The Kringle Girls - Collection Read Online Free Page A

flicker, and suddenly, the bike that had nearly driven him to gift-icide
sat gleaming in the middle of the room, fully assembled, not a screw out of
place. David’s jaw dropped.
    “How…how
did you do that?”
    “Good
genes.” Holly said.
    “I
don’t believe it. It’s not possible.”
    Holly
picked up a snow globe off the mantel and brought it over to him. She waved her
hand over it and held it up.
    “Look.”
    David
looked into the globe, but where a snowman used to be, instead was the North Pole
village, alive with color and light, as real as the breath in his lungs. Little
elves scurried from place to place, unaware that they were being watched. David
looked up at Holly, stunned.
    Santa’s
daughter. Holy crap.
    “Ready
to run in terror?” Holly joked, her voice tight.
    “Is
that the usual response?” David tried to keep his voice light.
    Holly
shrugged.
    “Most
people think it’s kind of cool. And of course, the kids love it. But it’s kind
of a buzz kill when I’m on a date.”
    They
were still hovering over the snow globe, heads close, and her delicate cinnamon
smell teased his senses. Her soft brown eyes were so warm, her sweet lips so
close, and something about her so incredibly…magical.
    “So
you’re going to wipe my memory?”
    “It’s
for the best.” Her voice was soft.
    “Don’t.
Please. I want to remember.”
    David
saw her hesitate, but she nodded.
    “I
should go.”
    Holly
put the snow globe down on an end table next to the couch.
    “Mind
if I use the door? Popping in and out makes me dizzy.”
    He
could only nod, but as she turned to go, with a whispered, “Merry Christmas,”
David suddenly realized that he couldn’t let her walk out. Not tonight. It was
Christmas, and he was going to give himself Holly Kringle as a present.
    He
caught her arm.
    “Or
you could stay.”
     
    HOLLY
HAD NEVER SEEN such hunger on a man’s face before. For her. The words
hung between them, the only sound the crackle of the fire as she tried to
process the implications.
    “That’s
a bad idea.”
    “You’re
right. Because if you stay, I’m going to have trouble finding a good reason not
to strip you naked and make love to you for the rest of the night.”
    “There
are a million reasons!”
    She
knew she was blushing, but David only smiled and pulled her a little closer.
    “Like?”
    “We
hardly know each other.”
    “You’re
Holly Kringle, you’ve been teaching my son for four months and he adores you.
You like old movies, snow globes, and showtunes. I’m a doctor in an
understaffed hospital. I can’t cook but I’m learning, I hate mushrooms on my
pizza, I like to run, and I haven’t been with anyone since my wife left me
eight months ago.”
    “I’m
a teacher. You’re the parent of one of my students. It’s not a good idea.”
    “Who
would it hurt? Besides, it’s Christmas. And you came here to deliver a present
for Henry. Don’t I get a present, too?” he teased, sneakily sliding his hands
around her waist.
    “That’s
not for me to say.”
    “You’re
Santa’s daughter. Wouldn’t you know if I were on the Naughty List?”
    “You’re
not on the Naughty List.”
    “I
could be with a little motivation,” he murmured, and bent his head to cruise
his lips along her throat.
    Holly’s
knees buckled slightly, but David only chuckled and tugged her dress off one
shoulder so he could taste her collarbone.
    “I
don’t think I can do a one-night stand, David,” Holly whispered, though her
body was screaming to her that oh yes, she could.
    David
pulled back to look at her.
    “Me
neither. But doesn’t this feel like it was meant to be?”
    “That
could just be the elves and my mother playing Cupid.” Holly narrowed her eyes
suspiciously. “You haven’t accepted any candy from weird little children with
pointed ears tonight, have you?”
    “Here’s
a plan,” said David, but trailed off as he went back to exploring her throat
with his mouth. Holly tried not to melt as he