Jingle Spells (20 page)

Ethan shrugged. “That's easy. I'll arrange a free Evergreen Industries event for the town. Hot cocoa and cookies for everyone. Holiday outreach to the citizens who support us. We can hold a toy drive. It'll be great PR.”

Only Ethan could spin a huge cover-up into something positive. And as much as the idea made Noelle want to vomit, it was a good plan. A great plan, actually. If only she wasn't the one required to supply all the cocoa. She'd struggled to make a batch strong enough to wipe Taryn's memories...how was she going to manage to produce enough to wipe the entire damn town?

Before she could open her mouth to come up with a protest, Cole's hand dropped from his face, and he stared at Ethan, hope flickering deep in his eyes. It caught and grew.

“You are brilliant, Ethan,” Belle said.

“I know,” Ethan said, spreading around his charming, egotistical smile.

Oh, shit. She was in serious trouble.

Her hands trembled. To hide the weakness, she clasped them together and dropped them into her lap. Dash silently reached over and covered them with one of his own. He might have meant to help with his gesture, but it didn't. In fact, the tremors increased, moving up her arms and engulfing her entire body.

She had to stop this. She had to speak up and tell them she couldn't do it.

Her mouth opened, but before the words could fall from her lips, the door to Cole's office burst open.

Kris walked in, his normally jolly expression thunderous and cheeks red for a completely different reason than Christmas cheer. Merry, quiet as always, slipped in behind him, her eyes cast down to the dark green carpet.

“What were you thinking, Kris? How could you take the car out like that? What did you think would happen when the entire town saw you?”

Kris bellowed. Behind him, Merry cringed, placing her hand on his arm in an attempt to cool the temper that was clearly about to erupt.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Noelle registered the utter violation of Santa lore as she watched him completely lose his shit. Although, without his beard, paunch and snow-white hair, it was a little less weird.

“What did I think? What did I think?” he asked, stalking toward Cole and slamming his hands down onto the desk. “I was thinking that I should take the car for a test drive before I attempted to fly it around the world on the most important night of the year. I was thinking a quick trip up and down wouldn't hurt. I was
thinking
that the cloaking spell would hold.”

Noelle gasped. Her eyes squeezed shut and her head dropped back against the curved edge of the love seat.

“What are you talking about?” Cole asked, his voice steady as he ignored Kris's burst of emotion and focused instead on his words.

“Everything was fine until I got above Gingerbread. The car shuddered and then it was...there. Nothing I could do about it at that point. I headed back as quickly as I could, but...”

“There's no hiding a flying car the color of a school bus,” Ethan muttered.

Kris nodded sharply.

For the first time since they'd sat down, Cole's gaze swept over to her and Dash. “What the heck is he talking about?”

For the second time, Noelle prepared to spill her guts and tell the Evergreen clan just how unqualified she was to hold the position they'd given her. This problem was too big for her to continue pretending. But before she could, Dash's hard voice blasted into the room.

“The cloaking spell wasn't ready.” His eyes glowed with banked heat. “If you'd bothered to tell us what you were planning, Kris, we could have told you that. The spells cast over the sleigh and reindeer have been in place for hundreds of years. They require only small infusions of power each year as a kind of booster for the magick that lingers inside each item.”

Everyone else in the room might have been buying the line of bullshit he was selling, but Noelle knew better.

This was all her fault.

Chapter 6

T
he moment they were alone in her office, Noelle spun on him. “What were you thinking?” she cried, slapping her hands onto his chest and pushing him backward with the force of her words and her displeasure.

“I can't do it, Dash. I could barely pull off the cocoa for Taryn. There's no way I can make a batch big enough for the whole damn town. By tonight.”

Horror and dismay edged her expression. In that moment, Dash's only concern was to calm her down. They weren't going to get anywhere with her spun up into a panic.

Grasping her arms, he pulled her tight against his body and covered her mouth with his. She fought him, struggling to yank her lips away. Capturing her chin, he held her in place. Slowly, her body overruled her brain, and she began to melt. The gradual transition was entirely erotic and threatened to pull him down into the moment right along with her. The soft sigh that brushed across his lips was almost his undoing, but somehow he found the strength not to succumb. Elle needed him right now. The passion building between them would have to wait.

When he was certain she wasn't going to revert the moment he let her go, Dash pulled back.

She blinked up at him, her eyes glazed with passion and her lips slick and temptingly swollen.

Sliding his hand around to the nape of her neck, he locked her in place. Slowly, reason returned. He hated to watch it seep back into her expression. Her breathing evened out, but the frenetic terror didn't return.

“You weren't surprised when I told you I struggled with the cocoa for Taryn.” It wasn't a question. He hadn't realized the error of what he'd said until that moment. He tried not to flinch, but couldn't keep the reaction from flowing through him.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because one of your elves told me.”

He waited for the eruption, but it never came.

“How long have you known?”

“A few days.”

“Why didn't you say anything?”

“Because I didn't think it was a problem anymore.”

A harsh sound scraped through her throat. “Yeah, right.”

Shaking his head, Dash pulled her across the office to the chair positioned behind her desk. Dropping into it, he pulled her down into his lap. He had fond memories of this chair. Was this where those moments would end?

He hoped not.

“Elle, you've got to stop suppressing your Summer half. As long as you won't access all of your power, you're going to struggle.”

“What are you talking about? I'm not suppressing anything.”

Running his hand up and down her back, he enjoyed the feel of her against his palm. “You are. Do you remember that burst of energy and light when you cloaked the car? The one you thought I was responsible for?”

She tentatively nodded. “I'm still not sure you weren't.”

“I promise I had nothing to do with it. Well, nothing aside from relaxing you enough that you couldn't hold it back anymore. I distracted you.”

Her beautiful mouth twisted into a grimace. “You mean you blinded me with lust.”

His own lips quirked up into a half smile. He couldn't stop himself from leaning forward to brush his mouth down the exposed column of her throat. “Yeah. That. It worked, though, didn't it?”

Her body went liquid in his arms. Her head dropped backward, arching her neck so he could access more of her. A sound of agreement vibrated against his lips.

“You can do whatever you want, Noelle. You just have to trust yourself. And your power.” He pressed the words against her skin. “You might be part-Summer, but that's what makes you unique. I love your blue eyes and the way you smell like fresh-cut flowers. The inherent glow to your skin, a light that radiates from deep inside you.”

He watched her struggle to accept the words he was saying. The fear and hope and remembered hurt.

“I don't...”

She looked at him helplessly. Noelle was a powerhouse. A whirlwind of competence and bravado. But he saw the insecurity beneath it all. And loved her more for it.

“You can do this, Noelle. I'll be there to help you. We all will.”

She swallowed and reluctantly nodded her head. He expected her to jump up and get right to work. They had a lot to accomplish in a few short hours. Instead, she curled against him, tucking her head beneath his chin. Her fingers tangled into his messy hair and held on.

For the first time he could ever remember, she needed something from him. And was letting him give it to her. He'd watched her eyes darken with desire. Had lost himself deep inside her body as she'd surrendered her own to him. They'd been as close as two beings could possibly get.

And somehow, this moment felt more. More important. More profound. More terrifying.

He'd been upset when she'd left the first time. After this, he wasn't sure he'd survive if she disappeared again.

Whispering against her soft hair, he said, “You're the only one who ever thought you didn't belong here, Noelle.”

* * *

Noelle had done it. It had been a rough start, but listening to Dash's soft voice, she'd managed to unlock the piece of herself she'd kept hidden for so long.

Until that moment, she hadn't completely believed what he was telling her. But now that she'd felt it again...he was right.

How could she not have known? How could she have been oblivious to the fact that she was closing off part of herself? Maybe she'd been doing it for so long it was subconscious.

But the feeling of euphoria and elation that rippled through her body along with the full heat of her power was addictive. She wasn't sure she'd be able to lock it away again, not now that she knew it was there.

But maybe that was a good thing.

She managed to keep her professional facade in place while they finished the cocoa and prepped it for transportation to the festival Ethan had thrown together at the last minute. Belle, who apparently knew the owner of A Cup of Cheer, had arranged to use their facilities.

Although the moment the details were all handled, Noelle couldn't hold back anymore. Launching herself at Dash, she trusted him to catch her even as her arms circled his neck. She rained kisses down across his cheeks, nose and chin.

“I did it,” she said breathlessly.

“I never had any doubts.”

“I know.” She grinned at him like an idiot, finally beginning to understand just how much this man believed in her and supported her. And always had.

As much as she wanted to drag him back to her office and show him just how much she appreciated his help, neither of them had the luxury of time for that. She had to settle for a single, deep kiss.

Pulling away, she headed out to check on her elves. Dash followed behind her, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his dress slacks. She knew he'd be more comfortable in a pair of his ratty, worn jeans. But as Evergreen executives, they were all putting in face time at the event, so he was dressed accordingly.

Stopping to check with several of her team, she continued to the shipping bay, where the vat of cocoa was waiting to be loaded onto the delivery van.

She was beside the driver's door when two voices rumbled deeply from the other side.

“We can't load it yet. Zarla volunteered to test it. If it doesn't work on her, we'll just switch her batch with the one Gabriel made.”

Noelle gasped. She thought it was under her breath, but the sound of it must have been louder because a scrambling clatter sounded from the other side. Two faces peeked around the edge of the van, shock, terror and apology written over every tiny, wrinkled inch.

“What do you mean the batch Gabriel made? When did my father make cocoa? I thought everything he'd made had been used or thrown out as unstable.” After a few weeks, the magick had begun to weaken and become dangerously erratic, which was why they produced the concoction on an as-needed basis.

One of the elves cleared his throat nervously. The other's gaze flickered to the floor.

Pulling out her best “boss” voice, she demanded, “Tell me what you meant. Now.”

Dash wrapped a hand around her arm and spun her to face him. But Noelle wasn't finished with the elves. She glared at him, but he wasn't even looking at her. His gaze was focused completely on the men behind her.

“Why don't you both go fetch Zarla?”

Before she could pull in enough breath to order them not to leave, they were scurrying away like roaches from the light.

The hurt blooming inside her chest was quickly being overrun with anger, and Dash was making himself the perfect target.

Pushing into her personal space, he forced her backward. Her spine collided with the hard panel of the van. Lodged between her open legs, the hard press of his thigh rubbed against her. A thrill of need whipped through her, but she bit down on it and forced it away. Now was not the time.

She ground out, “What are you doing?”

“Talking some sense into you before you do something you'll regret.” His hard voice softened. “Elle, he did it because he didn't want you to leave. He loves you and missed you and wanted you to stay.”

Unexpected tears stung her eyes. She tried to blink them away, but it didn't help. “He didn't believe I could handle it, Dash. My own father thought I was going to fail.”

His mouth turned down into a frown and his beautiful green eyes flooded with sympathy and softness. Part of her wanted it. She wanted to let him wash over her like a balm, soothing away the pinch of pain lodged in the center of her chest.

But that wasn't the kind of girl she was. At least not anymore.

“He didn't understand, Elle. How could he? You've locked everyone out, including him. He was trying to protect you. Help you.”

“By lying to me? How in heaven's name is that supposed to help, Dash? ‘Let's let the poor thing think she's good enough to handle this while we secretly clean up all her messes?' That's no way to live.”

Letting go of his hold on her arms, he slid his finger over the ridge of her cheekbone and smoothed her hair away from her face. “I know, sweetheart. I'm not saying I agree with his methods, just that his actions came from a good place. You have every right to be angry with him, but just take a deep breath and think before you figure out what to do about it. Don't let your emotions force you into a decision you'll regret later.”

Slowly, she nodded. His chest rose and fell on a deep sigh. He let his head drop, bringing them forehead to forehead. “I'm sorry, Elle.”

Warmth slipped into her veins. Not the familiar blast of explosive need, but something gentler and more comforting.

Maybe if the churning heat had been there, her brain never would have started spinning, but it did. That lull left enough time for a single, irrevocable thought to slam into her.

Shoving his shoulders, she forced Dash backward.

Confusion, sadness and comfort all mixed together inside those damn mesmerizing eyes. Maybe they were enchanted, because they definitely had the ability to blind her.

“You knew what he was doing.”

Dash started to shake his head, but stopped just shy of actually making the denial. Dismay and guilt swirled across his expression before he managed to slam a blank wall down.

“I knew he was hiding that he was well enough to return to work, but not what he planned to do with the cocoa.”

“Oh, because that makes it better?” Her voice rang with accusation. “He lied to me. You lied to me.”

He started to reach for her again, but Noelle flinched away from him. Dropping his hands to his sides, he let them curl into tight fists.

“What would you have done if he told you he was ready to return to work, Elle?” The hard edge in his voice cut across her skin.

“Gone back to my life and my job.”

Something bright and painful flashed through his eyes before he gave one hard nod. “Exactly. Elle, you don't belong in D.C. or with the CIA. You belong here, with your clan. With your father.” His voice dropped low, a shattering whisper that made her heart ache even as the rest of her body lit up with need. “With me.”

She shook her head. Fear and hope and hurt tightened like a band across her chest, stealing her ability to breathe.

Jerking her gaze away from his, Noelle stared up the slope of the mountain she'd once called home. The sharp stab of longing surprised her, but it didn't change anything. Not really. “I don't belong here, Dash. I never have.”

Strong hands wrapped around the curve of her shoulders. He moved in front of her, filling her gaze and forcing her to look at him. “You do, Elle. There are people here who love you. Accept you for who you are—everything you are.”

Did he mean himself? Did he love her? And if he did, did it matter? Could she give up everything for him? Try again and risk getting her heart ripped into shreds again?

Fear made her entire body tremble. She wanted to. The urge was so strong she almost collapsed into his arms in a sobbing mess. But she couldn't. Noelle Frost was stronger than that. She'd worked hard to figure out who she was and where she belonged.

“Stay, Elle. I want you to stay. I
need
you to stay.”

He didn't say he loved her. Or that he wanted to get married again and make this permanent. He'd lied to her. Manipulated her.

She couldn't think when he was this close. She needed logic and space.

Pushing him away again, she stared up into his deep green eyes and said, “Then you shouldn't have lied to me.”

She walked away. And once again, he let her go.