by Candace Sams
Not that he had any.
There was no excuse for what he’d done. But he’d tried a thousand times to apologize—only to have his efforts ignored.
Rumor had it Pru was now the head of the most important Elves’ Union that ever existed. Her little workaholic nature and ambition had put her at the top of her profession, which was just where she wanted to be. And that same nature had left little time for the man she claimed to love.
Still, her inherited need to work was no excuse for what he’d done. Rather…a better summation of the incident would be that he was disgusted by his own inability to resist the women with whom he’d been caught. They were the same type of female with whom Mrs. C now believed he cavorted. Her opinion had been erroneously augmented by his unwillingness to fight the ridiculous gossip. Doing so somehow seemed seedy and beneath dignity. Gavin prided himself on having more self-respect than that. The entire matter was made worse because it wasn’t just any women that Pru had found in his apartment above the barn. No…it had to be two damned Snow Fairies.
The men and women of their race loved nothing better than hopping from bed to bed until such time as age forced them to settle down and act somewhat mature. In their youth, Snow Fairies were likened to fleas jumping from one dog to the next. And they did nothing to diminish that reputation. In fact, they took great pride in their bawdy natures. In their freethinking opinion, all the other citizenry of the Pole were priggish by comparison. They were the only ones who really knew how to live life to the fullest. Everyone else was sexually repressed.
Pru hadn’t paused to hear any excuse, nor was he in any shape to give one at the time. She’d only felt betrayed. Later, he’d felt victimized and furious that she hadn’t even given him the chance to explain, even after his head cleared.
Gavin heard one of the reindeer stomp; anxious to have her evening meal delivered. He stood and put his mind on that duty instead of the confrontation ahead. He could only hope Pru would let bygones be bygones and that she was as happy with her lot as rumors indicated.
Her successes, when he’d heard of them, made his existence seem that much lonelier. He’d hurt for a while after hearing rumors of her dating some other man. Whether she was or wasn’t seeing anyone wasn’t his business. Her love life, if it existed, had long since been a topic he would not discuss. Even so, he found himself getting angry even at the hint of Pru being with another beau.
He dragged one hand through his hair in frustration. He knew he should have fought harder to resist those two women; Pru should have stayed and listened to him. As he saw it, they were both at fault but his former fiancé just didn’t see it that way. He’d thought about getting on with his own life, but Pru held his heart. She always had. And even if he’d found a date outside the cluster of conniving Snow Fairies, most of his female acquaintances kept a platonic and professional relationship. That was a likely result of his refusing to deny, confirm or even discuss what had happened between him and Pru.
In short…if everyone wanted to think the worst and side with Prudence Berry, let them. He wasn’t talking about it; the matter wasn’t anyone else’s business.
Whatever Mrs. Claus was trying to do, Gavin firmly dedicated himself to just the job at hand and nothing more. Pru would be just another employee like all those at the great North Pole. He steeled himself not to feel what he once had. He wouldn’t remember how they’d been together. That was seven years ago. All he had to do was look her in the face, say hello, and get on with the job Mrs. Claus had ordered. Pru would be like any other woman with whom he’d worked. Business was what she was all about, so that was what she’d get. He’d be professional and impersonal. Mrs. Claus could make them work together, but the grand woman couldn’t mend something that was dead.
As Gavin went about his evening chores, he actually convinced himself to pass along more rumors concerning himself and some of those Snow Fairies whose sexual habits weren’t appreciated by Mrs. C. That would teach the older woman to meddle. It would also remind Prudence―if she happened to hear the exaggerated tales―that his life had gone on. But pride stepped in the way again. Passing on a lot of crap was beneath him. Anyone who’d thought badly of him at the time of the breakup―as it was referred to―was long over it. He’d only stir up a lot of gossip by acting on a gut level instead of using his brain. Confused and anxious about seeing Pru again, he leaned against a nearby stall.
What was the matter with him? How could he even consider validating rumors of his womanizing? What kind of man did such a thing? He shook his head in disgust. It was one thing to let Mrs. C and other friends and coworkers think he was out bedding any woman who’d have him. It was quite another to actually give them proof.
Part of his heart ached because many believed him so shallow. He’d felt as though there should be no reason to defend himself. Every time Mrs. C made a comment about his infidelity―which is what was really being addressed when the subject of Snow Fairies arose―Gavin felt a little more victimized.
“Is this about me…or is it really about her?” he asked himself softly. The her in question was obviously Prudence.
When he said the words out loud, a vision of Pru’s face floated before him. He recalled the pain in her eyes when she’d walked in on him and those two Fairies. He shook his head vehemently and tamped down any idea of getting a little of his own back. Any rumor he’d substantiate would disparage him and hurt a woman he still loved.
If he had to work with Pru on a long, cold Christmas Eve, it’d be better not to taint their reunion by engaging a frivolous, but purposeless lie. Getting even with anyone just wasn’t his style. Acting professional and making it as easy on her as he could was the least he could do, and his behavior might go a long way toward healing that old rift.
With that decision made, he nodded in acceptance. He was doing the right thing just as he’d made the right decision not to address any idiotic rumors of his philandering. Secure men acted in such a way. But if he was so secure, why were his hands shaking and why were tears blurring his vision? Why was there a knot in his chest?
Gavin tossed his hair back, lifted his chin, and told himself once again, for the thousandth time in seven years, “Get over her.”
After quietly repeating that phrase several more times, he picked up a pitchfork and began tossing hay to the docile reindeer.
Chapter Three
Prudence Berry took a deep breath, slowly released it and then lifted her hand for the third time. She shook her head in anger when, yet again, she failed to simply open the barn door and walk in. I hope he doesn’t think this was my idea.
That silent thought kept running through her brain over and over. Mrs. Claus had no right forcing her and Gavin to ride together on a night when speed, accuracy, and teamwork were of the utmost importance. The fact every single person would be needed to delivery the thousands upon thousands of packages wasn’t the issue. Making her and Gavin work together was.
Surely, Clarinda could have found each of them other partners. There was still time to change her employer’s mind. Christmas Eve arrived tomorrow night. But if that couldn’t be accomplished, there were other ways around the issue. If Gavin was amenable, and she had no reason to think he wouldn’t be, she’d suggest they make a small exchange of work partners and Mrs. C would be none the wiser. That was the best solution given Clarinda’s rigid attitude on the subject.
Nodding in approval of that covert plan, Pru finally pushed open the barn door and waited for her eyes to become accustomed to the lower light. Sunlight on snow could be glaring, even for an Elf. The inside of the lantern-lit barn was so much cozier. The warmth of the huge building reminded her of the forecast for light snow followed by intense cold on Christmas Eve. Unexpectedly, she remembered just such nights when Gavin had held her in his arms and made promises for the future.
To keep those memories from intruding into the present, she decided to get straight to business. After taking off her gloves, she pushed back the hood of her ca
pe, and walked forward. “Hello? Is anyone here?” she boldly called.
“Hello Pru.”
She quickly turned at the sound of that familiar, baritone voice. How could she have forgotten the masculine timbre of it? Her mouth went dry as she looked way up, into the face of a man much older than the last time she’d seen him, but more insanely handsome than any being had a right to be. The lines on his face made him look distinguished. He seemed taller than she recalled and his shoulder-length dark hair was thick and disheveled. She had a sudden urge to stand on her toes, lift one hand and push a long strand of it off his forehead—just as she would have done seven years ago. But his stance didn’t invite such a personal gesture. His posture was straight; his arms by his side. His dark eyes were inscrutable. It was as though he’d fixed his expression. There was nothing in it to welcome or discourage.
Oddly, a surge of pure lust ran through her entire body. If he’d been attractive as a young man, he was nothing less than magnificent now. No sculptor could have duplicated his perfectly square jaw, full lips, or straight nose. The sleeveless, medieval jerkin he wore was a traditional garment of Pole denizens who worked in or near a forge. The clothing wasn’t meant to be attractive so much as it was supposed to protect. Still, the leather couldn’t hide Gavin’s massive chest or bulging biceps. The tight, black leather pants and boots he’d donned equally accented his well-defined quadriceps, compact hips, and flat abdomen.
Like all those who worked around massive heat, there was no hair on his muscled forearms or that part of his chest exposed by the deep vee of his jerkin. When they’d been together, she recalled how he tied all his hair back to keep it away from the hot coals of his forge.
Pru was acutely reminded of how bronzed he’d always appeared though he hadn’t been exposed to sunshine. It was the father’s wild nature showing through the son. Jack Frost had endowed his first-born with all the untamable sexuality of a pagan god. Gavin was every warrior, of every race…brought to life.
She swallowed hard, lifted her chin, and licked her dry lips enough to speak. Despite her failing composure, she managed to mutter a rather quiet, friendly-sounding greeting. “Hello Gavin.”
****
For a long moment, all Gavin could do was stare. Time had only made Pru more beautiful. The petite, bouncy Elf of twenty-one was gone. In her place stood a svelte woman of poise and striking elegance. She stood staring at him with all the haughtiness of a queen. There was an arrogant little lift to her chin that he found both engaging and challenging. Her medium brown hair now a longer length fell over her shoulders in soft, loose, and touchable waves. Her eyes were blue ice, but he didn’t remember that coldness from before. Still, she was mesmerizing. Inappropriately, he remembered how she loved having the tips of her pointed ears kissed and caressed. He recalled doing so just before he’d sampled those full red lips and whispered what he’d like to do to her.
“I don’t think it’s the best thing for us to work together,” she declared. “Mrs. Claus has a lot on her mind or she wouldn’t have suggested it.”
Clearly memories of passionate times had not been on her mind, as amplified by the words out of her sweet, little bow-shaped mouth. Gavin walked slowly toward her but stopped just a foot away. “I promised her I’d cooperate. I’ll fly. You just tell me where to go and what to do. If we stick to business, there shouldn’t be any problems, Pru.”
She finally looked up at him. “I-I was thinking we could change out partners once Santa is on his way. Mrs. Claus will be busy and won’t know the difference. We won’t have to say anything.”
“I’m not lying to her. I made a promise,” he affirmed.
She snorted. “That never meant much to you before.”
Gavin’s jaw tightened involuntarily. “I’m not going to argue with you,” he tersely responded. “Just tell me what you want done and I’ll do it.”
Pru actually seemed unnerved by his response. Her following silence indicated this was the case. He pointed to the back of the barn. “Do you want to look over the sleigh I’ve chosen? It’s a spare, but there’s plenty of room.” He then gestured toward some of the deer. “I’ve picked a team. They’re in the first eight stalls. I’ll hitch them by twos. We’ll get more flying power that way.” Even to his own ears his voice was a bit too matter-of-fact about the entire situation. Once more, he saw her lift her chin in disdain, then watched her walk toward the stalls he’d indicated. She gently placed her hand on each of the reindeer’s heads. In her Elfin way, she was getting a sense of the team’s disposition. He could take her double-checking his choice of deer as an insult, but chose to keep his mouth shut.
Pru nodded toward the sleigh he’d indicated. “It looks fast.”
“It is. It’s one of Santa’s old ones. All we have to do is hitch the team and load up. Just tell me when you want me at the dock. I assume we’ll have some help loading?”
“Yes. There’s a group of Elves whose only job is just that. Each sleigh will follow Santa’s and the loaders will pack us up. I have my route thoroughly planned. Our packages are all bundled for the loaders.”
“Efficient as always,” Gavin offhandedly remarked.
“That’s what the unions are for—to see that Santa gets the best and most efficient use of time from all his employees.” She reached inside her cape. “That reminds me. Here’s an instruction book for my union’s flight operation. It would help if you’d familiarize yourself with the chapters on delivery and expedient evacuation of homes.” She handed the book to him.
Gavin carefully took the War and Peace-thick volume and briefly stared at her. “You’ve got to be joking.”
“No, I’m not. It’d be better if I was working with a union employee. Since you’re the only sleigh maker and aren’t affiliated with any union, you need to be familiar with what I’ll be doing. That book covers all contingencies.”
Gavin looked down at the red cover. The title, Elves’ Local #101, was imprinted across it in large black letters. “I don’t need to know union rules. Just tell me what to do.”
“It’s all in the book, Gavin.”
“I don’t have time to read a novel this size, Prudence. Just give me the information as I need it. In case you don’t remember, I’ve got hundreds of teams to feed, harnesses to check, and sleighs to line up. I have my own system and don’t have spare time to absorb your rules.” He tossed the book aside and watched it land on a bale of hay.
“You were always so damned stubborn,” she accused.
“And everything always had to be your way or the highway,” he shot back.
“And what was wrong with my way, Gavin? Or was my way too hard for you to handle?” she sarcastically bit out. “Was it too much to ask that you keep your hands off other women, or was it so difficult for you to understand that I had to work and couldn’t be with you every second?” she bitterly finished.
He clenched his hands but never considered raising them. “I tried to apologize over and over. My actions were inexcusable, but you wouldn’t hear me out. You’re still not ready to listen to an apology, and won’t even hear my side of it.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “What side was that? The side you gave to Aurora or the side you gave her friend, Borealis?”
He briefly closed his eyes and prayed for patience. “I don’t want to argue over something that was dead seven years ago. We have work to do. Now…just tell me when you want the damned sleigh at the loading dock. I’ll meet you there if the team meets with your approval.”
“The team is fine,” she angrily muttered.
“Good. I suggest you get your pretty little…behind…out of here so I can work. You should be intimately familiar with that word, Miss Berry. You ate it, slept it, and embraced it every second of your life. Work was all you knew and all you cared about. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that someone else might know the meaning of that noun as well.” He picked up the union rulebook and shoved it at her. “Now, take your rules and get out of my b
arn.”
“With pleasure.” She stalked toward the door, but turned just before leaving. “Be at the dock at exactly three o’clock. Don’t be late or I’ll have Mrs. Claus send Pole guards to find whatever snow bank you’re in, where you’ll undoubtedly be servicing three or four Fairies like a stallion.”
He grinned. “Any time you want to line up with the rest of the mares, just give me a call.”
She growled in rage, turned, and stomped out of the barn.
Chapter Four
Gavin’s fake grin vanished as soon as she slammed the door. He struck his fist against a support beam so hard reindeer in the nearest stalls jumped in fright. Immediately contrite at having frightened the gentle animals, he turned to calm them. It seemed the unfound rumors he’d let flourish were further undoing him in one self-righteous Elf’s eyes.
It wasn’t until much later he realized there was simply no way he and Pru could get through Christmas Eve unless one of them kept their mouth completely shut. Since Pru would more-or-less be in charge of everything but flying the sleigh south, he decided he’d be the one to make that sacrifice. There was no use arguing or throwing blame. The same old wounds inflicted by each of them seven years ago would only open up and bleed all over again. In fact, something in the vicinity of his heart was already aching when it shouldn’t be. He wasn’t at fault, but honor bound him from saying anything to defend himself. As he’d already decided, nothing he could say would make his actions back then seem founded now. And once more, anger eked into his heart that he’d had to defend himself at all. People, including the great Mrs. C herself, seemed all too eager to place blame.
“Damn it all! I’m over her. I don’t care any more.” He repeated that mantra over and over while he made the last preparations for his and all the other sleigh flights.
