Desperately Seeking Santa

Jane's wonderful new book for the Christmas Season from Red Rose Publishing.

DESPERATELY
SEEKING SANTA

Jane Beckenham

Mainstream
Holiday/ Contemporary
ISBN: 978-1-60435-249-8

Santa leaned against a railing of silky teddies and thongs, all pink fluff and feathers along with black lace and faux fur. Mandy blinked several times. The guy didn’t move. The look on his face, humor and downright daring indicate he knew exactly what he leaned against. But still he stayed there. His arms crossed his chest, pulling the red suit across his broad shoulders. The fabric stretched and Mandy’s eyes widened. This was no weasely old man Santa and she wondered for the first time, what lay beneath all that fake Santa stuff?
“The phone lines are down,” he said, suddenly breaking into her heated thoughts.
Mandy shook her head, tendrils falling loose across her face. It tickled and she roughly brushed it away, tucking it behind her ears.
“Don’t do that.”
Her hand stalled, a strand of hair still between her thumb and forefinger. “Pardon?” Had she heard right, the guys voice was kinda muffled beneath all those whiskers.
“I liked it like that.”
Her brows puckered. Liked? Mandy snapped her thoughts closed. “The phone,” she prompted.
“The phone lines are out. Must have hit the mobile phone tower too, because can’t get a signal on my phone. The storm has struck so it looks like we’ll have to stay the night.”
“You want to what?" Shocked, Mandy gaped at Santa. "Sleep here?” She took a quick inventory. Not a bed in sight. “You've got to be joking. Besides, it's Christmas Eve."
"Got anywhere else to go?"
Mandy’s jaw dropped, but no words came out while a stain of heat scalded her cheeks. She didn't have anywhere else to go No family. No life. Christmas as far as she was concerned was a non-event. But she wasn't about to admit that. She tucked her suddenly fidgeting hands behind her. “Don't you?” she questioned as a counter-defense.
“Nope."
Desperation hiked up ten-fold. “But we're locked in, everyone's gone home. What'll we do?"
“Told you. Sleep."
Mandy stared into the dimness all around them, expecting, praying a security guard would walk out of the increasing darkness. “"You can't sleep here. This is a department store."
“Sure I can. There's a bed, isn't there?" he said pointing towards the Santa grotto.
“That's Santa's sleigh!"
“Bed, sleigh, what's the difference?" He shrugged and his bushy white brows wiggled. “You're a mite picky for someone stuck in a department store, don’t ya think?" He strode towards the sleigh and without thinking she found herself following him. Santa was in full force tossing out presents...well boxes of various sizes and colors intended to grant every child's desire, as she side-stepped the elve’s mushroom stand.
“Which side do you want?"


Happy reading
www.janebeckenham.com

Sounds like fun Jane!