Hot Winter Nights

“That was a lot of cash,” Molly said. “That huge cash box was jam-packed.”

Shirley shoved open a window and stuck her head out to light a cigarette. She inhaled deeply with a look of pure pleasure on her face. When she exhaled, she pulled her head back in and nodded at Molly. “Mostly. We were busy tonight because the seniors all got their social security checks yesterday. They cash ’em out and we’re their first stop.”

The elves dispersed after that and Molly stepped outside into the dark night to find Lucas leaning against the building, waiting for her.

His gaze slid over her body and went a long way toward warming her up, but what went even further was when he pulled off his windbreaker and wrapped her up in it.

“Thanks,” she said, hugging it to herself, soaking in the body heat he’d left for her. Lucas pulled her around the back of the bingo hall and there in the shadows, as everyone else filtered out of the village for the night, she told him everything she’d learned from the ladies.

Lucas nodded. “It’s true that Santa’s brother comes by at the end of the evening to pick up the dough. I want to stick around and try to get eyes on him. How are you doing, you okay? You’ve been on your feet—”

“I’m good. How did you find out he’d be here tonight?”

He gave a small smile. “The elf who hired you. Louise. Brought her a laced hot chocolate and she got very talkative.”

“Nice,” Molly said. “And you didn’t even have to shake it all night.”

Lucas smiled. “I liked how you shook it.”

“How would you know? You were out charming Louise.”

“I kept an eye on you.”

“Because you thought I needed backup, or because you liked how I shook it?”

“Everyone needs backup, Molly. Including me.” He smiled. “But I love how you shake it. I’m going to the offices and watch for Santa and his brother. Would you like to wait in the car?”

“No.”

He nodded, not looking surprised. They went through the trees to stay out of sight. It was dark and not easy going for her. Lucas led the way, keeping a tight grip on her hand. The ground was uneven and a wind furled through the trees overhead, brushing over her with icy fingers. She couldn’t see a thing. The only thing she could hear was her own accelerated breathing and the occasional hum of an insect, which sure as hell better not be crawling on her. It was hard to believe that they were still smack in the middle of the city of San Francisco.

Then Lucas stopped and she nearly plowed into him. His hands reached out to steady her. “There’s still a light on in the office,” he murmured against her ear.

“Wait here,” she said. “I’ve got an idea.” She started to walk out from the trees, but Lucas caught her.

“No way,” he said.

“No, it’s okay, trust me. I’ll be right back.” She strode around to the front of the trailer/office so it wouldn’t look like she’d just come from the woods, and headed up the stairs, letting herself in.

Louise and Santa were heads together, going over a ledger. They both looked up when she entered. “Hi,” she said cheerfully with a wave.

Louise smiled.

Santa did not.

“I just wanted to say thanks for hiring me,” Molly said. “I had a great time tonight and just wanted to know what other nights you need me this week.”

Santa rolled his eyes and strode past her without a word. Louise brought up a schedule on her laptop. “I’m good until Friday night. So three nights from now.”

“I’ll be here,” Molly said. “Well, thanks again. Good night.” She hustled out the door fast as she dared, heading around the trailer, where she nearly collided with a brick wall. A warm, solid, familiar brick wall.

Lucas easily absorbed the impact, wrapping an arm around her without hesitation, leading her back into the trees.

“If you wanted to get me alone, all you had to do was say so,” she said breathlessly, and not all from their fast pace.

“Oh, I want to get you alone.” Lucas brushed his mouth up her jaw to speak in a husky low voice right in her ear. “But as previously mentioned, not in the woods—” He broke off when she pulled something from inside her elf costume. A man’s wallet.

“Santa’s,” she said.

He went brows up. “You found Santa’s wallet?”

“More like lifted it from his back pocket.”

Lucas just stared at her. “Without him knowing?”

“That’s sorta the definition of ‘lifting it from his back pocket.’”

He shook his head. “I don’t know whether to be impressed or . . .”

“—Horrified? I know.” She shrugged. “I get that reaction from men a lot.” She started to turn away but he caught her.

“—Or amazed,” he finished. “I don’t know whether to be impressed or amazed.”

“Impressed and amazed are the same thing,” she said, hoping he’d ignore the blush of pleasure she could feel creeping up her cheeks.

He flashed a smile that she felt all the way to her toes and everywhere in between. “You’re as good as Joe,” he said. “But I think I like working with you better.”

She squirmed under the high praise. Indeed, she’d learned B&E from way too young of an age, but she and Joe had done what they’d had to and their survival instincts were finely honed. She didn’t get to use her skills much anymore, but it was good to know they were still there. “I couldn’t get a good snoop on in there,” she said. “We’re going to have to wait for them to leave and then go back in.”

Again his mouth brushed the shell of her ear, giving her another of those full body shivers of the very best kind when he said, “you turn me on when you talk dirty like that.”

She snorted, but the feel-good glow was still lighting her up from the inside out. They waited a few minutes. Lights turned off in the trailer and Louise left.

“Was Santa with her?” she whispered.

“I don’t think so.”

“He had to be. The place is dark. We must’ve missed him. Let’s go.”

“No,” Lucas said as she ran up the stairs to the trailer door. “Molly, wait—”

Before he could finish the sentence, a car pulled up behind them.

At the same exact moment, the trailer door suddenly opened. Molly froze but Lucas pushed her up against the railing, and with one hand on the back of her neck, began kissing her with the same intensity as he had earlier in the car and then some. She was so shocked, she remained frozen.

Not Lucas. He had one arm low around her back, his other hand slowly fisting in her hair to hold her still for his passionate and demanding mouth, which admittedly left her more than a little weak in the knees. Apparently realizing that, he easily lifted her weight, setting her butt on the railing, pushing his way between her legs to deepen the kiss.

A tingle started at her toes, working its way to her center. From somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind, she knew this was a cover, that it wasn’t real, but it was hard to keep that thought. Because if this was the way he solved problems . . . well, she really liked the way he worked.

“Jesus,” Santa muttered as he passed through. “Take it to a room.”

Molly barely registered the guy clomping down the stairs toward the waiting car carrying his duffle bag bulging with the night’s gains before he got into the passenger seat and the car vanished into the night.