Christmas in Tinsel Town Read online

  She began to ripple around me as she writhed beneath me. “Come for me, love,” I grunted and picked up the pace. And she did. She clamped down on me while her walls massaged my dick, pulling my own release from me.

  Covered in sweat and out of breath, I collapsed on top of her and framed her face with my hands. “Ronan,” she rasped. “That was…I’ve never…Can we…”

  I chuckled. “Oh, yes, love, it was amazing and we’ll definitely be doing it again.”

  10

  Jacquelyn

  The second night of Tinsel Town was just as successful as the first night. Once again, Ronan and I played Santa and Mrs. Claus while Jacob and Keegan made sure everything ran smoothly. Unfortunately, they had to return to Croftridge the following day. Gabby didn’t want to leave, and I sure didn’t want any of them to go, but Jacob and Keegan promised to bring her back as often as they could until she was out of school for Christmas break. As far as Tinsel Town, Seth and Ian agreed to oversee the activities in place of Jacob and Keegan.

  Since Tinsel Town was closed during the week, we took that time to replenish any supplies we needed and make any improvements or touchups necessary before opening for the weekend. We were operating like a well-oiled machine. After some discussion, Ronan and I decided we should continue to be Santa and Mrs. Claus every night that Tinsel Town was open and let Seth and Ian handle the operations side of things.

  Everything was running smoothly and we were packed every night. By the end of the second weekend, we had raised more money than I ever expected and we still had two more weekends to go.

  After Jacob and his family left, Ronan moved his clothes and toiletries upstairs to my bedroom, where we spent every night wrapped up in each other’s arms. However, the Wednesday after the third weekend, I woke to an empty bed. Grabbing my robe, I slipped it on and made my way downstairs to find Ronan in the kitchen with a grim look on his face.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Yes, love, I’m afraid it is. Seth and Ian have come down with the flu and won’t be able to help with Tinsel Town this weekend.”

  “Oh, dear. I’m going to go get dressed so I can go check on them.”

  “Oh, no, you’re not,” he said sternly. “They’re fine and I’ve made sure they have everything they need. You can’t go over there and risk catching it from them.”

  I frowned. I knew he was right, but it was in my nature to help others. “You’re sure they’ll be okay?”

  “I promise, love. Now, we have a bigger problem to work on. We need to find two trustworthy people to fill in for Ian and Seth before Friday.”

  “What about the two men who fill in for them from time to time?” I asked.

  Ronan cocked his head to the side while he thought about it. Finally, he nodded and said, “That might work. It wouldn’t be the usual security gig, but I think they could handle it.”

  I left Ronan to make his phone calls and went upstairs to get ready for the day. With Seth and Ian out, Ronan and I would be restocking the townhomes and testing the lights by ourselves.

  Ronan entered the bedroom just as I had finished dressing. “Good news, love. I found two replacements to work this weekend.”

  Carl and Ben arrived an hour before opening Friday evening. We showed them around while explaining how things ran and what we needed from them. Both readily agreed and assured us they could handle it.

  “I thought you got Chris and Ryan to come help out,” I said once we were out of earshot.

  “I did, but their wife went into labor this morning. I ended up having to call an agency to find some help on such short notice,” he explained.

  “I need to make a note to send a gift to the hospital,” I said aloud. Chris and Ryan were in an unconventional relationship with a woman, but who was I to judge? They all loved each other and were happy, and I was happy for them.

  “Come on, love; we don’t have long before it’s time to open, and we still need to get changed.”

  The time passed quickly as child after child came to see Santa. Once again, the place was packed. “Another successful night! I can’t believe it!” I exclaimed after the last guest was gone.

  Ronan smiled proudly. “Yes, it was,” he said softly and placed a chaste kiss on my lips.

  We made quick work of closing down the townhomes and turning off everything except the lights. While Ronan was dismissing the college kids, I went over to the ticket booth to get the lockbox of money. Each night, I took it back to the house and put our earnings in the safe for the weekend.

  The ticket booth was set up just in front of where the townhomes began and positioned so that it couldn’t be seen from inside Tinsel Town. With all the lights still on, I didn’t think anything of going to get the box. But, when I turned around, Carl and Ben were standing in front of me, each with a gun pointed directly at me.

  “Just give me the money and no one gets hurt,” Carl said.

  My grip on the box tightened. If there’s one thing I hated, it’s a thief. And stealing from children, that was a whole other level of low.

  “Why are you doing this?” I asked, trying to stall.

  Ben snorted. “Are you stupid or just old, lady?”

  “Neither,” I hissed.

  “Give us the money. Now!” Carl demanded.

  “No!” I yelled as loud as I could and swung the metal box at Carl’s hands, sending his gun flying through the air. But I didn’t stop there, I swung the box again, this time bringing it up between his legs.

  Just as he hit the ground, two gunshots echoed in the night, followed by Ronan’s enraged bellow. “Jacquelyn!! Are you okay?” he frantically shouted as he ran to me.

  I turned toward him to tell him I was fine, but my vision blurred and I started to fall. I felt Ronan’s arms surround me as everything faded to black.

  When I woke, bright white lights assaulted my eyes, causing me to groan.

  “Jacquelyn?”

  “Mom?”

  “Gigi?”

  Gigi. Gabby. My eyes flew open and I tried to sit up. “Calm down, love. You’re in the hospital. You’re okay, but you can’t get up right now.”

  “Gabby?” I asked in confusion. Had I imagined her voice? Was that even possible?

  “Gigi! I love you, Gigi!”

  My eyes finally found her, clinging to Jacob as he cradled her against his chest. “I love you, too, sweet girl. Bring her over here, please.”

  Jacob looked to Ronan for permission. “I’m fine. Bring my grandbaby over here. She’s upset and I won’t have it.”

  “Well,” Jacob mumbled. “It seems Gigi is just fine.”

  He carried Gabby over and carefully placed her on the bed beside me. She started to reach for me but stopped herself. “It’s okay, sweetie. Come up here and snuggle with Gigi,” I told her and patted the bed where I wanted her to go.

  With Gabby nestled into my side, I addressed the rest of the room. “What happened?”

  Ronan stepped forward and hung his head. “I failed you.”

  “Cut that shit out, man,” Jacob snapped. “You saved my mother’s life, not to mention all the money she raised for charity.”

  “Why am I in the hospital?” I asked, even though it was more of a demand.

  “When you went all Ninja Claus on Carl, Ben was able to get a shot off before Ronan took him down. The bullet grazed your neck and you passed out. However, when you arrived at the hospital, they discovered your blood sugar was extremely low. So, with the shock of the robbery and not eating properly, you keeled right over,” Jacob explained.

  “Are you okay?” I asked Ronan. “You weren’t hurt?”

  He shook his head but wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Could we have a moment, please?”

  “Of course,” Keegan said knowingly and ushered Jacob and Gabby from the room. There was once a horrific time where she was the one in the hospital bed looking at her man filled with guilt.

  Once they were gone, I focused on Ronan, who was still staring at his feet. “
Ronan, come sit with me,” I said softly and patted the bed. Reluctantly, he did as I asked. “I love you, with all my heart. When I saw those guns, I knew you would come running to save me. And all I could think was, please don’t let him get hurt. So, I did what I did because I wanted to save you. Was it foolish? Probably. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. You’re my other half; you have been for a long time. I can’t and won’t lose you. I’m sorry if my actions made you question your abilities. I’ve never doubted you and I never will. I want you by my side forever and always.”

  He slowly raised his head and met my eyes. One side of his mouth curved up in a grin while his eyes twinkled with mischief. “Did you just propose to me?”

  I playfully swatted his chest. “I most certainly did not.”

  “Good,” he nodded. “Because that would have completely ruined this.” He stood and pulled a black box from the pocket of the Santa pants he was still wearing. Flipping the lid open, he knelt beside my hospital bed. “Jacquelyn Marks, I’ve been in love with you for years. You’re the air that I breathe, the sun that lights my world. You’re everything to me. Would you do me the honor of being my wife and spending the rest of your life with me?”

  I smiled and wiped the tears from my face. “Yes!”

  He slipped the ring on my finger and pulled me into his arms. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” he whispered and captured my lips with his.

  “I saw Mommy—” Jacob started to sing, followed by, “Oomph.”

  “Shut it, Shaky Jakey!” Ranger snapped.

  “Ranger! What are you doing here?” I asked.

  He grinned. “I used to play pool with the county sheriff. Nice man. He owed me a favor, so I cashed it in and made sure the men who harmed you knew exactly who they’d messed with. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.”

  “Well, you didn’t have to do that, but thank you,” I said.

  “It was my pleasure. And just so you know, that one you whacked in the balls, he had to have his sack stitched up. Nice shot, Jacquelyn.”

  I covered my face with my hands as my cheeks flushed. “I can’t believe I did that.”

  “Damn proud of you, Mom,” Jacob said.

  “As am I,” Ronan added.

  I held my hand up and wiggled my finger in my son’s direction. “By the way, I said yes.”

  Keegan’s eyes widened in surprise while Jacob smiled and Gabby squealed.

  “Congratulations!” Ranger said and shook Ronan’s hand. Keegan snapped out of her shock and came over to hug us both, followed by Gabby, and finally, Jacob.

  “Congratulations, Mom. If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

  “I am happy, Jacob. Very happy.”

  “You know what would make me even happier?”

  “What’s that?”

  “If you’d find out when I can go home. I don’t have time to be in the hospital, and quite frankly, I think the floor would be more comfortable than this bed.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Jacob said right as a doctor entered the room.

  “Mrs. Marks, I’m Dr. Merin. We’re glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?”

  I smiled kindly and answered honestly. “My neck is a bit sore, and I feel physically drained, but I’m certain I would feel much better in my own home.”

  Dr. Merin smiled, knowingly. “Let me have a look at your wound and check a few other things. If we do let you go home, will you have someone staying with you?”

  I gestured to the crowd in my room. “Every person in this room will be spending the night with me tonight; it’s up to you whether it’s here or at my house.”

  She laughed lightly and continued to exam me. “Well, in that case, I think we can probably let you go home, but it will be with strict orders to take it easy for the next few days, and make sure you’re following a proper diet.”

  “Yes, of course,” I agreed and waited until she had left the room to panic. “I can’t take it easy! Someone has to run Tinsel Town, and we’re down two men, again!”

  “Calm yourself, woman,” Ranger said. “You want her to come back in here and make you stay?” I quickly shook my head. “Didn’t think so. Now, listen. Me, Shaker, and Keegan can handle running the show while you’re recuperating. And before you say anything, we’ll swap Santa’s chair out for a love seat, so you two can sit together and both be in the picture. I’m sure our little Gabby wouldn’t mind dressing up as an elf and helping hand out tickets.”

  “Do I have to make my ears pointy?” Gabby asked seriously, causing all of us to laugh.

  “No, sweetie,” I assured her.

  “Then, it’s settled,” Ranger said and leaned back in his chair. “Wake me when it’s time to hit the road.”

  It didn’t take long for them to get my paperwork together and send me home. Ronan helped me into my bed and I sighed in relief as I sank into the plush mattress. When I looked up, Ronan was heading toward the door. “Where are you going?”

  “Downstairs to the apartment. I didn’t think it would be—”

  I cut him off. “Get over here and get in this bed! For goodness sake, we’re adults and just got engaged. I was shot tonight, and I want my man to hold me in his arms and make me feel safe. Right now,” I said and punctuated my demand by slapping my hand on the bed.

  Ronan grinned and pulled his shirt over his head as he prowled toward me. “You’re pretty sexy when you’re dishing out orders.”

  “Drop your pants and get in the bed.”

  He waggled his eyebrows. “See what I mean?”

  “Ronan,” I groaned in exasperation.

  “I’m just teasing, love. Okay, not really, but I’ll behave,” he said and slid under the covers. “Now, come here and let me hold you.” When I was snuggled against his chest, he continued, “I could have lost you tonight. Right when I just got you. I know it’s sudden, but I don’t want to waste time. I want to get married as soon as possible.”

  “Okay, when?”

  “That’s all you have to say?” he asked, sounding surprised.

  “I don’t have much interest in throwing a big, fancy wedding. I’d much rather have something small and intimate with only close family and friends present.”

  “Sounds perfect, love. Let’s get some sleep and we can talk about it tomorrow.”

  11

  Jacquelyn

  The next two nights ran smoothly. I really felt like I was more than capable of being on my feet and moving around, but everyone, including Gabby, insisted I sit on the new green love sofa that had been added to Santa’s home, so that’s what I did. I was able to hide the bandage on my neck with the strategic placement of a scarf and no one was the wiser.

  Once the guests were gone and it was time to close up, I turned to Ronan with tears in my eyes. “I can’t believe this was the last night we get to play Santa and Mrs. Claus.”

  “Are you about to cry?”

  I turned away from him and quickly wiped my eyes. “No.”

  He chuckled and came over to hug me. “Jacquelyn, we can dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus any time you want,” he whispered in my ear.

  “Behave yourself,” I playfully scolded.

  “Let’s go, love. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and it’s bound to be a busy day.”

  “Gigi!” Gabby squealed as she burst into the kitchen. “It’s snowing!”

  “What?” I asked and headed for the nearest window. “The weatherman didn’t say anything about snow.”

  “I’m going to build a snowman and a snowwoman. Do you know what the difference is, Gigi?”

  “I’m not sure I want to know.”

  “It’s snowballs,” Gabby giggled.

  “Papa taught you that one, didn’t he?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she managed to say through her laughter.

  I peered out the kitchen window, and sure enough, it was snowing. At least we didn’t have to go anywhere and would be safe at home for the holidays. I clapped my hands together to get Gabby
’s attention. “Let’s go find your sister and see if she wants to make Christmas cookies with us.”

  “Can we make some brownies for Papa so he won’t eat all the cookies?” Gabby asked.

  “Of course, we can,” I promised.

  We spent most of the day baking Christmas goodies. By dinner time, we had several inches of snow on the ground and they were calling for a few more before all was said and done.

  Ronan approached me from behind and wrapped his arms around me while I was watching the snow fall. “If I asked you to do something for me without questioning it, would you do it?”

  “It depends on what you asked me to do.”

  “Go upstairs and put on your Mrs. Claus outfit. Then, come to the front door.”

  I gave him a strange look but did as he asked. When I came back downstairs, everyone had disappeared and Jacob was standing by the front door. “What’s going on?”

  “You’ll see,” he grinned. “Follow me.”

  My limousine was idling in front of the house. Jacob escorted me down the stairs and helped me into the back before he went around and got in the driver’s seat. “Jacob, I don’t think we should be out on the roads in this weather.”

  “We aren’t going far.”

  Moments later, he came to a stop in front of Tinsel Town. When he opened the door for me, he told me to close my eyes. With my eyes tightly closed, I took careful steps as Jacob led me where he wanted me to go. “Keep them closed for just a moment longer and don’t move.”

  I heard a click and then the darkness behind my lids lightened. “Open,” Ronan said softly from in front of me.

  I opened my eyes and realized we were standing in front of the Christmas tree in the middle of the ice-skating rink and all the Tinsel Town lights were on.

  “I told you I didn’t want to wait, and I meant it. Will you marry me? Right now?”