Read Online Merry Kisses (Riverbend Romance 5) by Valerie Comer - Free Book Online

exercised.
    “Heath...”
    He turned his face to hers, gaze holding her as securely as his hands. As his lips just had. “Sonya.” His voice was husky. Unsure. “Are you okay?”
    Define okay. “Yes.” Her voice cracked. “Are you?” Was he sorry? He couldn’t be. He’d come back for more as surely as she had.
    “Not even a little bit.” Questions in his eyes, he lowered his mouth to hers one more time.
    Sealed with a kiss. If she’d never known what that meant before, she did now.

CHAPTER 8

    Everything had changed.
    Heath found it difficult to concentrate on what the kids said to him on Friday at the North Pole. Hopefully his notes would make sense later. Maybe his distraction was so extreme he spoke gibberish to the children. Maybe he’d be called on having an off day. But didn’t everyone have one occasionally?
    He sure didn’t feel off. If anything, he felt more on than ever. More alive. But yes, distracted as he watched Sonya run the other half of the system. She chatted with parents, got their info and payment if they wanted a photo — and most of them did — clicked the camera, and handed out candy canes with a glow she hadn’t had yesterday.
    Maybe he was glowing, too. Would it show to the North Pole’s visitors? Would it show in a mirror? Or did one have to be a participant of last night’s amazing kisses to feel like the red carpet leading to the Santa throne was merely something to float above?
    Sonya bent to talk to a little girl of about eight in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Her hair had definitely not seen the bristle side of a brush yet today. Weird. Most parents went all out dressing their kids up for their annual Santa photo. But this girl also didn’t seem to be accompanied by an adult. Sonya glanced at him and, for a second, he forgot what he was supposed to be doing.  
    Right. The little girl. She stalked toward him, arms across her chest, glowering.
    Uh oh.
    Heath held out his hands, but she was having none of that sitting-on-Santa’s-lap nonsense. She stayed just beyond reach, staring at him. Maybe someone had just found out that Santa wasn’t real? If so, he could explain. “Hi there. What’s your name?”
    “Bailey.”
    “That’s a really nice name. What would you like for Christmas?”
    “Why do you care?”
    Whoa. It was all Heath could do not to rear back. At least his gaping mouth didn’t show behind all the white whiskers. He hoped. “Because I’m Santa. It’s Santa’s job to make wishes come true.” Probably not the best answer, but she’d caught him flat-footed.
    “Only little kids believe that. Stupid kids.”
    Heath’s mind raced. Help me here, God. What do I say to this jaded child?
    “You’re just mean, anyway. Last year I asked you for stuff and you didn’t even come at all. Some of my friends say you don’t always bring what they ask for, but at least you go to their house and give them some thing. What did I do wrong? I tried to be good.”  
    Bailey set her little chin, but Heath could see tears shimmering in her eyelashes.
    He stared at her, helpless. “Did your mom mail your letter to the North Pole? The address is Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, H0H 0H0.” Like ho ho ho, but she was in no frame of mind to hear the joke.
    “No, I came here. My friends told me you were real. Nobody said I had to send a letter. That’s dumb. I can hardly read.”
    “But you got presents from your parents, right?”
    She blinked back tears. “Maybe my mom sent a letter saying I hadn’t been good. Telling you not to come to our house. Did she?”
    Heath shook his head. “I didn’t get a letter like that.” What mother would...?
    “She thinks Christmas is dumb. Now I know why. You’re not really real. You just look real.”
    “Do you know the story of Saint Nicholas?”
    Bailey narrowed her gaze. “Who’s that? What’s he got to do with anything?”
    Heath glanced at Sonya and the lineup. Eight moms and their children waited. A woman