Page 4 of Just One More Mistletoe

He looked over. His elf—Brandy—was kneeling down with kids beside her, tickling one, laughing with another. Not only did she have an altruistic streak but from the looks of things she was a natural-born nurturer, too. Add that to her sexy-as-hell appearance and her knock-out kiss and Max knew he’d found a gem. Getting to know her would be a pleasure.

“Who’s replacing your old boss as Santa this year?” Max asked.

“Even cash couldn’t sway any of these uptight jokers to do the job and I wasn’t sure I’d make it on time, so Brandy’s handing out the gifts herself,” Stephan said.

“Really.”

His brother chuckled aloud. “You sound awfully pleased. Aren’t you too old to be telling Santa what you want for Christmas?”

Max grinned. “Hell, no. Especially not if it’ll let me get close to his sexy emissary.” And as soon as the children were finished, he planned to tell Santa’s helper exactly what he wanted for Christmas.

Chapter Two

Brandy was one part mortified and two parts completely turned on. She was in a sweat that had nothing to do with the crowded, overheated room and everything to do with the man watching her out of the corner of his eye. With hindsight and the rush of adrenaline to act on impulse gone, she saw the differences in the brothers more clearly. This man had slightly longer though equally black hair, and razor stubble gave him a more rugged, less clean-cut appearance. He exuded a raw masculinity that appealed to her on a deeper, more carnal level. One she hadn’t known existed inside her until that kiss.

That kiss. Brandy hugged her arms around her chest, as if she could hold tight to the feelings he inspired. As always, she forced herself to take an honest look at herself, her actions, and the situation. She couldn’t deny the truth. At a crossroads, about to embark on a new life away from the city, she couldn’t afford more than a one-night stand. Didn’t want one, either. She’d thought Stephan Corbin was the perfect man on whom to test her feminine wiles, but she’d been wrong. Whatever attraction she’d felt for Stephan paled in comparison to what she’d experienced under the mistletoe with his twin. And damn she wanted an instant replay.

But with the onslaught of children from the shelter, she had no choice but to wait. In the meantime, she continued the cat-and-mouse game of eye contact he’d begun earlier. Her heart beat frantically in her chest and anticipation flowed through her veins.

“Only two more kids, Brandy,” Annie, a receptionist in the office, whispered in her ear.

“I don’t know whether to say thank goodness because I’m beat or thank goodness because even one child here is one too many.” She ought to know, having spent more than one night without presents as a child.

“How about thank goodness so you can go play get-to-know-you with the Corbin twin?”

Brandy felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Had Annie seen that all-consuming kiss behind the tree?

“He hasn’t taken his eyes off you since you sat down in this chair.”

Brandy shifted in her seat to accommodate the next little girl. “Did you know Stephan had a brother?” she asked Annie.

“No, but I wish I had, at least before you nailed him for yourself. I’ve got to run. I have a date. Have fun tonight,” she whispered on a laugh and walked away before Brandy could respond.

The last two children and their requests for Santa went quickly. Brandy kept her mental list of extra things to send over to the shelter from Santa and soon the kids, their chaperones, and the gifts were bundled up and on their way.

She started to rise, knowing she still had an office to pack before the night was through.

“Not so fast.”

She recognized the seductive voice that rumbled from behind.

She curled her hands around the arm of the office chair she’d appropriated, steadying herself with a firm grip, as she turned to him. “Something I can do for you?”

“Since you have a special relationship with the big man in the red suit, I was hoping you could relay a wish.” His strong fingertips brushed her hair back from her face and around her ear, strumming across her skin with perfect precision.

Her stomach fluttered with longing and she forced an easy laugh. “Aren’t you too old to believe in Santa?”

“Aren’t you too young not to?”

“I’m dressed like one of his elves. Doesn’t that tell you something about who and what I believe in?” And right now she believed in this man—and anything he said or did.

She tipped her head to the side and found herself sharing breathing space, close enough to kiss him if she desired. And she did, badly. She’d never experienced anything as strong as her immediate attraction to this stranger.

“It tells me some. But I know too little about you and I intend to change that.” He walked around and eased himself onto the arm of her chair, not on her lap but close enough to increase her growing awareness.

His hip brushed her arm and her body heat shot up another ten degrees. She glanced around at the thinning group of people. Though she and her companion didn’t seem to be garnering added attention, Brandy was still aware of this being her place of business.

Even if she had temporarily forgotten once she’d gotten him behind the tree, they were in full view of the masses now. “I’m not Santa Claus so there’s no lap-sitting involved,” she warned him.

---