Mr. Naughty: A Second Chance Christmas Romance

by Kara Hart

  We ride our bikes to the edge and jump off, our feet hitting the dirt and leaves. It’s just how it used to be, seeing the trail-sign and feeling so free, even if it’s only a mile away from the house.

  We walk our bikes, holding each other’s hands, tightly. The snow slushes beneath our feet.

  We take a left when we see the big boulder on the trail next to us. We walk under an old, leaning tree, and keep walking. Then, we see it.

  The grass is green and unexpected amongst the leafless trees of the turning season. Spring will come soon enough and this place will explode with wildflowers and other shades of green and red. T

  he clearing is a big, round circle. Cole smiles and takes a breath, closing his eyes.

  “We’re here,” he says. “We’ve made it.”

  He grabs his bag and takes out a folded blanket. He waves it down onto the grass and sets out a picnic for us. Wine, cheese, fruit, and some bread.

  We sit down and enjoy the afternoon sun, while drinking from the bottle.

  “At least there’s no tide to soak us here,” he says, laughing.

  It’s hard to find the words to say right now. It’s all come full circle in the best way possible.

  “This is it,” I finally say. “This is where we’re getting married, right? Your dad was right. This was our spot.”

  Above us is one small tree that hangs over the edge of the clearing. Sometimes, he used to climb to the top and show off for me. One time, he fell off and sprained his ankle. I had to carry him the whole way back.

  “We could hang lights there,” I say. “On the tree.”

  “That would be perfect. We could have the wedding in May,” he says. “Right when the fireflies come out.”

  “And the altar could go right under the tree?” I ask him.

  “The altar can go wherever you want it,” he says. This is beyond perfection. This is everything I’ve ever dreamed of.

  “Oh, Cole. This is so unimaginable,” I say. “Let’s buy a house near the beach. I want to start things off right with you.”

  “I would love that,” he says.

  Of course, we stay for hours, drinking all the wine we have, and devouring all of the cheese and bread. By the time the starts come out, we’re feeling extra good.

  We talk more, but our interest lies in holding each other and staying in that warmth for as long as we can.

  We point out each constellation. I feel like anything is possible.

  When we’re about to pack our things away when it gets too cold. Then, I tell him that I’ve stopped taking my birth control.

  I bite my lip and I tell him. I want a baby with him.

  He drops his things and looks at me. He places his hand behind me and caresses the back of my head.

  “My Olive,” he says, “lets make the most beautiful baby in the world.”

  “Are you sure?” I ask him.

  “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life,” he says, ripping his shirt off.

  “Here?!” I laugh.

  “This is our spot.”

  He takes off his jeans and sits below me, stroking his cock. I gulp down, feeling nervous.

  “It’s freezing!” I scream.

  “Let me warm those thighs up,” he says.

  I swing my legs over him. He reaches out to grab my tits firmly. I straddle him and he slides it deep inside.

  “Just look into my eyes,” he says, hands lowering to my waist. “And take it, baby.”

  I place my forehead against his, but we don’t kiss. Our lips just hover over one another’s, while he thrusts upward, deep and slow.

  I gently grind my hips back and forth. I can feel him twitching inside of me, growing even larger.

  “Fuck,” he grunts.

  His hip juts forward. I reach down and wrap my palms around him. I open my eyes and kiss him.

  I’m wetter than the ocean right now, but I’m completely thirsty for him. I clench down against him and grind him even deeper. Our slow and steady movements become so animalistic and obsessive that I begin to shake.

  “I love you,” he says. “I’ll always love you.”

  Those words hit me right in the heart and it doesn’t take long for me to feel completely worked up about everything.

  I feel it rise up in the center of my body. It starts between my legs and quickly pushes up to my chest. One small movement from his cock and I let go of his chest.

  I cum hard, unable to control my cries. The whole forest echoes with our lust. I’m still looking into his eyes when I come to my senses. Within moments, he’s cumming.

  I hold him inside of me. When he kisses me deep. Tomorrow, we just might find ourselves much older than before. But tonight, we may have created life in the spot of our dreams.

  Now, I know that love isn’t just a dirty word. Love is real and it can happen right when you least expect it, in the strangest of places. You can’t attempt to understand it, but mark my words. Love is as real as it gets.

  The End.

  Psst… there’s more to the story ahead!

  Extended Epilogue

  Six Months Later…

  Cole

  I wait inside the makeshift tent my parents made me, heart ready to explode. All I want to do is see my wife-to-be, but the rules are rules, and Sandra isn’t having it.

  She specifically came to my tent to tell me, “If I see you or Eric trying to pull one of your infamous stunts, I’m going to open up a can of whoop-ass and lay your ass down.”

  It’s enough to make me back up for a second. “Infamous stunts?” I ask.

  “Whatever,” she rolls her eyes and keeps her hands against her hips. “Just don’t mess with her, okay? This is her big day.”

  “I wasn’t even thinking about it,” I say.

  She turns around and walks out in silence. I was, of course, thinking about doing a lot worse. I was thinking about ripping her beautiful dress off of her. I was thinking about what she has underneath that dress.

  Lingerie, barely clinging to her soft skin. My wife. My beautiful, sexy, dirty wife. No one has any idea the things I’m going to do to her tonight.

  She’s three months pregnant and starting to show. Truth be told, every inch that stomach grows, the more proud I am of her. She’s going through the most beautiful thing in the world, and somehow she still finds time to put up with my shit. Tonight, I’m going to reward her for all her hard work, and I’m not just talking about in the bedroom.

  I’ve bought her the best gift I could, a brand new house, right on the sandy beach. The water is just a few feet away. I imagine our daughter, running toward the tide, while we chase after her. These are the images that bring a smile to my face. The future is so bright with Olivia and I know it’s just going to be brighter.

  Much later, after all the vows are said and done, I’m looking at her and I’m astounded. I’m shocked that this woman is now my wife and we’re bound throughout time and space. The idea is huge to me. It’s infinite, god dammit.

  I’m sitting at a long table with my best man on my left, and my wife right next to me. All 30 of the guests are sitting at smaller tables and they’re all looking back at me. This place and the memories that we’ve now created are now changing, but they keep us as a part of it all.

  The clearing is lit up and more beautiful than it’s ever been. There was so much at stake here back when we were young. There was just so much to lose. But now, it’s a place of celebration. It’s a place to honor what we’ve made.

  Olivia leans in and kisses my ear. She whispers, “Will we ever come back here to this place?”

  “We have to,” I say with conviction. “Otherwise, it becomes just another place. It’s too special just to forget about it.”

  She starts to tear up and grabs onto my hand with all her might, as if this could all get swept away in an instant.

  “Cole, I’m just so fucking happy,” she says. “And my hormones are really fucking me up.”

  “Get ready for month num
ber nine,” I joke.

  “Don’t. I can’t even think that far ahead right now,” she says.

  She looks so fucking beautiful against the lights of the wedding. I place my hand against her stomach and feel the small bump where our daughter is growing.

  It’s still unbelievable to me, but I know when nine months pass, life will have gotten so complex that I’ll just have to hold on for the ride.

  “I wanted to save this for later,” I say. “But I got you something. A little wedding gift.”

  Just as I’m about to tell her, her dad stands up and holds his glass of champagne over his head.

  “Speech!” someone yells out.

  Olivia looks at me with a slight smile on her face. I never got along with her parents. When we were younger, they thought I was the devil. But I knew better. They weren’t always there for Olivia and they’re pretty absent now, even still.

  He smiles and lowers his glass. Every table turns silent.

  “I’ll keep this short, guys. I know I haven’t been there for you, Olivia. We never cheered you two on in high school either. But I also know how strong your fight is. I know that this is everything to you, and I just want to cheer you on. We want to cheer you on.” He puts his hand on Olivia’s mom’s shoulder.

  I look at Olivia and she’s crying hard. I squeeze her hand and smile. Her dad continues, “I guess what I’m trying to say is that we’re here for you. It’s late, but we’re here for you both now. Congratulations.”

  The night goes on in a haze. The drunken dancing, the beautiful lights, and chocolate cake never ends. I’ll always look back to this moment as the time everything in my life became solid, real, and most of all, vital.

  Olivia

  We all walk in celebration to the road next to the trail. There’s an old, classic black Cadillac parked and waiting for us to jump in. This is it, the moment when you realize that the celebration is over. Only, it doesn’t feel somber. It feels right.

  I swear, Cole hasn’t let go of my hand all night. He won’t stop kissing me, and making me feel like I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to him. He’s already done so much for me and all I want to do is repay him for his love.

  We have a daughter on the way and I’m just so excited to start our family. Right now, we’re staying at his parents’ house, but eventually we’ll get our own place.

  “Where are we going?” I ask Cole, as the car drives past his parents.

  “The night’s not over yet,” he says.

  He gives me his infamous smirk and looks ahead.

  “Come on,” I laugh. “Seriously? Where are you taking me?”

  “You’ll see,” he says.

  But we drive for at least an hour. By the time we get to where he wanted to take me, I’m passed out against his lap.

  I hear him whisper, “It’s time to wake up.”

  I open my eyes slowly, feeling incredibly tired and cranky.

  “Finally,” I mutter and glance out the window.

  We’re right next to the ocean, though I’m not sure why.

  “What the heck is this about?” I ask him. “Where have you taken me?”

  “Come on,” he says, opening the door. “Our honeymoon starts today.”

  “Cole,” I sigh. But he’s already walking toward the sand.

  I run after him, grabbing onto his hand and he pulls me to the right.

  “I’m not jumping in the water if that’s what you’re after and I’m not fucking you on this sand,” she says.

  He laughs and points to a big house, adorned with lights and big windows.

  “See that house?” he asks me.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty,” I say. “So what?”

  He keeps walking, until he reaches the front door. “It’s unlocked,” he says, smiling.

  “Cole, do not! You’re drunk,” I warn him. “Plus, there are lights on inside. I think someone is home.”

  He turns the knob and opens the door slightly. “I’m going in,” he says, pushing my buttons.

  He steps inside, forcing me to follow him in.

  “Cole, we need to get out now!” I say, heart beating fast.

  He steps into the living room, off to the side, so I follow him in. What am I getting myself into? I turn the corner and I see it.

  There’s a blanket on the floor, two bottles of wine, and flowers spread all around the center. There’s lights hanging above and Cole is smiling underneath them.

  “Welcome, baby,” he smiles with tears in his eyes.

  “What’s going on, Cole?” I smile, still confused.

  “This is your new home,” he says. “Our new home.”

  “Shut up,” I laugh. “No fucking way is this ours.”

  “I’m serious. I put in a down payment last week. It just went through escrow. It’s ours, baby. All ours,” he says, sitting down on the blanket.

  “Now, come here,” he says.

  I don’t know what to say or do. “I can’t wait for our daughter to come into this world. This house is going to be filled with so many good memories,” I say.

  “Let’s start tonight,” he smiles.

  When he holds me and everything feels right. Cole, the man of my dreams, the love of my life. It was always him. Always.

  Sometimes, things get in the way. Sometimes that thing is yourself.

  It used to be that way for me. But there is always hope. There is always another day. And it may come in the most unexpected way.

  Want more Kara Hart? Continue with Single Dad Boss…

  Prologue: Michael Vanderbilt

  “I want this to be our little secret,” I whisper. My heart is beating at an undeniable pace. No, it’s pounding against my chest, ready to break through my sternum. The cards are stacked against me. This is too much. She is too much.

  Her chest against mine, our hands clawing with anticipation. Our lips smash together, our tongues curl and hold on with all their might. We’re tired from lust. She’s ready to be taken.

  “Just hold me closer,” she whispers back. “Please. I want this to last forever.”

  Emily Carter is the woman every man dreams about. On those lonely nights, I hear that feminine whisper and I can’t help but feel her close to me.

  “I’ll never let go,” I tell her. Our lips tuck under each other, vowing promises we know we can’t fulfill. Yet, we lie all the same. We yearn for the struggle of misunderstanding, in hopes that it can all be perfect, just for one day. This perfect thing we’ve built… it can’t last forever.

  She doesn’t know where the pain leads. Up the stairs of my house, past the divorce papers of my ex-wife, all the way to my daughter’s room. And I’m left struggling to hold on. I move backwards, lower myself down to the bed, and pull the covers over my head. No one knows my needs. When I wake up, she’s gone. I’m gone. It’s all fucking gone.

  Michael

  I don’t feel a thing anymore. What’s worse is that I still love you. But I’m not in love with you, Michael. If you want me to stay, I’ll simply be a roommate. Let me go. Just let me go, already.

  The words of my ex-wife Susan still reverberate in my mind, like it just happened. I didn’t know what to say or do. I just felt cold. No, I felt numb, like all the energy had been sucked out of my body. I always thought divorce would end with rage, with utter animosity. Instead, it ended with absolute-nothing.

  She didn’t want anything from me. I had my house, my money, my car, and my child. Joint custody is what we agreed on. Well, it’s what she wanted anyway. She could have taken all my material possessions. None of that mattered to me. Still, she didn’t want any of that. She just wanted to be away from me.

  But why?

  That’s the question I keep asking myself. Why? It’s fucking torture following that train of thought. I never knew myself, that’s why. I never realized what it took to be a husband. Hell, we got married young. We didn’t know what we were doing.

  Years later, I’ve realized a lot about myself and my spouse. Susan
didn’t give me what I wanted, so I didn’t give her what she needed. Now, I’m alone.

  The terms of the divorce were simple: Leave her alone, take care of Lisa, and run the business. Only problem is we own the business together. Till death do us part, right? Well, sure. Except for the fact that she hasn’t seen the inside of the shop in years. She got out and she got what she wanted. I won’t fight her on that. I’m too damn tired to fight that woman anymore.

  Hanson takes off his glasses and wipes the sweat off his forehead. “You still thinking about that bitch?” he asks me.

  “Come on,” I laugh. “Me? No. But don’t call her a bitch, okay?”

  “Whatever, man,” he sighs and goes back to sanding the wood.

  I’ve owned Vanderbilt Carpentry for over five years now and still, Hanson talks back to me as if I’m not his boss. I can’t deal with the man right now. Besides, we have a new position we’re trying to fill and I need to keep my head clear.

  “So, are you ready to do the interviews?” I ask. “We’ve got about a week left before the big jobs start.”

  “I’m ready, as always. I still don’t get why you need another hand around here though. You know I can handle myself around the shop. What’s another couple of jobs going to do to me?” he asks.

  “It’s a liability,” I tell him. “Plus, I’ve got the kid soon, for like three weeks.”

  “Three weeks? You serious?” he asks.

  “Yeah, Susan is going to Bimini or something. I don’t know. Her boyfriend is taking her on a romantic getaway. She’s practically rubbing it in my face because I could never afford to do that for her.” I laugh, but it’s hardly funny.

  “You mean, she’s using the business money to buy margaritas, while you slave away and give the kid her milk,” he says.

  “It’s just for a little while. I’m using the money too, Hanson. Fuck off.” I smile.

  “On what? New Scholastic books for the kid? Dude, you really need to go out with me tomorrow night. I think it’ll be good for you. We’ll hit the bar. Who knows? Maybe you can bag some pussy, for once in your life.”