Read Online Caribou's Gift by Eve Langlais - Free Book Online Page B

concerned, baby. And I am a man who likes to accomplish them.”
    He waggled his brows, and she laughed. “I have to admit I’m surprised you’re only at #745.”
    “That’s because every New Year I wipe my mission slate clean. I like to start the year fresh. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go attend to mission #747.”
    “Which is?”
    “Take a cold shower and ease my blue balls before I totally cave to temptation.”
    “What if I wanted you to stay?”
    He groaned and closed his eyes as he chanted, “Must not fail.”
    She laughed. “You’re a strange man, Kyle.”
    “Strange, yet lovable?” he said, peering at her hopefully with one eye.
    “Yes.”
    Apparently he liked her simple answer because he kissed her then, his arms wound tight enough to squeeze the breath from her. But she liked it, liked him, and hugged him back just as tight.
    Then, just as she thought things might get interesting, he fled, still talking to her as he backed away, “Dammit, baby, you make a soldier forget himself. I’ll be here to grab you both in the morning, and we’re going to breakfast.”
    “Night, Rudolph!” she shouted as he hit the bottom step and the door to outside.
    She laughed at his grumbled, “I still can’t believe I’m doing that.”
    As she shut the door to her apartment, a stupid grin on her face, she couldn’t help but hope this would be the best Christmas ever.

Chapter Seven
    Worst. Christmas. Ever.
    Blue-balled, squeaky clean, and twitchy from too much coffee, Kyle wondered at his sanity. Why did I ever volunteer to do this? Can’t someone find me a bomb to deactivate? Or demand I run cable for all the televisions in their house?
    It didn’t help that his panicked urge to flee battled with an even stronger determination to stay, and all because of a certain cougar who sought to soothe his irritation.
    “You look very handsome,” Crystal purred in his ear as she stroked the fur between his antlers. “And don’t worry. I’m sure the sparkles will probably fall off when you shift.”
    He gave her a dirty look, which given he wore a flashing red nose, did not intimidate her in the least.
    “Poor, baby,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll have to make it up to you. Maybe after the parade you could come over for dinner.”
    He decided he wouldn’t gore her with his tines.
    “We can watch Rise of the Guardians .”
    A decent Christmas flick with lots of action. Don’t judge him because he liked animated movies. Judge him because he knew the words to ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen .
    “Then, once Gigi goes to bed, maybe you could…”
    Yes. Yes.
    “Help me wrap her presents. I suck when it comes to taping.”
    Big disappointment. His ears drooped, and she laughed.
    “Ah, don’t look so sad. I know it seems like a lot of work, but I’ll make it worth your while. Promise,” she said in a husky whisper.
    With those teasing words, she sashayed away. If he could have wolf whistled, he would have. As it was, he did leer, in a caribou slobbery way. Then he growled and pawed the ground like a bull when he noticed he wasn’t the only male appreciative of the view.
    Mine. And he couldn’t wait for the world—and most especially the males—to know it. Then, if they still dared leer, he’d show them why you never screwed with the guy who could scramble the password on their phone and not only change the outgoing voicemail message but also give it a really filthy, and loud, ringtone. One of his favorite pranks and best memories.
    You could hear the moose bellow from a mile away.
    Best part? Boris was inept when it came to technology and had to ask him nicely to help remove the offending tune.
    Kyle marked the names and faces of the men who dared to admire what was his. Then mentally shook himself.
    What am I doing?
    Jealousy, never before experienced but recognizable. Just another sign Crystal was different than the other women he’d been with. From now on, it will be only one woman. While he’d