Everything Christmas

Chapter Five

P erched on a hard, plastic chair in the customer waiting area of a dingy repair shop wasn’t exactly her idea of a good time. The scent of oil and burnt rubber permeated the air, mingling with the faint aroma of stale coffee from the nearby vending machine. Merry sighed, impatience making her check the time on her phone for the twentieth time in the past hour at least.

The holiday season was in full swing, and her to-do list seemed never-ending. Instead of tackling it head-on, she found herself stranded without transportation, forced to endure the agonizing wait for the mechanic’s repair estimate. She had a sinking feeling it was going to be bad. She could feel it in her bones, just as surely as the chill in the damp, dreary room.

“Ms. Noelle.”

Merry sprang from her chair like a jack-in-the-box and hurried toward the man in the doorway, engrossed in his clipboard. He wore a grease-smudged uniform of dark-blue pants and a shirt three shades lighter with “Johnny,” embroidered over his left pec. His fingers and nails were stained black, and Merry had to wonder if they ever came clean.

“I’m Merry Noelle,” she told him, her voice strained and pitched higher than usual. Anxiety gnawed at her stomach as she pleaded, “Please tell me you were able to fix it.”

She didn’t ask about the cost. It wasn’t like money was no object. Her credit card could ill afford another major hit, but what choice did she have? She needed a vehicle.

“I wish I had better news.”

Merry’s heart sank. “It’s a relic. I was afraid of that.”

When his head came up, his gaze met hers, before it dipped down her front. Then a slow smile spread across his face, transforming his businesslike demeanor. “You’re Merry Noelle?”

She gritted her teeth, so not in the mood to be on the receiving end of another handsome guy’s laughter.

“How bad is it?”

“It’s gonna cost way more to fix than it’s worth, and I can’t even promise we can do that. Parts will be next to impossible to find. Your best bet is to sell it to a salvage yard and use that for a down payment on something newer. Maybe from this century.”

Great. That’s just what she needed. A mechanic who thought he was a comedian. Like the cop across the street from her wasn’t enough.

“I know a guy who will give you a decent price.”

“Is that your expert advice?” she inquired, feeling defeated. Every time she was getting a little bit ahead—BAM!—something dragged her back down.

“Repairs could nickel and dime you to death, and it still might not run.”

With no other choice, she asked, “Do I just leave it here?”

“Yeah, then he’ll be in touch.” He dug into his pocket for a business card and jotted a number on the back. “This is a friend of mine. He’s got a vehicle for sale. It’s 15 years old and not much to look at, but I can vouch for the engine since I’m the one who works on it.”

“Thanks,” she murmured, their fingers brushing as she took it. “I’ll call a cab and be out of your way.”

He removed the service order from his clipboard and handed it to her. “This is for the diagnostic and labor.”

Her heart sank seeing the painful total at the bottom. She’d be dining on Raman noodles for a while.

“Hey, I’m off in fifteen. If you want to grab something to eat with me—my treat—I’ll take you home after.” When she hesitated, he flashed a smile. “You’re on my way. It’s no problem.”

Merry blinked. “How do you know which way I’m going?”

He raised his clipboard. “You gave us your address and phone number on check-in.”

“Oh. Right.”

“I understand if you don’t want to. We just met, and it’s obviously been a bad day for you. Another time, maybe.”

He was cute, flirtatious but not pushy, and saving on cab fare and dinner was very tempting. Did she dare?

“Thanks, Johnny. I’d like that.”

Although the conversation over burgers and fries was friendly, they had little in common.

When he pulled his truck into her driveway an hour and a half later, he insisted on walking her to the door. Merry should have sensed something was up when he placed his hand a bit too low on her back, but she was digging in her purse for her keys and didn’t object at the time. As soon as they stepped onto her porch, he was all over her, his hands everywhere at once. It was like fighting off a groping octopus.

“Get off me!” Merry insisted, pushing at his chest while trying to wriggle free. But he ignored her, his slobbery lips sliding down her cheek.

“Stop, or I’ll scream,” she warned as she fought his persistent hands, yelping when he roughly pinched a nipple.

“Come on, beautiful. We can have some fun together.”

“No way. You’re disgusting.”

Undeterred, Johnny shoved her against the door, pinning her with his body while covering her mouth with his hand. “You know how this game is played, bitch. I scratched your back by helping you out with your car, feeding you, and driving you home. Now it’s time you scratched mine.”

He got even more aggressive, his free hand creeping underneath her skirt. She tried to scream for help, but his hard palm was making it hard to breathe and muffled the sound. Afraid he was actually going to rape her right there on her porch, she clawed and kicked.

Abruptly, he released her and went careening wildly toward the railing.

Like a clap of thunder, a deep voice boomed from the darkness. “The lady said no, asshole.”

Johnny caught himself before he flipped headfirst off the porch into her bushes and glanced angrily over his shoulder. “Who the hell are you? And why don’t you mind your own business? This is between her and me.”

“I’m a police officer and making it my business.” Breathing heavily and leaning against the door so she didn’t collapse, Merry saw the glint of moonlight off of dark metal in Reese’s hand; he’d drawn his gun.

“Are you all right, Merry?” he asked, not taking his gaze or his weapon off her attacker.

“No,” she answered truthfully, her voice raspy and broken as she gulped air.

“You will be,” he said softly. “Let me take care of him then I’ll see to you.”

“Please, man,” Johnny implored. “You’ve got it wrong. She was begging for it.”

“I was not!” Merry exclaimed. “Like a caveman, you equated dinner with me owing you something.”

“She was all over me at the restaurant,” he lied, continuing as if she hadn’t spoken. “Then she begged me to take her home.”

“I don’t have a car!” she protested. The jerk wad still had it in his garage, for heaven’s sake!

“You were flirting with me all night,” Johnny snapped. “Showing off that banging rack and wiggling your ass at me.” He looked at Reese. “I thought she was one of those chicks who likes it rough or was just playing hard to get. You know how it is, don’t you, man? They give mixed signals and confuse a guy sometimes.”

“I know to stop when a woman says no.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “Are you pressing charges, Merry?”

Just the idea of having to relive this ordeal at the police station then later with attorneys and in court made her shudder. “Can’t I just go inside and forget about it?”

Reece glanced at her sharply. “It’s assault and battery, minimum. You want to let him walk?”

“What I want is him gone and to never have to see him again.”

He moved to her side and said quietly, “Are you certain? I won’t know until I run his sheet, but he might make a habit of this.”

And attack another woman who wasn’t lucky enough to live across the street from a cop.

Reese tried one last to convince her. “I’m a witness, Merry. But the DA won’t charge without the victim’s cooperation.”

Her hands were shaking, her stomach was in knots, and all she could think of was a hot bath to wash away his touch and the slobber from her skin, a full-to-the-brim glass of wine, and her bed.

When she shook her head, Reese moved so that he stood between her and her attacker but left the top of the steps clear.

“This is your lucky night,” he advised curtly. “But she can change her mind anytime and press those charges. And I’ll be happy to give your jury a blow by blow of what I saw. Don’t call or come around here. You’re to have no further contact. I live in the neighborhood and will jack your shit if you bother her again. Better yet, forget you ever met her.”

“You can’t threaten me.”

“I just did, jack weed. Now get the hell out of here.”

He crept by them, giving Reese an especially wide berth before sprinting to his car and hauling ass out of there.

Once his taillights were gone, Merry released a ragged sigh and swayed on her noodle-limp legs. Reese was there to steady her, his long fingers curling around her upper arms.

“Let’s get you inside.”

“You think I was wrong for not charging him, don’t you?”

“I think he scared the crap out of you. I also know what women have to go through to convict their attacker isn’t easy. My preference would have been to throw him in a cell with someone named Bubba who would make him his bitch so he would know what it felt like from your end, but that decision isn’t up to me.” He tipped her face up to his. “Are you sure he didn’t hurt you? Sometimes the adrenaline masks the pain from injuries.”

“I’m okay. I’m just really glad you were home and heard me.”

“If I hadn’t been taking out the trash at the right time, I wouldn’t have.”

She sniffled as the tears which had been threatening overflowed. “Why are men such jerks?” she blurted out as she wiped furiously at her wet cheeks.

“All men aren’t like that asshole.”

“That’s not my experience.” The fear that had fueled her panic moments ago was now giving way to anger and her outlet was Reese. “Are we done here?” she snapped. “Or do you have another ticket to write? Maybe for loitering on my porch or for lewd behavior? That’s a crime, isn’t it? Or maybe I was disturbing the peace with my screams while he was mauling me. I’m sure there’re rules against noise and another hefty HOA fine you can levy.”

Her voice broke at the tail end of her little rant and she let out a sob, which was followed by another, and before she knew it, she was crying uncontrollably.

“Aw, honey, come here.”

She resisted at first, but then his powerful arms wrapped around her and she fell into him. It felt good to be held. Since losing her parents, she’d had to be stoic and strong. But her grief and loneliness were crushing and the lingering anxiety from tonight’s attack was overwhelming. So she stood there blubbering into his chest as the emotions of two long, difficult years came roiling out.

“It’s okay to let it out, baby. I’m here,” he whispered against her hair. He held her close and rocked her gently, speaking in a low soothing voice until her sobs faded to an occasional hiccup and sniffle.

Cupping her shoulders, he eased her back a step to get a look at her. “Better?”

“Yes. Thank you. I’m sorry I fell apart like that and for what I said! After you saved me.”

“You’re amped up, which is understandable.” He cradled her face between his hands and gently wiped her wet cheeks with his thumbs. “Where are your keys?”

“In my purse,” she said, looking around. It was lying on the porch, half of the contents spilled out.

Reese crouched down, swiftly transferring the contents into her bag before she could react. He also found her keys.

Merry dropped them twice as her trembling fingers failed to get the correct key in the lock. “I can’t,” she whispered as she pressed her forehead against the door, trying to get a grip on herself. Her hero once again intervened, reaching around her and removing the keys from her badly shaking fingers. She happily relinquished them, stepping aside to let him unlock it.

As the door swung inward, he slid his hand along the inside wall, searching for the light switch. He walked in, his gaze sweeping the hall for hidden dangers before he allowed her to enter. It was impossible to miss the moving crates still piled against the wall.

“Are you still unpacking?” Reese asked as he carefully guided her through the organized chaos that was her entryway.

“Most of those were supposed to go to the store but came here by mistake.” Her legs were unsteady as she moved into the living room. “I need to sit down,” she announced, collapsing onto the first seat she came to, her dad’s beloved brown paisley wing-backed chair. He read the paper in it every night for as long as she could remember. How she wished her parents were here when she needed them.

“Is there someone I can call for you, Merry? You’re upset and probably shouldn’t be alone tonight.”

Shaking her head, she leaned against the high back of the chair and took some deep breaths. She’d had panic attacks after her parents died, and she found that deep breathing and relaxation exercises helped more than anything.

Looking at him, as he hovered inside the living room door, she gave him a tremulous smile. “Thank you for saving me, Sergeant, but you don’t have to stay.”

“I can’t leave you like this. You’re a wreck. Who can I call? Your mother, sister, a friend?”

“My parents are gone and I’m an only child.”

“A friend, then?”

“I work all the time and haven’t had time to make any yet.” She realized how pathetic that sounded, but it was the truth.

Moving toward her, he squatted in front of her, taking her small hands in his much larger ones. “If you don’t have anyone to call, I’ll stay for a bit. How about a drink? A glass of wine might settle your nerves.”

“After I take a hot shower, I’ll feel better. But really, you don’t have to stay. You’ve done more than enough.”

“I’m not leaving until you at least stop shaking.” He pulled her to her feet. “Go on upstairs and do what you need to do. I’ll wait here. Afterward, we can talk until you get sleepy—all night if necessary.”

“Don’t you have to work in the morning?”

“You’re what’s important right now.”

With a tender kiss on her forehead, he gently steered her toward the stairs, softly repeating, “Go.”

She did as she was told, but at the bottom step, she glanced back at him utterly perplexed. Who was this caring, considerate man? He looked like Reese Morgan, but she’d rarely seen this side of him. She liked him a lot more than his no-nonsense, not-so-nice alter ego. Glad that he was the one who showed up tonight, she put her faith in him and did as he instructed.

***

R EESE CROSSED TO THE stairs and waited, listening for the sound of running water. Then he turned and sat on the stairs, his hands coming up to scrub his face.

“Fucking hell,” he muttered.

She was vulnerable. Of course, this triggered his protective instincts, and he was prepared to do whatever she needed to get through this. He didn’t know if he’d be able to keep his distance though. Even after she’d lashed out at him, deservedly so, seeing her trembling and in tears had softened his resolve. He hadn’t been able to resist pulling her into his arms and comforting her. He should have ended it then, but scared and alone, she needed him.

Hell, the woman needed a keeper, at the very least, someone to help her take charge of her life.

But it couldn’t be him. At least, it shouldn’t be.

The water turned off and a few minutes later, her bare feet padded across the floor. It took little imagination to picture her wrapped in a towel, warm, rosy, and wet from the shower.

“Reese?” she called. “Are you still here?”

“I’m right here, Merry.” Standing, he locked eyes with her as she came to a stop at the top of the stairs. Instead of a towel, she wore a fuzzy pink robe, her hair piled high on her head with a few damp tendrils clinging to her neck. And she was biting her lower lip, the image of uncertainty. She also looked sweet and sexy as fuck. To his tortured libido, she was the ripest, most tempting of forbidden fruit.

“Will you sit with me for a while, like you said? I don’t think I can sleep yet.”

He hesitated because it was a terrible idea. Women often developed hero worship for their rescuers, especially when they felt powerless and afraid. In this case, it could be worse since she knew him.

She was already attracted to him and had been since that very first day. That would just magnify her feelings. She was so easy to read. Her face flushed when she was excited, and the pulse at her neck fluttered whenever he was near. His plan to keep her at arm’s length was crumbling like a house of cards. He couldn’t leave her alone and frightened, and after contending with a genuine ass on her porch, he wouldn’t subject her to more by reprising his role. That would be unbelievably cruel. But he worried she’d get that look in her eye again. The one that said she wanted him as badly as he did her. And this time, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to resist.

She picked up on his reluctance and looked away, but not before he saw the tears pooling in her eyes. “It’s late. I shouldn’t have asked—” Her voice broke, and she coughed to clear her throat before she finished. “I don’t want to keep you. You’ve gone way beyond neighborly.”

Looking down at her hands, she seemed suddenly aware of wringing them because she jerked them apart and promptly put them behind her back. “Will you lock the door on your way out?”

“I’m not going anywhere, Merry. Would you rather talk upstairs or in the living room?”

“Oh, I, um... Maybe we... I guess we could...” She clapped her mouth shut, halting her stammering.

He seized control of the situation and decided for her. “Go lie down. I’ll be up in a minute after I secure the house and we’ll talk. Maybe you’ll relax enough to drift off after a while.”

Once again, she didn’t object, allowing him to take charge of the situation.

“Before you go, do you have wine or anything stronger? A drink might settle your nerves.”

“There’s an unopened bottle of pink Moscato in the fridge. The corkscrew is in the drawer to the left.” She hesitated, biting her lip. “Maybe I should get it.”

“I’ll find it. Do as I say now, baby. Climb into bed and I’ll bring it right up.”

Fascinated, he watched as she nodded and moved off down the hall. The women he’d dated recently would have had a fit. Ashley without a doubt would have had his balls in a vise if he dared order her to bed for anything other than sex. Was Merry submissive or in shock? He’d have to do a bit more testing to find out.

Don’t get your hopes up, he cautioned himself as he strode to the kitchen. He’d been so certain in the past only to crash and burn, leaving himself frustrated and alone. He could be 110 percent sure with Merry, but still have to tread carefully.

Stepping into her bedroom a few moments later with a full glass of chilled wine, he found her in bed but wide awake. Moving restlessly while fussing with the covers, she was clearly still wired.

“Scoot over,” he ordered quietly as he motioned her across the bed. When she shifted, he kicked off his shoes and sat beside her, making himself comfortable with his back to the headboard, legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles.

“Come up here next to me.” He helped stack two pillows behind her and, when she had settled, handed her the glass. “Sip this and try to relax.”

As she drank, he gave her bedroom a quick once-over and couldn’t help grinning at her girly lavender and lace decor. To beat it all, the white lacquered four-post bed had a canopy top. He looked down to find her watching him.

“What’s funny?”

Unable to resist, Reese wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his side. “This room... Let’s just say I can feel my testosterone evaporating as we speak.”

That prompted a little giggle. “I think your testosterone is safe, big guy. But seriously, Reese. Thanks for everything, and for staying. I really didn’t want to be alone after...”

“Shh, I know. But let’s not dwell on that nasty business while you’re sipping wine and tucked safely into bed. Why don’t you tell me why you moved here from Florida if you don’t have friends or family in the area?”

She took a big gulp of wine before she answered. “My parents died six months apart two years ago, and I inherited their bookstore.”

“I’m so sorry, Merry. They must have been young. Were they sick?”

“My mother had a lengthy illness. Losing her killed my dad. The doctors said it was a massive heart attack, but I think it was broken and he grieved himself to death.” His arm tightened around her and she pressed closer. Lost in her memories, she didn’t speak for several moments. “I just couldn’t bear going to the store every day without them. So I sold it and moved here.”

“Why here?”

“The tourism mostly.”

“Tourists buy a lot of books?”

“No. I didn’t open another bookstore. I run Everything Christmas on the parkway.

That sounded familiar. “You mean the year-round Christmas store with the fifty-foot tree out front?”

“It’s not quite as tall as that, but yep. That’s me.”

“That place is always packed. Even during the summer.”

“Yeah, it really took off.”

“The irony is just too much.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, a petite little elf by the name of Merry Noelle running a Christmas store? It’s too cute for words.”

At his chuckle, the color in her cheeks intensified as a blush suffused her face, spreading across her cheeks and the creamy bit of smooth skin exposed by the deep vee of her robe. It could have been the wine or where his eyes had wandered. Reese dragged his gaze away with difficulty.

“Anyway...” she said after delicately clearing her throat. “As busy as I’ve been with the new business and moving into the condo, there has been very little time for a social life.”

“Aside from tonight. Sorry for bringing it up again, but what’s the story with the asshole? Were you dating long? Was it serious?”

“No. I just met him today. He’s the mechanic fixing my car. Or he was.”

He reached for her wineglass and set it on the bedside table. When he turned back to face her, he struggled for calm as he asked for clarification. “You’re telling me you met this guy today, went out with him for the first time tonight, and let him take you home? Have you no sense of caution or self-preservation, woman? What did you know about him other than where he worked?”

“I know he was a huge mistake.”

“A potentially fatal mistake! For all we know, he’s a serial rapist or murderer. What’s his name and what garage does he work at?”

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone and dialed. Then he relayed the information to Spence one of their detectives.

“What are you doing?”

“Running a check on the prick.” He paused as he listened to the rundown from the man on the other end. “Let me know as soon as you find out. No matter what time it is.”

When he ended the call, he twisted to face her. He didn’t want to scare her more than she already was, but she needed to know how badly she’d fucked up, as had he.

“I thought he was your boyfriend, or at least someone you knew and were dating, or I wouldn’t have let him walk. Damn! I never figured you’d go out with a complete stranger, and that’s why I let you make the call.” Reese stood by her bedside for a moment, allowing his anger and frustration to cool. “He’s got a rap sheet with a prior domestic assault conviction and multiple DUIs. He was also driving on a suspended license. Spence is going to check out-of-state priors as well, since he’s only lived in Tennessee for a year.”

“Oh my god!” she whispered, her face draining of color.

“This is why you don’t go out with strange men. And you sure as hell don’t get in a car alone with them and let them drive you home. At the very least, he’s a mean drunk that beats on women. It’s a damn lucky thing I took out the trash when I did.”

He fell silent, imagining the worst.

“Since I’ve known you, it’s been one reckless action after another. Opening doors without checking, disregarding your safety by neglecting your car, going out with strange men...”

“Hanging flower baskets and piling up trash by the curb?”

Reese wasn’t amused, and her little joke fell flat. “I’m serious.”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he leaned in, placing a hand on either side of her hips. Using his size to intimidate was unfair, but he didn’t care. Right now, it was important she learn this lesson.

“This is going to sound sexist, but I think you’re one of those women who needs a man in her life. The lack of one is exactly why you keep getting into trouble.”

He waited for the explosion, counting off the seconds in his head. By the time he got to ten, he realized it wasn’t coming. Looking into her beautiful eyes, he didn’t see anger and outrage, but the shimmer of tears once again.

“You’re right. Ever since my dad passed, I’ve been at loose ends. I can run a successful business, but I can’t seem to get my personal life together.” She lowered her gaze and spoke to her hands in her lap, which had a ferocious white-knuckled grip on the covers. “Dad was always the one to worry about me and fuss over my safety. When I lived at home, he insisted on meeting the boys I went out with. I had a curfew until I was twenty-one, for goodness’ sake. Now, I can’t do anything right. It’s been four months and I’ve still got boxes to unpack in my living room. Dad would have had a fit about that. If he saw the mess in the front hall, he’d freak out because it was a fire hazard or something.”

“He’d be right. If there were a fire, they’d go up in a second and would be a trip hazard if the house filled up with smoke.”

She smiled slightly. “That’s exactly what he would say. He used to take care of my car, too. If he knew I drove around with brake fluid leaking out, he would have taken a paddle to my—” Her hand flew to her mouth, stopping her words, clearly horrified by what she had revealed.

“He’d have blistered your butt, huh?”

When she didn’t answer, he tugged her hand away from her gaping mouth. Moving closer, both arms bracketing her body, with her essentially trapped between him and the headboard, he pressed for an answer.

“What would your father have done after what happened tonight, Merry? The poor judgement and your total disregard for your safety, I mean.”

With her cheeks bright red, she turned her head, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. But Reese wouldn’t allow her to shut him out. His hand captured her chin, and gently but firmly turned it back, until she was nose to nose with him.

“Baby, look at me.”

While waiting for her to comply, he studied the rigid set of her jaw, her tense shoulders clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. But if she expected him to cut her some slack, she was wrong. Pressing her for information about her family and the kind of parents she had would help him determine if she could accept his own old-fashioned beliefs.

When her pretty green eyes finally met his, he asked her again, “What would he have done about your behavior tonight?”

“He would have, um... I guess...” Her voice lowered to a whisper as she finally spit it out. “He would have taken his belt to me, I’m certain. And, for my stupidity, I’d have deserved every lick.”

Her chin dropped to her chest, and although he couldn’t see more than the top of her head, he was sure it mortified her to share such an intimate detail.

“I’d have liked your dad. He sounds a lot like me.”

Merry’s head whipped up, and her jaw dropped open. “But you’re a cop.”

“I’m a cop because I believe in rules and order and justice. The woman I’m with would have clear expectations about what a relationship with me would entail. And agree with it, or we wouldn’t be in a relationship. If you and I were a couple, and you kept up this reckless streak, I’d have you over my knee, showing you the error of your ways.” Leaning forward, he closed her mouth with a gentle lift of his finger beneath her chin. He followed it with a tender brush of his lips against hers. “Consider that a warning, Merry.”

Reese stood at that point and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. He turned the screen toward her for a face ID. After a series of beeps and a few slides of his fingers, he put it back down and stretched out beside her once again.

“You’ve got my numbers now.”

“Um, Reese. Maybe we should talk about this.”

“Nope. We’re done talking for tonight.” He wrapped his arm around her and snuggled her up against his side. “Close your eyes.”

“What will you be doing?”

“Watching over a mischievous little elf until she falls asleep.”