Thankfully, Susan hadn’t come up from the basement to share a drink with everyone.

  Since moving back home, she was staying in the same room I’d used while living off and on with my parents before relocating up to Deadwood with Aunt Zoe. My dad’s man cave was down there, too, with a big-screen television and stereo to keep her entertained.

  Susan also hadn’t hit on Doc earlier in the kids’ room.

  She hadn’t eaten him up with her eyes.

  She hadn’t slithered in close and tried to touch him.

  She hadn’t even flapped her long eyelashes at him.

  All she’d done was smile and say, “It’s nice to see you really do exist. I was beginning to wonder after all of Violet’s silly games.” Then she’d told me, “I need to talk to you in the morning, big sis,” and left without another word.

  Something was up. I could feel it in my gut, but I let it go. It was Christmas, and I wasn’t going to cause a stir.

  After finishing their drinks, my parents and Aunt Zoe had called it a night. Doc and I followed in their wake a short time later, leaving Natalie to settle in on the couch. Doc had wasted no time brushing his teeth and stretching out under the comforter on my bed.

  I, on the other hand, couldn’t sit still once we were alone. What was going on with my sister? I wasn’t buying my mom’s explanation that Susan was on her best behavior because of the holiday. Christmas had never derailed the destructive brat from her relentless mission to screw with my happiness before. No matter what my mom thought, a tiger couldn’t change its stripes, a leopard couldn’t shake its spots, and a snake was a snake, period.

  I pulled off my sweater and tossed it on the end of the bed. “I’m telling you, Susan is up to no good.” I slid in next to Doc beneath the flannel sheets. “Did she say anything to you when I went next door with Natalie to help get the guys settled in over there?”

  “No. She didn’t come upstairs at all as far as I know.” He leaned on his elbow, watching me fluff and re-fluff my pillow, unable to poof it up just right. “Your sister probably took one look at me, saw how nuts I am about you, and figured that singing her siren song near me would be a waste of energy.”

  I smirked at him. “You’re definitely nuts, but there has to be a reason for her not trying to seduce you.”

  “You do realize that you’re exhibiting signs of paranoia, right?”

  I pulled the covers up to my chin. “My bet is she’s biding her time before she delivers her next low blow.”

  “For example, an abnormal fear of being deceived is typical with paranoia sufferers.”

  I pulled my legs up, rubbing my cold heels on the warm sheets. “She’s just waiting to catch me off guard, you’ll see.”

  He glanced down at the hill I’d made under the covers. “The inability to relax is another telltale sign.”

  I flattened my legs and blew out a breath. “I’m not paranoid, Doc.”

  The small Christmas tree my mom had set up on my dresser shed a soft light on his smile. “Denial is a red flag. It goes hand-in-hand with the characteristic argumentative predisposition of a paranoid disorder.”

  “Yeah, well you’d be paranoid, too, if you’d endured the shit I have from Susan.”

  “Undoubtedly.” His thumb traced my jawline, his gaze locking onto my mouth. “Merry Christmas, Boots. What’s that little number you’re wearing under the covers?”

  Oh, yeah! Susan had me so distracted I’d forgotten about the gift with which I’d planned to surprise him once we were alone.

  I peeled back the covers. “It’s a little present for you.”

  “For me?” He whistled through his teeth, pushing the covers back further. He admired the skimpy Mrs. Claus lingerie getup first with his eyes and then with his fingers. “It’s little, all right, and see-through in all of the right places. The velvet is a nice touch. All it’s missing is bells and lights.”

  I snuggled closer to him. “I’d ask you to kiss me, but we don’t have any mistletoe close by.”

  “Damn. I’ll just have to kiss everywhere but your lips for now.” He started with my neck and headed south, warming me up so much I didn’t miss the covers. His beard stubble tickled my libido awake, spurring me to move against him for even more pleasure.

  Outside the bedroom window, the wind whistled while snow pelted the glass. I wrapped my leg around him, my foot rubbing up and down his calf as his lips skimmed over my skin.

  He groaned, lifting his face from the velvet and lace bra. “Woman, your foot is like a block of ice.”

  “I know. You need to heat me up.”

  I shifted and my knee collided with his thigh.

  He grunted. “Hold still for a minute.” He turned me onto my side and pulled me against him, spooning out his warmth up and down my back. His breath tickled my shoulder.

  “There. That’s better.” His hand drifted south to my waist, his palm heating my goose bump–covered skin. “Why are you so cold?”

  “My dad likes to keep the house chillier than Aunt Zoe does in the winter.” I found his ankle with my frozen toes. “I usually wear flannel pajamas to bed when I sleep in here, but since you’re in bed with me, I skipped the extra layers.”

  “I appreciate that.” He nuzzled my neck, his hand sneaking inside the red velvet panties, rubbing over my hip. “Your bare skin is one of my favorite things.”

  I could tell. His body language left no doubts. I smiled and closed my eyes. “No pajamas means your job is to thaw my frozen parts.”

  His lips trailed along my shoulder. “I have just the thing to heat you up.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Uh-huh.” He shifted away from me, making the bed move. The sound of paper crinkling made me open my eyes. What was he …

  A small present appeared in front of my face. “Merry Christmas, Miss Frosty Toes.”

  I took the present from him and rolled onto my back, squeezing it through the wrapping paper. “It’s squishy.”

  “I thought you said squeezing presents was off limits.”

  “It is when they’re not my presents.” I peeled off the paper. Holding up the thick bundle in the dim glow. “You got me socks?”

  “Not just any socks, sweetheart. These are pure cashmere purple socks guaranteed to thaw those frozen nuggets currently wedged under my leg.”

  I giggled and reached down under the covers, pulling on one sock and then the other. “Wow, they’re really warm.” Turning so I faced him, I rubbed one sock-wrapped foot up and down his leg. “Is that better, you big baby?”

  “Not quite.” He hooked his hand behind my knee and pulled me tighter against him, his hips pressing deep into mine. “There, that’s better.”

  “Why, Doc. I believe you’re getting frisky with me. You do remember that we’re in my parents’ house, right?”

  “Yep.” He cupped my hip, sliding his fingers under the lacy hem of my velvet underwear again. His dark eyes sparkled along with the Christmas lights. “I have another present for you, Boots.”

  My body hummed to life as his fingers teased just out of reach. “Can I squeeze this one, too?”

  “I don’t know.” He rocked against me. “Can you?”

  I pushed him onto his back and moved on top of him. “We have to be quiet,” I whispered. “My parents’ room is across the hall.”

  “Did you lock the bedroom door?”

  I lowered my mouth, hovering over his. “Nope.”

  One of his eyebrows climbed upward. “Don’t you think we should?”

  “Who’s paranoid now?”

  My lips brushed his, my tongue returning for seconds and thirds. He tasted like cinnamon and rum served with a splash of risky rebellion. Even though I was no virgin and my parents couldn’t care less about my sex life, there was something about having Doc in the bedroom where I’d fantasized about boys for so many years that made me feel reckless.

  He gripped my hips, rubbing against the red velvet. My kisses grew frenzied, mixed with smothered gasps and groans from both of us. I pulled the covers over our heads, plunging us into darkness. My mouth trailed down over his Adam’s apple, along his collarbone, up to the shell of his ear. My hand drifted down over his stomach, pushing his briefs lower, squeezing and teasing until he started to arch off the bed.

  “No,” he complained when I drew my hand away.

  I shimmied out of my underwear with lightning speed.

  “Yes.” I slid down his body, taking all he had to offer in one smooth move.

  His breath caught, his body going completely still for several moments.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, pulling down the covers. I listened to the house creak while the wind rattled the trees outside my window. “Did you hear something?”

  He rolled me over onto my back, pressing me into the mattress with his body, never losing touch. “Yeah, I heard the angels sing there for a moment when you took me.”

  I giggled as he leaned down and grazed my neck with his mouth. “That sounds like some hokey pick-up line.”

  He moved slowly against me, keeping the bed from creaking while his teeth nipped at my collarbone. “I can’t help it,” he murmured in my ear. “You melted my brain with that hot little outfit. Wrap your legs around me, Vixen.”

  He was doing a hell of a job of melting me from the inside out, too. I did as told and pulled the covers back up over our heads, taking us back to our private world where I had Doc all to myself.

  As the need inside of me ratcheted higher and higher, I clung to him and filled the dark with whispered adoration for his hard work and even harder body. When I arched and shuddered under his touch, he covered my mouth with his and soaked up my moan of pleasure. After a few more thrusts, his body stiffened. He collapsed on me, his muscles trembling from the aftershocks for a few more breaths.

  “I can feel your heart pounding,” I said, pulling down the covers again.

  He turned onto his side, taking me with him. “That was the best Christmas present ever.”

  I smiled at him. “Well, Santa told me you were a good boy this year and deserved a little extra hubba-hubba with your presents.”

  His chuckle sounded low and sexy. “You certainly give the best hubba-hubba in town.”

  “You remember that if any of the other reindeer come around wanting you to help guide their sleigh tonight or any other night.”

  “Not going to happen.” He traced my hairline. “I’m crazy in love with you, Boots.”

  Ah, hell. Good-bye for good, heart. It was nice knowing you.

  Instead of telling him all of the sappy thoughts gushing from my smitten brain, I kissed him and took my time about it.

  When I pulled away, he groaned and flopped onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. “Christ, woman. How do you do that with your lips alone?”

  “I practiced long and hard.”

  He aimed a frown my way. “With whom?”

  “The teddy bears up on the shelf in my closet. I’ll be right back.”

  I slipped out of bed, grabbed my robe, and tiptoed down the hall to the bathroom. On the way back to my room, I checked on the kids. Both were sound asleep. I hoped they were dreaming of Santa and not some orange-eyed monster and its pets.

  Back in my room, I pulled out a red satin camisole and matching panties that I’d stashed in my nightstand earlier. The hip-length top was still soft and sexy, but wouldn’t shock the kids like my velvet and lace getup if they woke before me in the morning and stopped by my room.

  Doc leaned on his elbow to watch while I shucked the velvet and lace brassiere and pulled the camisole over my head.

  “Okay.” I climbed back into bed in my satin pajamas, snuggling up to him. “Where were we?”

  “I was warming you up.” He brushed his fingers over the satin. “I like this, too.”

  “I thought you might.” I caught his hand. “We need to get some sleep. Those two kids will be up at the butt crack of dawn wanting to open presents.” Wrapping his arm around me, I settled back into our earlier spooning position.

  “Mmmm, nice. So soft.” He yawned, his hand cupping a handful of curves. “I can’t wait to see the kids’ faces when they see the presents Santa brought them.” Doc had added to my Santa pile after the children had crashed, pulling several gifts from a bag he’d sent earlier with Aunt Zoe.

  I stared at the small tree on my dresser until the lights blurred. “Doc?” I whispered, my eyes heavy.

  “Hmmm?”

  “I’m not paranoid. It’s just that I love you and don’t want to lose you.” Not to Susan. Not to some bear-like monsters from Addy’s dream world. Not to anyone or anything ever.

  “You won’t.” He yawned again.

  I wanted to believe him. I really did.

  Chapter Twelve

  Christmas … The Butt Crack of Dawn

  Something was poking me in the shoulder.

  I swatted at it, shifting away from it.

  It poked me again, harder.

  “Mom,” a voice whispered in my ear.

  “What?” It came out more of a groan than a word.

  “Wake up! Santa came.”

  Doc shifted in the bed beside me, his hand sliding up my ribcage, settling under my breast. I started to scoot closer to him and then stopped cold.

  Shit. We had an audience.

  I opened my eyes.

  Addy and Layne stood at my side of the bed, their gazes going back and forth between Doc and me.

  My glance at Doc found his eyes still closed. His hand started to drift higher.

  I let out a squeak and jackknifed upright. “Look at all of that snow,” I said, pointing at the window.

  While their attention was diverted, I nudged Doc awake. He blinked a couple of times and then his focus locked onto the kids as they turned back to us.

  “Doc’s in your bed again,” Layne pointed out.

  I couldn’t read if he was unhappy about that or not by his poker face. “Uh, yeah, he sure is.”

  “Are your ribs still hurting?” Addy asked Doc, her forehead creased. “Mom said it would take awhile to heal.”

  His bruised ribs requiring a nighttime nurse was the reason we’d given for him being in my bed last week when the kids had found him by my side.

  “They’re a little sore yet.” He shot me a questioning glance. “Did Santa come?”

  Layne crossed his arms. “No boy has ever slept in this room with Mom before besides me.”

  When the kids were younger, I’d let them sleep in my room with me when we visited, but only one was allowed in bed next to me at a time. The other camped out on the floor in a sleeping bag. That’s when I’d told Layne that he was the only boy who’d ever slept in the bed with me. I was surprised he remembered that detail after all of these years.

  “Really?” Doc sat up. “Did you like this bed?”

  “It was okay. Mom has cold feet though in the winter.”

  “Oh, boy, does she,” Doc agreed with a chuckle, dodging my pinching fingers. “Did your mom kick you when you slept with her? Because I think she bruised my shin last night.”

  “She moves her legs a lot like she’s running from something,” Addy explained. “One time she kneed me in the back so hard it made me scream awake.”

  “It wasn’t that hard,” I defended. “And it was more of a squeak than a scream.” I’d been stressed out at the time about my old job at the dealership and a customer who was giving me hell about a car repair gone bad. Those problems paled in comparison to the shitstorms I faced these days.

  “Hey!” Natalie said from the doorway. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and my mom’s thick terrycloth wildflower robe belted around her waist. “Are we opening Santa’s presents or what?”

  Both kids grinned wide at her before turning to me again. “Can we, Mom?”

  “Of course! Go with Nat and start dividing up the presents. Doc and I will be right out.”

  The kids took off in a flash.

  Nat made room for them to pass, watching them go. “You owe me one for that distraction, babe.”

  “Agreed,” I said and shooed her away. “Close the door behind you, please.” I didn’t need to have my parents stopping by for a visit while we were still in bed.

  After the door was shut, I hopped out of bed and pulled my yoga pants on over my satin skivvies.

  Doc sat up in bed, watching me. “Oh man. Now I’m going to be thinking about that slippery satin all day long.”

  I grinned, grabbing my thick sweater. “Are you going to get dressed or what?”

  “So, I’m the only man who’s ever slept with you in your bed, huh?” His smile had a cocky glint to it.

  I pulled the sweater over my head. “Yeah. You want to make a big deal out of it?”

  “I might. A trophy would be nice. Maybe a crown with a sexy little ceremony later to commemorate it. Your red satin panties optional, of course.”

  I laughed, pulling the covers off of him. “Come on. The kids are waiting. We have presents to open.”

  Even though I was mostly dressed when Doc crawled out of bed, he still managed to beat me out the door, catching my hand and dragging me along behind him.

  Natalie, my parents, and Aunt Zoe were waiting for us in the living room with the kids. Susan was missing, much to my relief. Harvey came knocking as we were settling down, joining in the Santa fun. According to him, Reid and Cornelius were starting to rattle around next door when he’d left, and Cooper was in the shower.

  A glance in Natalie’s direction at that last bit about Cooper ran smack-dab into a steely glare. I shrugged with a grin and focused on my kids and their presents.

  The Tasmanian devil had nothing on Addy and Layne when it came to tearing through presents. Squeals of delight filled my ears for the next thirty minutes or so, including one from my mom when she saw the new robe covered in stars and moons that Aunt Zoe had given her.

  The expensive bottle of imported mead from Poland that I special ordered for one of Doc’s gifts earned me a heart-palpitating smolder. He leaned over and kissed my cheek, whispering, “You do remember that mead is the elixir of love, right?”

  I licked my lips in reply, eager to try the mix of fermented honey and raspberry along with him.