A Knight Before Christmas

by Alicia Dean

A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  Grabbing his coat from the rack by the door, he headed

  out into the blizzard for the second time that evening, praying

  someone he loved would be okay.

  Nicolette made her way home in the freezing, blinding

  snow, barely able to walk against the rush of icy wind. She

  should have taken Tonya up on her offer of a ride home, but

  Tonya's little Kia had barely made it to the house. Nicolette

  hadn't wanted her to get back out. Besides, she hadn't known

  getting home would be this difficult. Walking to the house had

  been easier than walking back. She was against the wind

  now, plus, the weather had worsened.

  She was only a few houses away. She could see her porch

  light, could see Heath's Tahoe in the driveway. Thank God. He

  was there, and just a few short seconds away. At almost the

  same time a figure rushed out of her house and headed down

  her porch steps, her foot caught on something, and she

  started to fall. She reached out to brace herself, but went

  down with a jarring crash, making it worse when her wrist

  bent back with the impact. Her knee slammed into the

  ground, and she cried out in pain. She only had a second to

  notice that she'd tripped over a fallen tree branch before she

  heard Heath shout, "Nicolette?"

  "Over here," she called, trying to keep the tears out of her

  voice as she attempted to struggle to her feet. She put weight

  on her leg and cringed when shards of pain shot through her

  knee. She looked up to find Heath only a few feet away, his

  face clenched in worry.

  "Nic? Are you okay?" he asked when he reached her,

  squatting to help her to her feet.

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  She sniffed and wiped a gloved hand across her frozen

  cheek. "I hurt my knee." She felt like a fool. Heath had asked

  her to stay behind to keep her safe and warm, and she'd

  ventured out into the mess anyway, only adding to his

  problems.

  "Can you walk?"

  She nodded, and he supported her elbow as he helped her

  limp her way home.

  Inside the house, she nearly cried in relief. Heath had a

  fire going. She'd never felt anything so wonderful, so

  soothing. She stood in front of the fire, shivering, her hands

  stretched out to its blessed heat.

  "Why didn't you answer my call?" Heath asked.

  "I didn't know you called." Her teeth chattered as she

  spoke and she realized she wasn't going to warm up much as

  long as she kept her wet, now useless coat on. She started

  shrugging out of it and Heath moved over to help her. "I

  guess I didn't hear it ring. It was in my coat pocket."

  "I was worried sick about you," he murmured as he slid

  the coat off her shoulders. "Let's get you into some warm

  clothes. Tell me where they are so you won't have to go

  upstairs."

  "Just get my robe, please. It's hanging on the bathroom

  door."

  Heath disappeared up the stairs. Nicolette eased onto the

  couch to wait for him. He was back in seconds, holding her

  fluffy pink robe. She stood and he tossed the robe onto the

  couch. Reaching down, she gripped the edges of her sweater.

  Heath's hand stopped her. She looked up at him and allowed

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  him to pull the sweater over her head. Letting him undress

  her felt scary, yet right. He reached behind her and unclipped

  her bra. Warmth spread through her, and she swallowed

  nervously.

  When her breasts were bare, Heath stared at them for a

  moment, then picked up the robe and slipped it over her

  shoulders. Strangely, modesty didn't swoop down on her.

  Standing naked in front of Heath felt like the most natural act

  on earth. Only, she craved far more than the appreciative

  touch of his hands. Her body keened for his touch.

  But the resolve that glinted in his eyes told her she'd have

  to wait. Reluctantly, she put her arms in the sleeves. Heath

  unbuttoned her pants. Tingles wafted across her skin. She

  held her breath while he tugged them down over her hips.

  God if only...

  She pushed the longing aside, wilting a little when Heath's

  hands didn't glide over her thighs. When her jeans rested at

  her feet, she stepped free, kicked them aside, then cried out

  as pain shot through her knee.

  Heath frowned down at her. "You're hurt?"

  "Just my knee. I'm sure it's not bad."

  "Let me see."

  Heath closed her robe, then squatted in front of her. His

  voice was hoarse when he spoke, "We need to get that

  tended to. Here, sit in front of the fire. We also need to get

  you warmed up."

  She nodded, trying not to show her disappointment at his

  chosen method of warming her up. He led her to the chair in

  front of the fireplace, and she settled into it.

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  "First aid kit?"

  "Bathroom cabinet."

  He disappeared and returned after a few moments. Sitting

  on the ottoman in front of her, he moved her robe back far

  enough to expose her knee. Gently, he cleaned the wound

  with a peroxide-soaked cotton pad, dabbed on antibiotic

  ointment, then bandaged it.

  "There you go," Heath said. "All better now?"

  "Much. Thanks."

  Before releasing her, he slid his hand gently up and down

  her calf. She held her breath, waiting to see what would

  happen next, wondering if she should make something

  happen. He let go and the moment was over.

  "I'll make you something to drink," he said. "Tea or

  coffee?"

  She forced a smile. "Hot chocolate."

  He grinned. "I'll be right back."

  Nicolette stared into the fire while she waited. What was

  she doing? What were they doing? Would their sexual

  relationship continue for the brief time he was here? He

  hadn't tried to touch her when he'd helped her into the robe.

  She'd made it pretty obvious that he could have. Standing

  bare-breasted in front of a man was a pretty good indicator.

  Had he just been concerned for her comfort, or did he not

  want to make love to her again? The look in his eyes said

  otherwise, as had the kiss they'd shared earlier. If he hadn't

  gotten the call about the girls, she was pretty sure how that

  kiss would have ended. But maybe now he'd had time to think

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  things through and knew, as she did, that it wouldn't be wise

  to engage in a sexual relationship with no future.

  Maybe not wise, but whether it lasted no more than three

  days, she wanted Heath, however she could get him.

  Heath came in with a mug in each hand. He held one out

  to her, and she took it. A sip of the warm chocolate made her

  feel instantly better. Heath lowered back onto the ottoman.

  To fill the silence,
she said, "I can't wait for the Christmas

  party we're giving the kids. I wish you could stay around for

  it. There's nothing like watching the joy on their faces."

  "I bet." He took a drink of his chocolate. "Did you and

  Rudy ever want to have kids?"

  "You know, we were married for nearly ten years, and we

  talked about it from time to time, but we just sort of let the

  conversation die. It never really went anywhere. I don't think

  he really wanted them."

  "What about you? Do you want them?"

  She noticed he said 'do' not 'did,' like maybe it wasn't too

  late. She thought about having kids with Heath, and a warm

  glow moved through her.

  "I think I'd like to have kids, but it's almost too late for

  me. I mean, I'm not even close to being in a relationship, or

  getting over Rudy enough so that I can be." He flinched, and

  she realized she'd hurt his feelings. Well, hell, they'd had sex

  one time and had never said anything about it turning into

  more. He certainly wasn't acting like he wanted more right

  now.

  "You know, Jesse is adopting a kid," Heath said.

  "Yeah? How wonderful."

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  "His name is Ethan and he's thirteen. I haven't met him

  yet, but when Jesse talks about him, she has this glow like

  I've never seen. He seems to have filled a void in her life."

  She frowned in thought, then took a sip from her mug.

  "Are you saying I should adopt?"

  Heath shrugged. "I don't know what you should do,

  Nicolette. But you seem lost. You seem like there's a void you

  need filled."

  She did have a void, but she had no idea what she needed

  to fill it. Sadness opened up in her soul, but she shook her

  head. "You know, right now we have a blackmailer to catch

  and cops to get off my back. No time for void-filling."

  Heath narrowed his eyes, studying her, and she shifted

  uncomfortably. Did her loneliness and despair, her bleak

  outlook for the future, show on her face?

  Heath's heart ached at the lost look in Nicolette's eyes.

  She was right. First things first, and that was to make her

  safe. There was nothing he wanted more than to erase the

  pain and fear from her life. "We'll catch the guy," he vowed.

  Nicolette smiled, but the haunted look remained. "You

  really think so?"

  He wondered what had happened to their earlier sexual

  banter, the promise in her voice when they'd spoken on the

  phone before the triplets were lost, before she'd been injured,

  before they'd had time to let uncertainty and awkwardness

  settle between them. Had the passage of time given her a

  chance to rethink being involved with him, even temporarily?

  Heath moved his hand back to her leg and squeezed,

  telling himself he should let go. If she'd changed her mind, he

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  needed to remember not to touch that soft skin of hers. But

  he left his hand there. "Yes, I really think so."

  Even as he said the words, he knew finding the blackmailer

  and getting the cops off her back wouldn't take that bereft

  look out of her eyes. She had no family; she'd lost her

  husband; she had few friends. There was Donovan, Marla,

  and of course, Louisa, but they were all inherited. She had no

  one around who was her blood. He thought of his own

  sometimes jacked up family, but he had family. They were

  there for one another no matter what.

  He knew how to take that lost loneliness out of her soul.

  Or at least how to try. Tomorrow, he'd call Burke, have him

  do some checking around. Heath would do whatever he could

  to find Nicolette's father.

  "So, should we go over the plan again for the money

  drop?" Nicolette asked.

  Reluctantly, he nodded. The thought of her doing

  something so dangerous made his gut clench. "I suppose so.

  I'll be watching from a short distance away. You'll have a mic

  in your ear that's also a transmitter, so we can communicate.

  You must do exactly as I tell you."

  "I carry the backpack into Dave and Buster's and put it

  beneath the Elvis machine, then leave."

  "Right. I'll watch the escalators for anyone carrying a black

  backpack and follow him until I can catch him alone."

  "Got it."

  He held her gaze, his brow furrowing. "You know I don't

  want you there," he said.

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  "Yes, but you know I have to be. Each time I've done it,

  I've been terrified, but this time, you'll be with me."

  He hoped her faith in him wasn't misplaced. If something

  went wrong and his presence caused her to be hurt...or

  worse...he couldn't live with himself.

  She watched his hand on her leg for a moment, then lifted

  her eyes to his. "I'm scared."

  "I'll be there. I'll take care of you. We'll find the guy, find

  out what happened to Rudy, whether or not the two things

  are related."

  "I don't mean I'm scared about that."

  "What then?"

  She held his gaze. "I don't miss Rudy as much as I did."

  "Time helps. That happens."

  "No. It's not time. It's you."

  His mouth went dry, and his heart thudded into his ribs as

  he searched her face. "Nicolette..."

  The look in her eyes said she wasn't just referring to the

  physical. Was it possible she was falling in love with him? He

  was afraid to bring up the word, afraid it would sever the

  fragile bond they'd developed. If he couldn't yet show her by

  his words, he could show her by his actions.

  He set his mug on the end table and scooted forward on

  the ottoman. Slowly, he eased away the edges of her robe

  and heard her sharp intake of breath. Moving his hands along

  her legs, the insides of her thighs, then further, he teased the

  soft curls and she moaned, laying her head back on the chair.

  He removed one hand to take the cup from her and placed it

  next to his.

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  Careful not to hurt her knee, he pulled her from the chair

  and laid her down on the floor. In the warm glow of the fire

  and beneath the lights of the Christmas tree, he made slow,

  thorough love to her, delighting in the sounds of pleasure that

  came from deep in her throat.

  Afterward, Heath moved away only long enough to tug the

  throw from the couch and spread it over their bodies. He was

  loathe to release her even briefly, not knowing how many

  more opportunities he'd have to touch her...to listen to the

  soft, contented sounds of her breathing.

  "That was amazing," she whispered, wiggling her body

  even closer to his.

  "Mmmhmm," was all he could manage. His limbs felt

  heavy, his mind and body sated and relaxed. The only blight

  on this perfect evening was the knowledge that tomorrow,

  Nicolette would
be thrust into danger, and he couldn't

  absolutely guarantee that he could protect her.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

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  Chapter Sixteen

  Heath leaned against the wall next to the dinosaur

  restaurant and watched Nicolette ride the escalator up to the

  entrance of Dave and Buster's. She wore jeans and a snug

  blue sweater beneath a black leather coat. Her blonde hair

  glinted in the bright winter day. A black backpack containing

  ten grand in cash hung off her right shoulder.

  "You okay?" he asked into the mic. She wore an earpiece

  and even though they'd already tested it, he wanted to be

  sure it was still working.

  "I'm fine," she said with a smile in her voice.

  "Remember the plan. You drop the backpack under the

  Elvis game and get the hell out of there."

  "I remember. You know, I've done this a few times without

  you." Her voice was barely a murmur, and he knew she was

  speaking with as little lip movement as possible.

  Yes. He remembered she'd done this without him, and it

  caused a tightening in his gut. He couldn't stand to think of

  the danger Nic had been in the past four months, or that

  she'd faced it alone.

  "I'm right here," Heath said. "I got your back."

  "Yes, you do. And last night you had my front."

  Heath laughed and heat spread through him. He didn't

  know how long this thing with Nic would last, but words

  couldn't describe how good it felt to hear her making sexual

  innuendos, and know they were based on real sex, not just

  the fantasies he'd entertained for fifteen years.

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  "No more talking. You're getting close, and he might be

  watching. Take care of yourself, sweetheart."

  She didn't answer but he saw her head nod just before she

  disappeared into the restaurant.

  Time seemed to drag on endlessly, but when he looked at

  his watch, he discovered only five minutes had passed. Only

  five minutes? Five minutes was a very long time to go without

  breathing.

  Nicolette appeared, sans backpack, and stepped onto the

  escalator. They'd made a deal that she would head to her car.

  The two of them wouldn't meet up until they arrived home.

  Heath wasn't sure if the blackmailer would be watching her;