Wicked Night Before Christmas (6 page)

A faint light twinkled in the depths of his eyes the color of deep blue sea. “We're all going to walk together."

The idea of seeing the two walking, holding hands or with Lucas's arm wrapped protectively around Rochelle's shoulders produced a severe pain in her whole being. Cara bit her lower lip to prevent herself from wincing. She knew it was just a dream when she heard Lucas whisper I love you to her. But that dream was stuck in her head, keeping her from hoping that it would someday become a reality for him to say it to her. Why? Because she was stupid.

"Seeing you are ready, why don't you go on—"

"Be downstairs in ten minutes. Like I said, dress in something warm. You'll need more than a camisole and a thong to go out in the snow."

Cara looked down at herself then gasped. Her nipples were puckered and pressed against her camisole, but her thong was all together different. She was practically exposed. “Out!"

Lucas's laughter echoed in her ears. “Ten minutes or I'm coming back in here."

His mere presence made her forget she stood practically naked in front of him. “Leave if you want me downstairs."

Wearing a thick black Northface coat, black bonnet that she knotted under her chin, and black snow boots, Cara walked behind Lucas and Rochelle. While the two were arm in arm, whispering in each other's ears, Cara was busy trying to stay upright and ignoring the two. Even with her snow boots on, snow, when compacted, was slippery. The duo crossed the street and was getting farther away from her, but she didn't care. She'd rather walk alone anyway. Cara stopped when a patrol snowmobile drove by. She was about to cross when her sore ankle gave in beneath her and she landed on her butt.

"Take my hand. I don't bite."

She looked up and met a pair of dark eyes. Lovely, of all the places to slip, it had to be here. Cara took the man's offered hand and smiled. She noticed his rock-star hair. Awesome, she thought.

"Thanks. So embarrassing landing on my tush like that."

"Don't worry about it. It happens to me all the time."

Cara laughed. “All the time, huh?"

"You're not hurt?"

"Just my ego.” Cara looked back at Lucas and Rochelle. They were almost out of her sight and didn't even notice she wasn't following them anymore.
Who cares
.

"I'm Karsen with a K. I ski here a lot."

Where was this hot skier when she was alone on the Devil's Jump? She bet any woman wouldn't mind being stuck somewhere as long as he was around. Cara looked at Karsen's offered hand. Yeah, she waited for her pulse to leap the way it normally would when Lucas was around. Nothing. She knew why. Karsen wasn't Lucas. “Please to meet you Karsen with a K. I am Cara with a C."

"It's my pleasure meeting the woman who captivated the attention of the staff here."

Cara frowned. “How did I manage to do that?"

"Heard you had a bit of an accident at the Devil's Jump."

"How did you know it was me?"

"The staff described you well. A beautiful woman."

A flatterer. “You asked about me?"

"Couldn't help it. The lure to know who you are is so strong, hard to resist."

"To know who the clumsy idiot who skied alone."

"You weren't the only one who had done that. By the way, it's not idiotic to ski alone. You took the challenge. You're brave. I like that in a woman."

"Thanks for trying to make me feel good."

"Where are you heading, Cara?"

"To the Christmas Wish Tree. I haven't done my wishing yet."

"Great. I am heading that way, too. I'll walk you there. A beautiful woman like you shouldn't be alone in a place like this."

"She's not alone. She's with me."

Cara didn't have to turn around. She knew who stood behind her. “Karsen, this is my friend's brother Lucas.” She glanced back at Lucas, scowled then gave Karsen a winsome smile. “He happened to be here when I fell. A knight saving a damsel in distress."

"Such flattery, my lady. So, you're the agent who found Cara.” Karsen offered his hand to Lucas. “Great job. Devil's Jump is known for its tricky run."

"Lucas McLeod.” Lucas shook Karsen's hand before turning to Cara. “Cara has the tendency to lose her way. Now I know what to get her for Christmas—a leash. Ready to go?"

"Yes, but I'm going with him. Karsen offered to take me to the Wish Tree.” She tried to hide her annoyance in front of Karsen.
A leash. Yeah, to wrap around your neck
.

Lucas stared at Cara with a straight face. “Cara, you are walking with me."

"I'll find you at the base of the tree, Cara. Now that Agent McLeod is here, I think you're going to be safe.” He surprised Cara by taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. “I'll be there. Nice meeting you, Agent."

"I'll be looking for you.” She waved at Karsen and waited until he disappeared among the crowds before she faced Lucas. He was looking at her as if her head suddenly multiplied in front of him. “A leash. You will give me a leash for Christmas."

"Seems a perfect gift. It's such a short walk from our cabin to the tree, but you got lost. Maybe—"

"I didn't get lost. I stopped to talk to Karsen. If you were not ogling your girlfriend and looked back to see me once in a while, you would have seen what happened."

"You landed on your butt."

"Yes. Lucky me Karsen was here to help me."

Arms akimbo, he narrowed his eyes at her. “So you decided to flirt with him."

"You must have mistaken me with someone else. I don't flirt, Lucas."

Lucas pulled his skullcap down shaking his head. “What happened to you Cara? What happened to us?"

"Us? There is no us, Lucas. We were just friends."

"Yeah? The way you introduced me to Karsen. I'm just your
friend's
brother."

Cara bristled. She should have at least said he was a friend, but at the time he made her angry and she didn't even want to be friends.

"There was an us until you broke it, Cara."

"How?"

"Instead of waiting for me to come home you dated, what's his name? Rick?"

"I dated Rick because you—what? You thought I didn't wait? You thought while you're gone I simply went on a date? Hey! For your information, big lug, I dated Rick because I heard about you and Rochelle getting back together. Do you have any idea how I counted every minute and second of the day, using the mental power I didn't have to make the time go by faster so I could see you. And then your Rochelle called to tell Amy that you two hooked up."

"She's part of why I went to Florida. Job related."

"What kind of job?” She put emphasis on the last word.

Lucas tsked. “Such a dirty mind, baby."

"You work for the DEA, not with the pageant business. The only connection I see between the two is your relationship with Rochelle."

"Give me time and I'll explain everything."

"Well then, while I am waiting, I will continue thinking that your promise of a talk is just that. An empty promise."

"Work didn't give me the opportunity. Calling you or my family was the last thing I had on my list because it's a must for me to keep my head clear. Still, I thought of you when bullets weren't whizzing past my head."

"What bullet?"

"Nothing. Cara, baby—"

She quickly waved aside whatever it was he wanted to say. “You seriously pissed me off so to forget about you, I went out with him. But we broke up anyway because you, like a freaking tick under my skin, bugged me all the time. An itch that won't go away. So don't you dare accuse me of breaking whatever we had."

"Did you hear what I just said?"

"Yes, you went to Florida to see Rochelle and you didn't have time to call me."

"Wow. You're so green from jealousy Kermit the Frog would be jealous if he saw you."

"Funny. You should join the circus."

Cara turned away, stomping her feet on the slushy snow. If she looked back, she would have seen the grin spread on Lucas’ face.

Lucas watched Cara walk pass Rochelle like a soldier marching, her hands straight on her side. Did she just call him a big lug and a tick? Laughter escaped his mouth. He couldn't help it. Cara had just admitted that she cared for him. Like the warmth a fireplace provided, Cara's words heated up the cold part of his heart caused by her refusal to acknowledge his presence. She thought he and Rochelle were back together. Like a clear sky after a heavy rain, everything that had happened in the past week made sense. Cara ignoring him. Her cold greeting. Cara was really jealous.

What the heck. He'd met women in the past, but only Cara could jumble his senses.

When the right time comes, he'd explain to Cara why he was chummy with his ex-high school sweetheart again. For now, he'd focus on his task. Squeeze information from Rochelle about Ramon Rivera.

Amy and his parents had already secured a table and were sipping cocoa when they made it to the town center. Lucas waved back at them and was about to join the group when Rochelle pulled him over to the Starbucks station. He looked back at Cara. She met his gaze then strode toward his sister. The two hugged and left the table.
Most likely to get their paper to hang on the tree
. He wondered what Cara would write for a wish.

The original version of
Jingle Bells
floated in the air. A man in a Santa suit ringing his bell followed by three little people in Elves outfits urged the crowd to join the singing. Lucas took in the beauty of the surroundings. Trees bright with Christmas lights looked so pretty as if they were all covered with fireflies. The ten feet Christmas tree adorned with colorful ornaments from teddy bears to small bells stood in the middle of the village like a giant. Except, unlike a giant, the tree was mighty pretty. There was an atmosphere of excitement. Everyone was felicitous, enjoying their vacations, the holiday with pleasure obvious on their faces. He loved the holiday season, but right that moment all he wanted was Cara. To have her beside him. To feel her warmth and share his with her.

He spotted Cara and Amy again checking the table laden with all kinds of cakes specially baked for the auction. From where he stood, it looked like the two were bidding on every cake. He bet Amy would bid on a carrot cake and Cara on a double chocolate layered cake. It was incredible how the two could eat sweet desserts like hungry barbarians and still manage to keep their slim shapes.
Good
. At least scums selling diet pills wouldn't victimize them. Not that Amy and Cara were fool enough to fall for the scams. But there were those who fell victim to the lure of companies selling vitamins and medications to keep a slim waist. Why? Because society defined beauty as tall, slim and fat-free. Freaking shallow view and destructive. How many teenagers killed themselves because they thought they were too fat and unattractive?

Lucas felt a gentle touch on his arm. Rochelle held two cups of steamy hot lattes.

"Nine dollars, Lucas."

"I'll take care of it. Why don't you join my parents? I'll be right there."

"Sure, darling.” Rochelle smiled then sashayed her way to the table.

Lucas tried to get a glimpse of Amy and Cara, but the throng of people grew thicker by the minute. He paid for the coffee, greeted the young woman behind the counter a happy holiday, then wound his way to the spot where he last saw Cara. With his six feet and two inches height, he towered over most people. His height also gave him the advantage to spot the man Cara met earlier—Karsen. His gaze followed Karsen's line of vision.

Karsen looked in a hurry to reach Cara. Most likely to grab the paper Cara was in the process of tying on the highest part of the tree that she could reach. The man was surely pissing him off.

In his haste, Lucas nearly tripped on a little man whose head barely reached his knees.

"Hey, pal! Watch it. Little people around, you know."

"Sorry,” he quickly said then looked back at Karsen who, despite the noise, must have heard the little man's voice.

To Lucas's surprise, the man stopped walking, looked at him, then grinned. He couldn't tell what it was, but the son of a bitch sent cold dread slithering down his spine. It was as bone-chilling as finding himself face to face with death. Lucas answered with a curt nod of acknowledgment.

Karsen disappeared behind a booth.

"Hey, how about gingersnap cookies? Money goes to the Children's Hospital Cancer Research."

"Give me a box.” Lucas said without taking his eyes off Cara who laughed at whatever his sister said to her.

"Ten fifty."

Lucas took the box from the man and handed him his twenty. “Keep the change.” With a careful stride, he dodged people and walked toward Cara.

Flecks of snow began to fall. The atmosphere turned the crowd's cold feeling to a buoyant spirits. People laughed as downy white snow blanketed tables and chairs. Children looked up at the sky with their tongues sticking out catching the biggest flakes they could spot. One by one, couples started dancing unmindful of who was watching. This, Cara thought, was what it must be like being inside a snow globe. So beautiful, romantic, and freezing.

"Do you think someone would try to get our papers and grant our wishes?"

Cara grinned at Amy who'd been biting her nails since they hooked the small red folded paper on the tree. Both of them picked the highest spot, but still reachable. “Why ever not?"

"Well, in case you haven't noticed. Most people hung their paper wishes down below where anyone could get them easily. Ours are way up there as if we didn't want anyone to pick them and we didn't exactly ask for a bread toaster or a pair of Gortex gloves. What if an old, pruney man happens to pick your paper?"

"Then one pruney man will be happy before Christmas."

"Ewww! Cara, I think we should get the papers back and wish for a box of underwear instead. A wicked night before Christmas is just too wicked. I don't even know what it entails. The word wicked could be interpreted as anything from pole dance to lick a snow covered post."

"Don't be silly. Of course, no one will answer our wishes."

"Okay, what if someone did and he happens to look like a hot cowboy, ruggedly handsome, with lips so sensual butterflies would flicker in your belly just by looking at them."