AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t need protecting from you.” Of this, she was certain.
“Don’t be too sure about that.” Now he was the one to walk away. “Gonna go check outside. Get some sleep. I’ll make sure nothing can hurt you tonight.”
Right. Sure. Totally possible to just hop in bed and go to sleep after this conversation.
So going to happen.
Never in a million years.
Chapter Four
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…four hours of sleep. Because that’s all I managed to get since I was tossing and turning and thinking about him all night long. Meanwhile, I bet he slept like a freaking angel.
—Noelle
“Are you ready for the big date?”
Noelle blinked blearily at her computer screen before turning her head toward the man who’d just entered her office. Rowen Welch smiled at her, flashing a practiced and polished grin. His thick, blond hair fell lightly over his forehead, but she suspected the casual look was something he’d actually spent a great deal of time working to achieve.
She bit her lip as her mind absolutely blanked in response to his question.
He kept smiling.
“The date?” Noelle finally had to ask.
His smile lost a little wattage. “Yes. The date? Tonight?” He strolled toward her desk and pointed at Noelle. “You’re Mrs. Claus, and I’m Santa. We arrive, we do our bit and—”
“You’re talking about the charity event?” Now things made sense except she hadn’t been thinking of it as a date. Not at all. Because it wasn’t.
The real estate company sponsored the charity fundraiser every year. She usually was either Mrs. Claus or an elf, and the other employees would take different roles, too. Her brother liked to don green face paint and act like his heart was growing three times its normal size as he greeted everyone who came through the doors for their big night.
Rowen had only joined the company about a month ago. Since that time, he’d asked her out twice. She’d declined both times. And this wasnota date, so why would he think—
“You don’t have anyone else to be Santa since Carlos came down with the flu. I asked around, and no one else wanted the job.” He put his hands on her desk and leaned forward. His hazel eyes glinted. “So we can go as a couple, it will be a fun date—”
“What date?” A hard, drawling voice demanded from her doorway.
Rowen stiffened.
Noelle jumped to her feet. She knew the owner of that voice—she’d recognize Brady’s voice anywhere, any time. “It’s not a date.”
“Good to know.” Brady crossed his arms over his chest.
Rowen spun to face him. “Look, we are in the middle of a private—”
“It’s for the company’s charity event,” she added at the same time. “I need someone to be Santa because the man who was slated to wear the red suit came down with the flu.”
“My Friday nights are usually a whole lot more exciting,” Rowen said with a roll of his shoulders. “But I was telling Noelle that I could make the sacrifice and help her out since she needed me—”
“I’ll do it,” Brady cut in.
She blinked. “You will?”
“Sure.” He shrugged. “You need a Santa. I need to stay close to you. Consider me your man.”
Had there been a slight, possessive emphasis on thatyour? Noelle thought there might have been.
Rowen was busy sputtering. He finally managed, “Unnecessary, I can certainly—”
