Nice Until Proven Naughty

When I set her back on her feet, Samantha pulls back just enough to look at me, but keeps her arms around my neck. The dull glow of the fire and the twinkling of the Christmas lights shine around her like a halo.

She’s my very own Christmas angel.

“Thank you for doing this,” I say.

“You don’t have to thank me. I was happy to do it. You’re a great man, Lucas. Always have been, and you can’t let a woman like Lorelei take away your Christmas spirit. I promise you, we’re not all like her.”

“You’re pretty great yourself. I think you’re going to do wonderfully at this whole nice thing. But, I hope you don’t change too much, because Naughty has always been pretty great the way she is.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

A smile slides across her face, big and wide and breathtakingly beautiful, and I want nothing more than to kiss her and see if her lips are as soft as they look.

Samantha’s eyes dip to my lips. The desire in her eyes matches my own, and I don’t waste another second. I tighten my arm, hauling her in so close that she has no choice but to push up onto her toes.

She breathes my name. Lucas. Her warm, sweet breath fanning across my face in the process. I lower my head, ready to press my lips to hers, when the shrill sound of a phone rings in the background.

She blinks and whips her head to the left. “Shit. That’s probably my sister. She’s probably wondering where I am.” She untangles herself from my arms and runs across the room to grab her phone. “Hello?”

I listen intently to a one-sided conversation.

“Yes…okay, perfect…thank you.”

When Samantha hangs up, she looks at me. There’s a sadness in her eyes that wasn’t there a few moments ago.

“Was that your sister?”

She shakes her head. “It was James. He’ll be here in five minutes.”

“You don’t have to go,” I say, not quite ready to let her.

It’s crazy to want her here. We didn’t talk much in high school, and I don’t know her from Mrs. Claus these days, but I want to get to know her more.

I want to know about her job and what she’s been up to since graduation. I want to know what topping she likes on her pizza and the sounds she makes when she—

“I wish I could stay, but I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I have a million things to do to get ready for the party.” Her face seems to light up as she looks

at me. “Come to the party. I’m auctioning off the local bachelors. I can add you to the lineup. It’ll be fun.”

She wants to auction me off? “No.”

“Oh, come on.” She nudges me in the arm with a flirtatious smile.

I shake my head. “You’re not auctioning me off. It’s a big step letting you decorate my house. I think I’ll save any further celebration for next year.”

Her smile falters. “That’s too bad, because I think I know someone who would be willing to pay top dollar for you.”

I stand silently and watch Samantha flit around my living room. She pulls her red, velvet coat back on, along with her winter coat. She slips her feet into her heels and suddenly all signs of her being in my house are gone.

As soon as she slips out the door I’ll have nothing left but the decorations she put up and the memory of her body wrapped in my arms.

“I wish you’d consider staying.”