Page 77 of A Very Naughty Christmas

“Yes, though the connection is very distant, a third cousin twice removed. It’s nothing.” His grin broadened. “Besides, family legend tells that the relation was born on the wrong side of the sheets.”

“What?”

“The cousin was evidently a real bastard in more ways than one. So, we’re the black sheep branch of the family, the riff-raff, if you will. Does that make you feel better?”

“Heck, yeah,” she said with a grin. “I always knew you redneck Prescotts were nothing but trouble.”

He laughed, as did she, the sounds becoming muffled as he bent and kissed her tenderly. “Is it too soon to admit I’m falling in love with you, Dixie?”

“I’ve been in love with you since the ninth grade, Kyle, so my question is, what took you so long?”

The mistletoe was forgotten, falling to the ground at their feet, as he wrapped her up with both arms, crushed her to his chest, and claimed her mouth with a hungry passion.

When he raised his head, she wasn’t ready for him to stop and whimpered in protest.

“I’ve got to go back to work, but I’ll be over tonight at six. After dinner, we’ll pick up where we left off, and after that, work more on those lessons of trust and owning up to mistakes when you make them.”

“And not jumping to conclusions, or holding grudges so long, and definitely of letting go of the past.”

“That’s quite a list. My spanking hand might get sore. Better have your hairbrush at the ready.”

“What?”

“The last time was for beginners. Tonight, I won’t be going easy.” He recaptured her lips as he pressed more fully into her, the hard length of him prodding eagerly against her belly.

She didn’t fuss or protest what might be in store for her, by his hand or her brush, and especially not by the promise his body was making right now. She’d let it play out how it would, trusting him to take care of whatever she needed.

That thought made Dixie blink in surprise. She did trust him, explicitly.

He must have sensed that something had occurred because he eased back slightly. “What is it, baby?”

“I think I’ve had a revelation?”

“Is that so?” he replied, with a curious tilt to his head.

Her lips brushed his as they curved into a smile. “Yes, and I think you’ll be verypleased with the conclusion I’ve come to.”

His brow wrinkled in consternation, but she didn’t elaborate more. She’d prove her trust in him, just as she would her love, and did so right then as she stood on tiptoe and eagerly claimed another kiss.

Chapter Ten

With a visit planned to see her mama on Christmas Day, she accepted Kyle’s invitation to be part of the Prescotts’ Christmas Eve celebration. She did so nervously, though, for once more, she had nothing to wear and was convinced she’d spill eggnog on Kyle’s mother’s head or do something else equally embarrassing. As a result, she was a wreck at work the next day. In fact, she was so distraught over the upcoming evening that she once again mixed up tables and orders. She was so distracted, she’d mistaken garlic salt for Parmesan in several of the table shakers. An easy mistake, she’d explained to an irate Pete after he’d gotten it full blast from a reeking customer who would have no trouble warding off vampires on his travels home for the holidays. It was so bad that he sent her home early, but not before another package arrived, tied with another big red bow, and once again, bearing her name.

Janice squealed when she saw that this time it was from Arpeggio, one of the classy boutiques in downtown Asheville. “I wandered in to browse once and couldn’t afford a package of knee-highs, which was the cheapest thing in the store,” she gushed. “Open it!”

Inside, wrapped in pale yellow tissue paper was a stunning green dress—perfect for the night ahead. It was made of lace with a high boat neck and a draped cowl back, showing some skin, yet not too much. The long sleeves were sheer and the waist softly gathered. The hem would hit tastefully above her knee, but it had a side slit that went to mid-thigh, making it sexy, though not skanky. There was also a belt for the waist made of rhinestones.

“I hope these are rhinestones,” Dixie murmured, then her eyes shot to Jan’s. “Surely these are rhinestones.”

“Rhinestones, crystals, or diamonds,” Jan replied with a shrug, while busily pawing through the tissue. “The man can afford whatever he wants, and if he wants to shower lavish gifts on you, babe, let him.”

“What are you looking for?” she asked.

“This!” Her friend held up a card in one hand. “And these.” With the other, she lifted a pair of shoes that matched the belt. “That answers the question about diamonds. No way is anyone buying diamond-encrusted shoes for a dinner at home with the family, even Kyle Prescott.”

“Read the card, Dixie,” Tammy Neal, one of her oldest friends and a classmate from high school, insisted. “I bet he wrote something sweet.”

“I bet he wrote something hot,” Janice said, her brows waggling.

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