Read Romancing Rudy Raindear (Sexy Secret Santas) for Free Online Page B

out.
    “Oh, one more thing,” he said, turning back to her. “Rudy’s back on my Good List. A really good boy, that Rudy Raindear. He only needed a little nudge.”
    Jenny ran to him and gave him a tight hug, molding herself around his round belly. He felt all cuddly and warm with his rosy cheeks and his silky red suit, and smelled of cinnamon and apples and everything sweet.
    “We still have to pick up your sleigh, Santa. We’re now officially running late,” clock elf scolded. “Tick-tock, tick-tock.”
    Santa pulled away with a jolly belly laugh, and in an instant he was gone.
    Poof!
    ***
    Rudy scanned the crowd for Jenny, but didn’t see her. Gramps and his two employees, wearing the new Sugar Plums red aprons over their coats, stood behind a long table handing out gingerbread boys and girls for the kids to decorate and hang on the massive blue spruce tree in the square. Nick had added about a million more lights. Now, not only was the tree ablaze with colored lights, but every berry bush, pine tree, bench and especially the gazebo—all twinkled Christmas. Even the star on the very top of the massive tree, that had been dark when Rudy first came to town, sparkled once again. The town square was truly magical looking, better than Rudy had remembered it from his childhood. Especially with Kris, looking even more like Santa, sitting in the gazebo laughing with the kids.
    Nick and Vixen, a beauty Nick seemed totally in love with, helped pour hot chocolate and hand out cookies. People were singing carols, kids were running and playing, and all was right in North Pole, Maine.
    Except for Rudy.
    He had never been more miserable. Jenny hated him and Gramps would hardly look at him.
    Still, Rudy sucked up his pride and went over to pitch in to help hand out cookies and hot chocolate. The way he had it figured, he had so screwed everything up, the least he could do was help out.
    “Where you been, son?” Gramps asked.
    “Licking my wounds,” Rudy answered.
    He came around to the back of the table where Gramps was standing, wearing a bright red Santa hat, and a striped red and white scarf over his gray wool overcoat.
    “That don’t do nothin’ but leave a bad taste in your mouth. Here,” Gramps said, handing Rudy a pecan sandie. “This’ll fix it.”
    Rudy smiled, took the cookie and ate it in two bites. It was perfect, just the right amount of cinnamon, pecans and vanilla.
    “Good, huh?” Gramps asked.
    “Perfect.”
    “You and Jenny are perfect. What ya’ gonna do about that, son?”
    “She hates me.”
    “Hate’s a strong word. That there girl could never hate you. She’s got too much love in her heart. You need to talk to her. Tell her what you done.”
    “But she thinks I—”
    “Don’t matter what she thinks. Only matters what’s true. I expect you fixed everything with them Smart-Ass people?”
    Rudy grinned. His Gramps was the absolute best. “Yes, I told them the deal was off, but they didn’t care. They threatened to sue me. I think it’s bogus. Unfortunately, they liked the town so much they want to buy land on the outskirts for their new store.”
    “Then we’ll just have to buy the land first.”
    “We might be able to do that for a little while, but I don’t know how long we can keep them out.”
    “A little while’s all I got, son. After that, it’s up to the next generation to keep the magic alive.”
    Then, as if on cue, a resounding ho ho ho echoed from above and out of the clouds came Santa in a bright red sleigh pulled by all his reindeer flying across the sky. Rudy felt someone standing beside him as he looked up at the completely incredible sight.
    It was Jenny.
    She took his hand, and gave him a wickedly cute smile. “He told me you were off his naughty list.”
    “He told you? Santa? When?
    “Inside Sugar Plums. He stopped by with his security elves to pick up his cookies. One bite of our anis cookies and he was smitten. I gave him all we had.”
    “Wait. Back