Sleeping With Santa

by Debra Druzy

  “Pretty sure. It was square. About this big.” She gestured the shape and size. “The girl was young…a toddler. I don’t know. I’m not really a good guesser when it comes to age.”

  “You’re awesome.” He kissed her head. “It’s gotta be them.”

  “I don’t understand…” Lily followed him to the hotel manager’s office as he explained the details of a probable kidnapping.

  Then Nick phoned Chief Maresca. “My buddy Tristan is gonna call you. Can you give him a contact person at the police department? We think his sister snatched his daughter, and she may have come here looking for me. My ex is bipolar, but I can’t imagine her hurting the child. Then again, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

  “If I knew…I would have done something…” Lily was nearly in tears.

  He hugged her, trying to get her to calm down before she freaked him out even more. “Relax. I’ll find her. Everything’s going to be fine. Don’t worry.” He hoped he was right. “Go find the blanket.”

  The manager checked the records, but no one named Claudine was registered. Nick didn’t know her new married name, so he asked to see the list of guests. “Stacy Casanova! She probably swiped the credit card from Tristan’s wife.”

  “Room 429,” said the manager.

  On the way to the elevator, Nick met Lily in the lobby. “Yep. That’s Nicole’s.” He smelled the blanket for memory’s sake, praying silently that his ex-wife hadn’t completely lost her mind to pull such a stunt. “Stay down here. Wait for the chief. I don’t need you in the middle of this.”

  “But…” Lily’s eyes were bright with fear as the elevators closed.

  Of all the stupid, careless, selfish things Claudine has ever done, taking off with Nicole tops them all. When he found the room, he pressed his ear to the door before knocking. “Room service.”

  No one answered.

  He thought about calling her cell phone but didn’t want to do anything that might make matters worse.

  Suddenly, his phone vibrated, and for once he was glad it was Claudine. “Hello?” He stepped to the end of the hallway, keeping his eye on room 429.

  “Hi!” She sounded shocked. “I can’t believe you answered. It’s so good to hear your voice.”

  Nick choked back the bile. “Yeah, yours too. How ya been? Long time, no see.”

  “Too long. But I have a surprise for you.”

  “You know how much I love your surprises.” Nick squeezed his hand into a tight fist, tempted to punch a hole in nearest wall.

  “I’m getting divorced. Again. Isn’t that…terrible.” Claudine started weeping. “I screwed up another one, Nick. What’s wrong with me?”

  Everything. “Maybe it’s not you,” he lied. “Maybe it’s the men you pick.”

  “I picked you. I should have never left.”

  With nothing better to say, he rattled a string of clichés. “Well, what’s done is done. One door closes, another opens. All you can do is move forward from here. The best is yet to come. Hey, is that Nicole I hear in the background. How is that little angel?”

  “Yep. That’s our precious, little goddaughter.” Claudine perked up and started speed-talking. “She’s doing great. She misses you.”

  “She told you that?”

  “Well, I can just tell.”

  “You always were the perceptive one.”

  “I am. I think I would have made a great mother…”

  “Probably.” Strobe lights out the window caught his attention. Five cop cars parked along Main Street with the sirens off, cherries and berries on. “So, whatcha doin’?” He hated pretending everything was normal.

  “I’m on a mini-vacation.”

  “With Nicole? Sounds like fun. I talked to Tristan a few minutes ago. He told me about Stacy. He really appreciates your help.”

  “Is that what my brother said?” She sounded nervous, as she should.

  Lying came easier with each word. “Oh, yeah. He’s thrilled. So, where ya staying?”

  “Well…” Claudine exhaled an uneasy laugh. “I’m actually at the Scenic View Inn.”

  “Isn’t that something! I’m in Scenic View, too. Got transferred here a few months ago.”

  “Yeah, I know. That’s why I came. To find you—surprise.”

  “You’re always full of surprises.” He faked a laugh through clenched teeth.

  “So, you’re not mad?”

  “Why would I be mad?” Several reasons popped in his mind—harassment, stalking, kidnapping…

  The elevator door opened and six cops filed out.

  Nick signaled as they cautiously approached room 429. He pointed to the cell phone against his ear, then toward the door, and gave a thumbs-up, while listening to his ex-wife’s teary meltdown.

  “I just miss you so much. No one understands me like you. Maybe we can try again. It’s like I can’t breathe without you…”

  “Take it easy, okay? Everything’ll be all right. Why don’t you and Nicole meet me in the restaurant? I can be there in five minutes.”

  Four minutes later, the cops cuffed Claudine in the hallway, her face pinned to the carpet, thrashing and screaming like a banshee, threatening to kill everyone in sight.

  Nick grabbed his godchild and escaped in the elevator.

  The moment the doors slid open, Lily was right there waiting. “What happened?”

  “They arrested Claudine. Nicole seems all right, thank God.” The child yawned, barely able to lift her head off Nick’s shoulder.

  The sergeant on the scene offered to send an officer over later to take the report and deliver the child’s belongings once the investigation was complete.

  “Come on.” Lily nudged. “Let’s get her to bed.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Despite the sub-degree temperature, Lily power walked to work feeling a whole lot better than she did after last night’s fiasco with Nick’s ex-wife.

  The date was great.

  Rescuing the child was even better.

  The uncertainty in between had Lily’s nerves in knots. She’d almost called in sick today, wanting to be home to help him with Nicole.

  But he had things under control, so she went a little late.

  Besides, she wanted to tell her bosses all about the good parts of the date to get Sophia off her case—but the woman wasn’t even there.

  Bob avoided any deep conversation, lost in his own thoughts. Eventually, he explained how his wife had gone away for a few days, on the first flight this morning to Florida, to watch the grandkids while his daughter and her husband hashed out the details of their divorce.

  Between Nick’s friend and the Barbieri’s daughter, it seemed everyone one was getting divorced these days.

  Lily hugged Bob, a quick, tight squeeze around his mid-section.

  “I needed that.” He sighed with a strained smile.

  Bob was such a good man. A good boss. Father. Husband. Friend. Lily was lucky to have him in her life. And she was lucky to have found a man of her own who compared.

  Nick should be here soon to pick her up, so she gathered her things but felt guilty leaving Bob alone tonight.

  “Do you want to grab some dinner?”

  “Just you and me? Or your roommate, too?” He gave her a curious look.

  “Thanks for not judging me. Sophia makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong because I like him. And renting the spare room helps with the bills.”

  “Don’t mind her. She means well. But she’s a control freak. Hopefully you won’t turn into one after you have a family of your own.”

  “We went on a date last night—dinner at the Scenic View Inn.” She left out all the other details, figuring Bob had enough on his mind, and the story about the kidnapping would eventually make it down the grapevine.

  “Fancy schmancy. Did he pay?” Bob joked with a broken smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Of course.” Lily sighed. “I really hope everything works out for your daughter and the kids.”

/>   “Yeah, me too. Children need two parents. I know that if your father were still alive, your mother wouldn’t have…” He shook his head and made the sign of the cross. “I mean, what I’m saying is…your father kept her grounded. They were good for each other. She never got over the loss. That’s the saddest part, because she had to take care of you.” He gasped as he preached, struggling with the poignant words. “I always keep you in my prayers, Lily. In here…” He pointed to his heart, then groaned and clutched his chest.

  She nibbled a fingernail expecting him to finish his sentence, but something wasn’t right. “Bob? You okay?”

  He folded to the floor.

  “Bob!” Paralyzed by fear, the nanoseconds passed. “What do I do? What do I do?” She was petrified to put her knowledge into action.

  She stuck her head out the door, shouting to anyone on the sidewalk. “Help! Call 911!” she shrieked.

  Then she rushed to Bob.

  On her knees, she smacked his plump, pallid cheeks. “Bob! Bob, can you hear me!?” she panted, expecting an answer.

  There was no sign of breathing. “No. No. No!”

  She aligned her palms to the center of his chest and started compressions, afraid she was hurting him more than helping. Her arms were tired after two minutes, but she kept going.

  The door flung open and a variety of feet circled her.

  “Back off everyone!” Nick took over, kneeling beside. “I got it from here.”

  Too shocked for tears or words, she simply watched him work until the EMTs showed up with the right equipment to kick-start Bob’s heart.

  “Clear!” Then after a long hush, “He’s breathing!” They whisked Bob away on the gurney, and the crowd dispersed.

  “Take a deep breath.” Nick rubbed her back as she sat hunched over in the barber chair with her head in her hands. “He oughta be fine.”

  No amount of oxygen would shake this icky feeling.

  “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

  “Yeah, um, okay. I should, uh…call Sophia.”

  “Relax. I’ll handle it.”

  Lily slipped on her coat with his help, and he carried her backpack slung over his shoulder. He took the keys from her shaking fingers and locked the shop, while she held Nicole’s tiny hand.

  On phantom feet, she followed him to his truck. He belted the little girl in the backseat while Lily climbed into the passenger side.

  “Bob nearly died.” Her eyes felt wet, and her hands were still trembling. “Even though I knew what to do, I was, like, frozen. But then, I dunno what happened. I just did it. Like you taught me. And to think I almost didn’t come to work today.”

  “Lucky you did.”

  Lily snorted. “Luckier you showed up.”

  His warm hand squeezed her fingers. “You kept his heart pumping. If he were there for two minutes without blood to the brain, he’d be worse off than a few broken ribs. You did all the right things. You saved Bob.”

  She drew a shaky break and nodded, refusing to release his hand.

  “Lily…about last night…after we just had a great weekend, and an amazing date, my ex comes to town and wrecks everything.”

  “Don’t be silly. It’s not your fault. I’m glad Nicole is all right. Why don’t you drop me at the hospital, and you can take her home.”

  They glanced at the child smiling in the backseat, oblivious to the drama.

  “Like the safety seat? It’s a loaner from the police department. The officer brought it over last night.”

  “When’s her dad coming?”

  “I told Tristan not to rush since she’s safe. I should have asked you first if it’s okay she stays another night. Maybe two.”

  “Of course it’s okay.”

  “It’ll be good practice for us.” Nick winked with a smile, then put the truck in Drive.

  When they arrived at the hospital, Lily’s head was still spinning, so Nick went to speak with the doctors, while she stayed in the lobby with the child napping in the crook of her arm.

  She struggled to stay awake, focusing on the big clock over the silver ER doors, unable to stop the constant yawning.

  Finally, her vision grew blurry so she rested her eyes…

  Then a firm hand shaking her shoulder jolted her.

  “Oh, Nick! How’s Bob? I want to see him.”

  “He’s resting. We’ll come back tomorrow. The chief called Sophia. There’s nothing for you to do tonight.”

  Nick carried Nicole in one arm and wrapped the other around Lily’s shoulder and they went home.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Nick laid Nicole on his bed, and Lily went to work changing the saturated diaper. As much as he liked kids, the true extent of his knowledge was limited to riling them up then handing them back to their parents. Having Lily’s backup right now was a godsend. Parenthood would be a breeze.

  After surrounding Nicole with pillows and taking turns kissing her warm cherub cheeks, they crept into the living room.

  Lily turned on the radio and plopped on the couch, while Nick lit a fresh log.

  Kneeling before the hearth, he felt her eyes on him, making him conscious of his every move. He glanced over his shoulder and caught her molten stare. She made him feel things he never imagined, as if he was something special. It warmed him from the inside out.

  It was more than the romantic ambiance of a slow burning fire, and Keith Richards and the Stones in the background stoking his carnal mood. It was the chemistry of Lily’s quiet company and the hum of her body’s vibration mingling with his, like a silent dance of the souls. Just being with her was more than enough to keep him happy.

  “Well.” He sighed after a hectic twenty-four hours. “Things oughta warm up in a minute.” In more ways than one. She made room for him on the couch and placed her petite feet in his lap, and he massaged her heels covered in fuzzy socks. He liked everything about her, especially her smallness, which made him feel larger than life.

  “That feels so good.” She sank back against the armrest. “God, next time I get a charley horse you can rub it out for me.”

  You could rub it out for me, too, only his wicked libido wasn’t thinking of a charley horse. Watching her face wince in a glorious mix of pleasure-pain thrilled him to know he could make her feel this way. He could make her feel even better, but he’d wait until they could be alone without a toddler in the other room.

  “You really know your way around a baby-bottom, changing diapers and all.” He pressed his fingers firmly into her arches.

  “It’s not exactly rocket science. Just wiping a tiny tush,” she answered with a moan and heavy eyelids. “By the way, we should get more milk. And whatever she eats.”

  “Want me to run out now?”

  She shook her head. “Nuh-uh, no way, I don’t want you going anywhere. We can make it until tomorrow. Maybe we can take her to the toy store, too. She’s gotta be a little homesick by now.”

  “That’s a good idea. You sure you don’t mind if she stays here?”

  “Not at all. Unless, of course, the new owner kicks me out, then we’ll all be looking for a place to sleep. But I don’t want you to go. Ever.” The depth of her words reached her eyes, despite the latest drama. This was no ordinary love or passing fling. This was it.

  “About the house…I, uh, don’t wanna wear out the welcome.” The urge to reveal his secret plan was getting harder to curb.

  She silenced him with her index finger against his mouth. “That’ll never happen. Trust me.” When she straddled his hips and dropped kisses from earlobe to earlobe, under his chin, across his adam’s apple, his groin twitched to life. “I want you to stay,” she whispered against his skin.

  “I’m not going anywhere, sugar.” With this raging erection, he’d be lucky if he could stand up. He could’ve stopped her—would’ve stopped her—if he wanted to. But he didn’t. “You better watch out. You’re making me hard right now.” Her power worked like kryptonite.

  “I know,” she b
reathed, grinding against his jeans. “I can feel it…feel you. Wanna feel me?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded, just as John Lennon’s voice floated into the ether, singing the first line: “So, this is Christmas…” He’d never listen to the song the same way again.

  She put his hand between her thighs; moist heat radiated through her sweatpants. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him so tenderly he thought he might explode.

  So, this is Christmas.

  Then she just stopped.

  “What?” He examined the drunken smile in her eyes.

  “It’s just…it feels like forever since I’ve been so happy. I forgot how good it could be.”

  “How good it could be? Or how good it is?”

  “It is good. Isn’t it?”

  “It’ll only get better, I promise, as soon as Nicole is back where she belongs.”

  Lily stood up, tugging his arm. “Let’s go.”

  “Let’s stay.” He pulled her back to the couch.

  She shook her head. “Nuh-uh. You’re coming with me. Dontcha wanna practice making that baby you were talking about?”

  ****

  Lily couldn’t stop the baby-making remark from slipping out. She was too turned on; she couldn’t turn back if she tried. She didn’t want a gentle man right now. She wanted Nick’s rough and rugged side. Needed to feel him skin-to-skin before she burst.

  She lured him to her room and flung him on the bed.

  With a familiar smirk curled upon his kissable lips, he fell backward on the mattress, making the old metal frame squeak under his weight. “It’s so cold in your room.”

  “Not for long.” She pressed her back to the door until it clicked shut. Then hit the wall switch that turned off the bedside lamp. The streetlight outside her window cast enough of a soft glow to find her target. She yanked off his boots and—despite the urge to fling them—placed them quietly on the floor, not wanting to wake the child across the hall. “A little healthy friction will warm us up, don’t you think?”

  She sucked in a brave breath as she peeled her sweatshirt over her head, then kicked off her pants. No way would she waste another night not knowing what it was like to make love to this man.