Romancing Rudy Raindear (Sexy Secret Santas) by Mary Leo Read Free Book Online

up. Santa has security elves?”
    “Three of them, and one to keep him on schedule.”
    Rudy laughed. “I would’ve liked to have seen that.”
    She shrugged. “Maybe next year. Apparently, the bakery is on his list of stops.”
    “And speaking of Santa’s lists, if I’m off his naughty list does it mean my nose won’t turn red anymore?”
    “He didn’t say, but a bit of a red nose might be good for all of us.”
    He chuckled. “Trust me, you don’t want it.”
    Santa and his reindeer landed directly behind them in front of Sugar Plums. The sleigh and the reindeer ran the entire length of the town square.
    “Look,” Jenny said, pointing. “There’s one of Santa’s elves now, standing next to the sleigh.”
    And sure enough, Rudy spotted a little person who was almost indistinguishable next to Santa’s bright red sleigh. He stood with his arms crossed, head jerking from side to side, as if scoping out the crowd.
    “Are you sure that’s not one of the kids clowning around?”
    “Nope. That’s an elf. He’s not wearing his security vest. I think he’s trying to blend in, but check out his shoes.”
    Rudy stretched up on his toes to take a better look over the crowd, and sure enough . . . elf shoes!
    “I wouldn’t want to mess with him. He looks mean.” The elf seemed tense, alert and completely into his job.
    Jenny laughed. “I think he’s adorable.”
    “I don’t think Mr. Security elf would appreciate your take.”
    “Maybe not, but still. . . ”
    Then Santa announced in a booming voice, “A ride for all the children.”
    Rudy watched as Santa, along with two more elves boarded the children into the shiny red sleigh along with a few of the parents who went along with the younger children. Santa’s monster bag of toys sat at one end while the kids and their parents sat up front, just behind Santa.
    “Wow,” Rudy said. “That’s got to be incredible. Wish I was a kid.”
    “Don’t you remember? We went for a ride in his sleigh right after we kissed under the mistletoe in Sugar Plums.”
    And just like that, the memory came rushing back. The thrill of hopping into Santa’s sleigh and scooting closer to Jenny under the blankets, then the feeling of soaring off into the clouds and looking down on all the lights below. It was perhaps one of the most memorable moments of his childhood.
    “How could I have forgotten that?”
    “You didn’t. It was simply locked away until you could open your heart again to the magic of Christmas.”
    “I’m so sorry, Jenny. Sorry for leaving you, for leaving Gramps, for my—”
    She turned to him. “That’s all in the past. We have our future to think about now.”
    They kissed, and Rudy was so happy he wanted to tell the whole town.
    “Huh, that’s funny,” Jenny said when they moved apart after the kiss, and she snuggled up against his shoulder.
    “Excuse me? My kisses are funny?”
    “Not you, silly. There’s a light on in my old apartment building across the street. That place has been empty for months.”
    The building stood directly behind Santa’s reindeer.
    “Not anymore. I figure if I own the darn thing, the least I could do is restore it. With your help, of course. We might as well live there. It should be a little more comfortable than my grandfather’s attic, especially once we start having kids. We’ll just keep knocking down walls to make room.”
    “Is that some kind of strange marriage proposal?”
    “Not exactly.” He got down on one knee, right there in the snow, with Santa ho ho hoing in the distance, and took her hand. “This is a marriage proposal. Jennifer Mary Bells, on this magical Christmas Eve, will you fly away with me and be my Jenny so we can celebrate Christmas every day for the rest of our lives?
    She knelt in front of him, then collapsed into his arms. “For all the Christmases forever more.”
    They stood, hugged and kissed as Santa took off into the sky with a sleigh once again filled with awestruck