Unexpected Angel: Unexpected Angel / Undercover Elf

As they strolled past the perfume counter, she noticed the huge Christmas tree set in the center of the store. Slowly her eyes rose, higher and higher, up through a soaring atrium three stories high. Above her, shoppers rested along the railings, staring out at the twinkling lights and shiny ornaments. A tiny thrill raced through her and, for a moment, she felt like a young girl again, full of the excitement of the season.

“It’s magical,” Holly murmured. “And a real tree. I wonder how they got it in here?”

“They always have a big tree.” Eric pulled her along toward the escalator. “First, we have to go see Santa. Then we can look at the tree.”

“I thought you already talked to Santa,” Holly said, hurrying to match his pace.

“I have to thank him,” Eric said.

“For what?”

“For you!”

Holly’s heart warmed at his innocent compliment. She’d only been a Christmas angel for a few days, but she already knew it was the best job she’d ever had. Devoting herself to the happiness of a sweet boy like Eric Marrin could hardly be called work.

They stepped onto the old escalator and ascended to the second floor, then joined the long line of children waiting at the gate to a cute little gingerbread village. The place was lined with aisles of toys, but Eric didn’t even notice, his gaze fixed squarely on the entrance to Santa’s kingdom.

As they waited, Holly was reminded of her childhood, how resolute she’d been in her own belief in Santa, and how she had challenged anyone who told her differently. Here, with Eric’s hand clutching hers, she could almost believe again in the pure magic of Christmas, and the warmth and security of a family to share it with.

“Hey, kid! What are you doing back here?”

They both turned to see one of Santa’s elves approaching—Twinkie, by her name tag. Holly felt Eric’s hand squeeze hers a little tighter. “Hi, Twinkie! Look what I brought. It’s my Christmas angel.”

The elf stared down at Eric, her hands braced on her hips. “Your what?”

“My angel. Her name is Holly and Santa sent her to me. She’s going to make my Christmas perfect. I came back here to thank him.”

The elf’s gaze rose to Holly’s face and she stared at her shrewdly, her pretty features pensive, curious. A bit too curious for Holly’s liking. “Santa sent you?” she asked. “That’s not true, is it?”

Holly glanced over her shoulder, uneasy with the elf’s sudden interest in private matters. “I—I’m really not at liberty to say,” she replied. “Come on, Eric, we’ll come back a little later and thank Santa. We’ve got a lot of shopping to do.” She tugged on his hand and led him away.

“Wait,” the elf cried, weaving through the waiting crowd. “I just have a few questions to ask.”

They lost the elf somewhere in bed linens, crouching behind a pile of down comforters to conceal themselves and holding their breaths as Twinkie’s jingling elf boots passed by. When Holly was sure they were safe, she pulled Eric to his feet. “Maybe it would be best if we didn’t tell anyone else about your Christmas angel,” she suggested.

“Why?”

Holly scrambled to come up with a logical reason. “Because we wouldn’t want all the other kids to ask for their own angels. There are just so many angels to go around and we wouldn’t want anyone to be disappointed.”

Eric nodded solemnly. “Yes. Maybe that would be best.”

As they searched out the tree trimming department, Holly glanced down at Eric and smoothed his mussed hair. He looked up at her and smiled, his whole face radiating joy. How different he was from his father, Holly mused. While Eric Marrin wore his emotions on his sleeve, his father hid them behind a stony face. While Eric was friendly and outgoing, Alex Marrin was aloof and indifferent.

She sighed softly. She’d stepped into the lives of these two males intending to do her job and make her $15,000. But this was more than a job. It was a chance to make a real difference in Eric’s life, to give him something that he’d been missing. If the contract were canceled tomorrow, Holly knew she’d never be able to abandon the job. She was already falling under the spell of the little boy’s charm.

She drew a steadying breath. Now, if she could only avoid doing the same with his father.

A FRESH DUSTING OF SNOW had fallen that morning and, in the waning light of day, it sparkled like tiny diamonds. Alex drew a deep breath of the cold afternoon air. As he looked out over the rolling land, the thick trees and wide meadows, he smiled. This was his land, his future—and the future of his son. Nothing could tear him away from this place. Not even a woman.

Renee had tried to draw him away, to force him into her life in New York City. But when he’d insisted they come back to Stony Creek when she got pregnant, she’d had no choice but to agree. From the day she set foot on the farm, he knew she didn’t belong. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise when she left six years later, but it did.

He glanced back at Holly, who trudged through the snow in his footsteps, Eric at her side. The two of them, bundled against the cold, held hands, Eric staring up at Holly as if she really were an angel sent from above. But to Alex, she’d become a siren sent by the devil himself, sent to torment and tempt him with her beauty and her allure. She didn’t belong here, either. Even dressed in insulated boots and a thick wool field jacket, she still looked like a city girl.

He vowed to maintain his distance from her again and again, but at every turn, she was there, asking him questions, seeking out his help. He’d had his resolve sorely tested trying not to touch her while he drove them back from their shopping spree at Dalton’s last night. And when she thanked him for carrying her parcels into the house, he’d fought an overwhelming urge to bend a little nearer and kiss her. Even this morning at breakfast, he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of her, preoccupied with a covert inventory of her pretty features.

And now, even with the cold air and the bright sunshine, he wanted to pull her into his arms and tumble into the snow. Instead he was forced to focus on the task at hand—finding three suitable Christmas trees for the house. He stopped to stare up at a twelve-foot balsam pine, then waited for Holly and Eric to catch up.

“How about this one?” he asked.

Holly’s gaze skimmed over the height and width of the tree, then she slowly circled it, taking in its every detail. She’d already rejected the past forty-seven trees he’d shown her and if she rejected another, he’d be hard-pressed not to toss her in the nearest snowbank and continue the search without her.

“I don’t know,” Holly said. “It seems a little bare on the other side. And it’s really not very thick.” She sighed. “It would be much more efficient if we just went to a tree lot and bought three trees. We just don’t have the time to search.”

Alex ground his teeth as he attempted to bite back a sarcastic retort. This is precisely why he didn’t shop with women. Whether they were looking for something as complex as panty hose or something as simple as a damn Christmas tree, they always had to turn it into a major production. “We’ll put the bare spot against the wall,” he said. “No one will know it’s there.”

“I’ll know,” Holly said. “And it won’t be perfect.”

“Nothing I show you is going to be perfect,” Alex replied. “It’s not supposed to be perfect. The reason we’re cutting our own tree is that we always cut our own tree. It’s family tradition.”

“You don’t have to get mad,” Holly shouted. “I’ll find a tree. It will just take time. Sometimes my father and I would search for days for just the perfect tree.”

Alex stopped and slowly turned to Holly. “Days? We’ve been out here four hours and that’s three hours longer than you deserve. It’s getting dark, you’ve seen hundreds of trees. Balsam, white pine, Scotch pine. Ten-feet tall, twelve-feet tall, thick and thin, short needles, long needles. Just tell me what you want!”

“I want something special,” Holly said. She crossed her arms over her breasts and stared at him, her nose rosy, her eyes bright. “Perfect.”

“Perfect. The only perfect thing you’re going to find in this woods is a perfect lunatic with a perfectly honed ax and a perfectly sharpened saw, and a perfectly reasonable reason to murder you if you don’t pick out a tree right now!”

She gave him a haughty look, refusing to back down. “If you’re going to be so belligerent, why don’t you just go back to the house?”

“Belligerent?” Alex asked. “You think this is belligerent?” He reached down and picked up a handful of snow, packing it with his gloved hands.

Holly held out her hand to warn him off. “Don’t even think of throwing that at me.”

Alex ignored the warning, taking her words as a challenge. When he refused to put the snowball down, Holly scrambled to make her own ammunition, enlisting Eric’s help. Alex released a tightly held breath. Though he’d derive great pleasure in giving her a faceful of snow, it wasn’t going to get them out of the woods any faster. “All right,” he said, tossing his snowball aside. “Truce. But you’ve got thirty minutes to find a decent trio of trees or I’m going to leave you out here to freeze.”

“Hey, Dad, you’re a poet and you don’t even know it!”

Alex turned on his heel and started down the trail once again. But the shock of cold snow on his bare neck stopped him short. With a low growl, he slowly faced them. They both looked guilty as sin, satisfied smiles pasted on their rosy-cheeked faces. He raised his brow at Eric and his son tipped his head toward Holly.

In one smooth motion, he scooped up a handful of snow, packed it tight and took a step toward her. He was about to show her exactly who wore the pants around Stony Creek Farm. Holly let out a tiny shriek, then spun around and headed for the safety of a small tree.

Eric grabbed up a snowball and threw it at Alex, hitting him on the thigh. Alex scowled at his son. “So that’s the way it is. You’re going to side with the girl?”

“She’s my angel and I have to protect her.” He thumped his chest with his fist. “And this is war!” Eric let out a piercing battle cry, then scampered over to Holly’s hiding place.

A full-scale battle erupted with Alex taking the brunt of the assault. He tore through the trees, looking for Holly only to get ambushed by another snowball from Eric. And when he took off after Eric, Holly would come to the boy’s rescue with a barrage of snowballs meant to lay him low.

Breathless and wet with water running down his neck and settling near the small of his back, Alex decided to employ a new strategy—stealth. He gathered up a handful of snow and tiptoed through the trees, stopping to listen every few seconds. His efforts paid off, for a few moments later, he came up behind Holly.

Slowly he crept toward her as she peered out from behind a squat little fir tree. At the last minute, she heard him and, with a loud yell, Alex grabbed her from behind and playfully wrestled her down into the snow. He caught her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head. She didn’t have time to scream before he washed her face with the snowball. Coughing and sputtering, she looked up at him, her lashes covered with ice crystals.

But the battle between them quickly faded as Alex stared down at her. She lay perfectly still, her slender body stretched beneath his, their hips pressed together. Her breath came in quick, deep gasps, visible in the cold air. And though he refused to let her go, she didn’t attempt to shout for Eric’s help.

He gently wiped the snow from her eyes. “Do you surrender?” Alex asked, keenly aware of the deeper meaning to his question.

She nodded, her gaze fixed on his, her lips parted. He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and, to his surprise, she turned her face into his palm, tempting him with a subtle sign of her desire, closing her eyes to await his kiss. Groaning softly, Alex bent nearer, already anticipating the warm sweetness of her mouth, the flood of need that promised to rush through his bloodstream.

But a moment before their lips met, Alex heard a rustling in the nearby trees. He released her wrists and pushed up, bracing his arms on either side of her head. When Eric’s scream split the cold, silent air, Holly stiffened beneath him, then began to wriggle.

Alex groaned. “The kid has impeccable timing.”

“Let me up!” she cried.

The electricity between them died instantly, doused by a healthy dose of reality. When Alex saw Eric’s boots beneath the trees, he rolled to the side. Holly scrambled to her feet and frantically began to brush the snow from her clothes. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she murmured, refusing to meet his gaze. “I—I’m here to do a job and nothing more. I trust you’ll remember that from now on?”

Alex smiled as he struggled to his feet, evidence of his desire pressing against the snow-dampened fabric of his jeans. “Hey, all’s fair in love and war,” he replied. “Isn’t that what they say?”

She opened her mouth to snap out a reply, but just then Eric appeared from behind the tree. He took in his father’s appearance, then grinned. “Holly got you good!” he cried. “We win, we win!”

Alex cleared his throat, then nodded. “Yeah, Scout, Holly got me good.”

The “victor” pasted a bright smile on her face and held out her hand to Eric. “We better get going,” she said. “We still have three trees to find.” Without looking at Alex, she brushed by him and trudged off on her quest for perfection.

When Alex caught up to them, a full five minutes later, he’d managed to quell his physical reaction to their encounter, but couldn’t banish the sense of regret he felt. What might have happened if they’d been alone in the woods, without interruption? Would they have given in to their attraction, finally and fully? She’d wanted him to kiss her. He’d seen it in her eyes, in the way her mouth quivered slightly, in the soft clouds of frozen breath that betrayed her excitement. But how much longer could they both deny what was so blatantly obvious? They wanted each other, in the simplest, most primal way.

“Come on, Dad!” Eric called. “Holly found a tree she likes.”

She stood beside a balsam that resembled every other balsam she’d rejected, her hands clutched in front of her, her attention firmly on the tree. “This is the one,” she murmured, again refusing to look at him.

Alex circled the tree, knowing full well that she’d chosen the first thing she’d come upon. It was clear she’d do anything to escape his presence, including settling for a substandard tree. “What about this bare spot?” he asked.

“We can put it against the wall,” she said, her earlier enthusiasm diminished, her expression uneasy. “And that little one, over there, will be fine for the library. And the one over there for the family room. If you’ll just cut them down, we can be on our way.”

She was upset, but Alex wasn’t sure why. Could he have misread her reactions? Had he been so long without a woman that he couldn’t tell the difference between desire and distaste? He cursed inwardly, cursed his runaway urges and his unbidden reaction to them. “Eric, why don’t you take Miss Bennett back to the house. She looks a little…cold.”

That brought a response, narrowed eyes and cheeks stained red from more than just the frigid air. “I can find my way back on my own,” she said defensively.

“I’m sure you can. But I’d feel better if Eric showed you the way. He knows this land as well as I do.”

Alex watched them go, standing in the same spot until they disappeared behind a low rise in the landscape. Then with a soft groan, he sat down in the snow. Though he’d tried his best to resist her, there was no denying the truth. He wasn’t going to be satisfied until he kissed Holly Bennett, long and hard and deep. Maybe then, he’d be able to put this strange fascination behind him. That was the answer, then. At the next available opportunity, he’d pull her into his arms and kiss her. And finally, that would be the end of it.

Or maybe, it would just be a beginning.

4

THE FLAMES IN THE fireplace had ebbed to glowing embers by the time Holly finished decorating Eric’s tree in the family room. He’d grown bored with hanging ornaments and was now fast asleep on the sofa, his head nestled against Thurston’s stomach. Though Alex appeared to be absorbed in the newspaper, Holly felt his gaze on her every time she turned her back, making the hairs on her arms prickle and tingle.

How had things moved so quickly between them? Just three nights ago, she was standing on his front porch, a complete stranger, and now they were lusting after each other like love-starved teenagers. Though she’d tried to control her impulses in his presence, she always seemed to forget herself, to ignore the woman she was supposed to be.

Holly had never put much stock in passion. She and Stephan had shared a satisfying relationship in bed, but it had never been fireworks and angel choirs. But then, she’d never expected that, so how could she have known what she was missing?

Now she did. That little flutter that leaped in her stomach every time she looked at Alex. The ache she felt deep in her core every time he brushed against her. The look she saw in his eyes when he meant to kiss her. She’d come to crave them all.

Her head warned her to keep her relationship with Alex strictly business. But her heart said there was more than just business between them. After their tumble in the snow, she could think of nothing more than finishing what they’d started, giving in to the kiss that hadn’t happened. But where would a simple kiss lead? The only path Holly could see was the path to a broken heart and she was determined to avoid that route.

She placed the last ornament on the tree, then stepped back. Though she hadn’t been completely sold on the idea of a “bug” tree, she had to admit the nature theme worked well. They’d added bird ornaments to the lady-bugs and butterflies and bees, along with Eric’s dragonfly lights. Holly had found natural garland made of tiny pine-cones and dried wildflowers to emphasize the backyard garden theme. Though it wasn’t her most sophisticated tree, it had its charms. “What do you think?” she murmured, staring up at the birdhouse that topped the tree.

“Pardon?”

Holly tweaked one of Eric’s dragonfly lights, then turned around. “What do you think?”

Alex glanced down at Eric. “I think I’d better put this guy to bed.” He set his newspaper down, then reached out to slip his arm beneath his son. The little boy opened his eyes and yawned.

When he caught sight of the tree, ablaze with the twinkling dragonflies, he smiled sleepily. “Cool,” he murmured. He pushed up from the sofa and crossed the room. Wrapping his arms around Holly’s waist, he gave her a hug, warming Holly’s heart. “See you in the morning, Holly.”

She patted his head, then watched as he returned to his father’s side. They both walked out of the room, leaving her with a tiny smile on her lips. The love between father and son was so apparent, so assured that she felt the power of it just being near them. She’d shared the same security with her own father, the unfaltering bond between parent and child. Someday, she’d have that for herself, a child to love her unconditionally.

But when she conjured herself a family, the picture was no longer vague and unfocused. Eric was the child she pictured as her own. And Alex Marrin had taken over the role as fantasy father and perfect mate. Not that she wanted to marry him and have his children. But she wanted a father for her children who could love as deeply as he did.

Holly sighed softly, then began to gather the boxes and bags scattered around the floor. When she’d tidied the room, she walked over to the light switch and flipped the lights off. This was always her favorite moment, when the tree came to life in front of her eyes. She wasn’t sure how long she stared at the tree, enjoying the pungent odor of fresh pine and the soft light thrown across the ceiling.

“Beautiful.”

She turned to find Alex standing a few feet behind her. “You like it?”

“I wasn’t talking about the tree.”

Holly felt a blush warm her cheeks. How a simple compliment could disarm her! Especially when it came from Alex Marrin. “I think the bugs work.”

“Would you like a glass of wine?” Alex asked.

Holly nearly caught herself accepting his offer. “Now that I’ve finished here, I should get to work hanging the garland in the library. And I’ve got to plan for the—”

He took her arms and slowly turned her around. Without hesitation, he cupped her face between his hands and brought his lips softly down on hers. The kiss was so gentle, so unexpected, that Holly wasn’t sure what to do. No surge of indignation washed over her, no embarrassment or guilt. Just warm and wonderful pleasure.

His mouth lingered over hers for a long time, testing, tasting. Holly slid her palms up his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, sinking against him. When he tried to pull back, she urged him not to stop, her fingers splayed across his nape. A soft moan rumbled low in his throat as the passion grew between them by degrees.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since that very first night,” he murmured, his breath soft against her cheek. He traced a line of kisses from her jaw to the notch at the base of her neck. “Tell me you wanted this, too.”

“I—I’m not sure,” Holly murmured, tipping her head back to fully enjoy the feel of his mouth on her skin. She thought she knew exactly what she wanted, to maintain a safe distance from Alex. But now, she found herself wanting his kisses much more.

Alex furrowed his hand through her hair, then forced her to meet his gaze. “Why do you deny this? We’re attracted to each other, Holly. It’s really quite simple.”

“But it’s not,” she said. “I’m here to do a job. And I have a life back in New York City, a career and business to run.”

He arched his brow. “I’m not asking you to stay,” Alex murmured. “This isn’t a proposal of marriage.”

Holly drew in a sharp breath, the warmth his kiss had brought leaving her body. She placed her palms on his chest and pushed him away. “Which is exactly why we can’t do this,” she said.

“You want an engagement ring before you’ll let me kiss you again?”

“No!” Holly cried. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Then what is it?”

She scrambled for a sane reason why she couldn’t allow herself to be seduced by Alex Marrin’s charm. But nothing she came up with made the least bit of sense. Why not kiss him, as long as it felt good? Why not let passion take its course? It’s not as if she were engaged to Stephan! She was a single woman, free to explore her passions with whatever man she chose. “There’s another man,” she blurted out, taking the first excuse she could find.

Alex nuzzled her neck playfully. “There won’t be after tonight.”

“It’s quite serious.” She felt his lips abandon the pulse point on her neck. His shoulders stiffened and he drew away.

“You’re engaged?” He stared at her as if she’d suddenly sprouted horns and a pitchfork tail.

The emotion in his eyes, barely controlled anger, self-loathing, made her retreat a step. “No. I—I mean, yes. We’ve known each other for ages and last Christmas Stephan asked me to marry him.” It wasn’t really a lie, just not the entire truth.

“I don’t see an engagement ring,” Alex said.

“I don’t need a ring to remind me of how I feel.”

“And how do you feel when you’re with him, Holly?” Alex asked. “Does he make you feel the way I do? All warm and breathless? Out of control? Willing to do anything for this?” He caught her around the waist and yanked her closer.

“Stop it,” she warned, her gaze transfixed by the desire blazing in his eyes, her voice lacking any conviction.

He leaned closer. “Make me.” With that, he lowered his mouth to hers. She expected all the anger she saw in his expression to flow into his kiss. But it wasn’t there. Only need, desire so fierce that she could feel it flooding into her body from his. And when he drew away, leaving her breathless, her instinct was only to lash back at him for taking away every ounce of her self-control.