Beach Blanket Santa (Holiday Brides Series) Read Online Free

some heavy fireworks when even a discussion
of which placemats to set on the table sparked an altercation.
    Matt
extracted his clothes from the dresser, knowing Elaine and Robert’s parting had
been for the best. The moment they’d split up, they’d seemed like old friends
again, not that they wanted to spend much time around each other. Too many
unhappy memories of what their tainted married life had been like. Still,
neither harbored ill will toward the other, and each was happy to let the other
go on with his or her life. The only real thing that bound them together was
this beach house at the Outer Banks.
    Matt
stepped into his jeans, considering the situation. He supposed he should offer
to go. That was the gentlemanly thing to do. After all, this was supposed to be
Elaine’s week here, not Robert’s. And what a shame that was too. The fishing
today had been mighty fine. Matt even thought he felt that first hint of beard
stubble poking through. He’d nearly forgotten how peaceful this place could be,
gulls calling and darting above white-capped waves. Matt stared out the window
at the tumultuous ocean suddenly shrouded in dark clouds. Seeing Sarah again
had turned him inside out in a way he couldn’t have expected. He’d nearly forgotten
about her completely until he’d looked in those big brown eyes. And, when he
had, every inch of him remembered holding her close as they’d swayed to that
sultry ballad by a small jazz band. He could even recall the scent of her,
fresh and womanly, like daisies after the rain. And those skies had opened up
and poured on him all right, sending him packing during the cloudburst. He
tugged on his sweatshirt, thinking that this time he’d be more prepared. Sarah
wouldn’t need to tell him to leave. He was volunteering.

 
    Sarah
peered into her cooler, wondering if she should reload it with the cold stuff
she’d already stowed in the refrigerator. But her cold packs had melted, so
she’d need to stop by the store on the mainland and secure some ice on her way
home. It would be rude for her to deplete this place of the one premade bucketful
it had. Listen to her! Thinking of being rude to the one man she’d met on the
planet who’d proved himself to have no manners. The morning after the wedding,
he’d made a quick exit without caring to explain what went wrong. Only one
picture bloomed crystal clear in her mind, that of the irresistible best man leaning
forward to lift her bridesmaid’s dress over her shoulders. How could he when
she wasn’t even in her right mind? Well, maybe he hadn’t been in his either.
They’d both did have quite a bit of
champagne.
    The
door cracked open to the right-hand master bedroom. There were two large ones
in this house, one on either side of the central living area, and each was
decorated in its own ocean theme. One sported sand dollars, while the other,
the one in which Matt was staying, was adorned in conch shells. He emerged, and
Sarah caught her breath on the impossible. He looked just as good fully dressed
as he had standing near naked in a towel. She felt her face redden, fearing he
could read those thoughts.
    As
Matt approached, she noticed a backpack casually slung over his shoulder.
    There
was a small tug at her heart, something akin to pain. Maybe the thought of him
walking out conjured up some mysterious sense of déjà vu. But that was silly. Shouldn’t
she be grateful at his efforts to make things easy?
    He
set down the backpack and started gathering his fishing gear. “I think it would
be simpler if I just went.”
    “I
thought we were going to discuss it?”
    He
met her gaze with a placating smile. “I’m not sure what’s left to discuss. This
place was apparently double-booked. Since this wasn’t Robert’s week to begin
with, I’m the one who should go.”
    Thunder
boomed outside and lightning crackled, sending splinters of light throughout
the kitchen. Matt packed his cooler. “Sounds like that storm’s moving