Tomorrow is the biggest event of the year for me, and I’m way past ready to show everyone what I have in store for them. Caleb spent the entire day with me in the gallery, making sure everything is in place. My paintings are on display, scattered throughout the gallery, and intermingled with my work is Caleb’s photographs and other pieces I procured from other artists. Every year, I sell out of almost everything, and once the new year comes, I’m busy trying to come up with new ideas.
“I have a strange feeling tomorrow’s going to be insane,” Caleb calls out.
I finish dusting off the golden frame surrounding my snow globe painting. “Oh yeah, why is that?”
He chuckles. “Come here and see for yourself.” He’s at the front desk, sitting there with my laptop open in front of him. His eyes twinkle when he looks up at me. “How many people do you usually have come for the showcase event?”
I think back through the past few years. “Let’s see, the first year I had about a hundred people come through, but more and more come each year. Last Christmas, I had a little over two hundred. Why do you ask?” He swivels my laptop toward me so I can see the screen where he has a huge number highlighted. “What is that number for?”
“That,” he says, grinning wider, “is the number of page views you’ve gotten on your website this week. The ads you put on social media have more than tripled the traffic.” He focuses on the screen and clicks on a few more things. “Looking at the gallery’s Facebook page, there are people from all around saying they’re going to come tomorrow. I’m talking about people from New York, Florida, on over to California. This is insane.”
My heart thumps wildly in my chest. I’m terrified yet excited. “I can’t believe I didn’t do any marketing before.”
He shuts my laptop and laughs. “Well, you’ve done pretty damn good selling your paintings without it. It’s just now, you can go further than Meadowbrook. What if somebody famous comes in and wants to buy your work?”
I roll my eyes. “I won’t hold my breath on that one.”
Caleb walks around the desk and pulls me into his arms. “I have faith in you.”
I wrap my arms around his neck. “What about you? I had to stop putting your photos out because people kept snagging them up. I was about not to have any for the showcase.”
The way Caleb smiles makes me melt. “Speaking of photos, I need to get busy taking more. You’ve been monopolizing my time.”
“Hey,” I snap, playfully hitting his arm as I step away from him. “The same goes for me too. I haven’t painted a single thing since we started dating.”
He lifts his fingers to my face, gently tucking the hair behind my ear. “I’m not complaining, though. It’s been nice having you at my house every day, cooking dinner and spending time with Alyssa and me. I think she likes getting a bedtime story every night.”
I lean into his touch. “I’ve enjoyed every second of it. Tonight, when she goes to bed, I need to rewrap her presents you got her from Santa.”
His eyes widen. “Why? Do you think I did a crappy job?”
It takes all I have not to burst out laughing. “Well … they kind of look like Santa was drunk while wrapping them.”
“Fine,” he says, throwing his arms in the air. “I suck at wrapping. At least, I tried.”
I kiss his cheek. “That’s all that matters. Next time, just ask me to do it.”
He grabs my wrist and pulls me into his body. “Don’t worry,” he murmurs, his lips so close to mine, “I will.”
Our lips touch, and I breathe him in as we kiss. My body lights up like fire, and I’d give anything to have him touch me more intimately, but I don’t want to rush him. The thing is, I know he wants me just as much as I want him.
“What are you doing on Christmas Eve?” he asks, breaking the kiss.
There’s so much heat in his eyes; it makes me tremble. “I don’t know. Waiting for Santa?”
He bites his lip. “Do you think you might want to wait for him at my house?”
“All night?”
“Yes,” he replies, his serious gaze on mine. “I want you to be with me and Alyssa Christmas morning.” He smiles and shakes his head. “Who am I kidding? I want you there. I can’t imagine spending it without you.”
“Does that mean you’ll come to my parents’ house for Christmas lunch? I think my mom has more presents under the tree for Alyssa than anyone else.”
Caleb chuckles. “I’m sure she’ll love that. I’ll be happy to go with you as long as you come with me to my parents’ house for dinner.”
“Deal. In all honesty, I see it as a win-win. It’s going to be a day filled with family, food, and twinkling lights. What could be better?”
He opens his mouth to speak, but then he closes it. His gaze drops down to my lips, and the raw passion I see in his eyes is just what I’ve been waiting for. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do about it at the moment. I have elf duty tonight, and he has to pick up Alyssa from his parents’ house.
“I have to get changed into my costume,” I whisper.
He sighs and steps back. “I know. It’s just the more I’m around you, the harder it is to control myself.”
This makes me laugh. “I know the feeling.” Inside, I’m burning. The need to have him is stronger than I’ve ever felt for anyone before. Slowly, I keep my eyes on him and move back toward my office. “I’ll be out in a minute. Do you have time to wait for me?”
He waves for me to go. “Yeah. I was going to walk you over to the town square and leave from there.”
“Thanks.” I can’t help but smile as I turn away from him to go into my office, which also has a private bathroom. My elf costume is hanging from the bathroom door, so I grab it and lay it over my desk along with a pair of thick tights. It’s going to be cold tonight. Once I slip off my sweater and jeans, I reach for the costume just as a set of warm arms wrap around my waist from behind.
“You are so damn sexy.” Caleb kisses my neck and nips my tender flesh.
Moaning, I tilt my head to the side so he can kiss me more. “What are you doing in here?”
His hands slide up my stomach to my breasts. “I kept thinking of you getting undressed in here. It about killed me. I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted this.” He squeezes my breast and slips his hand inside the cup of my bra. When his thumb traces over my nipple, I gasp. Holy hell, I want him so bad.
Goosebumps fan out over my skin, and I shiver. “Why did you have to start this when we have no time?”
He bites my lobe and chuckles in my ear. “Oh, we have time. Not much, but just enough.”
I suck in a breath. “Enough for what?”
“For me to touch you. That is, if it’s what you want.”
“Yes,” I breathe, probably sounding a little too desperate. I can’t help it. It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time now.
Caleb turns me to face him, and he picks me up in his arms, setting me on my desk in just my bra and underwear. Luckily, I chose a sexy, matching set to put on this morning. Caleb’s gaze roams over my body, and he responds just the way I hoped it would. He maneuvers himself between my legs, his arousal pressing up against me in just the right spot. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he pushes into me.