The Naughty List Bundle with The Night Before Christmas & Yule Be Mine. Fern Michaels
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okay, Jamie.” The cop worked after hours at the toy company, getting a little extra cash for the holidays. Several of the cops in the area pulled guard duty at the toy shop. “I’m just trying to catch—”
The elevator dinged, a soft peal of sound, and then the doors slid open.
Christie glanced up, and her eyes widened when she saw him. “J-Jonas?”
He lunged through the doors and caught her elbows. He pulled her close. What? Why was she so tense? Was she regretting her confession now that she saw the man who’d been beneath the beard?
Can’t back out. Won’t let her.
His lips crushed down on hers. Jonas caught her gasp with his mouth, took in that soft rush of breath, and then his tongue pushed into her mouth.
Champagne and strawberries. Figured she’d taste that damn good. A growl built in his throat. Addictive. Yeah, he’d always known one taste would probably push him over the edge. Good to know he’d been right.
Her hands rose to his shoulders. Small, delicate hands. She was small and delicate. A dancer’s body on a woman who always swore she didn’t have an ounce of grace.
He expected those hands to push against him. To shove him back. Instead, her fingers curled over him, and Christie urged closer. She rose onto her toes, stretching her body against his, and she opened her mouth wider.
Sweet hell.
Her tongue touched his. His entire body went on high-freaking-alert. They stumbled back a few steps. His hands—then her shoulders—hit the rear wall of the elevator.
The things she could do with that tongue…
Ding.
Jonas wrenched his head up. What was he—
Christie’s mouth pressed against his throat. Her tongue tasted his skin, and the edge of her teeth bit lightly into his flesh.
The damn Santa pants were too tight over a certain eager portion of his anatomy, a portion that couldn’t wait to be a whole lot closer to her.
His hands slid under the back of her shirt and touched warm, soft skin. So smooth. Better than silk. His fingers rose, curling, easing forward and caressing her stomach. Then his hands rose up and trailed over her rib cage, and, oh, yeah, that was the edge of her bra. Close now, so—
Ding.
The damn elevator doors. Jonas threw a fast glance over his shoulder. The doors opened. Jamie frowned at him, two guys in suits stared with wide eyes, and a woman in red smiled.
Wrong place.
He forced his hands to slide from under Christie’s shirt. Jonas forced himself to let her go and to step back.
Jonas took a deep breath. He still tasted champagne and strawberries. “Christie—”
She blinked at him and shook her head. Her lips were red and glistening. From my mouth. Right, like he hadn’t pictured that scene before. Except, they hadn’t been in an elevator and they hadn’t—
“Jonas! The kids are upstairs! Santa needs to give them their gifts!”
—been surrounded by strangers and her brother. Because Daniel was closing in on them now, his turtleneck looking a little too tight around his bobbing Adam’s apple.
Daniel skidded to a stop and threw his hand up, barely stopping the elevator doors from closing once more. “What are you doing? I need you! The employees always get to bring their kids in for the presents.” Daniel tossed him the Santa beard. “Christie, this is your favorite part!”
Because Christie designed most of the toys made by the company, she was usually front and center on the toy distribution.
“Uh, Daniel,” she mumbled, “I think I’m going to—”
Daniel jumped in the elevator. “Catch the next one!” he tossed to the folks in the lobby. He punched the button for the third floor. “I had to chase you both down three flights of stairs.” The doors slid closed. “Three flights. Let’s just get back up there and make this a merry damn night, okay?”
Jonas glanced at Christie. Her heart-shaped face seemed pale. Her eyes were on the mark she’d left on his neck.
A smile curved his lips. After a moment, her gaze met his. He lifted his hand and touched the mark.
The music kicked in then, the notes filling the elevator as Elvis began to sing.
Maybe she hadn’t been a good girl after all. It definitely looked like Christie Tate had a naughty side.
One that enjoyed a good ride in an elevator.
2
She’d asked Jonas Kirk to sleep with her. No, she’d asked Jonas Kirk—badass police detective—to give her a really good time.
Christie was 150 percent certain the man could deliver on that good time.
She watched him from the corner of her eye. He didn’t look all tough and macho right then. Well, okay, he kinda did if you looked past the red suit and beard. He was ho-hoing it up with the kids, handing out the presents that she’d organized days before.
“What was happening in that elevator?” her brother asked, and she jumped. Daniel had a tendency to sneak up on people way too much.
She forced a smile. “We were talking.”
“Right. ’Cause when you talk, you make out.”
Oh, crap.
“I know the breakup with Charles was hard on you.”
“Daniel, I—”
“I should have fired the guy, holidays or no damn holidays.”
She turned her head a bit, sizing up her brother. At just over six feet, he had a lean, wiry build. His face was open, warm, handsome. “You would never fire someone at Christmas.” Even he had limits.
“He hurt you.” His jaw flexed. “We don’t need him. I can fire him right—”
“I don’t need you to fight my battles.” Her gaze tracked back to Jonas. He was taller than her brother by a couple inches, and his shoulders were wider. His skin was darker. His eyes…She straightened her shoulders. “Charles doesn’t bother me. I’ve moved on.”
A low whistle was her answer. “I hope you’re not moving where I think you’re moving.”
She should look away from Jonas. Yes, she should. But he bent to reach into the sack again—nice butt.
“You know Jonas isn’t the committing kind.”
Her gaze snapped to Daniel.
His brows, a lighter shade than hers, rose. “Yeah, sis, I saw the hickey you left on his neck.”
Why couldn’t the floor just open up and swallow her?
“You know him, Chris. You know Jonas never stays with one woman too long.”
She’d gotten that warning before. She met her brother’s gaze. Heard Jonas’s voice rumble. Goose bumps rose on her arms. “I don’t want forever.” She’d tried to find forever before, only to get disappointed.
Daniel blinked. “Chris…”
“I’m a big girl. Trust me, I know exactly what I want.” Not what, who. Jonas. “Stop worrying about me.”
“He’s my best friend! I don’t want my sister and my—”
She patted his shoulder. “Stop worrying. And um, maybe lower your voice.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. The kids were watching them now. “We’ve got an audience.”
His teeth clicked together as he snapped his jaw closed. Turning on his heel, he marched toward the