Once Upon a Fiery Christmas (Return to Avalore Book 3) (2 page)

If only he knew Rhia would probably be cheering them on rather than be upset by the display, but he was right. This wasn’t the time, or the place for them to become intimate. Smiling back at the man who made her heart race with a single look, she took his hand, lacing their fingers together. “I know.” Sighing, she tugged him forward. “Still want to walk me home?”

“Nothing would please me more.” He shortened his strides, keeping his pace leisurely beside her. “Now, tell me, what have you done to our poor queen?”

Chapter 2

What in Goddess’s name had she been thinking? There was no way the tree she’d collected from the forest would fit inside the great room at the castle. For one thing the branches would fill the entire space and there’d be no place for anyone to sit. Then there was the problem of the birds. They’d not been happy at having their homes disturbed. Not at all. Chantelle rubbed the top of her head where one had been bold enough to peck at her.

Bringing it home had been a challenge in itself. Something so large and so heavy had sapped all of her strength, and now she had nowhere to put the blasted thing. Even if she managed to hide it in her yard, she had no way of keeping the leaves from turning brown before the big day.

“I’ve found a beautiful tree. I think it will look great adorned, but I’m having difficulties with it.”
Her heart sped a little at speaking so freely with Sebastian after admiring him from afar for so long.
“I know you’re busy, but would you mind coming over after you’re done with Coalition business?”
The past week had been both wonderful and horrible. Sebastian had visited on more than one occasion, but all he ever did was give her a small peck on the cheek. Even the Elders couldn’t find fault in his behavior, and they looked down their noses at everything.

“Yes, of course.”

Closing her eyes, Chantelle savored the soft stroke of his voice in her mind.
“If you’ve nothing planned, perhaps you could stay for dinner?”
She held her breath. Maybe this time, he’d say yes. Disappointment surged as seconds ticked by without a response.

“I’d like that.”

“I understand if you—”
They spoke at once.

“Really? You’ll stay for dinner?”
Flushing scarlet, she ducked her head. If any of her neighbors saw her smiling like she was, they would surely think her mad.

“I will. Shall I bring something?”
She didn’t have to see him to know he was pleased. His deep voice all but smiled in her mind.

“No. Nothing.”
What in Goddess’s name was she thinking? She had nothing prepared, and dinner was only a few short hours away. Even if she did, she was no prize cook.
“Will b-beef be all right?”

“Anything at all. I should be done here in the next hour or so. I’ll see you then?”

“I’m looking forward to it.”
Closing off the mind-to-mind communication, she ran into her house. What could she prepare in an hour? Never mind impressing him with her nonexistent cooking skills, she had to at least make it edible. Rifling through her refrigerator, she couldn’t keep a small whimper from slipping past her lips. What little meat she had would never be enough to feed two people, let alone her and a grown man.

“Katie, I need a favor.”
She set about making a salad from the fresh vegetables she’d gotten at the market that morning as she explained her predicament. She couldn’t guarantee the rest of the meal, but at least the salad wouldn’t sour his stomach.

She had just enough time to shower and remove the grime from chopping down the tree before Katie knocked at the door. Still damp, she threw on the pale pink sundress she intended to wear. Time was ticking, and she needed to get things done. Maybe she could convince Katie to cook the meat while she finished getting ready.

Surely her friend would help her out. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror by the door, just as she swung it open wide. The dress, meant to be soft and flowing, clung to the dampness of her breasts and torso like a fitted glove. “Katie, thank the Goddess you’re here. I need another…”

With a deep flush in his cheeks, and a soft moan in his throat, Sebastian devoured her with his gaze. It lingered a moment on her breasts before heading down to her toes and back up, hesitating again in the same spot before locking with hers. Holding a bouquet of flowers before him like a shield, he swallowed hard. “You look beautiful, Chantelle.” He lifted his free hand to rub his jaw.

“Thank you.” She half considered covering herself or running back to her room to change, but why bother? He’d already seen her, and if she were completely honest with herself, she didn’t mind that he had. When he didn’t move to come in or say anything more, she quirked an eyebrow. “Please, come in. Are those for me?”

Blinking fast, he thrust the forgotten flowers forward. “They are.”

She couldn’t help but smile at the tightness in his voice. “They’re lovely, thank you.”

At that moment, Katie rushed up the walk. “I’m sorry, I was delayed at the market. Hi, Sebastian.” She brushed past him, and if she noticed the tension between the two, she didn’t call attention to it. “Nice dress.”

“Thanks.” Chantelle glanced back at Sebastian to find his eyes had wandered again. She waited until he looked up at her before grinning and following her friend into the kitchen. His energy crowded at her back, reaching for her, tempting her to lean into it and savor its feel. “I had Katie get something from the market for me while I got ready.”

“They didn’t have much left at this time of day, so I hope these are okay.” Katie pulled two steaks the size of plates from a bag.

“What were you thinking? You know I can’t cook. How am I supposed to prepare these?”
Both her mother and grandmother had tried to teach her, but after more burnt meals than she cared to remember, they had given up. Chantelle took a deep breath, pasting a smile on her face. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. Thanks for getting them for me.”

“The butcher assured me these were so good, no one could ruin them.”
Katie winked at Sebastian as she bustled back out the door. “I’ll leave you two now. Have fun.”

Sebastian didn’t breathe until Katie rushed out the door again. It wasn’t that he would usually be so antisocial, but he feared making a fool of himself if he said anything beyond hello. Seeing Chantelle standing there with that dress clinging to every curve had done more than muddle his brain. It had sent his blood rushing low, threatening to embarrass him.

“Would you like something to drink?” Her soft voice curled around him.

“Sure. Anything you’ve got is fine.” He glanced out the window, fighting to keep his eyes from going over her body again. “Is that the tree you got for Rhia’s surprise?” Using their queen’s name so casually made him uncomfortable still, but she insisted on it.

“It is.” Chantelle stood next to him, her scent enveloping him, further teasing his senses. “So you see my dilemma.”

He couldn’t keep from smiling. “That tree, for one, is much too large, and, it’s not the right kind.”

Her cheeks turned a pretty pink. “What do you mean it’s not the right kind?”

“I’ve been reading more about the Christmas customs of the humans, and from what I understand, it’s not just any tree that needs ornamentation. It’s supposed to be an evergreen.” When her smile dipped and she sighed, he hurried to continue. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Really, what difference should the type of tree make?” He didn’t want to see the disappointment shining in her eyes. If using the monstrous tree filling her back yard made her smile again, they would use it.

“No. It has to be authentic. You didn’t see the sad look in her eyes. I just hate that I cut the wrong tree.” She turned toward him, her hand coming up to rest on his chest above his heart, and it was all he could do to keep from pulling her into his arms.

“Let me worry about this tree. I’m sure I can find a good use for it.” His stomach chose that moment to rumble.

Her eyebrows shot up. “I guess I’d better start on dinner. You can rest in the living room for a while if you wish, or you can keep me company while I cook.” She took one look at the steaks on the counter and sighed.

“I’d rather help.” Her energy, ripe with relief, flooded the room. “If that’s all right with you?” He would have to thank Drake for warning him about Chantelle’s cooking abilities, or lack thereof. When he had told his friend about his dinner plans, Drake had patted him on the back and wished him good luck.

“Of course. Do you know how to cook a steak?”

She nibbled on her bottom lip and the blood rushed to his groin again. “You’d be amazed at the things I can do, beautiful.” He hadn’t meant the words to be so blatantly sexual, but there was no denying the tone.

Her soft gasp brought his attention back to her all-too-kissable lips. Her tongue darted out, moistening them. He had to turn away. It was the only sane thing to do. If he didn’t, he would take her in his arms and show her exactly what he wanted to do to her.

“Okay, well…” She flitted around the kitchen, opening and closing doors. “I know I have a pan here somewhere.” When she finally located one, a thick layer of dust coated it, but she held it over her head like a prize.

Shaking his head, he took it from her, giving her a quick peck on the cheek as he walked past to the sink. The heat of her gaze followed him the whole way. “So tell me, what other plans do you have for this celebration you’re planning for Rhiannon?

“Well, there’s the tree, and I have to find someone to dress as the big bearded man.” She paused, then came to stand next to him, eyes wide with wonder.

“Don’t even think about it.” He took a few steps back, hands up to ward off the suggestion.

Her whole face lit up as she laughed. “I wasn’t going to ask you to do it.”

All the air rushed out of his lungs. He’d hate to disappoint her, but a man had his limits. His expression must have mirrored his relief because she laughed even harder, doubling over, unable to speak.

“What’s so funny? You don’t think I could do it?”

She wheezed and wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks with the back of her hand. “Sebastian, you don’t have an ounce of fat on you, not one. How could you dress up as the jolly man? You’d never jiggle when you laughed.”

Feigning annoyance, he lifted his shirt and patted his belly. “I could jiggle.”

He expected her to burst out laughing again. Instead, her gaze dropped to his abdomen and stayed there for a moment before she swallowed and looked up at him again. “Right. Umm…” She turned away, busying herself with the vegetables on the counter. “What else do you need for the steak?”

Her breathless tone went straight to his groin. If he wasn’t careful, he would never be able to keep his paws off this raven-haired beauty, and keeping them off was just what he intended, even if it killed him. He was already too emotionally invested for him to come out unscathed when she chose to take on her mate, pushing any further would destroy him.

Chapter 3

Frustrated beyond belief, Chantelle lathered shampoo into her hair. Sebastian had cooked the steaks to perfection, and even her salad and side dishes had turned out edible, if not fabulous. She had hoped he would stay for a while after the meal, but after no more than a few minutes on her couch—excruciatingly long, awkward minutes—he suggested they go outside to deal with the tree.

Shoving disappointment aside, she had agreed. It wasn’t that she was expecting him to stay the night, or even do more than kiss, but when all she had gotten was a chaste kiss on the cheek before he left, she had wanted to scream.

Having him in her home, doing mundane things like cooking and helping clean the kitchen had been amazing. More than amazing, but nothing came close to when he had lifted his shirt, giving her a tantalizing view of his sculpted belly. She shouldn’t have stared, but nothing could have stopped her. That all too brief glimpse of skin had left her breathless and she had completely lost her train of thought. If just seeing that small part of his anatomy had that effect on her, what would seeing him in the nude do?

Blood pounded in her veins, rushing to throb at her core. With a groan, she turned the faucet, cooling the water before she ducked her head and rinsed. She didn’t want to touch herself. Doing so would satisfy the immediate need in her body, but it would soon give way to the loneliness of being without him again.

What she needed was a plan. He wasn’t immune to her. She’d seen the way Sebastian had looked at her when her dress had clung to her damp body. She’d noticed the flare of heat in his eyes when her nipples had puckered at his perusal. If he was going to try to pretend the fire burning between them didn’t exist, she’d just have to make sure to stoke it into a raging inferno that couldn’t be ignored.

She woke the following morning to the sounds of birds chirping happily in her backyard, and several hours later, they were still at it. The poor little things probably didn’t realize she’d ruined their home. She shuddered as she stepped out her back door, wary of going out there—with them. They were beautiful little creatures, but their beaks could maim if they were provoked.

Placing a towel under her knees, she set out weeding the flowerbed, taking her time in getting the front row. When Sebastian arrived to deal with the tree, she’d make sure he saw each and every curve. Grinning like a fool, she reached a little farther, going deeper into the bed, careful to pull only the weeds and setting them in a nice little pile next to her.