Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe: A Small Town Holiday Novella Collection

by Christine Kingsley

  Her phone rang once again, but she didn’t pick up. She was about to turn her phone off and toss it into the snow when she got another text message: I know where u r. U can come back, or u will be sorry. U and everyone around u.

  She started trembling. If Sam had found out about the restraining order, she was in deep, deep shit. He’d take that as a challenge to find her and hurt her, only to prove that he could. She knew the statistics, and she knew that abusers were often more dangerous after you left them than when you stayed. She’d been so stupid, she realized, trying to stifle a sob. How could she really have thought that Sam would leave her alone?

  But it was the last text message that made her shake so hard her teeth chattered: Come outside Holly. I know ur in there. I saw u putting up that Christmas tree. U already find another guy to do what u want?

  He was here. He was here. How was he here? She listened, shaking, and she knew that if she told Matt, Sam would go ballistic. He’d kill Matt—and she knew Matt was a cop, but he wasn’t impervious to bullets, either—and then what?

  She waited until Matt went into his bedroom and shut the door. Then she put on the coat he’d given her and stuffed her feet into her boots, her body still trembling. She didn’t cry, though. The tears had all dried up ages ago. She stepped quietly down the stairs and out the backdoor. Walking toward the snow-covered field in the back of the house, she knew that Sam would find her.

  He always did.

  “Look who finally came out to play.” His voice was silky, seemingly calm.

  Holly turned to see the man she thought she’d loved standing in front of her: with his shaggy blond hair and blue eyes, he seemed harmless enough. He looked more like a surfer, the type who preferred sun and sand rather than hurting his girlfriends. But he had a dark side, which Holly was all too aware of.

  She hugged herself close, her breath puffing in the cold. “What do you want?”

  “Not even a hug? I came all the way here for you and you act like this?”

  “I didn’t ask you to come here.” She tipped her chin up. “How did you find me anyway?”

  Sam shrugged. “It was easy enough once I got your phone number. GPS is a handy thing, you know. And you are aware your phone bill is still attached to my account, right?” At her expression, he laughed. “So it was just a case of using ‘find your phone’ and voila! There you are.” He patted her arm, like she was a silly child. “At least you tried, darling.”

  She shook off his hand. “I don’t want anything to do with you. Haven’t you figured that out by now? We’re over. We were over when you tried to choke me.”

  He frowned. “That was an accident. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but you made me so mad. Come on, don’t hold a grudge against me. We’ve both fucked up.”

  “I’ve never tried to choke you, Sam.”

  His eyes narrowed, and Holly knew she was playing with fire. If she got him angry enough, there was no telling what he’d do. “It’s freezing out here, and you really want to argue the details?” He grabbed her arm, and she almost shouted for Matt. But Sam gripped her tighter and hissed in her ear, “Make another sound, and your new boyfriend is dead. You think he’ll really save you? I’ll shoot him through the heart before you can scream.” He shook her like a rag doll. “Now shut up and come with me.”

  She saw that Sam hadn’t driven himself as they got to the garage. He demanded her keys, which she handed over with a great amount of reluctance.

  “How did you get here?” she couldn’t help but ask.

  “I drove, but then I hitched a ride out here. Wouldn’t want to be traced, and besides, using your car will make it look like you left on your own.” Sam didn't turn on the engine, but instead put the car in neutral and slowly backed out of the driveway. It wasn’t until they were some distance from the house that he turned the car on, and heat filled the vehicle. It didn’t help Holly’s shaking, but at least she wouldn’t freeze to death.

  “Now,” Sam said as he smiled over at her, “where should we go?”

  “You don’t know?”

  He made a face, and before she could react, he slapped her across the face. Her cheek stinging, she bit her lip to keep from crying.

  “You talk like that to me again, and you’ll get worse.” Sam turned so they headed north, and Holly prayed that Matt would find them before they got too far.

  Before they’d driven more than a few miles, Sam had forced Holly to hand over her phone. He tossed it out the window into the snow, smiling over at her as he did so.

  “We can’t have you using that, now can we?”

  Now they were at a rest stop, hundreds of miles away from Matt, and Holly desperately looked for a way to contact him. But there were no payphones, and she didn’t have any money anyway. While Sam was in the bathroom, she considered running, but where could she go in all of this snow? Besides, Sam would catch her before she’d run a mile.

  She considered, her mind whirling. What was Sam even planning? Would he kill her? She didn’t know at this point, but she was well aware that Sam was unpredictable. As a last ditch effort, Holly ripped off a part of the coat—Matt’s coat—and tied it to the light pole next to the only entrance to the rest stop. She had no idea if Matt would even come this way, but it was better than nothing.

  She was sitting in the car by the time Sam returned. He got inside the car and they drove away, neither of them saying anything. Holly was so tired that she couldn’t even feel fear anymore. Her cheek still hurt, though, from where Sam had slapped her, and it served as a reminder that no matter their history, she wasn’t safe with this man.

  They drove into the night. As dawn approached, they finally stopped at a little motel off the highway. Sam sent Holly to get food from the local diner next door, telling her if she tried anything, he’d kill her. Trembling and exhausted, she ordered food for them both. She almost told the waitress about her situation, but they were in the middle of nowhere. It would take who knew how long for the police to arrive, and if Sam saw them, he might snap and kill them both.

  She returned to the motel room, an old, sparse room that smelled of cigarette smoke and sweat. She handed Sam his bacon and eggs, which he complained about and refused to eat after he discovered that the eggs were runny. Holly, for her part, could only drink coffee and nibble on a bagel.

  Please find me, Matt, she kept praying. Please find me. And don’t die trying to get here.

  What if Matt didn’t get up for hours, though? They’d be long gone by then, and it would be difficult to track them once they arrived in a big city like Kansas City. Holly bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from sobbing outright.

  Sam fell asleep, snoring, and Holly stared at the wall. The car keys were in his back pocket. If she tried to get them from his pocket, he could wake up and then there’d be trouble. But when he flipped over to his side, exposing said pocket, Holly decided she’d have to try. Moving toward him on the bed, she very slowly delved into his pocket, pulling out the keys and making sure they didn’t jangle. Sam snorted in his sleep but didn’t awaken.

  Holly breathed a sigh of relief. She held the keys in her fist, but winced when the springs of the bed screeched. Sam continued sleeping, and she walked to the door with light steps. If she could just get this deadbolt off, and unlock the door, and open it…

  “Going somewhere?” Sam slapped a hand against the door, boxing her in.

  She didn’t think. She reacted. Slamming her elbow into his stomach, he fell to the ground behind her. She wrenched open the door and ran for it, hearing him scream after her. She hadn’t even put on her shoes, but it didn’t matter. She had to get away. Making it to the car, she unlocked it, but as she was about to open the door, she was knocked to the ground. Sam was on top of her, and he backhanded her across the face so hard that she saw stars.

  “You stupid bitch! Did you really think you’d get away from me?” He pulled her hair and took the keys from her hand.

  Holly fought like a cat, clawing at hi
m, refusing to let him take her back to that room. She screamed, but no one came out to help her.

  She got in a slap, but Sam was stronger than her by fifty pounds. He flipped her over, smashing her face into the concrete, and he laughed.

  “You’re mine,” he breathed, panting. “You’re mine to do with whatever I want.”

  Holly couldn’t breathe; she couldn’t think. She just had to escape. She was about to buck him off, but before she could move, his weight was gone. Her mind couldn’t comprehend what had had happened, but when she sat up, she saw that Sam was now on the ground with another man over him.

  Matt. It was Matt.

  Holly stood up, clutching at the car behind her. Matt kicked Sam in the ribs before forcing his arms behind his back. Pulling out cuffs, Matt said in a rough voice, “You’re under arrest for assault and kidnapping and violating your restraining order. I’d recommend you not say anything else, Mr. Gantry.”

  Sam still tried to fight back, but he was no match for Matt. Matt called for backup, and another police officer took Sam into custody, escorting him to a nearby police car.

  Holly kept blinking, she was so astonished. He’d found her. He’d saved her.

  She ran to him and threw herself into his arms, and he hugged her so tightly she could barely breathe. She didn’t care, though. He kept saying her name, his hands running down her body to make sure she was all right.

  “Holly, God, Holly,” he said into her hair. “Are you okay? If that bastard hurt you…”

  She pulled away, and when he saw the growing bruise on her face, he growled. He cupped her cheek. “I’ll kill him,” he intoned.

  She just hugged him tighter. “You found me. I didn’t know if you would find me.”

  “Of course I would find you. I’d go to the ends of the earth for you.” He tipped her head back to look into her eyes. “I love you, Holly. I know it’s too early to say something like that, but I don’t care. I only care about you.”

  She smiled, tears shining in her eyes. “I love you, Matt. Thank you for saving me.”

  He held her close, and he hugged her hard. “Why did you go with him? Why didn’t you tell me? God, Holly, when we found your phone in the snow and then when you left a part of my coat at that rest stop…”

  So he had found her clue. She smiled, but then she started sobbing. “I had to go with him, otherwise he was going to kill you. I couldn’t take that chance.”

  Matt swore underneath his breath. “Don’t ever do that again. Ever. I’m here to protect you. I don’t care what happens to me. I’m only here to keep you safe, okay?”

  And looking up into his eyes, she believed him with all of her heart.

  Epilogue

  One year later…

  Christmastime meant two things to Holly Haldon: decorating the tree, and celebrating the day she and Matt became an official couple.

  It had been an interesting year, given the trial (Sam was now in jail for at least twenty years), and then the engagement, and then their marriage three months ago. Matt hadn’t wasted anytime in making Holly his wife, although she’d balked a little at the speed at which things had progressed. Shouldn’t they date a while, she’d argued? But Matt, in his calm, Matt kind of way, had asked her why they should wait.

  Since she couldn’t give an answer, she eventually decided her boyfriend was right.

  Now she gazed at the Christmas tree, smiling as she sipped her cup of eggnog. Who would’ve thought they’d both end up here after she’d gotten stuck in the snow one year ago?

  “How are you feeling?” Matt sat down next to her, his arm around her shoulder. He leaned down to touch her abdomen, which had only just started to show the baby growing inside. “Feeling good today?”

  She smiled. “I’m good. I only puked once this morning, and now I could eat the entire kitchen. Such is pregnancy, I’ve heard.”

  He rubbed her stomach, his face one of both awe and love. “I hate that you’re feeling sick, but hopefully it won’t last forever.”

  She covered his hand with hers. “For you and this baby, I’ll put up with anything.”

  “Even my terrible singing?”

  She grinned. “Even that.” She kissed him, and it wasn’t long before any worries about her pregnancy and the subsequent birth were pushed to the side for more important matters.

  Afterward, Holly sat in the circle of Matt’s arms, humming as she finished knitting some booties. She’d never knitted in her life until she’d found out she was pregnant. At the moment, she was terrible at it, and the booties looked more like vague circles that wouldn’t hold much of anything. But she didn’t care. She was in love, and with the man who loved her, and they would have a baby come summer.

  Everything was perfect.

  “Look, Holly.” Matt pointed, and she glanced out the window to see snowflakes falling. “I guess we’ll have a white Christmas.”

  She got up to go to the window, the dogs following. Matt stood behind her as they gazed out onto the snowy landscape.

  “I love you.” He kissed the top of her head.

  Holly smiled, leaning against him. His arms held her close. “I love you, too. Thank you for finding me.”

  He lifted her face so they could look into each other’s eyes. “Didn’t you know, sweetheart? You were the one who found me.”

  A note from Iris Morland

  Thank you for reading Let It Snow, book 3.5 in the Heron’s Landing series. If you’d like to be kept up to date with all of my releases, be sure to sign up for my mailing list.

  If you enjoyed my book, consider becoming one of my ARC reviewer! That means you get a copy of my newest release early in exchange for writing an honest review. Just choose “yes, I want to be an ARC reviewer” when you sign up for my newsletter.

  Thanks again for reading!

  Love, Iris

  Also By Iris Morland

  Heron’s Landing

  Seduce Me Sweetly

  Tempt Me Tenderly

  Desire Me Dearly

  Let It Snow (Part of Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe)

  About the Author

  A coffee addict and cat lover, Iris Morland writes sexy and funny contemporary romances. If she's not reading or writing, she enjoys binging on Netflix shows and cooking something delicious.

  Sign up for my newsletter!

  @irismorland

  irismorlandbooks

  www.irismorland.com

  info@irismorland.com

  Blizzard of Love

  A Long Valley Christmas Romance

  by Erin Wright

  Chapter 1

  ~Luke~

  Luke Nash wandered down the aisle of Frank’s Feed & Fuel, looking for a new halter for his mare. He didn’t need a new halter, of course — he had a half dozen for her already — but dammit it all, he was tired at being holed up at home. Usually, he could go weeks at a time out on his farm, ignoring the outside world, but lately, he’d started getting antsy.

  It was probably because Christmas was coming, the most hated time of the year. The music, the bells, the lights, and worst of all, the fake cheerfulness that just meant that someone was trying to sell something to him. It was a sham, a marketing scheme.

  And yet, how did he escape it? Shopping, with his dog no less, two days before Christmas.

  It was like a cruel joke played on him by the universe.

  With a sigh, he dismissed the halter choices and wandered over into hardware department to eyeball new cupboard handles. Maybe he should remodel his kitchen this winter. That would give him something to do. Countertops and cupboard handles would make a world of difference to how his kitchen looked. He could—

  “Hey, Luke!”

  The greeting broke into his thoughts, startling him, and he whirled around to see his best friend, Stetson Miller.

  “Did I give you a heart attack?” Stetson said, grinning.

  “Oh hell, if Carmelita doesn’t stop feeding you cinnamon rolls every morning, she’s going to be the one
giving you a heart attack,” Luke volleyed back. Carmelita was Stetson’s housekeeper/cook extraordinaire, a surrogate mother after Stetson’s mom died when they were in junior high.

  And based on the roundness of Stetson’s stomach, it looked like she was trying to fatten him up like a Christmas goose.

  “Damn, you should see Jennifer,” Stetson said. “She’s fattening up real nice.”

  Luke bit back his grin. He was pretty sure Stetson’s pregnant wife would not be happy if she heard her husband say that.

  “So, what are you and ol’ Willie doing for Christmas?” Stets asked.

  Luke just stared blankly at him for a moment. Doing for Christmas? That made it sound like he was going to go out Christmas caroling or something. And with ol’ Willie to boot. The idea of his crusty, old farmhand caroling was ridiculous, and Stetson knew it.

  “What if you headed over to my house for the weekend?” Stetson continued when Luke didn’t — couldn’t — say anything. “Might as well take advantage of the fact that Christmas is on a Sunday this year. Carmelita would love to have someone else to hover over and cook for.”

  Luke contemplated a whole weekend of Carmelita’s cooking — hams and gingerbread cookies and mashed potatoes and oh God, pies — against the idea of actually having to celebrate Christmas this year, instead of just treating it like any other day of the year.

  His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten anything but a piece of toast with peanut butter on it all day. Well, toast and lots and lots of coffee.

  Stetson heard the rumble and laughed. “I’m going to take that as a yes. Come over as soon as you can. I’ll tell Carma to set another plate at the table.” Without waiting for a reply, he turned and headed for the cash register, a roll of copper wire in his hands.