamarine bikini that covered only the essentials. He wanted to kiss each patch of skin and see if it all tasted the same. Now as they rode the waves, her thighs were pressed against his an intimate gesture. It was all he could do to keep his mind on working the Jet Ski.
She squealed in delight as the ski bounced on a high wave. It was so delightful to hear that Nicholas laughed as well. It was like he fed off her energy. What she felt, he felt, and he knew a connection like that could not be denied. They came to a stop alongside one of the old English replica cruise ships. The music filtered over the water, and people they didn’t even know called out holiday greetings.
“Merry Christmas!” Nicholas yelled back, but he noticed that Neeva stayed silent and only waved.
“Let’s take a swim.” She slid off the back of the Jet Ski and into the water. She looked up at him as she swam a lazy circle when she was away from the machine. “Are you coming in or what?”
Needing no further encouragement, Nicholas dove into the water and, with strong strokes, followed her path through the sea. He dove under and saw her leg as she treaded water. With a tug, he pulled her under and, before she could protest, took her lips in a kiss. They surfaced the water with their lips still clinging to each other and Neeva’s legs wrapped around his waist. She pressed against his already hard arousal. Just a pair of swim shorts and a scrap of material barred him from sinking his cock deep into her while the waves carried them. He wanted her so much even through the water he could feel her heat.
He nipped at her lips and tasted the salt of the sea. “You drive me beyond reason, Neeva.”
“I don’t know why you make me feel this way,” Neeva whispered against his lips. “I shouldn’t be feeling like this.”
“Why not? Why not just let yourself go?” Nicholas pulled away and stared into her eyes. He saw the emotion, the doubt, and the pain deep inside her, swirling there. “Let me in, Neeva. I promise I’ll fight those demons with you.”
She gave a shaky, tear-filled laugh. “You say that like you plan to be here forever. You are just a tourist passing through for a few days of fun. You plan to cure me of all my fears in that time and then what?”
“Why does it have to be only a short time, Neeva? What if I want it to be longer?”
“Don’t say things like that, please don’t.”
“But it’s true. My heart was yours from the moment you stepped out of the water.”
A tear fell down her cheek and blended with the salty sea water. “You can’t love me in one day. You are a crazy guy who thinks he is an imaginary Christmas entity.”
“Yet, you are here in my arms, and it feels very, very right,” Nicholas murmured.
“I must have gone crazy too.” Neeva met his eyes, and she searched his face for answers. “Tell me, Nicholas, what makes you so sure? How can you be so sure about everything?”
“Magic,” he replied with a smile. He knew she wanted him to make promises to assure her everything was okay. He couldn’t do that. Life was filled with twists and turns, and no matter what happened in the past, she would have to learn to trust him.
“I don’t believe in magic, remember?” Neeva pointed out.
He kissed her on the tip of the nose. “There’s still time, my darling Neeva, more time than you could possibly imagine.”
She opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but Nicholas cut her off with a quick kiss. “Come on. Let’s get your equipment back in the shop, and we can go out and enjoy the festival.”
Neeva snorted. “Ha, we’ll be there late. There are always a few pieces I have to rescue from people who don’t care about returning other people’s stuff.”
“Somehow I think today will be different.” He gave her a wink as he climbed onto the Jet Ski and helped her on behind him. Because of his magical influence, Nicholas was absolutely right.
* * * *
He left her on the steps to her patio with a kiss and headed down the beach with a promise to return and pick her up later. He went about the task of trying to woo his Neeva. He rented a car since to whisk her away by magic would not be wise until he could claim her love as his. More orchids, he thought and held out his hands. A blue pot appeared this time, and the flowers, a vibrant orange. He picked out a black shirt to wear for the night and gray slacks. For some reason, he felt nervous. This was not a teasing comment or flirting on the beach. This felt like a date. That one word made him chortle. Who would think that a demigod would be nervous dating a mortal woman? But it was all the same when it came to love. It tied you up in knots and made you jittery inside.
Nicholas left his suite and walked out to where the sleek red convertible was waiting for him. He slid behind the wheel and started the car. It was only a short distance from his hotel to Neeva’s home. After only a few minutes on the main road, he parked in front of her house. This time, instead of coming through her kitchen that faced the beach, he knocked on her front door like a schoolboy on his first date. When she opened the door, Neeva left him tongue-tied. She wore a lilac cotton dress with soft white hibiscus flowers printed around the plunging neckline and hem that came to her knees. Tiny silver straps held the dress in place at her shoulders, and she wore a thin sliver necklace that settled in the hollow of her throat. Nicholas took it all in, from the top of her head and her black hair held back by to fragile sliver barrettes, to her feet in laced sandals the same color of her dress. Simple beauty was the only way to describe her, and she took his breath away.
‘You’re staring, Nicholas,” Neeva said with a shy smile.
“Um, yeah okay.” Nicholas was lost for words.
“Is your silence a good thing or a bad thing? I don’t think I have ever heard you at a lost for words.”
“It’s a good thing. You look amazing!” Nicholas couldn’t help
gushing.
“Well, thank you. I thought I had grown an extra head or something.” Neeva stepped out and closed the door.
“An extra head would only make you more ravishing.” He took her hand and placed a soft kiss on her wrist.
Neeva laughed. “There’s the Nicholas I know, charming and laying it on very thick.”
“When it comes to you, Neeva, every word is true.”
Nicholas helped her down the steps. He revisited the urge to swing her up in his arms and carry her to the car.
“Well, well, Mr. Claus. This doesn’t look like any sleigh I have ever seen,” Neeva teased.
“This is an entirely different kind of sleigh, baby,” Nicholas replied as he helped her into the passenger seat. “Hey, I may be Santa, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a piece of fine machinery.” He slid behind the wheel of the car, and when he inserted the key into the ignition the engine purred to life. As he put the top up so her hair wouldn’t be blown out of place, he asked with a grin, “Are you ready to enjoy a night on the town?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be, Nicholas Kringle.”
The night was dark as they drove through the island. But even as cruised along, the holiday cheer punctuated the darkness whenever they passed a house or neighborhood. Every house they passed was decorated. Multicolored lights formed elves and snowmen on the lawns. Glowing icicles hung from awnings and rooftops. And some had even covered driveways with white gravel to emulate snow. The scene was something that Nicholas had seen, but never up close. When Christmas Eve came around, he was moving so fast that he never had time to enjoy any of the holiday scenery or traditions in any country. So to him, it was all knew and beautiful.
“Is there snow where you come from?” Neeva asked out of the blue.
Nicholas grinned. “It’s the North Pole, sweetheart. There’s nothing but snow.”
She frowned. “I’m serious, Nicholas, trying to know more about you so, if you’re going . . .”
Nicholas sighed. “Fine. Yes, where I am from has a lot of snow in the winter.”
“I was going to move once. I thought about New York or Canada. I wanted to be someplace where there would be snow and isolated.” Neeva gave a soft laugh, and he could hear the sadness in her voice. “Anywhere was better than here.”
“Are you going to tell me why?”
“Let’s enjoy the night. That would be story for another time.”
They rode in silence for the rest of the trip. Nicholas reached over and held her hand as he drove. Neeva didn’t pull away as the car ate the miles of road to Port-au-Spain the capital of Trinidad. Nicholas knew when they found the festival even before he saw it. The music came through the windows on the breeze loud and filled with merriment. There was no place to park, so he had to park the car in the first free space he found after backtracking to one of the emptier streets they passed.
He got out and helped Neeva from the car. Hand in hand, they followed the throngs of people and headed into the midst of the revelry. Everything was a sensory experience. Nicholas looked around in awe. Costumes to depict the holiday glittered in colorful glory. Bands of musicians who Neeva told him were called Tuck Bands walked between the crowd playing flutes and drums. The mouth-watering smells of meat roasting on outside fire pits, of fish frying in flavorful oils, and of sweet breads and cakes filled the air with their aromas. It was a chaotic atmosphere, but everything came together to form the most lively celebrations he had ever seen. Islanders and tourists played together in the merriment, and for this one day, everyone was family in the spirit of the holiday. This was what Christmas was all about. These people weren’t rich by any means, but they loved and cared about each other, and that is what some had forgotten.
As they walked, Nicholas felt Neeva hold on tighter to him. He could feel her panic, and he made sure he had her secure to his side to let her know she was not alone. He felt Neeva begin to relax against him as they made their way at a snail’s pace through the crowd. The main street parade was going strong when they finally got to a place where they could watch. A float with a makeshift sleigh and Santa Claus passed by at that moment. The mock Santa boomed out, “Ho, ho, ho,” over a megaphone and threw candy canes at the crowd.
“Hey, they should’ve asked me!” Nicholas exclaimed.
“You are such a nut.” Neeva said with amusement.
“Am I really.” Nicholas lifted his head and imitated the Santa in the float.
“Ho, ho, ho!” resonated through the crowd. He didn’t need a speaker to make his voice heard. The crowd cheered in response, and Neeva stared up at him in amazement.
“How did you do that?”
“I guess I just have good lungs,” Nicholas said. “Come on. I’m hungry. Let’s find sustenance.”
The things he ate shouldn’t have been called sustenance. It was pure culinary genius. Conkies, the oddest name he ever heard but the light bread was a mixture of pumpkin, raisins, coconut, and spices made into bread and cooked in banana leaves. The first bite made him close his eyes in pleasure. In his entire existence, he had never tasted anything that delicious, and sharing with Neeva made it all the better. He knew then that thousands of years had passed, but he had never really lived. The job was his passion. Seeing children smile filled his heart with joy. But somewhere along the line, he had forgotten that he needed to find personal joy and love. He needed love.
Just at that point, above the revelry, he heard crying. It was a small cry that said distress and fear, unmistakable as if he or she was calling for help. He knew a child in distress. He saw too many of them alone, or abused with no one around the holidays, and it broke his heart.
“Hey, where you going?” Neeva was breathless, and he pulled her along.
He began moving so fast on instinct that he was pulling her along behind him. The music faded a bit, and in front of a building, he saw a little boy standing. He had red snow cone juice around his mouth and running down the front of his shirt. Tears fell from his eyes, and lost and alone, he stood looking around in fright.
Nicholas squatted in front of him. “Hey, buddy, how are you?”
“Momma, Momma!” He sobbed and rubbed his eyes.
“We’ll find your momma. Let’s get you cleaned up just a little and see what’s under all the snow cone juice.” Neeva pulled a few wet-wipes from out of her purse and squatted down next to Nicholas. “Find his mother please. She has to be looking for him somewhere close by.”
Nicholas heard something in her tone. He couldn’t place it, and when he looked at her curiously, she was already sitting on the pavement with the boy in her lap. She didn’t even care about the sticky syrup on his hands getting on her dress as she cleaned him up. He turned and hurried into the crowd. He was immortal. He could hear a pin drop in the middle of New York City. He soon picked up the mother’s terrified cry for her son.
“Steven! Steven!” Her accent was even more pronounced than Neeva’s.
Nicholas hurried to her when she, panicked and terrified looking for her lost child, turned around in the crowd, a wild look in her eyes.
Nicholas laid his hand on her shoulder. She whirled around ready to fight anyone as any protective mother would. “Miss, I found your boy. He is sitting with my girlfriend right now.”
“Take me to him, please. Oh, God, he must be so scared!” the young mother cried.
They tried to move through the throngs of people, but it was like one step forward, two steps back. By the time they reached Neeva and the boy Nicholas now knew was Steven, he was curled up in her arms asleep sucking his thumb and Neeva was comforting him with a soothing voice.
“I found his mom,” Nicholas said as Neeva looked up.
The young woman rushed forward and plucked her son from Neeva’s arms. Nicholas noticed that she seemed reluctant to let go.
“Thank you. Oh, thank you for finding him,” she gushed, kissing the boy over and over again.
“You should’ve have been watching him better,” Ne
eva said, her tone sharp.
Nicholas’s eyes widened. ‘Neeva, accidents happen.”
“Not when it comes to a child,” Neeva snapped. “You need to be careful. Hold onto him at all times!”
“I was! The crowd was thick, and he wanted a cone and . . . and . . .” The young mother’s tears began again.
“You don’t need to explain. We understand.” Nicholas consoled her. He cast his gaze to Neeva whose face was like stone. “Don’t we? We’re just happy we found him.”
“Thank you again!” The mother hugged her child close to her and walked into the crowd. Nicholas could look in her face and knew her night of fun was over. She would go home and hold her son all the tighter.
