Three Matches

Georgia St. Claire

Description

When Nick Clausson, in the course of his duties as the Nickson’s Department Store Santa, realizes that he has matched two reporters together in a mentor relationship that he knows is going to turn romantic, he is reminded of a conversation he had with Eros, the god of love. Eros agreed to help Nick’s friend find true love, if Nick helped him during his busy season by making three matches before Valentine’s Day.

Since, as far as Nick is concerned, the first match is already done, he just needs to make two more to secure guaranteed true love for his cousin and best friend, Niccolo. Nick even knows the people he wants to put together for the second match; they are both living on the streets. The problem is that there is something mysterious about the woman, who seems to have disappeared into thin air and he only knows the man by his street name, Bird Man and has no way of contacting him. And that’s not the only problem. Eros warns him that the first match is not a done deal and Nick has no idea who he is going to match for the third couple.

Then, as the pieces start to come together for the second match, Mrs. James, the angel who watched over Nick’s own wife until he found and married her, warns him that lives are in danger and everything is riding on him being successful with his plans.

Sujets

• Traditional marriage
• Fantasy (disambiguation)
• Opposites Attract
• Deference
• Power play
• Alpha (ethology)
• Obey
• Rule
• Power exchange
• North Pole
• Mythology
• BDSM
• Contemporary
• Dominant
• Santa
• Romance
• Christmas
• Bondage et discipline, domination et soumission et sado-masochisme

Informations

• Publié par: Blushing Books Publications
• Date de parution: 09 décembre 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781627506243
• Langue: English

Extrait

Three Matches
Myths& Magic, Book 2
 
By
 
Georgia St. Claire
 
 
©2014 by Blushing Books® and Georgia St. Claire
Allrights reserved.
 
Nopart of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by anyinformation storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing fromthe publisher.
 
Publishedby Blushing Books®,
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St.Claire, Georgia
ThreeMatches
 
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62750-624-3
CoverDesign by ABCD Graphics & Design
 
Thisbook is intended for adults only . Spanking and other sexual activitiesrepresented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing inthis book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the author's advocatingany non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.
Tableof contents:
 
  TOC \o "1-3" \n <![endif]--> Introduction
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
Free Preview: The Girl fromChristmas
About Georgia St. Claire
Ebook Offer
Blushing BooksNewsletter
Blushing Books
<![endif]-->
Introduction
 
 
Thisbook begins with a prologue that was the epilogue to Nick’s Naughty Elf.   The author has done this because it setsup the storyline for Three Matches, which starts the day after Nick’s NaughtyElf ends.
 
Prologue
 
JohnBenton carefully spooned a serving of stuffing onto the tray held in front ofhim, smiling at the man standing there. “Merry Christmas, Bird Man. I’m glad tosee you joined us today.” He automatically looked up, when the door at the farside of the gym slammed open with a loud bang againstthe wall, and frowned.
“Iwin! I found you!” Edith shouted.
“Closethat door before too much cold air comes in and come here quietly. You aredisturbing our patrons’ fine dining experience,” he said in a calm voice thatcarried easily across the large room.
Edithlooked surprised at the admonishment, but did as he bade. “That little elf saidthat I wouldn’t be able to find you by Christmas, but I did! I win!” she crowedsoftly as she approached, blocking the line as she stood in front of John.
“Ifyou are here to eat, you need to take your place at the end of the line. If youare here to work, come around the side over there and I will give you an apron.There are lots of dirty dishes to be washed.” He saw the look of distaste crossher face and sighed. She was going totake a lot of work! “If you just want to talk, you can go sit over there inthat chair and wait for me. I should be done here in another couple of hours.”Her eyes followed his nod and realized that there was a solitary chair sitting inthe nearest corner, turned so that when seated, its occupant would be facingthe wall. He knew just what she was thinking. “If you decide to walk out, don’tbother to return,” he said softly and then shook his head. “I have to sayEdith, that I am very disappointed that you weren’t able to find me withoutdepending on my Christmas Day track record. You obviously have a lot to learn.”He made a shooing motion with his hand. “You’re holding up the line for thesehungry folks. Step back out of the way while you decide your future.”
Shemoved back a few paces to allow the line to proceed and nibbled her bottom lipas she studied him. She knew he hoped that she would accept the apron and workwashing dishes, but she hated how wrinkled her hands would look after being inthe hot water for very long. She looked at the positioning of the chair. HadJohn placed it that way on purpose, or was it always like that? Had he expectedher? Apparently he had known she wouldn’t want to work and had created anotherchoice for her. Was she insulted that he knew she wouldn’t want to work? Thenin her mind she heard his speech again, ‘If you are here to eat, you need totake your place at the end of the line...’ Well, there it was! She didn’t haveto wash dishes or sit in the corner, she could get a tray of food and sit with the… with the… patrons. Tossing her head defiantly, shemoved to take her place at the end of the line.
John,while seeming to focus his attention on each person as heserved them , had been watching Edith to see what she would do. When hesaw that she intended to stay, he felt the tension ease in his shoulders andhis smile grew a little brighter. “Good choice,” he said softly when shereached him and held out her tray. Her triumphant smile faltered a bit as sherealized that she hadn’t outsmarted him. “I’m giving you the benefit of thedoubt on this one and congratulating you on picking the option that has thebest story potential. I want to see what you come up with twenty-four hoursfrom right now.” He casually glanced at his watch.
“Howmany words?” she asked automatically and then mentally kicked herself for going along so easily.
Heshrugged, “It’s just a starting point. No set number, I want to see what youcan do when time is your only limitation ; although youmay not leave until I give you permission. You will stay for the entire timeand see this through to the end, understand?” He waited for her nod ofagreement. “Good. Go and get to know the stories of the people you eat with andremember to mind your manners. You’re off to a bad start there –slammingdoors and shouting across the dining room. What would your granny have to sayabout that, I wonder.”
Shepaled as her mind automatically fed her the information of just how quicklyGranny would have been reaching for the Board of Education. And then sheblushed as she realized that John’s comment indicated that he knew all aboutthe one person who had kept her in line. Her eyes flew to his face to see whathe was thinking.
Hesmiled gently. “You’re holding up the line again, Miss Edith Ruth Morton.”
Anhour later Edith was smiling as she stepped back slightly from the group ofpeople standing in a semi-circle around the old upright piano tucked in the farcorner of the gym. It was the first time in years that she had sung Christmascarols. She was surprised at how the words had automatically returned to herand how much meaning some of the songs had held for her. She swiped at a tearthat was threatening to fall from the corner of her eye and gave a quiet sniff.Maybe next year she should make the trip home for Christmas. Her family alwaysaccepted her excuse that she had to work over the holidays, but she knew theymissed her and, for the first time, she allowed herself to realize that shemissed them as well.
Whenshe had successfully disengaged from the group who were surging eagerly towardsthe Christmas tree placed next to the piano and the Santa who had just entered,she was surprised to feel John by her side.
“Howare you holding up?” He dropped a casual arm across her shoulder and felt hertension. “Are you tense because I’m touching you or are you having someproblems with your experience here? I saw your tears a minute ago and I want tomake sure you’re okay.”
Sherolled her shoulders and he immediately dropped his arm away. She was surprisedto discover that she missed that brief intimacy. “A little of both, I guess,”she said in answer to his question. “I haven’t made a lot of time in my lifefor men. It’s always been my experience that when they touch, they don’t wantto stop.” She smiled up at him. “Thank you for respecting me on that.” Henodded in response and raised an eyebrow encouraging her to finish herexplanation. She sighed. “I haven’t been home for Christmas in several years,since I finished college and got this job, in fact. I’ve told my family that Ihave to work and they’ve been supportive; but I know that if I asked, my bosswould probably give me a few days off to go home, especially since I’ve workedso many other holidays. Standing around singing Christmas carols just made mefeel a little homesick.” John looked steadily at her. “Okay!” she said with asmall show of temper, giving just the tiniest stamp of her foot, “It’s made mefeel guilty that I’ve been neglecting my family and not appreciating how luckyI am. Are you happy now?” she huffed.
Johnchuckled, wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in tightly for a one armedhug, releasing her immediately afterwards. “There’s the Edith I know! I promiseto respect your wishes on stopping when you tell me to stop, but you shouldknow that I tend to be a toucher when I want to connect with someone. And ifSanta is right, and so far he has been on everything he’s told me, you’re goingto need to accept the fact that at some point you will be feeling my hand on atleast one part of your anatomy. And when that happens I will not stop when youask me.” He gave her bottom a not-so-gentle spank. H