Christmas Wishes (novella) Read Free Page A

guard so no one bumps into the tripod.”
    “Got it.” His warm breath fanned over the back of her neck.
    He stood too close, his heat and scent playing havoc with her nerves. She took a step to the side. “Once the concert is over hit the same button to stop the recording and then flick this lever here to fold the legs in. I’ll dismantle the rest later. Just bring the whole thing up the front because I’ll need your help with the Santa photos and any special requests from the parents once the formal activities are over.”
    “I’ve got it, Talli.” Dean laid his hand on her shoulder. “I remember how this works from last time.”
    “Oh. Right.” How could she forget this wasn’t the first time she’d roped him into helping her? “Okay. I’ll go grab my cameras and get ready.”
    “Relax.” His fingers dug into the tight muscles leading up to her neck. “What’s got you all frazzled? You’ve done this a hundred times and I’ve helped enough to not screw up.”
    “I know.” She stepped back, the move breaking Dean’s hold. “It’s that time of year. Silly season.”
    He smiled. “That explains the costume.”
    “There’s nothing silly about getting into the spirit of things.”
    “Not if the costume fits.”
    Heat flushed her cheeks. “Sorry about that. I asked for the largest one they had.”
    “In the kiddies department maybe.”
    She should have checked when she’d pick the costume up, but as usual she’d been in a rush and forgotten all about it until now. The heat in her cheeks headed south when she thought about him wrapped in the skin-tight outfit. “Sorry. I owe you for that.”
    “Yeah, you do.”
    “I’ll shout you dinner.” She glanced over her shoulder as people started moving into the room.
    “It’ll take more than one meal to pay back that debt.”
    Talli’s head swung back around to Dean. “What?”
    “It’ll cost you more than dinner this time.”
    “What? You want me to come clean your house again?”
    “No. I’ve got something else in mind.”
    “What?”
    He nudged her with his hand on her hip. “Better get up front. The show’s about to begin.”
    “But–”
    “Na-huh, we don’t have time now.” Dean gave her another little push. “Later.”
    Talli stared open-mouthed as Dean moved in behind the camera and got ready to work. Damn him. He knew she hated waiting to find out things. Now she’d spend the rest of the day worrying about what he had in mind.

Chapter Three
    Dean had never been more grateful for a pair of snug jeans and a long T-shirt. He’d spent the last four hours trying to hide the hard-on he sported from a room full of pre-schoolers and their parents. It was all Talli’s fault. She’d pranced around in those skin-tight green elf pants with her lopsided hat, fake pointy ears and an impish smile all afternoon. He shouldn’t be turned on. If anything, being surrounded by all these people and her ridiculous outfit should have dampened his arousal. The scary part was he thought it might have – which meant he’d reached the point of no return.
    Being Tallitha Jarmen’s best friend was no longer enough.
    The children and parents had left only minutes ago and the silence that had settled over the room gave him too much time to think. He didn’t want to blow this. Their friendship wasn’t the only thing on the line. Dean wasn’t a fool. Becoming Talli’s lover wouldn’t guarantee him her heart. He saw the losers she dated. Not one of them worthy of her, but more importantly, she kept them at arm’s length. He hoped their years of friendship would make it impossible for her to put him in the same basket.
    Dean snatched the hat off his head and welcomed the cool air on his scalp. The stupid elf hat was not only hot, it itched like crazy. Giving his head a good scratch, he dumped the hat in the bag with the rest of his unused costume. A shudder rattled his bones. Talli owed him big for this one. She’d slipped off to get changed, but