A Kiss From Kringle (Novella) (Frosty's Snowmen Book 2) Read Free

them.
    He didn’t really care about Haylee, not that he was a hard-arse who wouldn’t listen to the reason she wasn’t here before making up his mind, but because he wanted to please this woman. If he fired Haylee, Leah would be upset. And he really didn’t want to make that happen.
    “Thank you.” She visibly relaxed. Her shoulders lowered and the harsh lines around her mouth eased.
    “So where is she and why isn’t she here?”
    She took a deep breath. “At home with my niece. She’s sick.”
    “Haylee?”
    “No. Meggie. Normally she’ll stay with me, but she’s been running a fever for a couple of days and utterly miserable with it. No one but her mother will keep her settled.”
    “So you offered to take Haylee’s place instead of calling in sick?”
    “Haylee isn’t sick and it’s her first day.” Leah leaned forward in her chair once more. “She needs this job.”
    “You said that.” Leah’s protectiveness struck a cord. He’d go to the wall for those he loved and he knew instinctively that Leah would too. “Tell me why.”
    She glanced around them, down at the costume she wore. “This isn’t really the place for skeletons.”
    Chris laughed. “It can’t be that bad.”
    “Oh, yes. It can.” Leah sighed. “Should I get changed and go?”
    “No. But I can’t have you working with the public until you’ve done a Working With Children Check.”
    “I’ve done one. I’m a primary school teacher.”
    “I’m still not comfortable letting you back to your previous post. You’ll spend the rest of the day with me.” He glanced at his watch. “The day shift is over in less than an hour anyway. You can help me get ready for a smooth shift change.”
    Leah nodded. “Okay. Whatever it takes to keep Haylee’s job.”
    “It’ll take a full explanation. But as you said, this isn’t the place. So after you clock off we’ll grab something to eat and you can tell me everything. It’s the least you can do, considering.”
    “I…um…” She swallowed. Nodded once. “All right. I’ll need to check in with Haylee first. Make sure Meggie doesn’t need anything.”
    Leah was like a mother hen when it came to her sister and niece. Chris liked it. Liked the way she was prepared to do whatever it took to keep the two people she obviously loved safe. It was only one of many reasons to get to know her. He’d watched her with the little girl at the slide and been impressed with the way she handled the situation. But then, as a teacher, Leah would be used to dealing with children and their unpredictable behaviour.
    He wasn’t going to acknowledge the guilt he felt over manoeuvring her into a position where she couldn’t refuse him.
    He’d apologise later. After he spent a few hours with her and worked out if the spark of attraction he felt was mutual or not.
    ***
    Leah tucked Haylee’s elf costume into her bag and wondered if she should try to sneak out without seeing Mr — call me Chris — Kringle.
    She had inappropriate reactions to the man. Responses to someone of the opposite sex she couldn’t recall having in a long time. It would be best for all if she ignored them, and him, but she suspected that wasn’t possible.
    Chris Kringle was an extremely attractive man. Add in the intense way he looked at her and Leah didn’t have a hope in hell of avoiding the desire he inspired.
    She had to spend time with him to explain why impersonating her sister was acceptable behaviour. Not that it was. No matter what her intentions Leah knew she’d stepped over a line by pretending to be Haylee today.
    Sighing, she shouldered her bag and left the change room. She came up short when the object of her thoughts pushed away from the wall outside the door.
    “Oh.” She rocked back on her heels, a hand over her thumping heart. “You startled me.”
    He grinned. “You were just hoping I wasn’t waiting for you as promised.”
    “Yes and no.”
    Chris stepped closer, crowded her until his chest