Red Hot Christmas (Pride Series Romance Novels)

by Jill Sanders

  “Well, do you want to come in or should we head out?” She held up a dark coat and looked at him questioningly.

  “In...um...if I come in, we may never go to the party,” he finally said, sounding like a fool as he stuttered.

  “Then you can help me on with my coat, and we can go.” She handed him her coat and turned around, showing him the back of her dress. The material plummeted to the middle of her back and he stood there with her coat in his hands, staring at her soft skin, desire hitting him full force.

  She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “Luke?” His eyes traveled up her back to her face. Her lips were as red as her dress and he couldn't stop himself from watching her tongue dart out and lick them. “Are you going to help me on with my coat or not?”

  He nodded his head and held out his hands as she slipped the coat on. When her skin was covered, he blinked a few times and tried to steady his breathing. She turned around and smiled, and he knew he was a goner. There was no way he was going to make it through the night. “Can you carry the presents?” She nodded to a large bag full of wrapped boxes. He had a bag of presents to hand out himself, in his truck.

  When they reached the restaurant, he pulled close to the door and let her get out with the two bags of gifts. “I'll park the car and be right back.” She nodded and rushed under the awning. He found a spot near the back of the lot and rushed through the snow to where she stood waiting for him. Shaking the snow from his hair, he smiled and held out his hands for the bags. “Shall we?”

  “Yes, I'm so excited.” They entered the restaurant, and he was amazed at the transformation. Gone was the family friendly restaurant, and in its place was a winter wonderland. He helped Amber off with her coat and then removed his. Soft Christmas lights hung from the ceiling, making everything glow.

  He spotted Iian and Allison right away. They stood a few feet from the door, greeting everyone. There were several employees standing around taking everyone's coats and taking all of the presents to a large Christmas tree that sat by the fireplace near the back. Other employees were handing out drinks to guests.

  After talking to several friends, Amber pulled Luke towards the bar to show him the fish tank. He could tell she was excited that it had turned out so well. The blue lights and exotic fish looked good.

  Then she pulled him into the back room where most of the guests were gathered. A large Christmas tree stood in the center under a large disco ball. There was a band playing on the stage and people were slowly dancing to Christmas music around the tree. He saw several of his friends dancing with their wives and some dancing with their children, spinning around the room playfully.

  He could see kids of every age. Most of the little boys were in the back room playing video games as the little girls danced around in pretty dresses with either themselves or a parent.

  “It's wonderful. Just what the place needed. And to think,” he said, pulling her close and swaying gently with her, “that none of this would have happened without you.”

  She smiled up at him. “I owe you an apology.” Her smile slid away a little.

  “Oh?” he leaned in to kiss her red lips softly. “Why?” He looked into her blue eyes and watched the bright lights reflect in them.

  “I didn't know what you did. That Alien Engagement was yours.” She frowned as he chuckled.

  “So you found out I don't play video games for a living, huh?” He kissed her lips again. “It doesn't matter.”

  “Oh, but it does. I treated you like a man-boy and made fun of what you did for a living. For that, I'm sorry.”

  He smiled down at her. “It doesn't matter,” he repeated. “What matters is that you're here with me. That even after thinking I was a man-boy,” he chuckled, “that you still took a chance to be with me. To be part of my family, as you called it.” He pulled her closer. “I wanted to give you a gift, later. But now seems like the perfect time.” He took a deep breath and pulled a small box from his pocket. Her face dropped and her hands dropped to her sides.

  “Amber?” He knelt down right there in the middle of the new dance floor with the whole town of Pride looking on. “Will you do me the honor of moving in with me?” He opened the box and there was a silver key on a piece of tinsel in the box.

  She laughed as he stood up, and then she hugged him. “Yes! Yes, I'll move in with you.”

  He laughed and spun her around. When he set her back down she looked at the box. Then she frowned. “Actually, now that I think about it. No.” He sobered and his heart stopped. The music had stopped and now they had everyone in the restaurant's attention. “No, I won't move in with you.” She looked up into his eyes. “Not until you say that you'll marry me.”

  He heard a few of his friends laugh. “She beat him to it,” someone said from the crowd.

  He smiled, and this time when he got down on his knee, he presented a smaller box. “I was hoping to ask that question next.” He opened the lid to a beautiful silver ring with a simple cut diamond in the middle. It was an old-fashioned ring, but the sparkle of all the lights almost blinded her. “It was my grandmother’s.” He pulled the ring out of the box and slid it smoothly onto her finger. “Amber Kennedy, will you move in with me? Be my family? The mother to Jackie? And to some human babies maybe a few years down the road? Will you marry me?”

  She smiled and nodded, then pulled him up and kissed him until the cheering around them slowed and then stopped.

  Epilogue

  Amber stood in the back yard watching Jackie play as the snow fell. She heard the back door open and close and felt Luke's arms come around her. She leaned back into his warmth and smiled.

  “Did we get everything?” he asked her.

  “Yeah, that was the last of it. I can't believe it's all here.”

  He chuckled. “It pays to know a basketball team of kids to help you move. Even if they did break your key bowl. Sorry about that,” he mumbled.

  “That's okay. The one I bought you is big enough to hold both our keys.” She smiled.

  “It was fate that you bought one big enough.” He kissed her hair.

  “No, not really. I knew I would end up here, one way or another.” She turned into his arms. “Did you get everything moved into your new office, okay?”

  She snuggled into his chest.

  “Yeah, our bedroom is now Modark and Korkin free.” He chuckled. “Plain old boring bedroom.”

  “Well,” she said looking up at him, “we'll just have to make our own fun in there from now on.”

  His eyes went to her lips, and he pulled her towards the door. “How about we get started on that right now?” She laughed as they rushed into the house and up the stairs together.

  My Sweet Valentine

  Sara Lauren was back in town. She had big plans for her inheritance. With her freshly printed business degree along with years of working in some of Seattle’s finest bakeries, she had a rich idea for Pride. Sara's Nook, was going to be the next biggest thing to hit town. All she needed was to steer clear of the hunkie ex-Navy SEAL who was hell bent on taking all her focus away from starting her own business.

  Allen Masters had been living in Pride for over a year. Setting up a new branch of the coast guard and training all the new recruits took years of skill and patience. He hadn't counted on seeing the black-haired beauty that had come back into town. Taking one taste of her rich sweets, he knew he'd be in for a sinful time, and losing his focus while flying into the eye of a storm was the last thing he needed.

  About the Author

  Jill Sanders survived 80′s pop music, and life as an identical twin in a chaotic family of nine. A feat by any standard! She was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, relocating to Colorado for college and a successful IT career at IBM in Boulder.

  Narrowly escaping before all creativity was squashed, she jumped at the chance to trade the mundane world of computers for the sexy, exciting world of her own imagination. She now lives in charming rural Texas writing wonderful novels su
ch as the Pride series.

  Her debut novel, Finding Pride, was shortlisted in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards 2013, and has since climbed to #1 on Amazon Bestsellers – Contemporary Romance & Romantic Suspense. Each Pride Series novel has spent time on bestseller lists for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple. Watch out New York Times, here she comes!