Naughty or Nice Read Online Free

as one of the wealthiest men in the Northeast, and one of the most eligible bachelors. Of all the shops to ransack, she had to go and choose one owned by a man with such a cold and ruthless reputation. She fell back on Santa’s lap in a stunned state of shock.
    Ms. Pit shrieked, “Don’t sit there, you imbecile! You have no idea what you’ve done. Now go and ‘carefully’ change out of Mrs. Claus’s clothes. Those are antiques. Vintage antiques. As in one of a kind. They cost a fortune, and I’d like to try to salvage the material before you ruin them completely.”
    “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” Samantha struggled to get up.
    When she couldn’t, Nathan reached out a large, masculine h and and helped her to her feet.
    “Thanks,” Samantha sai d, barely able to look at him.
    “I’d say it’s my pleasure, but I’d be lying,” he added.
    “Guess I deserved that.” She wobbled over to Mrs. C and started to undress her, but Nathan stilled her with his hand on her arm, his long tapered fingers squeezing just enough to let her know he meant business.
    “Please, allow my manager.” He grunted. “I insist. You’ve d one enough damage for one day.”
    Samantha dropped her hand and had to stand there like a doofus while Ms. Pit removed Samantha’s bra, thong and garters from Mrs. C. She handed them to Samantha and pointed the way to the bathroom for her to change. So much for closure. Samantha had a feeling this new chapter in her life had only just begun.
    Five minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom in back and handed Nathan Mrs. C’s clothes. While Ms. Pit redressed both Mrs. C and the elves, Nathan told the town’s people to go, except for the judge and the sheriff who remained in the front of the store with Ms. Pit in case Nathan needed them. Nathan guided Samantha into his office to talk. She sat down while he towered above her, and she told him her whole sappy story. He just stood there, staring at her for what felt like ten minutes.
    “This is what I propose,” he said at last. “I won’t have you arrested,” she started to say thank you, relief flooding through her, but he held up a hand, “for now. It’s Christmas, and contrary to popular belief, I’m not a Scrooge. Just because I don’t like Christmas, doesn’t mean I don’t have a heart.”
    “How can you not like Christmas?” She gaped at him, her relief short lived.
    “That’s neither here nor there,” he responded. “The point is I have a business to run. Winning the Best Christmas Window Display contest brings a lot of shoppers into the winner’s store. More shoppers means more business. Not to mention, I’m sick of Nancy’s Knickkna cks beating me out every year.”
    His eyes took on a challenging gleam. “I come back to Redemption for the holidays every year specifically for this contest. This is where it all began for me, yet I have never won. This was supposed to be my year, but because of you, I have to start all over. You come up with a winning display by Christmas Eve, and I won’t press charges.”
    Samantha leaned back, feeling like such a heel, but this was the holidays. The greatest of all holidays. Surely, he would understand. “Look, this is absolutely mortifying. I am not a drinker. Whatever was in that peppermint martini must have made me lose my mind, because I am not a girl who commits crimes. Chalk it up to a moment of weakness, if you will. The point is I will do whatever to make this up to you ... but I always go home for Christmas a week early. And this is my year to put the star on top of the tree. There has to be something we can work out.”
    “You sure this isn’t about payback because I shot you down last night? Maybe you figured out who I was, looked me up, and took out your revenge.” He leaned in until his face hovered only a few inches above hers, his hands fencing her in as they gripped the armrests of her chair. “Or maybe you were trying to finish what you started last