At Winterstorm Village, a record-breaking blizzard means a wedding before the season is over. This year promises to bring the mother of all snowstorms, and the residents couldn’t be more excited to see who’s next to tie the knot…
Rhett Parker hates Christmas. When the Mayor of Winterstorm has an unfortunate accident and ends up in a coma, Rhett is left hanging with the proverbial Santa Gift Bag. To make matters worse, the only one who can help him save their money-making tourist season is his office nemesis, Ms. Christmas cheer in a bottle, Parker Cruz.
Parker Cruz, the Mayor's daughter, is determined to save Christmas now that her dad isn’t there to make it all happen. The only person standing in her way is the town’s Scrooge, the newly appointed Mayor, Rhett Parker.
She's willing to do whatever it takes to make good on her promise to her dad. So, when a series of unlucky events strike, and the residents start talking about canceling Christmas, Parker does the unthinkable. She agrees to a fake date with her new boss.
Love is always in the air during the holidays at Winterstorm Village. So what if this year it’s all pretend? Or is it?
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Copyright 2024, Diana A. Hicks
“Jesus, a date?” Rhett reached over and yanked the pen out of my hand.
“Hey.” I turned to glare at him.
“You need to slow down.” He tossed the pen over his shoulder. “What are you going to do when people want us to kiss?”
“Why would they even ask? That would be creepy. Relax, it’ll never come to that. At most, we’ll have to hold hands.” I stopped to inhale and give him a chance to catch up.
He rubbed the creases on his forehead as he paced to the fireplace and back. Every time, he glanced up at me, his intense gaze would settle on mine. He was really considering all the angles. How about that? We actually made a good team. I was the idea instigator. He was the executor.
“Proximity.” He finally said.
“What does that mean?”
“Can you handle it?” He cocked his head.
“What?”
He prowled toward me as his eyes darkened. Was he mad now? No, that wasn’t it. Rhett was doing the smoldering thing on me. Shit, I swallowed to ease my dry throat. Okay, I could do this. I was a professional. He stopped a mere two inches from me. We’d never been this close before. Oddly enough, I wasn’t repulsed by it. It was nice.
“I’m not nauseous.” I lifted my head to look at him. “You?”
He jaw clenched, then released, his gaze never leaving mine.. “It’s doable.” He nodded then reached behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder and followed his line of sight. “What are you doing?” I asked when he pressed the intercom button.
“Lila, can I see you in my office, please.” He released the button and turned to me. “Getting the ball rolling.”
“Lila is Mrs. Birdwhistle’s God daughter. She’ll be Lila’s first call. And then…”
“And then, the whole town will know.” He brought his hand up to my waist. “Last call to back out, Cruz. It’s now or never.”
“Never.” I placed my hand on his chest just as he leaned in to press his forehead to mine.
My heart drummed so hard, I swore I heard its echo against the walls. Once Lila barged in on us, we would have to follow through on our lie, all the way to New Year’s eve. How hard could it be?
“Omigod.” Lila dropped her iPad. “I’m sorry.” She bent down to retrieve it then fell to her knees while trying to reach for her Mac pen. “I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to…um, the door was opened.”
“It’s fine. I was just leaving.” I tentatively stepped away from Rhett. I hadn’t considered how much touching we needed to do to convey our message. As it was, it already felt like I’d been in Rhett’s arms for a very long time.
For his part, Rhett slowly released my waist and let his fingers skim the length of my arm until they landed in my palm. Our bodies moved with such synchronicity, I didn’t have time to react to the goosebumps fluttering my skin or jerk away from him. I just stood there, spellbound.
About Diana A. Hicks
Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and science-fiction romance.
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
Praise for Diana A. Hicks:
"Hicks' first installment of her Desert Monsoon series is confident and assured with strong storytelling, nuanced characters, and a dynamic blend of romance and suspense...A sexy and irresistible tale for fans of contemporary romance." - Kirkus Reviews
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