The Holiday Claus

Chapter 6

A s I shift in bed, I’m aware of Lila draped across my chest. Her head is nestled in the crook of my shoulder, with one leg hitched over my thigh and an arm wrapped securely around my waist. Blonde tresses fan out across her pillow, and her full lips are slightly parted as she sleeps soundly. As I move beneath her, my rigid cock presses against her stomach, straining against my boxers.

“Dammit,” I mutter.

I use my free hand to adjust myself, careful not to disturb her.

I’m not used to sharing a bed with someone. I never invite anyone back to my apartment. The women I’ve slept with know my terms—no strings attached, no misconceptions of a long-term commitment, and absolutely no cuddling.

Not only did I share a bed with Lila, but I broke my own rule. Although technically, she is on my side of the bed, which means I can’t be held accountable for our snuggling.

I meant it when I told her that she’s been on my mind since Andrew’s engagement party. This woman has consumed my thoughts and has an uncanny ability to break through my defenses without even trying .

Lila’s the last person I should be thinking about—not only is she my best friend’s sister, but she’s everything I’m not. She’s an optimist who loves Christmas, believes in happily ever afters, and wants a life of adventure. I’m a skeptic who steers clear of commitment, avoids the holidays, and prefers the comfort of solitude.

Damn…way to get philosophical.

Everyone knew that my dad loved the holidays —and not just because our last name was Claus. He dressed up as Santa, decorated the Christmas tree with my grandma, and hosted a month-long Christmas movie marathon every December. Those were traditions I cherished, but after he passed, the magic was lost.

My body goes stiff when I feel the unmistakable warmth of breath against my cheek. Turning slowly, I come face to face with Winston, who’s perched at the edge of the bed, eyeing me with a skeptical tilt of his head.

“Can I help you?” I whisper, my tone laced with sarcasm.

He blinks before repeatedly nudging my shoulder. I’ve never had a dog before, so I’m clueless as to what he wants. All I know is that if he keeps this up, he’s going to disturb Lila, so it looks like we’re stuck with each other for now.

I carefully maneuver out from under her, easing her arm from my hip so I can get up. I pause when she stirs, letting out a soft moan, but within seconds, her breathing evens out. She’s spent every waking minute on Andrew’s wedding and deserves the chance to sleep in when she can, especially since there’s no telling how hectic the rest of the week will be.

Winston wags his tail as he darts to the ramp by the bed, and when he gets to the bottom, he sprints to the door. He starts whining, glancing back to see what’s taking me so long.

“Calm down. I’m coming,” I grumble.

For such a small dog, he’s remarkably bossy.

I tiptoe across the room and ease the front door open, careful not to make too much noise. Without warning, Winston squeezes through the opening and barrels down the sidewalk and through the snow-covered yard.

He doesn’t have a sweater on, and I’m not sure if he’s allowed outside unsupervised. In my rush to follow him, I grab the first pair of slip-ons in sight—a pair of fuzzy pink slippers with bunny ears that look three sizes too small.

I hesitate, wondering if I should put my boots on instead, but Winston’s barking makes the decision for me. I shove my feet into the slippers, the bunny ears bouncing with every step.

When I get outside, I hold my hand up to my face, squinting against the sunlight. When my eyes finally readjust, I see Winston running past the gate, heading toward the inn. Dammit.

I must have forgotten to close it last night. When he disappears from sight, I start sprinting, the icy air hitting my chest.

Fuck, it’s cold.

In my hurry to chase Winston, I forgot to put on a shirt. Oh well, it’s too late now.

As I get close to the inn, Winston’s barking grows louder, and when he comes into view, I see that he’s standing next to my grandma under a large tree where it looks like she’s refilling one of her many bird feeders.

Naturally, of all days for her to be outside this early, it had to be today. I doubt her doctors would approve of her hauling a bag of birdseed around in the cold, but I know there’s no chance of stopping her. I’m hoping once Jameson gets here, he’ll have better luck convincing her to take it easy.

“What trouble are you up to so early, Winn?” Grandma crouches down and ruffles his fur affectionately.

She raises her head when I approach, a puzzled expression crossing her face. “Brooks? What in the world are you doing outside without a shirt?” She glances down at the bunny slippers. “I take it those don’t belong to you.” She straightens to her full height, arms folded, a playful smirk on her lips. “I noticed the storage room was empty this morning.”

I narrow my eyes at her Cheshire grin. “Maybe if my cot hadn’t busted last night, I’d have slept in there. It folded like a deck of cards. Any reason you had me use a faulty one?”

“Sounds like you had a rough night,” she says sympathetically while dodging my question. “That doesn’t explain why you’re chasing Winston around wearing Lila’s slippers. Don’t think I didn’t see you and her sneak off last night after dinner. Where did you go?” She taps her chin thoughtfully while studying me.

I shift uncomfortably, rubbing the back of my neck. Explaining to my grandma why I stayed at Lila’s last night wasn’t on the agenda for today.

“Her cottage. It’s not a big deal,” I mumble. “Nothing happened.”

Grandma gives me a smug grin. “I never said it did. It’s just interesting that you’re up so early and without a shirt or shoes, no less. Are you planning on staying with her for the rest of your trip?”

It hadn’t even occurred to me until now. After the cot disaster, just finding a place to sleep was my top priority. But now, the prospect of not staying with Lila for the remainder of my trip leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Not that I’d tell Grandma that—hell, I don’t even understand it myself.

“Has a room at the inn opened up?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Nope. We’re fully booked through the end of the year,” she states without hesitation. The glint in her eye suggests she finds my predicament far too amusing for my liking.

“As much fun as it is standing out in the cold getting interrogated, I better get Winston back before Lila wakes up and worries when she realizes he’s missing. The last thing I want is for her to think I’ve kidnapped her dog.”

I scoop him into my arms and make my way back to the cottage. Winston gives me a disgruntled snort but eventually resigns himself to being stuck in air jail, resting his chin on my shoulder with a weary sigh.

“Tell Lila I say good morning,” Grandma calls after me, her voice brimming with satisfaction.

I raise a hand in acknowledgment. My eyes are straight ahead, intent on getting back to the cottage as quickly as possible, not willing to chance Winston trying to make another break for it.

Now the question is, how am I going to explain this to Lila?

When Winston and I get inside, Lila is pacing the floor, her phone clutched in her hand.

She glances over, giving me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I was wondering where you two wandered off to.”

Winston trots up to her, whining softly as he rubs his head on her leg.

I shut the door behind me and stride over to her. “What’s wrong?”

She sighs, running a hand across her face. “I just got off the phone with the owner of Bloom and Vine. They’re pulling out of the wedding delivery on Christmas Day.” She sinks onto the edge of the bed, her shoulders sagging. “I called to see if they had any white roses and hypericum berries—Hannah’s favorites.”

“And they didn’t have any in stock?” I question.

My mind is already racing through my network, thinking of what connections I can leverage to get those flowers. Sure, I want Hannah and Andrew to have the flowers they want, but more than that, I want to make things easier for Lila. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.

“I wish that were the case.” She drums her fingers against her thigh. “The florist was the one vendor the original bride had worked with directly. Her father already paid them in full and told them the wedding was canceled.” She looks away, her gaze drifting to the window. “I explained the situation and offered to pay a rush fee for the new wedding flowers, but the owner said she was no longer interested in working on Christmas after being paid for the original order.”

“Why don’t you call another florist?”

She lets out a humorless laugh. “Bloom & Vine is the only one in the area. That’s the trouble with being a wedding planner in a small town, there’s no backup plan when a vendor decides to back out.”

The stress rolls off her in waves, a palpable tension fills the room, and I have an urgency to fix this for her.

“We’ll figure this out, alright?” I say, sitting down next to her.

She bites her lip, uncertainty flickering across her face. “We?”

“Yes.” I nod. “We’re in this together, aren’t we? In case you forgot, you agreed to let me help with the wedding prep, so now you’re stuck with me.”

Acting on impulse, I pull her in for a hug with one arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her tight as the other cradles the back of her head. She tenses at the unexpected gesture but relaxes into my embrace, circling her arms around my waist and resting her head against my chest. Having her this close seems inherently right, and while I’m supposed to be comforting her, it’s hard to focus when all I can think about is how perfect she feels in my arms.

A fantasy plays in my mind of tugging her into my lap, her legs clinging to my waist with her hands tangled in my hair. I’d draw her closer, her soft lips brushing against mine. I swallow hard to suppress a groan. I clench my jaw, warding off the desire to grip the nape of her neck and bring her closer.

Lila looks like she’s battling a similar storm of emotions, her lips slightly parted as if on the verge of surrendering to my touch.

God, this woman is messing with my head.

I clear my throat, withdrawing my hands from around her. “Call the florist back,” I instruct.

A fleeting glimmer of disappointment flashes across her face before it vanishes.

“Why? What are you going to do?”

I lean in and tuck a stray piece of hair behind her and say, “Call them back, beautiful. Please let me help fix this.”

After a short pause, she nods. “Okay.”

With a resigned sigh, she grabs her phone from where she tossed it on the bed and dials the florist. I hold out my hand for the phone, and after hesitating briefly, she places it in my palm. I bring it to my ear, the tone ringing twice before someone picks up.

“Thanks for calling Bloom & Vine,” a woman cheerfully answers. “This is Violet speaking. How may I help you?”

“Are you the owner, Violet?” I ask, cutting straight to the point.

She pauses a beat. “Yes, I am. What is this about?”

“My name is Brooks, Kay Claus’s grandson. I believe she’s a regular customer of yours. If I’m not mistaken, she orders weekly arrangements and uses Bloom & Vine for all events and weddings at the inn.” I glance over at Lila, who’s leaning closer and straining to hear both sides of the conversation.

“Absolutely. Whispering Pines Inn is one of our biggest clients. The team and I adore Kay.”

“If that’s the case, care to explain why you’re refusing to make a delivery for a wedding taking place here on Christmas Day?”

“Mr. Claus,” she says, her tone sharper now. “As I’ve already explained to Lila, we’re no longer available to deliver on Christmas.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, irritated by her dismissive attitude. “If you agree to do the flowers for the Christmas wedding, I’ll throw in ten grand for your trouble. Is that enough to change your mind?” I look over to see Lila waving her arms wildly, an alarmed expression on her face.

“Are you messing with me?” Violet sputters.

“No, I don’t have time for games,” I state.

“Okay, you’ve got a deal. I must admit, you drive a hard bargain,” she says. “My employees and I will appreciate the bonus.”

“You’re not going to keep it all for yourself?” I ask, a little surprised.

“My team is like family, Mr. Claus. I make sure they’re well taken care of, especially when they’re away from their loved ones on Christmas morning.”

“Have the flowers here by 10:00 a.m. on Christmas morning, and I’ll have the bonus waiting,” I say, my chest tightening. I rub my palm against it. Must be indigestion.

“Yes, of course. It was nice doing business with you, Mr. Claus.”

“Goodbye, Violet.” I hang up without waiting for a response. There’s nothing more to discuss since she’s agreed, and there’s no chance she’ll bail with ten thousand dollars on the line. Scratch that, I’ll make it twenty thousand…considering she’s splitting it with her staff.

“Bloom & Vine will do the flowers,” I inform Lila, handing back her phone.

She pushes her hair over her shoulder with a frustrated sigh. “Why would you do that?” she exclaims.

“I think what you meant to say is ‘thank you,’” I reply with a smirk.

“For what? Bribing the local florist. Thank you, Brooks, for setting an unrealistic precedent that whenever I need flowers at an inconvenient time, they’ll expect an extra ten grand,” she replies dryly.

I narrow my eyes. “I did what was necessary to guarantee Hannah and Andrew have the flowers they want at their wedding. Trust me, the money isn’t a concern.”

“Not all of us can afford to throw cash around like it’s confetti.” She shakes her head, exasperated.

I frown. “Why are you upset? We had a problem, and I took care of it. Isn’t that what you wanted? For me to help you fix any issues that come up?”

She gathers her hair and sweeps it over one shoulder, giving me a measured look. “Brooks, I appreciate what you were trying to do, but I’ve worked hard to build relationships with local vendors, and throwing money around complicates things for me in the long run. Particularly since Violet loves to gossip, and she’ll tell every other vendor in town to expect sky-high premiums for holiday and rush orders moving forward.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“What are you going to do? Throw more money at the problem?”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Lila eyes me suspiciously as I cross the room and grab my phone from the kitchenette counter before coming back to stand next to her. With a few swift taps, I send a text to my assistant, directing him to call Violet at Bloom & Vine back and explain that we’ll double the bonus to deliver the flowers on Christmas if she promises to keep that detail to herself. I already decided to give her team twenty grand, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure Lila benefits from it too.

Owning a studio has its advantages, like knowing how to leverage negotiation tactics when the situation calls for it, and this is one of those times where discretion is key. The last thing I want to do is complicate Lila’s relationships with local vendors, and this is the best way to ensure Violet keeps the details of our transaction to herself.

“Done,” I announce triumphantly. “My assistant will reach out to Violet within ten minutes and remind her that we want to make sure her team is fairly compensated working on Christmas, but that discretion is non-negotiable in return.”

I skip the details about the double bonus. There’s no reason for adding fuel to the fire. The flowers will be here on time, and that’s what matters most.

“How about when the next problem comes up, we discuss it before you go full-on CEO mode?” Lila says, crossing her arms.

“You think we’ll have more fires to put out before the big day?”

She nods, her lips curling into a wry smile. “I’m counting on it. For every crisis averted, there’s three more lying in wait. The job of a wedding planner isn’t finished until a couple is hitched and off on their honeymoon.”

“Well, I guess I better keep my credit card close,” I joke.

I’m stunned when she leans over to kiss me on the cheek.

“What was that for?”

“For saving the day and for making sure Hannah has the flowers she wants on her wedding day. Your tactics may be questionable, but I appreciate it all the same.” She casts me an amused glance when I fold my arms across my chest. “Hold on. Did you go outside without a shirt?” She bursts out laughing as she scans me from head to toe. “And are those my bunny slippers?” She points to the offending footwear still on my feet.

“Winston had to go out, and I didn’t want to wake you,” I explain, dodging her question. “When I opened the door, he bolted, and I had to chase him.”

Lila tilts her head, studying me. “By chance did you leave the gate open last night?”

“Maybe, but in my defense, I had a suitcase. Rest assured, I’ll be more careful next time. There’s no way I’m risking my grandma seeing me like that again—she was far too entertained.”

Lila holds out her hand, eyes wide with shock. “Wait. Kay saw you like this…” She motions at me. “While you were chasing my dog?”

I nod. “She was out refilling her bird feeders, and Winston ran to her before I could catch him. Safe to say, she found my predicament rather amusing.”

“Oh my god.” Lila covers her face with her hands. “You realize she’ll never let us live this down, right? I can only imagine what she thinks happened last night, seeing you half-dressed after leaving my cottage.”

I take a step closer, my voice low. “Tell me, Goldie, what would she assume we did last night?”

Lila hesitates, her throat bobbing. “You know exactly what I mean.”

I shrug. “Why don’t you spell it out for me anyway.”

“Your grandma probably thinks we slept together,” she blurts out.

“We did.”

She lets out an exasperated sigh, narrowing her eyes. “No, I mean she probably thinks we…you know, had sex.” Her voice drops.

There’s something irresistibly charming about seeing her get flustered. Her cheeks turn a soft pink as she nibbles on her lower lip.

I meet her gaze with a smirk. “And would that be so bad? You’re the one who admitted to having a crush on me, remember.”

“ Had being the operative word. If we ever did sleep together—which we’re not—it isn’t something I’d go around telling Kay. She’s your grandma, for heaven’s sake.”

I let the silence stretch on.

Like sunlight breaking through a gray sky, she draws me toward her warmth, impossible to ignore. The space between us feels like a chasm I’m desperate to close, even though I have every reason to hold back. Lila is a burst of sunshine with an endless supply of holiday cheer, while I’m the skeptical grinch, masking my vulnerability with calculated indifference.

Yet that doesn’t stop me from accepting her challenge by cupping her chin with my hand and tilting her face to meet my gaze. Her breath hitches when I bring my mouth close to hers, leaving barely an inch of space between us. I can feel her hot breath against my lips like a whisper. She grabs hold of the waistband of my sweatpants like her body craves for me to come closer, yet her mind screams to push me away. Her nails lightly brush my hip, lingering there as her chest rises sharply, her breathing unsteady, betraying her internal conflict.

She tilts her head back slightly, her pulse visible in the delicate curve of her throat.

“You’re right,” I whisper, breathing in her ear. “You’re completely unaffected by me. What a shame.” A whimper escapes her as I step back, and I can’t help but suppress a smirk.

Looks like she’s not as indifferent as she’d like me to believe.

“For someone who says we should keep our distance, you can’t seem to keep your hands off of me. It’s ironic, don’t you think,” she retorts.

She makes a fair point. Whether or not I’m ready to admit it, Lila Monroe has the power to turn my entire world upside down if I let her.

“You’re not exactly making it easy to give you space. Why is that?” I ask.

She shrugs, but the way her fingers twitch betrays her calm exterior. “When I figure that out, I’ll let you know.”

Her response hints that I’m not the only one grappling with what’s happening between us.

“What’s on the agenda today, Goldie?” I ask, wanting to change the subject. “I’m all yours, so put me to work.”