A Vampire for Christmas(50)

Punch spat blood to the side and grinned. “I can think of twenty better things involving your woman.”

A nub, buddy. She’s not your plaything.”

A final punch to the temple succeeding in knocking the wolf out cold. Daniel eyed the perimeter and checked their tussle hadn’t been witnessed. The neighborhood was rough, but the weather kept most tucked in their snug homes. He strode away quickly, a brief smile curving his mouth at having defeated the wolf. But now he worried that Olivia would never be safe unless he could take the wolf out permanently.

He’d insinuated himself in her life, and by doing so, had brought along all his scary baggage, including werewolves.



WHEN THE DOORBELL RANG, Olivia set the hot pan of fresh-from-the-oven cookies on the stovetop and ran to answer it. It was early evening, and her manager had strict rules not to visit during her vacation, so it could only be one person.

Daniel leaned against the door frame, hands in his pockets and eyes set to smolder. Olivia’s heart pittered and her pulse pattered. Her lover sniffed the air. “Cookies?”

I’ve been baking all day.”

Smells great in here.” He closed the door but didn’t cross to the kitchen to follow her. “All day? That’s a lot of cookies.”

Seven dozen so far.” She slid a spatula under a cookie and transferred it to the cooling rack. “I love Christmas and cooking. This is the only time of the year I get to myself so I try to do everything I used to do with my mother when I was younger. We used to make dozens of cookies and then take them around to the neighbors in brightly wrapped packages.”

Sounds like a lot of work.”

Sounds—” she slid another cookie off onto the rack “—normal, to me. This is what you’re supposed to do at Christmastime. Not traverse the country on a tour bus eating Doritos and washing your clothes in the sink. Come in, Daniel. What’s up? What are you hiding behind your back?”

The man’s sexy smile curled up into his eyes and it beamed a teasing smile onto her mouth. He walked closer but she could see he was concealing something. “A present for you.”

Seriously? I love presents. It’s not a Christmas present, is it? Because it’s another few days until Christmas Eve. No presents until then.”

So you don’t want it?”

Are you kidding?” She tugged off the oven mitts and scampered over to him. Hands clasped behind her back, she closed her eyes. “Lay it on me.”

For a kiss?”

Of course!” She leaned forward, puckering her lips.

A warm, dreamy connection, mouth to mouth, breath to breath, curled her up onto her tiptoes and she wrapped her arms around Daniel’s shoulders. His jacket was cold, but his mouth was molten hot.

They’d known each other for such a short time, but she wanted this moment to go on forever, melting into his kiss. She could write a song about Daniel’s kisses. It would be filled with words like hot, demanding, magical, firm and wondrous good nummy.

Mmm,” she murmured, eyes still closed. “That was the best present ever.”

That wasn’t the actual present.”

Too bad, ’cause I’d like to open that one every day. Again and again.”

He kissed her quickly and dashed his tongue along her lower lip, marking her, making her his own. After last night’s performance, he could have her in any way he desired. And she did not think that was attributable to the bite—or she hoped not.

He said, “Open your eyes.”

Oh, Daniel!”

He held a miniature pine tree, potted in a bright red basket. It was about a foot high and perfectly formed. “I love it!”

You said you wanted a little Christmas tree.”

I did! This is perfect, especially for my tiny apartment. And I bet it was much easier getting it up the stairs.” She took the tree and smelled the fragrant pine needles. Placing it on the coffee table, she knelt before it. “Now I need to find some miniature ornaments. It’s so cute.”

Then maybe—” he knelt beside her and his warm breath tickled her ear so she tilted against him like a rose seeking the sun “—it’s a good thing I bought this, too.” He pulled something from his coat pocket and handed it to her.

The small silver star twinkled with rhinestones and had a tiny coil at the base to attach to a treetop. Olivia didn’t know what to say. That he’d thought to do something like this for her was incredible. People gave her gifts all the time. Big, flashy gifts that were always hung with an invisible expectations tag. This felt too genuine, from the heart. “I love it. Thank you.”