Silent Night (Bad Boy Rockers 5.50)

Santa is sitting, looking scared, which makes me chuckle, but I raise a brow when I witness the reassuring squeeze of his hand Jessie gives him. She insisted he only helped her out the other night, but now I’m not too sure. It has nothing to do with me though, so I stand on the other side of Santa and help line up the kids.

They’re pretty good in general and the buzz of excitement is still in the air. Charlie, our oldest son, has two-year-old Jamie on one side and his sister Tammy on the other. He’s the protective big brother, and I couldn’t be more proud of him.

Evan makes a good Santa, and after his initial nervousness, he settles down and quickly gets through the children waiting to sit on his knee and share what they’d like for Christmas. They seem happy with the gifts that they received, which were all donated from the local toy store once they discovered why we needed so much. Jace and I had planned to pay for the items ourselves.

Moving over to Jace, who is in deep conversation with his brother, I wrap my arm around his waist and snuggle into him. He’s my love and my comfort, which he knows. He always knows what I need, just like I know when he needs something from me. That’s what love is all about.

Ryder smiles. “I have a donation from Ruben McKenzie, a friend of the guys. He left after the first couple of songs, so I guess it’s okay for you to open this now.” He hands me a white envelope.

I frown wondering what’s going on as I slip the envelope open and pull out a check…a check that has my eyes blurring with tears at the sight of the figures written.

My hands shake as I pass the check to Jace who stares at it and then whistles. He shows Ryder, who starts laughing.

“I think Golden Circle is going to stay open for a long time to come,” Ryder announces and walks off to capture his wife in his arms.

Turning to Jace, he tugs me into his arms and holds me close.

“I told you this would be a Christmas to remember.”

Epilogue

Evan

I’m hot and sweaty after being in the Santa suit for a couple of hours, and even now that I’ve switched back to my jeans and shirt, I still feel overheated. I shake my head and focus on the girl standing close beside me. She’s the reason why I can’t catch my breath or cool down. Jessie Kincaid, who hasn’t left my side this afternoon.

We’d spent the night together on the floor of Kix, thanks to getting snowed in. We’d talked and I’d probably been more honest with her than I have been since my sister died. She was a taboo subject within my family and it felt good to be able to talk about her freely. It had been seven years since she’d died, and although she’d plotted and schemed even from her hospital bed at home, she had still been my sister.

Jessie had listened to me and held me against her when my tears had gotten the better of me. I’d felt like an ass breaking down all over her, but enough was enough. It felt good to have the relief, and I’ll always thank her for that. But that’s all we can ever have because she’s too young for me at twenty.

Just at this moment, Jessie glances at me and our eyes hold. I know what I want, no matter how wrong it is, and the look she’s giving me tells me she wants me just as much.

I know this is the last time I’ll be around Kix, and Jessie, so I interlace our fingers and tug her into an office at the back of the roadhouse.

She turns to me and wraps her arms around my neck as I pull her into me. “Only this once,” I whisper, “and only one kiss.”

Tears hover on her lashes, but she nods her head. I pause, wondering about the wisdom of what I’m about to do, but do it anyway.

My lips caress along Jessie’s and my heart races with longing for the beautiful girl in my arms. Her tongue snakes out and captures mine, pulling it into the warmth of her mouth. All thoughts of walking away from her briefly leave my mind as our kiss deepens and very slowly grows heated.

My hands slide to her bottom and lift her against my throbbing cock. I growl at the feel of her rubbing against it, and when she moans, what I’m doing and about to do, suddenly washes over me.

My body, and heart, craves the girl I’ve only recently met because she’s like no one before her. It’s impossible though.

Jessie slowly realizes that I’m backing away from her and her eyes fill with tears as

I physically move away.

“This is wrong, Jessie,” I say.

“There’s nothing wrong with what we were doing or about to do. I want you, Evan.” Jessie takes a step closer.

I move around the desk. “You won’t see me again.”

The tears fall down her beautiful, young face as I caress her with my eyes, making sure I don’t forget anything about her. My memories of her will have to keep me going, because although there are only fourteen years between us, I feel so much older—too old for my Jessie.

“You can really walk away from me?” she whispers.

I’m too damn soft as I quickly stand in front of her with her face cupped between my palms. “I want you Jessie…I may have lost direction in my life right now…but I refuse to take advantage of you.” I rest my forehead against hers. “No matter how much I want to.” I close my eyes and tugging her back into my arms, I kiss her with not only my lips, but my heart as well.