Holiday Second Chance Romance (Clarice and Trevor) novel Chapter 60

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Clarice POV

An arm tightens around me and memories of last night come rushing back, Bore my eyes even open, a smile spreads across my face. I giggle when Nick wraps his legs around me like I’m going to disappear. I open my eyes and peak again at the beautiful ring that he placed on my finger last night. It’s perfect and exactly my style.

I’m just about to wake him because my bladder is demanding to be emptied when his phone vibrates in his jeans on the floor next to him. “Nick, as much as I hate to wake you, I need to pee and someone keeps calling you.” He groans but makes no move to let me go. “Just a few more minutes. I don’t want to get up yet. You feel so good in my arms,” he says, and I giggle.

“I don’t have a few more minutes, Nick, unless you want me to pee on the blanket.” He lifts his head and presses a quick kiss on my lips before he disentangles himself from me. He gets to his feet and offers me his hands. He helps me to stand, and I take the opportunity to ogle my fine fiancé. God, he is a gorgeous man. I am a lucky woman to get to wake up to him every day. A knowing smirk crosses his face just as his phone starts to vibrate again. “There better be a catastrophe with the way this phone is going off,” he says as I start to get my clothes back on.

We will need to pop back to the apartment since I’m sure the bathroom isn’t fixed here. “Chrissy, what the hell? You know where we are. I know you have plans,” he says. His eyes go wide, and he pulls his phone away to check the screen before he tells her to give him an hour. “What’s wrong? Is Chrissy alright?” “Nothing’s wrong, but she is annoyed with me. It’s fine, let’s just get you back to the apartment so you can pee and get showered. My mother and sister have a surprise for you and I promised to bring you back by ten this morning,” he says.

“It can’t be that much later than ten.” “It’s twelve and my sister is definitely h

e, holy sh*t. I don’t think I’ve ever slept that late in my life.” A knowing smirk grows on his face as says. “Twelv

he reaches out and pulls me flush against his body. He is only wearing his boxer briefs and my hands rest against his tone chest. “We didn’t get much sleep, did we love,” he asks. I roll my eyes, but the smile doesn’t leave my face.

Before I can say a word back, we are standing in the bathroom in the apartment. I wiggle out of his hold and rush to the toilet, not even caring he hasn’t left the room. To my surprise, he makes no move toward the door. Instead, he steps over to the shower, turning it on. He grabs my lotion and other toiletries off the sink.

“I’ll grab your clothes, Clarice, while you start your shower. What would you like to wear?” God, I love this man more every second we spend together. I think about his question and though I prefer pants, I noticed my belly has a prominent bump.It feels like it happened overnight. I have sweats, but I have no idea what Anya and Chrissy have planned.

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“Can you just grab me a flowered dress and a sweater please.” He moves

a kisses

p and step

my forehead. “I’ll be right back,” he says before stepping out of the room. I qui under the hot spray. The water feels good against my sore muscles. Nick wasn’t exaggerating when he said we didn’t get much sleep. I grab my warm vanilla sugar shampoo which is my

favorite, and start to scrub my hair. Hands on my hips startle me before they take over washing my

hair.

I practically moan at how good it feels as Nick massages my scalp. Once he is done with my hair, he squirts my body wash in his hand and scrubs every inch of me. I expect it to become more than just a quick shower because I can feel how hard he is against me, but it doesn’t. He simply takes care of me. It feels even more intimate than our activities from last night. Once I’m rinsed, he quickly washes himself and I notice he’s still hard. I’m just about to drop to my knees when someone pounds on the bathroom door.

I almost jump out of my skin. I grab a towel wrapping it around me and Nick chuckles. “It’s alright Clarice, it’s probably just Chrissy. She won’t step foot in this bathroom because she knows I’m in here. She barged into my bathroom once when she thought I wasn’t home, and it scarred her for life,” he says with a chuckle.

“I can hear you, Nick Kringle. You are absolutely right. It scarred me to see you naked. I wish I could burn the image from my memory,” she says with a gag. I throw my head back and laugh. “Now stop hogging my sister. Mom is going to be here any minute, and you have already made us late,” she says. “I can’t help your sister wore me out last night he says, and I slap at him. He grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles.

fortunately,

front of

“I’ll be right out Chrissy. I promise.” Nick steps out of the shower and grabs a towel. He watches as I dress, lust swirling in his eyes. I would say he is insatiable, but I feel the same we don’t have time right now. Besides, I don’t want Chrissy to hear us. I move him and push up on my toes to press a kiss on his lips. Before he can grab me door. I turn back with a wink. “Tease,” he says with a smile. “Love you.” “Love you too, Clarice. Have fun with mom and Chrissy,” he says.

ward the

When I step into the living room, my steps falter. It’s not just Anya and Chrissy waiting for me. When my eyes meet Dr. Moore’s, she looks worried and guarded. “Clarice, you remember Simone from the hospital. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if she joined us today,” Anya says. “Of course, I don’t mind. I’m just a little shocked you convinced her so quickly.” Simone’s shoulders relax, and a small smile tugs at her lips. “She can be very convincing. Are you sure you are alright with this, Clarice? I can just go back to my apartment,” Simone says.

I cross the room and take her hands in mine. “I am happy you’re here. I’m sure we have a lot to talk about, but let’s see what mom and Chrissy have planned for us.” When I turn Anya has tears in her eyes. She pulls me into her arm and hugs me tightly. “Thank you for calling me mom and for loving my son,” she says. “You don’t have to thank me. I love Nick. I also love you, Chris, and

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Chrissy. You are my family now too.”

+25 Points

She steps back, wiping the tears from her cheeks, but her smile is firmly in place. “So, first I’m going to take you girls to lunch, and then we are going to shop for fancy dresses for the ceremony. Where would you like to shop, Clarice? I know a dress shop in the village that surrounds the castle, or we can teleport to New York and go to one of the fancy boutiques. It’s up to you,” she says. “I would really like to go back to the village. Can we have lunch in Mirna’s cafe? The food was so good and the pastries were amazing.”

“I think that sounds like a brilliant ideal,” Anya says. “Are you ready, Simone,” I ask, and she looks startled by my question. “I am. Thank you for letting me tag along,” she says. I take her hand into mine again. “I’m hoping we are going to be family, Simone. I want you here. I want us to get to know each other.” Tears well in her eyes, but she quickly wipes them away. “Then let’s go do some damage shopping,” she says. Chrissy takes her hand and Anya takes mine. I wonder why she isn’t teleporting herself, but then I realize she has probably never been to the Elven Kingdom.

We appear inside Mirna’s shop this time. She screams before she squeals and rushes toward us. We spend the next hour talking about the ceremony and raving about the food. Mirna decides to join us for dress shopping and leaves her assistant in charge of the café. We walk down the street and I notice a few people pointing toward Anya. I smile realizing she is probably like a celebrity to the other elves. We step into a shop and I gasp. The dresses are beautiful.

Every color and style you can imagine. I immediately gravitate to a section with all different shades of green. “Ladies, what can I help you with,” a man says. He stops in his tracks when he sees Anya. “Oh my, Anya Kringle is in my shop,” the man says. I swear there are tears in his eyes. “I am honored to have you in my shop. My name is Warren. What can I do for you, Mrs. Claus,” he asks, practically

bowing.

event,”

ash of

“It’s very nice to meet you Warren. I’m here to get my three daughters new dres she says. I watch Simone out of the corner of my eye fight back tears again. I ha sadness and hope I see in her eyes. Before I can ask her if she is alright, the door to the shop opens. A woman that looks like she had just stepped out of a Victorian painting steps into the shop, followed by ho–bag Morgan. Anger courses through me when I think about how she hurt Nick. Chrissy is already on the move before I can say a word.

How the hell did she even find out we were here? Chrissy stops right in front of the b**ch. “Leave before I make you leave,” she says. “You need to calm down, princess. We have every right to be here. Hell, you are in my kingdom,” the other woman says. “Penelope, last time I checked, this is your father’s kingdom. You aren’t even in line for the throne. Watch how you talk to my daughter,” Anya says, stepping closer to Chrissy.

“My apologies Anya. I was alerted by a few of the royal guards that Mrs. Claus herself was in the village. I decided to come to see if they were correct. Since Morgan is my personal attendant, she joined me,” Penelope says. Her eyes move towards me and anger flashes in them. “Is this the

III

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+25 Points

human that believes she is good enough for the next Santa Claus,” she asks, disgust clear in her tone. “I would watch how you speak to my sister,” Simone says, and I smile.

“I’m not sure who or what you are, but I am the princess of the Elven Kingdom. I suggest you watch how you speak to me. I’m simply stating a fact. A lowly human isn’t worthy of pledging to the next Santa Claus. She surely isn’t worthy of carrying his heir,” she says. Before I can stop myself, my feet are moving and my hand is flying through the air. The sound of my hand connecting with her cheek reverberates around the store. Her eyes snap back to me and her hand goes to her cheek before

all hell breaks loose.

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