All He Wants For Christmas

All He Wants for Christmas

ISBN 1-59578-194-3

Publisher:  Liquid Silver Books.

Available now.

Short Contemporary Romance

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Ten years ago, Kaycee Mathews broke off her relationship with the love of her life, Mike Donovan, when she found him in the arms of another woman. Refusing to listen to any explanations, she cut off all contact, spending the time since then jumping from one bad relationship to another.

Mike was no better off. He longed to reunite with Kaycee, but didn’t know how he’d ever be able to break through the wall of resistance she’d built around herself.

Finally, after years of watching her daughter and the young man she’d come to think of as a son suffer because of foolish pride, Kaycee’s mother takes matters into her own hands and tricks them into coming to her mountain cabin. Neither knows the other will be there, but she’s convinced once they’re face-to-face, they’ll hash out their problems. Even nature seems to be on her side when a massive snowstorm hits, stranding the two of them on the mountain alone.

Kaycee is stubborn, but Mike is determined and not above using seduction to get what he wants. Sparks fly, heating up the tiny cabin as well as the two occupants inside, making for an interesting holiday weekend. Can Mike win her back and get all he wants for Christmas?

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Excerpt

Chapter One

“Well, this isn’t so bad,” Kaycee Mathews said with a sigh.

Her gaze took in the log cabin her mother had used as a Christmas getaway for years. Almost thirty to be exact, but this was the first time she’d seen it in a decade. The pain of that summer night had lessened, but it hadn’t been forgotten. How could she forget the night the love of her life shattered her heart?

Mike Donavon had been everything to her. They had their future planned out, but it had all been one sided. Over the years, she’d jumped from one bad relationship to another, trying to forget him. Unfortunately, the string of good-looking men did nothing to lesson his memory.

“Don’t think about it, just don’t,” she mumbled to herself as she took a slow stroll around the yard.

The small two-story cabin nestled deep in the Colorado mountains had been a favorite Christmas retreat for her family for as long as she could remember. Every year they took the hour-long drive to spend an old fashioned Christmas deep in the woods. She could still smell the pine and cinnamon that had decorated the cabin so long ago. She’d really missed this place.

That was one of the reasons she’d decided to come this year. She hoped to be able to finally say good-bye and rid herself of his memory once and for all.

Glancing up at the gray clouds, she remembered the weatherman had called for a bad snowstorm. It had snowed the last Christmas she’d spent here and for a second she let herself remember that weekend. Mike had come with them, he always had. Her mother felt bad for him because of his foster family. They were a joke and had always neglected him, only caring about the money they received from the state for taking him in. They didn’t care if he was there or not, so her mother always made sure to remember him on his birthday and the holidays. She even included him in most of the family outings. Still did as far as she knew, or at least the ones Kaycee didn’t attend. Mike spent more time with her family than she did.

Kaycee knew deep down her mother wanted them back together, but she couldn’t forgive him for what he’d done. Of all the people in her life, he was the last person she expected that from. That’s probably why it had hurt so badly.

The phone ringing from inside the kitchen caught her attention and she bounded up the deck steps. Quickly unlocking the back door, she ran in and grabbed the receiver.

“Hello,” she said, trying to catch her breath.

“Kaycee? Oh good, you made it.”

Kaycee smiled at the sound of her mother’s voice. “Yeah, but the weather’s looking pretty rough out here. You better hurry so you can beat the snowstorm they’re expecting.”

The chill of the cabin seeped through her coat, and she wrapped it around her more tightly. Starting a fire would be the first order of business.

“You stay warm up there, sweetheart. I came up the other day and stocked the kitchen, so there’s plenty of food. And there’s also lots of fuel for the generator in the garage if the solar panels run down.”

A strange feeling came over Kaycee, and she scowled at the counter. “Mom? You’re not calling to tell me you’re not coming, are you? I’m not about to stay up here all alone for the holiday.”

“Oh, no, dear. You won’t be alone. Grandpa, Josh, Jeremy, Aunt Charlotte and your Uncle Sam will be there as well. I’m just calling to let you know we may be late due to the storm.”

Yeah, right. And I’m Santa Claus.

Her mother was up to something; she could feel it, but what, she didn’t have a clue. Nor at the moment did she feel like trying to figure it out.

“Okay. Just be careful and I’ll get a big pot of chili started. It’s the perfect weather for it.”

“Chili sounds wonderful. See you soon.”

“See you soon, Mom.”

Kaycee hung the receiver back in its cradle and worked her way toward the main living area to build a fire in the wood stove. As she did, she noticed the changes her mother had made since the last time she was here: new curtains and tables, even a new leather sofa and matching overstuffed chair. She raised an eyebrow at the deep red color.

“Wow, living on the edge aren’t you, mom?” she whispered with a grin, her fingers skimming across the soft leather. It was so different from her mother’s usual and safe earth tones, but a nice change.

Once the fire was going, she headed into the kitchen to start dinner. It wouldn’t take the wood stove long to heat the small cabin. She noticed the radio on the kitchen counter, but decided to leave it off. She liked the sound of the fire popping and the soft scent of burning wood that carried through the great room. With the gas stove going in the kitchen, it would warm up even faster, a good thing too from the look of things outside. The snow had already begun to fall.

Thick flakes flew sideways, clinging to tree limbs and shrubs. The wind howled around the corner, creating an eerie element to the scene. She loved watching snowfall and kept gazing out the kitchen window while chopping the onions and peppers for the chili. Tomorrow would be the big day: eggnog, fudge, dinner with all the trimmings. A smile lit up her face thinking about all the fun her family would have.

With a sigh, she realized just how much she’d missed these old fashioned Christmas get-togethers and was glad her mother had finally talked her into coming.

“But what was it about this year, Mom, that was so important?” she asked to no one in particular. “Why were you so adamant?”

* * * *

Mike Donavon squinted out the front window of his Dodge Durango. The snow fell so hard he could barely see three feet in front of him. He hoped he made it to the cabin soon, before he ended up in a ditch. At least it was still daylight, fat good it did. Visibility was down to less than a quarter mile, but as he stared at the white curtain of snow before him, he doubted he could see that far.

Kaycee’s mom had been great to let him borrow the mountain hideaway for a couple of days. Despite what happened between him and her daughter, he’d remained close to Mrs. Mathews. She was like a mother to him and knew all the sordid details of what had occurred. Unfortunately, even with her help, he still hadn’t been able to get Kaycee back. She’d refused to even look at him, much less hear him out, until finally he’d just given up.

He’d loved her so much, and she’d shredded his heart the night she’d left him. Over the last ten years he’d tried to date other women, tried to forget about her, but had failed miserably. He wanted to go to the cabin and finally lay to rest the ghost; put that stage of his life behind him and move on. Maybe then he’d be able to have sex with a woman and not see Kaycee’s face.

Watching the road carefully, he flipped through the radio stations, looking for any updates on the weather.

Finally finding one, he stopped to listen. “Eighteen inches or more is expected in the higher elevations with wind gusts up to sixty-five miles an hour. Drivers are encouraged to find shelter and wait out the storm.”

“Little late for that now,” he mumbled to himself as he turned the radio down. The only shelter out this far was the cabin.

In the back of his mind, he wondered why Mrs. Mathews wasn’t using it this year. She’d told him it was to accommodate Kaycee’s schedule, but something just didn’t quite feel right. Wouldn’t it be a kicker if he showed up and the whole Mathews clan was there, including Kaycee? He could just see Kaycee’s green eyes flashing fire, before she threw herself into his arms and told him how wrong she’d been. He snorted at the image.

Like that’ll ever happen.

Knowing Kaycee, she’d jump in her car and drive down the mountain to get away from him, snowstorm or not. He rounded the last curve, then pressed down on the gas, gaining more speed before hitting the final incline. Almost there, he thought with a relieved sigh. He’d fire up the stove; open one of the cans of soup he’d brought and enjoy the quiet.

As he approached the top of the hill, he frowned. A light was visible through the haze of snow that fell between him and the small log house. Who was at the cabin? Mrs. Mathews told him no one would be here.

Pulling in front of the house, he turned off the engine and glanced around. He didn’t see any cars, but they could be parked in the back. Of course with the snow coming down the way it was the car could be right next to him, and he wouldn’t see it.

He took his keys from the ignition and opened the car door, gasping as the cold wind hit his face. He closed the door and took one more look around, but didn’t see anyone. His little fantasy of crashing the family party suddenly didn’t seem so funny anymore.

He flipped the collar of his coat up around his neck and ran up the front steps. It didn’t matter who was here. He wouldn’t be able to make it back down the mountain in this blizzard. He was stuck here until the storm blew through and the roads were passable again.

Wet, white powder fell from his boots to the wood planks of the front porch as he stomped toward the door. The sound of his footsteps were loud against the winter silence around him. He raised his hand to knock, but was startled when the door flung open, a young woman standing in the entryway blocking his path inside.

For a moment he couldn’t move, couldn’t even breath. Damn Mrs. Mathews and her meddling. He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice died in his throat. Ten years he’d thought of her, but nothing could prepare him for the sight that greeted him now.

Kaycee had let her hair grow long, and it curled on the ends about halfway down her back. The glow of the oil lamps cast yellow highlights on the soft brown strands. Her green eyes spit fire hot enough to burn.

His gaze raked down her figure. It was just as he remembered it, except for her breasts. They appeared bigger than they were before and his hands itched to touch them, just as he had all those years ago. He could still hear her sighs in his mind, could still feel her fingers against his skin.

It was a constant dream that plagued him as he slept, and haunted his daytime hours. Just being near her brought back all the love he felt for her as a teenager, and he swallowed down the need to take her in his arms.

With her next words there was no doubt Kaycee was not of the same mind.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

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