Jingle Bell Rock Read Free

wasn’t surprised to see Jimmy perched on Jess’s desk. Of course, observant friend and wannabe matchmaker that she was, she’d probably seen them slip into the office and close the door.
    Vandiver Records’ office manager was wearing a Santa hat and dangly reindeer earrings. Her sweater was red and green with just a touch of sparkling gold. Five foot nothing with a shock of red hair and weighing in at maybe a hundred pounds, she looked remarkably like a Christmas elf.
    “Business,” Jess said sharply. Lorraine wasn’t put off by the biting tone of voice. She knew Jess too well.
    “On Christmas Eve?” Lorraine moaned. “Shame on you both. Now, get out here and have fun.”
    Jimmy smiled. “Sounds like an order to me.”
    Lorraine turned her back, and Jimmy started to follow. When he reached the door he turned to Jess. “So, what about tomorrow?”
    “No way.” Jess stepped around the desk, but stopped well short of Jimmy.
    “Think about it,” he said. “You know where the house is, don’t you?”
    “Yeah, there was that barbecue in October.”
    “You didn’t come.”
    “I think I still have the map somewhere.” It was in her glove compartment, to be exact, under an ice scraper that was rarely needed here in Nashville, Tennessee, and a half-empty bottle of Tums. “But I won’t need it.”
    Jimmy left her office; she was close behind him. Dean was, thankfully, silent. He’d left his “stage” and was milling about the large outer office in full Elvis regalia, bestowing grand King-like thank-you s to his admirers. The crowd had spread out, and it looked as if a few had left to head home to their families.
    Jess stopped in her office doorway and leaned against the doorjamb. Everyone was happy. Beyond happy, they were jubilant. True, it had been a wonderful year for Vandiver Records—thanks in large part to Jimmy Blue—but this was ridiculous. It was just another day, and tomorrow would be just another day, and after the first of the year they’d be busting their butts to make up for the time they’d wasted.
    She tried not to begrudge the other employees their obvious joy. They’d never spent Christmas with her family, so maybe their holiday memories were not as traumatic as hers. A yearly crisis was required in the Lennox household. Peter’s divorce one year. Another year, Uncle Emmitt showing up on Christmas Eve in full Santa costume rip-roaring drunk, his wife, Aunt Debra, moving in the next morning. Sometimes the crisis was small. The turkey wouldn’t defrost or else was cooked to a huge blob of charcoal, or the cakes fell, or the pies exploded. It didn’t take much to send her mother running from the room in tears.
    Every year as she kissed her mother and said good-bye, Jess swore that Christmas at home was her last. Last year, she’d meant it.
    Lorraine poked playfully at Jimmy’s chest, and then Dean spun him around so he was facing Jess again. It was quite a picture, Jimmy Blue effectively trapped between the King and a redheaded elf.
    Lorraine pointed a wicked red fingernail to a place above Jess’s head, and Jimmy smiled.
    Knowing what she would see, Jess tilted her head back slowly.
    Mistletoe.

 
    Chapter Two
    It took a gentle shove from Dean/Elvis to get Jimmy moving forward. Jess waited, mortified to find herself the center of attention, terrified by the realization that in a matter of seconds Jimmy would be standing expectantly before her. She didn’t move. Dammit, that mistletoe had not been there just a few minutes ago! Her eyes cut briefly to a too-smug Lorraine.
    “Tradition,” Jimmy said in a low voice as he reached the doorway. His eyes flickered briefly to the mistletoe above her head, and then he lowered his lips to hers.
    His arms stayed at his sides, and so did hers. The kiss, when it came, was soft and easy. It began as the kind of kiss friends might share. But his lips lingered just a little bit too long, learning the curve of her mouth, tasting and testing, and