A Touch Of Frost (2 page)

Chris laughed. “Nothing. I was commenting on our Christmas Angel.”

“Elle Roland’s our Christmas Angel?”

“First and last days. Always.” Chris shrugged. “Wish I could convince her to play the part every day. The kids love her.”

Jack didn’t doubt it but… “Why is she doing it at all? She’s not an employee of Frosty’s Snowmen.” He couldn’t stop his lawyer’s mind from calculating every possible suing angle that could arise from having a non-employee take part in running Santa’s Village.

“No. But… You know what? I think it’ll be better if you see. Just watch.” Chris nodded in Elle and Kandy’s direction.

The muted stampede of little feet running over cushioning rubber and the delighted squeals as the children rushed into the arena filled the air. Elle and Kandy turned towards the noise and were soon surrounded.

“God. She glows,” Jack murmured.

“I know.”

“She’s almost too beautiful to look at. Like spun glass you’re afraid to touch.”

“Don’t misjudge her. She’s tougher than she looks,” Chris said.

“You seem to know a lot about her.” A hot, heavy sensation settled in Jack’s chest. He didn’t want to examine the emotion behind it. “You two got something going on?”

“Problem if we do?”

Jack snarled. An honest to God snarl.

Chris held his hands up and stepped back. “Whoa. Down, boy. I thought you’d sworn off women.”

“I did.” But Jack couldn’t deny he would be throwing that vow out the window in the next few hours. Hell, he’d already tossed it. His gaze was drawn back to where Elle now led a group of children along the path to Santa’s house. “Things change.”

Chris chuckled. “And quickly.”

Jack shot him a dirty look before turning back to where Elle was talking to Mrs Claus.

“Sorry about earlier,” Chris said.

“Mmm…” Jack wasn’t really listening. He was too busy watching Elle. She wasn’t his usual type. Not that he knew what that was anymore. Not after Annabelle.

“The crack about the stick up your arse.”

Ah, right. “No worries. Besides, it’s true.” Jack sighed. “Just wish I could blame the ex for it. Unfortunately I shoved that stick there all by myself.”

When Annabelle had walked he’d taken a good hard look at where his ambition had gotten him — who he’d become — and he hadn’t liked what he’d discovered. Hence returning to his home state and the company his father had built with Chris and Kandy’s fathers.

Jack still wasn’t comfortable in his new skin. Old habits were hard to break and he was finding that wanting to change didn’t make a damn bit of difference to the ease of transition, but he was determined to become someone he could be happy with.

“So is she seeing anyone?” Jack asked as he continued to observe Elle with the children.

“Not that I’m aware of. Kandy would know for sure. They’re close,” Chris offered. “C’mon. Let’s take that tour before you start drooling all over the floor.”

Jack let Chris steer him away from Santa’s house and through the village. Pride swelled inside him as they made their way along the frozen streets. He hadn’t seen the village since he left for Canberra and his position at one of the country’s top law firms. Of course it had been easy to stay away with Annabelle’s undisguised shock and disgust at his family’s business.

He’d been such an arse. It was a wonder his father hadn’t disowned him.

They wandered the rubber-paved streets and paths. Chris rambled about what Jack had missed over the years within the company’s structure. He’d kept himself so in the dark he didn’t know they’d branched out into other ventures, giving Frosty’s Snowmen a year-round schedule. Ducking into the miniature toy workshop, they chatted with the gathered crowd as well as the elves hammering away at wooden trains.

Finally, they made their way back to where they started. Santa’s house. Jack glanced around, but couldn’t see Elle anywhere.

“She’s over at the reindeer stables.”

Jack hadn’t seen Kandy move next to him. “Who?” He wasn’t about to give himself away.

Kandy laughed. “Really? You’re going with that?”

He shrugged, but held his tongue.

She sighed and leaned against him. “I’d warn you away, Jack, but I know Elle can take care of herself.”

“And I’m dangerous?”

Kandy gave his chest a pat. “The old Jack, yes. The new one? I’m not so sure. The jury’s still out on that one.”

Jack wrapped his arm around Kandy’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “You used to love me.”

“Ha! I was eight and in love with you
and
Chris. In my innocence, I thought the three of us would get married and live happily ever after right here in Santa’s Village.”

Jack chuckled. “That’s one hell of an innocence.”

She grinned up at him. “Wasn’t it?”

“You always did believe in the unbelievable.” He nodded his head to indicate their surroundings.

“Why not? It doesn’t hurt to believe in a little magic and the joy it brings. The pleasure stamped all over the kids’ faces is incomparable.”

Jack looked around them. He used to think that, once upon a time. But then the teasing had started. Some time around the eighth grade his view of life and his family had changed. He’d gone from loving them and the business to hating it — wanting no part of it.

He’d distanced himself as much as possible once he’d left for university, even getting his law degree in a different state so he’d only have to be home during the holidays. And what had that gotten him?

Nothing but a plastic wife and a career he was no longer proud of. Amazing what a little clear vision did for a guy. When Annabelle had asked him to turn a blind eye to her father’s unscrupulous behaviour he’d been forced to re-evaluate — to actually look at who and what he’d become.

“Jack.” Kandy snapped her fingers in front of him several times. “Santa’s Village to Jack. Come in, Jack.”

“Sorry.”

“You really zoned out on me. What were you thinking about?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Nothing important.” And it wasn’t. That was his past. He’d come home to build a future and that meant embracing the family business - and the possibility of embracing a particular female who’d gotten under his skin without trying.

Elle had just removed her Christmas Angel coat when someone knocked on her office door. With a sigh, she resigned herself to the workday not being over and called out, “Come in.”

The door swung open and Jack Frost stepped into the room, instantly shrinking the space with his large presence. “Hey.”

Her spine stiffened when she saw the frown on his face. “Is there a problem?”

“No. I um…” He shuffled his feet a little, a very self-conscious move for a man who’d oozed confidence and control all day. “I just wanted to apologise for earlier.”

“Earlier?”

“First impressions can leave a bad taste in the mouth and I feel as though you have a bad one of me.” He cocked his head to the side slightly. “Or perhaps the correct one, but one I’m hoping to change.”

“Oh, no. I think I have you pegged.” Elle let a smile tilt one corner of her mouth. “I’ve heard all about you, Jack Frost.”

And she had. Kandy had spent the day reciting the
life of Jack
and Elle was certain the man in front of her wasn’t just the arrogant arsehole he’d first appeared.

One thick eyebrow arched as he studied her. “Should I assume our mutual friends have been telling tales?”

“Never assume. It’ll get you into trouble every time.” She turned and walked to her desk. “But I will accept your apology even though it’s not necessary.”

“And what about dinner?”

Elle stopped with her hand on the strap of her bag. “Dinner?”

“Will you accept my dinner invitation, too?”

She turned to face him, her mouth curved in a smile. “I don’t recall being invited to dinner, Jack.”

He shook his head. “Again I find myself not at my articulate best around you.”

Elle liked the sound of that. She liked that she threw him off his game. It meant their interactions would be equal. God knows the man rattled her equilibrium more than a 7.5 on the Richter scale.

“So, dinner?”

“What did you have in mind?” she asked.

“Something simple, somewhere quiet.” He did that feet shuffling again. “I’d like to get to know you better.”

Elle held her arms out wide. “What you see is what you get.”

He smiled. “I highly doubt that, Angelle.”

Ah, so she wasn’t the only one who’d been given a life story today. “Let me guess, Kandy.”

“No. Actually, it was Santa.” Jack grinned and the ground beneath her feet rocked.

That grin changed everything.

Gone was the serious, tense Jack. In his place was a man who appeared years younger. Instead of the stay-out-of-my-way vibe he’d exuded all day, this Jack called her closer. Made her want to step into him, press herself against him, and feel the heat hinted at in the twinkle in his eyes.

This new side of Jack scared her. Once this Jack put his mind to something, he’d get it. Not that the arrogant, commanding Jack couldn’t — or wouldn’t — but that one she could push aside, could convince herself he was an arsehole and not at all the type of guy she’d want to get tangled with.

“Yes or no?” he asked.

Her first instinct was to say no — to steer clear of any guy who stirred her emotions as much as Jack had with minimal contact. But what came out of her mouth was an unmitigated, “Yes.”

“Great. I know the perfect place. Want to follow me in your car or come with me and I’ll bring you back here after we eat?”

“I don’t have a car. I ride a bike.”

Both his eyebrows hiked up on his forehead, his eyes widening beneath them. “You ride a bike to work?”

Elle smiled. She knew exactly what he was imagining and she was about to school him on his misguided thoughts. “Yeah, a ZX-6R.”

“A motorbike?” Jack eyebrows disappeared completely beneath his dark, shaggy fringe.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Something wrong with that?”

“Ah, no. I just can’t picture you riding one.”

Elle could tell Jack was referring to her size. He wouldn’t be the first to underestimate her because of her physique. “I grew up in a racing family. My father rode in the MotoGP until he retired and my brother currently rides in the Moto2 circuit.”

“Roland. Wow. You’re Mark Roland’s daughter?”

“You’re a racing fan?” She’d had more than one guy ask her out because of who her father was. At least she knew Jack hadn’t had a clue before now. Or he was a great actor and he’d just given an academy worthy performance.

“Are you kidding? You don’t need to be a fan to know Mark Roland. I’d be remiss as an Australian if I didn’t know his name and what he was famous for. Not many of our countrymen dominate in world sports, motor or otherwise, the way he did for over a decade.”

“Good point.” Elle unfolded her arms and reached for her backpack. “For a while my mother wondered if he’d ever stop collecting trophies. She always said we needed a second house just to store them all.”

“Didn’t he clean-sweep three straight Grand Prix seasons?”

“Sure did.” She pulled her jacket from her bag. “So where are you taking me for dinner?”

“There’s this little Italian place around the corner from me. Family run. Best food on the planet.” Jack stepped forward and helped her into her jacket. “I’m over in the parking garage. Is that where you are or do you have staff parking somewhere else?”

“We park in the garage. What level are you on? Staff has level one reserved.” She zipped up her jacket.

“Want me to take your bag?” Jack indicated the backpack Elle was slipping her arms into.

She arched one eyebrow.

“Right. Sorry. Stupid question. You do this every day.” He smiled sheepishly.

The man really was cute when he was flustered. Elle took pity on him. “Thanks for offering. But you’re right. I do this every day. Twice.” She smiled up at him. He was at least a foot taller than her and standing this close their height difference was almost comical. He’d get a crick in his neck if he tried to kiss her. Not that she should be thinking about him kissing her.

“Of course you do. Obviously I wasn’t thinking when I made that offer.” He stepped towards the door. “Should I give you the address of the restaurant? It’s literally around the corner from my place so I was going to park at home and walk…”

Before Elle even knew she was going to speak words were flying out of her mouth. “Give me your address. I’ll meet you there and we can walk together.”

Jack grinned and heat bloomed in her lower belly. In that instant Elle knew she’d have to be extra careful around him. She wasn’t the type to fall into bed with a guy she’d just met, but with Jack she suspected he’d have her breaking every one of her dating rules.

Willingly.

* * *

Jack lost sight of Elle within minutes of leaving the parking lot. She easily wove her way through the congested Sydney traffic while he was stuck in the long line of cars inching their way to destinations unknown. When he hit the motorway, he resisted the urge to flatten the accelerator to the floor and break the speed limit to get home quicker. The last thing he wanted was to be pulled over by a cop.

Thirty minutes after pulling out of the parking garage, Jack turned onto his street and took his first easy breath since Elle had disappeared from view. He didn’t see her bike when he pulled into his driveway, but she was there, sitting on his top step. Jack switched off the engine and got out.

“Where’s your bike?” He took long, quick strides towards the house.

She got to her feet and brushed her hands over her denim-covered arse. “At my place.”

Jack dragged his gaze up her torso. She’d changed out of her work clothes into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that hugged her body like skin. She might be small, but the woman definitely had curves on her. “Huh?”

Elle laughed. “Eyes up here, Jack.”

He shook his head, something he needed to do a lot around this woman. “Sorry. You’re in different clothes.” It wasn’t a question, but the sentence implied one just the same.

“Apparently we live in the same suburb. I’m a five minute walk away.” She nodded down the street to their left.