All I Want For Christmas Is You

  “It’s closed.”

  “What?”

  He pulls out onto the road.

  “Okay, just take me to another hotel.”

  “That’s it.”

  I frown. “What do you mean, that’s it?”

  “There’s only one hotel here and they are closed all month, I remember now that they went interstate.”

  “Well…. what will I do?”

  “You’ll stay with me.”

  “What?”

  “You’ll stay in my cabin.”

  “No.” I shake my head. “That’s not a good idea, no offence, but I don’t know you and I don’t feel comfortable doing that.”

  “Okay.” He turns the corner.

  My eyes flick between him and the road. “What do you mean …. okay?”

  “Okay, I’ll just drop you back off at your car.”

  “You want me to stay in my car in the forest?” I gasp.

  “No. You want to stay in your car.””I didn’t say that,” I snap.

  He turns his attention to me; his eyes are hard and cold. “I’m not in the mood for this shit. You stay at my cabin or you go back to your car. Make your decision because I’m going home.”

  “Well…. where will I stay at your house?” I stammer.

  “In my bed.”

  My horrified eyes hold his.

  He rolls his eyes. “I’ll be on the couch, don’t flatter yourself.”

  Holly

  “Oh,” my eyebrows rise in surprise. Don’t flatter yourself. What the hell?

  “I wouldn’t,” I snap. “I simply didn’t want to be an imposition.” I cross my arms angrily. This guy is an asshole. A bona fide asshole. And he’s full of himself, too.

  “I’ll take the couch,” I spit.

  “You are an imposition, so that suits me fine,” he mutters.

  “You’re a real knight in shining armour, you know that?”

  His face crinkles into a smirk and then a broad smile.

  “You find this amusing?” I squeak.

  He smiles as he watches the road.

  “For your information…. Jack,” I snap. “I’ll have you know that I would not flatter myself by thinking you wanted to sleep with me. I would be flattering you.”He raises an eyebrow as if surprised. “Is that why you’re wearing stripper clothes?” He pauses as if searching for the right words. “To… flatter me?”

  “What?” I gasp. “Stripper clothes…you must be joking?”

  He glances down at my tight skirt, stockings and high heels all covered in mud and raises his eyebrow once more.

  I inwardly cringe. Oh Hell, what must I look like? “I don’t know what strippers wear in Alaska, but I can tell you that they must be very different from the strippers in New York. And actually…this work suit is Armani,” I announce.

  “Are-who -ee?”

  I roll my eyes and fold my arms in a huff. Please shut up, you cave man.

  “There is no way in hell that you would wear that to work,” he replies casually as he drives. His voice is deep and husky.

  “And why not?”

  “How would you get any work done?”

  “Huh?”

  “I imagine men would try and have their way with you on your desk, all day long.” He turns into a driveway.

  What the hell?

  I open my mouth to say something snarky and slam it shut. That sounded decidedly sexual. Suddenly uncomfortable, I wiggle up and pull my skirt down.

  That’s a weird thing to say, sort of passive aggressive sexiness.

  I stare out the window at the rain as it pours down hard. Maybe sleeping in my car was the safer option after all?

  I stay silent and his eyes flick over to me. “What?” he asks.

  “Nothing,” I shrug, my lips pressed so tight together that they are beginning to hurt.

  “Well?” he prompts me again.

  Oh my God, stop talking, you idiot.

  “Jack.”

  His eyes glance over to me. “Yes, Haley.”

  “First of all, it’s Holly. Get it right.”

  A trace of a smile crosses his face as if amused.

  “I’ve had a really, really, really bad day that started at 4 am this morning when I missed my flight. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to use your couch for the night …to sleep. If that’s not okay, or if something else is rattling around in that head of yours, please drive me back to my car, because I’m not in the mood to have to justify my wardrobe choices to anyone, least of all you.” I cross my arms in front of me. “And for the record……I am a professional and would never even contemplate having sex on my desk.” I tilt my chin to the sky in defiance. “I don’t know what happens here in Alaska, but that is not how corporate New York operates.”

  He rolls his lips as if trying to hide a smile. “Got it.”

  We arrive at the top of the hill and a log cabin comes into view through the pouring rain. It’s lit up from the headlights. The house is made completely of timber. It’s small, with a veranda wrapping around the entire outside. I can see smoke coming out of a double chimney on the roof.

  “This is it,” he says as he climbs out of the truck and slams the door shut behind him.

  He comes around to my side and opens the door. Without asking for permission, he lifts me out of the car like a bride. The rain begins to hit my face hard once more. “I can walk, I’m fine.”

  “Be quiet, Haley.”

  “Holly,” I snap.

  He breaks into a broad smile. “Whatever the fuck your name is, shut up woman.”

  My mouth falls open in horror and he carries me to the front stairs and under the cover of the front roof. He puts me down and I step back from him, surprised that anyone is that strong. He opens the front door. “It’s a bit of a mess, I wasn’t expecting company,” he says.

  I peer in, it’s all timber and what looks like to be one big room. I can see a small kitchen and living room with two couches. A dog lies sprawled out asleep on a rug in front of an open fire. I glance back to him just to see him take his raincoat off and hang it on a hook next to the door. He’s tall, huge actually. He must be 6 ft 4, and for the first time I see his face. Dark brown hair that has a bit of a curl to it, a chiselled jaw, with big brown eyes. He’s handsome, in a caveman kind of way. Ha, who knew?

  “You just going to stand there dripping wet?” he asks as he begins to undo his flannel shirt.

  Damn it, in all the commotion, I didn’t grab my suitcase. Now what am I supposed to change into? My face falls in horror as I remember more of my misdemeanours. Oh shit, my laptop is still in the car. Ugh, this is the day from hell.

  “You’re dripping everywhere,” he says as he peels his shirt off over his shoulders and hangs it on the hook.

  “Well,” I go to answer him as my eyes drop down to his large broad chest and his muscular physic. Looks like something you would see at a strip show.

  Well, fuck.

  He kicks his boots off and undoes the button on his jeans. He raises his eyebrow as if waiting for an intelligent reply.

  Um……. I got nothing.

  He slides the zipper down on his jeans. “Don’t just take your clothes off in front of me,” I scoff.

  He rolls his eyes and slides his wet jeans down his legs. He’s wearing blue boxer shorts underneath and I snap my gaze away immediately. Okay, this is getting into weird territory. Hot Alaskan mountain man territory.

  “In all the commotion, I left my suitcase in the car,” I say.

  “Oh,” he frowns and looks out into the rain as if contemplating going back and getting it.

  “It’s too wet and dangerous out there.” I say. “Would you….”

  He nods, and the wet dark brown curls in his hair bounce from side to side.

  He really is quite…….

  “Would I what?” he asks.

  Oh…that’s right, I was talking, focus. “Would it be possible to borrow something to wear?” I ask timidly. “I’ll pay for laundry or r
eplace it with something new,” I shrug. Poor bastard, I ask him to rescue me, give me a bed for the night and now supply me with clothing and food.

  “Sure.” Without hesitation, he marches into the house and I stand at the door and peer in after him. He goes into the bedroom and closes the door. What’s he doing? I frown …do I follow him, or is he coming back?

  I look back out into the rain as it comes pouring down. It’s like a mini cyclone or something.

  I see something in the darkness coming up toward the front steps and I squint my eyes to try and see what it is. It’s black and mangy and it begins to come up the front steps toward me.

  A wolf.

  A wolf.

  A fucking wolf.

  “Ahhh,” I scream as I hobble into the house. Oww, my ankle hurts.

  How did I forget?

  Before I can close the door, the wolf runs in behind me and jumps up and grabs me with his front legs. “Ahhh,” I cry as it corners me in the kitchen. “Help!”

  The wolf jumps up and goes up onto its back legs and I cover my face with my hands. “No,” I scream. “Oh my God, there’s a wolf in the house. We’re all going to die.”

  “Rex,” I hear Jack’s deep voice bark out.

  I look up. “Huh?”

  The dog begins to hump my leg with vigour and my mouth falls open in horror.

  What the hell?

  “Why you……get out of here,” Jack snaps as he shoos him away. The dog runs toward the door but not before shaking himself off, with mud and water spraying everywhere.

  “Out,” Jack bellows with a loud clap.

  The dog runs out and Jack slams the door behind him, his eyes come to me and then he shrugs. “He’s a bit wild, that one. Goes crazy when it rains.”

  “You own that dog?” I gasp.

  “Yep, that’s Rex.” He puts his hands on his hips as he assesses the damage. There is mud is everywhere. “Never seen him hump anyone before, though …. I guess he doesn’t get to see pretty girls too often.”

  I roll my lips to hide my smile. “Well, I never got humped by a dog before either, so it was a first for both of us.”

  He smirks, amused by my answer. He pauses as if lost as to what to say next. “You can take a shower if you want. I have some clothes for you to put on.”

  “Thank you.” I shrug. “Much appreciated, that’d be great.”

  He holds his hand out to guide me. “It’s this way.” He walks through the house and out the back door and I frown as I hobble along behind him.

  He turns and looks down at my foot. “Is your ankle okay?”

  I hobble along. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I reply as I follow him. Oh dear God, it’s an outside bathroom. Please, no more semi-wild animals that want to have carnal relations. There’s an awning that joins the house and the bathroom. It’s covered but rain is still blowing in a little.

  “This isn’t fancy like New York,” he says. He opens the bathroom door, turns the light on and I look around. A large metal bath sits in the middle and a shower hangs overhead. The tiles are white, it’s clean and well kept. Not at all what I expected, and I smile. “It’s perfect.”His eyes hold mine and for the first time I get a feeling that Jack isn’t as tough as he makes out to be. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me tonight,” I say.

  He nods once, his lips pressed tightly together.

  “Is there a towel?” I ask.

  “Yeah.” He opens a cabinet to reveal a stack of clean towels. They’re all different and don’t match, but clean, nonetheless. “Just in here.”

  “Thanks.”He hesitates.

  I glance toward the door. “Is the sex maniac dog going to come barging in here?”

  “Possibly.” He points to the lock. “Use this.” He walks out and closes the door behind him, and I hear him walk away up the hall.

  I look around at my surroundings and turn the hot water on. It comes out fast and hot and I breathe out a sigh of relief. I peel my wet clothes off and quickly wash the mud out of everything and squeeze them out. I put them in the sink to try and let them drain, before I climb under the hot water and let it stream down over my hair.

  “Feels good.” I feel myself begin to relax for the first time in hours. “What a nightmare of a day.”

  Jack

  I hear the shower turn on and I march into the kitchen. “This place is a fucking mess.” I quickly clear the dishes out of the sink and straighten up the living room. I throw the cushions into place and snatch up a few shirts that are lying over the back of a chair. I hear a scratching at the door, and I storm over and open it to see Rex, sopping wet and wanting to be let in.

  “What do you want?” I snap. He looks up at me. “No,” I whisper angrily. “You’re not coming in; you’re covered in mud.” He goes back on his hind legs and lets out a playful bark. “I can’t fucking believe you humped her leg.”

  He woofs again and runs back out into the pouring rain thinking this is the best game of all time.

  I slam the door shut. “Damn dog is fucking insane” I walk into the bedroom and snatch up the clothes that hang over the back of a chair in here, too. I turn the lamp on and straighten up the bedlinen.

  I hear the shower turn off and I hurriedly continue to clean like a maniac. I pick up my shoes from the floor and throw them in the closet. I straighten the top of the dresser and throw the cushions onto the bed.

  I hear the bathroom door open. “Umm…. Jack.” She calls.

  I smirk, I like the sound of her saying my name.

  “Yeah,” I call as I head back down the hall.

  I find Holly peeking through a crack in the slightly opened bathroom door.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  “I um,” she hesitates as if embarrassed. “You said you had something I could borrow to wear?”

  I stare at her, wrapped in a towel, big brown eyes, perfect white teeth and olive skin, water beading on her bare shoulders. Her long dark hair is wet, and damn, she looks good enough to eat.

  No clothes.... I like you naked.

  “Sure.” I glance back down the hall toward my bedroom. “Just a moment.”

  I march back into my bedroom and begin to rat through my drawer at double speed as I look for something suitable.

  Damn it, why don’t I have any spare lingerie laying around? I smile as I imagine passing that through the crack in the door and the horrified face she would pull.

  I grab a pair of boxer shorts and a white t-shirt. I go to the wardrobe and find a black bathrobe. Finally, I have a good use for this damn thing. I walk back down to find that the bathroom door is now closed, and I knock.

  “Holly.”

  She opens the door slightly and peers through it as if I’m a wild animal.

  “Here you are.” I pass the clothes through the crack. She smells clean and like soap… my soap. Hmm… I get a visual of what she might look like under that towel and I feel my cock twitch in appreciation.

  Stop it.

  “Thank you,” she says as she takes them from me and stands on her foot and then grimaces in pain once again.

  “Are you okay?” I frown.

  She hops as she keeps the weight from her foot. “Yes, I’m fine.”

  She closes the door in my face and my cock pitches a tent in my boxer shorts. Just fucking cut it out already. I walk into my bedroom and over to the wardrobe and I look for a pair of pants that will hide this thing. Quick, I need to hurry.

  Fuck.

  I find a black pair of jeans, throw them on and tuck my dick strategically in the waistband and look for the biggest t-shirt I can find. I pull a grey one over my shoulders. I look at my crotch in the mirror. All clear.

  “This’ll do.”

  Holly

  I quickly dry myself off and pull on the clothes that Jack has brought in for me, a huge pair of boxer shorts and a white t-shirt. Thankfully there’s a robe or otherwise my boobs would be on display without a bra. I hobble around as I get dressed and I look down at my ankle. It’s
beginning to swell. “Shit.” I sit down to put my shorts on, unable to stand on one leg. I clean up the bathroom and wipe the floor with the towel and then hobble up the hallway. I find Jack sitting at the kitchen counter. I smile bashfully. “Thank you, I feel a lot better.”

  He sips a glass of amber fluid as his gaze drops to my foot. “How’s your ankle?”

  “It’s okay.” I shrug.

  “Let me have a look at it.” In one quick movement, he picks me up and sits me on the kitchen counter and my heart catches; he’s so strong. His eyes flick up to me as if asking for approval and I nod. He peels my robe back and picks up my foot as he studies it. “It’s swelling.”

  I nod. He runs his hand up the top of my foot and then underneath the arch. His hands are rough like sandpaper and I flinch.

  “Sore?” he asks.

  “Your hands are rough.”

  He breaks into a slow sexy smile as he concentrates on my foot.

  “What?” I ask.

  “No woman ever complained about my hands before.” His eyes rise to meet mine. “They like ‘em rough.”

  I swallow the lump in my throat, jeez. I drop my shoulders as I pretend that isn’t the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. “Well, I guess I’m not used to it.” I pull my foot from his clasp. “My foot is fine.”

  He goes to a cabinet and lifts down a metal box and rats through it and produces a bandage. “I’m going to wrap it.”

  “Honestly…”

  “Just be quiet woman, I’m wrapping it,” he interrupts me as he lifts my foot and begins to carefully wrap the bandage around my ankle. I watch him as I feel his hand on my calf muscle. He really seems to know what he’s doing. “Are you a medic?”

  “I’m a builder.”

  “Oh,” I watch him, “I’ve never known a builder before. Growing up in New York it’s not someone that you meet.”

  He wraps the bandage around and around.

  “What kind of men live in New York?”

  The player kind.

  I shrug. “I don’t know, people who work in offices.”

  He nods. “Suits.”