Read Online Harlequin Holiday Collection - Four Classic Seasonal Novellas by Leslie Kelly - Free Book Online

only wanted him to stay.
    “I do love you,” she whispered.
    Still sprawled naked on the thick rug in front of the fireplace, the flames sending shadow and light dancing across his golden skin, he smiled.
    “I love you, too, Holly.”

    On Tuesday, Christmas Eve, Holly woke up blissfully happy. Not only because Zach had spent another night in her bed—in her arms—but because this was also the day Weekend Getaway was supposed to air the story on the inn.
    She paced anxiously until it started, then held her breath as the opening credits rolled, her hand clenched in Zach’s. Her grandparents watched just as avidly. Until finally, it was there, on the screen, their beautiful home all decked out in its holiday best.
    Holly groaned when she saw herself onscreen. “Oh God, look at my hair.”
    “Well, you had been wrestling a corpse all day,” Zach said.
    She playfully socked him in the upper arm and then shushed him, hanging on every word the reporter uttered. Candy described her visit as the pictures changed and every word she said made Holly’s smile grow.
    “The Hollyberry Inn is one of the most delightful treasures to be found anywhere near Chicago,” Candy concluded as the video from the inn ended and the image returned to the studio.
    Holly wanted to dance for joy. At least until the final moments of the show, when the studio hostess spoke. “You know,” she said to Candy, “I’ve been following an interesting story about those diamond thieves from Chicago. Weren’t they found in the same town where this little inn is located, and one of them had killed the other? I don’t suppose you ran into them on your visit?”
    Her grandmother gasped. Zach leaned forward on the couch. And Holly froze.
    Smiling at her colleague, Candy then turned to look at the camera. She seemed to be staring directly at Holly and her eyes twinkled under the lights. “How exciting, seeing a jewel thief at the Hollyberry Inn.” She laughed softly, but didn’t look away. “Why, just imagine, one of them could have been lounging right there on the sunporch, sleeping as peacefully as…the dead.”
    Holly didn’t move an inch, not until the show ended and her grandfather clicked the TV off. Then she realized Zach was shaking with laughter, as were her grandparents.
    “That Candy,” Nana said, “she’s a good egg.”

    Zach had been so terrified of Holly’s close call on Friday that he hadn’t wanted to leave her side. But he’d managed to slip away for a few hours on Tuesday, long enough to visit a jewelry store to buy her something special. When she opened the tiny package late that night and slipped the solitaire onto her left ring finger, he knew her answer.
    They were still celebrating their surprise engagement on Christmas morning when Holly’s grandparents came downstairs. Zach found himself included in the family celebration, watching as Holly found a dozen reasons to wave her new ring around.
    “It’s awfully pretty—and almost as big as those pretty ones on the tree,” her grandmother said.
    Holly raised a quizzical brow as Zach glanced toward the Christmas tree. The lights were on, twinkling merrily, and for the first time, he noticed the way they reflected off a number of tiny, crystal ornaments that sent out shards of color in all directions.
    “Where did those come from?” Holly asked.
    “I’m sorry, dear, the strand must have broken in the rush to take down the old tree. I found all the beads on the floor, but these eyes are old. I couldn’t see the holes in them to string them back together,” her Nana said. “So I just glued ‘em all onto holders and put them up. Aren’t they pretty? So sparkly.”
    Holly rose. Seeing the color fall out of her face, Zach got up, too and followed her to the evergreen. When she reached for one of the tiny ornaments hanging like jewels from a bough, he suddenly began to suspect the truth. “Jewels…”
    “Oh my God,” she murmured.
    Their eyes met, both of them