Kissing Santa, A Clover Park Novella (Clover Park, Book 4) Contemporary Romance (The Clover Park Series) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Kylie Gilmore
Tags: Humor, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Women's Fiction, Christmas, holiday
mothers thought we’d make a good couple.”
A flash of hurt went through her, and she instantly tamped it down. He was right. They wouldn’t make a good couple. But she wanted him to think she was a catch, even if she thought he was a sexist pig.
She lifted her chin. “I have no idea either. They’re insane.”
He laughed, a deep, rolling laugh that warmed her and had her laughing too.
“You got that right,” he said.
When they got to her parents’ house, Rico turned off the truck, got out, and opened her door again. At least his mother had taught him some manners.
He walked her to the front door and extended his hand to shake. “I guess this is good-bye forever.”
A stab of regret went through her. Would things have gone differently if they hadn’t been forced together? No, he was a player, and she’d already had her share of those.
She shook Rico’s hand, and just like the first time, a hot tingle ran up her arm. She quickly dropped his hand. “Good-bye forever, Rico. Thank you for the salad.”
He grinned, flashing a perfect white toothy smile. The man could do commercials for whitening strips. “Thank you for the beautiful view.”
Before she could come up with some snappy reply, he turned and strutted down the front walk. She clenched her teeth. Major player. She was lucky she’d seen him for exactly what he was.
Chapter Three
One week later, Rico headed back to his apartment after work, looking forward to his usual Friday night hanging out at Garner’s Sports Bar & Grill. He almost always went home with a new phone number in his pocket or a woman on his arm. He was glad all that Samantha business was finished. He’d told his mother he’d been on his best behavior, but they just didn’t get along. His mother had been surprisingly sympathetic to him. Maybe Samantha’s mother had told her how difficult Samantha had been. All of his usual compliments and charm had seemed to irritate her. Hell, no one could’ve gotten through that major attitude.
He stopped short at his front door. A note was taped to it. Strange. The note asked him to stop by his downstairs neighbor’s apartment “for a quick visit.” The older man, Harold, had always been friendly and helpful, but they’d never hung out.
When he arrived at his neighbor's door, a middle-aged woman answered. "My dad is sick and can't do his gig as Santa at the pancake breakfast tomorrow. He’s so sorry to miss it. He loves playing Santa every year. He asked if you could take over."
Rico put both hands up and slowly backed away. "I'm no Santa.”
He was a young, fit, non-jolly man with a rep for being good with the ladies. Definitely not Santa material.
She thrust the red Santa suit and white curly wig and beard into his hands. He pushed it back.
"It's from nine to twelve at the high school,” she said. “Just go to the cafeteria. You'll get breakfast out of it."
"I can buy breakfast."
"Please, my dad doesn't have many friends. You were on his emergency contact list."
"I was?"
She thrust the red suit into his hands again. Then she handed him a glasses case. "Yes. And this is an emergency."
He pushed everything back. No way was he dressing up like a jolly old elf.
She gave him a pointed look. “Ficus.”
Rico groaned. He knew that would bite him in the ass one day. But, come on, Santa? His parents had given him a ficus tree to celebrate his new job at Trav’s landscape company ten years ago. He’d kept it alive all these years, liking the reminder of his family and how proud they’d been of him. He’d grown sort of attached to that tree and asked Harold to water it whenever Rico was away. Harold had done so for the past ten years, refusing payment or anything in return. Now Harold was calling in that favor. Argh.
“Give it to me,” Rico said, holding out his arms. “Then tell him we’re even.”
A guy like him playing Santa was much worse than ten years of looking in on a ficus tree.
She grinned, dropped the
A flash of hurt went through her, and she instantly tamped it down. He was right. They wouldn’t make a good couple. But she wanted him to think she was a catch, even if she thought he was a sexist pig.
She lifted her chin. “I have no idea either. They’re insane.”
He laughed, a deep, rolling laugh that warmed her and had her laughing too.
“You got that right,” he said.
When they got to her parents’ house, Rico turned off the truck, got out, and opened her door again. At least his mother had taught him some manners.
He walked her to the front door and extended his hand to shake. “I guess this is good-bye forever.”
A stab of regret went through her. Would things have gone differently if they hadn’t been forced together? No, he was a player, and she’d already had her share of those.
She shook Rico’s hand, and just like the first time, a hot tingle ran up her arm. She quickly dropped his hand. “Good-bye forever, Rico. Thank you for the salad.”
He grinned, flashing a perfect white toothy smile. The man could do commercials for whitening strips. “Thank you for the beautiful view.”
Before she could come up with some snappy reply, he turned and strutted down the front walk. She clenched her teeth. Major player. She was lucky she’d seen him for exactly what he was.
Chapter Three
One week later, Rico headed back to his apartment after work, looking forward to his usual Friday night hanging out at Garner’s Sports Bar & Grill. He almost always went home with a new phone number in his pocket or a woman on his arm. He was glad all that Samantha business was finished. He’d told his mother he’d been on his best behavior, but they just didn’t get along. His mother had been surprisingly sympathetic to him. Maybe Samantha’s mother had told her how difficult Samantha had been. All of his usual compliments and charm had seemed to irritate her. Hell, no one could’ve gotten through that major attitude.
He stopped short at his front door. A note was taped to it. Strange. The note asked him to stop by his downstairs neighbor’s apartment “for a quick visit.” The older man, Harold, had always been friendly and helpful, but they’d never hung out.
When he arrived at his neighbor's door, a middle-aged woman answered. "My dad is sick and can't do his gig as Santa at the pancake breakfast tomorrow. He’s so sorry to miss it. He loves playing Santa every year. He asked if you could take over."
Rico put both hands up and slowly backed away. "I'm no Santa.”
He was a young, fit, non-jolly man with a rep for being good with the ladies. Definitely not Santa material.
She thrust the red Santa suit and white curly wig and beard into his hands. He pushed it back.
"It's from nine to twelve at the high school,” she said. “Just go to the cafeteria. You'll get breakfast out of it."
"I can buy breakfast."
"Please, my dad doesn't have many friends. You were on his emergency contact list."
"I was?"
She thrust the red suit into his hands again. Then she handed him a glasses case. "Yes. And this is an emergency."
He pushed everything back. No way was he dressing up like a jolly old elf.
She gave him a pointed look. “Ficus.”
Rico groaned. He knew that would bite him in the ass one day. But, come on, Santa? His parents had given him a ficus tree to celebrate his new job at Trav’s landscape company ten years ago. He’d kept it alive all these years, liking the reminder of his family and how proud they’d been of him. He’d grown sort of attached to that tree and asked Harold to water it whenever Rico was away. Harold had done so for the past ten years, refusing payment or anything in return. Now Harold was calling in that favor. Argh.
“Give it to me,” Rico said, holding out his arms. “Then tell him we’re even.”
A guy like him playing Santa was much worse than ten years of looking in on a ficus tree.
She grinned, dropped the
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