
What if the legend of Santa Claus is in fact, true? What if Santa has five big strapping sons who help him run his empire? Five single, sexy sons looking for romance...
Nicholas Klaus is a master pastry chef, a strict disciplinarian, and the eldest son of the legendary Santa Claus. One look at cafe owner Lucy Brewster sends him into an unexpected tailspin of lusty desires. When Lucy is critically wounded, Nicholas makes a decision that catapults their lives into turmoil...
Lucy Brewster, the free-spirited proprietor of Sweet Inspiration, has a flair for concocting sugary confections but no time for adventure. She gets more than she bargained for when she awakens in the North Pole...rambunctious elves, a fitness-obsessed Santa, and the man of her dreams. Does she have what it takes to become the next Mrs. Klaus?
SWEET INSPIRATION
by
Penny Watson
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
SWEET INSPIRATION
COPYRIGHT Ó 2009 by Penny Watson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com
Cover Art by The Wild Rose Press
The Wild Rose Press
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0706
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Faery Rose Edition, 2009
Published in the United States of America
Sweet Inspiration is dedicated to all of my friends, family, Vassar fangirls, and especially The Quirky Ladies who supported my "quirky" idea to write a romance novel about
Santa Claus and the North Pole.
Praise for SWEET INSPIRATION
Sweet Inspiration won first place in the paranormal category for the 2008 Gateway to the Best contest, sponsored by the Missouri Romance Writers of America. It is also a finalist for the Happily Ever After contest sponsored by the Mid-Michigan RWA.
"Penny Watson really delivers with her delicious look at the Klaus family. Sweet Inspiration is HOT!" ~ Dalton Diaz, author of Love Cuffs
"My senses are alive with memories of being in my great-grandmother's kitchen, a Russian-Bohemian cook-aholic. I love the chemistry between Nicholas and Lucy in the kitchen and in their desires. What a wonderful book!" ~ Wend Petzler, author of Curse of the Scarab King
"Sweet Inspiration has an original and intriguing plot, and characters who are fresh and fun. I don't believe I've ever read a grown-up Santa book...so enjoyable I found myself reading straight through without pausing..." ~ Kelsey Browning, Romance Writer
Surrounded by howling winds and a relentless fall of snow, Nicholas Sebastian Klaus studied the storefront across the street. The windows of Sweet Inspiration were so foggy he could barely make out the lights twinkling inside. Customers who scurried into the shop searching for a warm respite from the wintry weather would not be disappointed. The cozy, fragrant bakery was as welcoming as a nana's kitchen, and as comforting as the first luscious bite of a frosting-drenched cinnamon bun. The patrons would settle down into the overstuffed sofas clutching mugs of steaming cocoa, their eyes closing in bliss as the buttery pastry melted in their mouths. He knew these things were true for he had experienced these sensations every day for a fortnight. And truth be told, Nicholas Klaus was a hard man to please.
The brownstone looked like a gingerbread house, four stories high. Lacy curtains tacked back with garnet velvet ribbons framed each window, and candles flickered against the frosted glass. Branches of bittersweet and rosehip berries overflowed the window boxes, and garlands of fresh greens trimmed the doors. A more picturesque shop would be difficult to find, even in this charming little town of Eston, New York.
Of course, the most enticing part of the café was not the decadent pastries or the heady scents of cinnamon and cloves. The reason he felt compelled to visit the bakery every day of his extended vacation was hustling down the street, her arms filled with a large basket of apples. Lucy Anne Brewster, proprietor of Sweet Inspiration and baker extraordinaire, was a delicious package he desperately wanted to unwrap for Christmas. A wild mass of red curls escaped from her tight knit cap, and a hooded woolen coat concealed her white baker's uniform. For the first time in his carefully controlled life, Nicholas found himself inexplicably attracted to a woman. And he was annoyed beyond reason.
From the very first day, he was mesmerized by Lucy's smile. Her plump rosy lips caused temporary speechlessness. The sprinkle of freckles across her blushing cheeks, like cinnamon on a plum kuchen, and blue eyes fringed with long black lashes were nearly his undoing. But when the damned woman bent over to fetch a cookie sheet from the oven, Nicholas felt a flash of fire so unexpected, he nearly toppled over. She revealed a curvy arse packed perfectly into her baker's pants. An uncontrollable flare of lust consumed him as sweat dripped from his forehead, along the side of his face into his thick beard.
And now he stood, like a bloody imbecile, on a freezing street corner in upstate New York, hoping for a glimpse of this red-haired goddess. Good God, his brothers would howl with laughter to see him in such a state. His father would be less than pleased to find Nicholas so obviously distracted from business. His mother, however...hmm, he had the distinct feeling that his mother would unleash that famous-dimpled smile and say, "Finally. It took you long enough, Nicholas."
The embarrassing truth was that he had barely spoken to the woman. He initially visited the shop because a colleague mentioned that Sweet Inspiration had the best sugar cookies he'd ever tasted. Nicholas was a baker. His specialty...cookies. The quest for perfection consumed almost every waking moment of his life. Although he spent many hours laboring in his state-of-the-art kitchen, he also traveled the world to savor sweet delights from every country. He doubted that some little café in Eston, New York could best his rich, flaky sugar cookies. And yet, he found himself drawn to this townhouse several weeks ago.
He was hard pressed to criticize the shop. Inside, customers curled up on sofas with plump muffins and a book. Others clustered around café tables with friends, sipping cappuccino from sturdy ceramic mugs. The scent of vanilla and spices permeated the bakery, and twinkling garlands of lights framed the windows.
A young woman, adorned with glittering piercings and bohemian attire, waited on him the first day. Nicholas ordered a sugar cookie. No beating around the bush. He would taste, evaluate, and be on his way. His father expected him back to their village shortly. Cookie production skyrocketed at holiday time, and they needed him at home.
The first bite was surprising. The next, a joy. Each bite reminded him why he was so passionate about baking, why a simple cookie could transform a moment. He felt like a giddy child on Christmas morning, savoring the most delectable treat. This was no ordinary cookie. It was light, yet rich; simple, yet...there was a subtle and fascinating combination of flavors he could not identify. And Nicholas prided himself on his ability to discern any flavor. His taste buds were as experienced and worldly as they come. When he found his plate empty, he sighed and eagerly scanned the display case, ready for more.
He leaned down to inspect the other treats and caught a blurry image through the glass case -- a nymph in the kitchen. Long strands of copper-colored curls cascaded down her back. Delicate blue eyes and a rich lusty laugh caught his attention instantly. Slowly he stood and peered over the counter. She couldn't be more than five feet tall. He watched, transfixed, as she reached back to knot her thick hair. Her little white T-shirt molded nicely to her chest, and two delicious cherries poked out, begging to be nibbled. By him.
He shook his head. What in God's name is happening to me? The cookies, ask her about the cookies.
For the first time in his life, Nicholas Klaus found himself tongue-tied. Unable to spit out any meaningful vocabulary, he simply pointed to a tray of gingerbread and whispered, "Two, please." His voice sounded strained, even to his own ears.
The curly haired angel smiled at him, and the sound of bells exploded in his head. She wrapped the two cookies in tissue paper and placed them in a bright red bag, Sweet Inspiration embossed in gold on the front. Nicholas nodded his thanks, and the moment was over.
Except that he could not get her, or her delicious cookies, out of his mind. He discovered her name and a bit of information about the bakery from her employees. After only three years, she had a devoted following in their town. And the owner was clearly adored by her workers. They described her as "sparkling," "talented," and "generous."
Nicholas silently added, and sexy. After demolishing a wide assortment of pastries, he staggered back to the inn and slept. His fitful dreams involved pastry cream and Lucy Anne's nipples, plumped up nicely in a red lacy bra. She crumbled sugar cookies over her breasts and laughed at him, pulling his face down to her vanilla-scented cleavage. Nicholas woke up sweating and frustrated as hell. He'd been enchanted by a red-haired goddess.
Captivated by the seductive baker and her culinary creations, Nicholas found himself lingering in Eston, New York. His long weekend turned into a fortnight, and every day he discovered some new delicacy in Lucy's shop. She haunted his dreams each night, taunting him with her soft white skin and sugary confections. In the light of day, he'd not yet found the courage to speak to her.
But that was about to change. Tomorrow, he had to return home. And he would be damned if he would return to his village without discovering her secrets. All of her secrets. His raging desire for the petite chef was driving him mad, and he was determined to savor her like an excellent French brandy. Tonight he would seduce luscious Lucy Anne Brewster, and cure himself once and for all of his obsession. He brushed the melted snowflakes off his face, and crossed the street toward Sweet Inspiration, ready to discover the ingredients to Lucy's treasure.
Lucy's mind was on apples. Apple pies, apple muffins, apple crisp and loaves of nutty apple bread. She carried a basket loaded with tart Granny Smith fruits. Mrs. Henderson expected ten mile-high pies for her annual Christmas party tomorrow. The pies were a specialty of Sweet Inspiration. Thinly sliced apples, nestled in bourbon-laced custard, overflowed the delicate flaky crust.
Lucy spent hours cutting out tiny apples, leaves, and flowers to decorate the tops. Of course, Mrs. Henderson invited Lucy to attend the festive party, but there was no time. Her holiday orders were enormous, and work always came first.
Strangely enough, this was the first Christmas season she felt a touch bittersweet when she heard St. Joseph's choir caroling in the town square. As she watched the families swaying to the music, their mitten-covered hands linked, she felt a pang of...something in her chest. Probably just indigestion from her coffee. But she had a sneaking suspicion that it might be more like a bit of melancholy. It had been a very long time since Lucy linked hands with anyone. It would be heavenly to wake up on Christmas morning in someone's arms. Someone who cared enough about her to choose a special gift, not just another wilted poinsettia or box of soaps.
The new customer in her shop was certainly not helping matters. The man appeared to be in his mid-thirties. He was huge, towering over her by a good foot and a half. His shoulders were wide and solid, his hands enormous. The stranger's demeanor was seriously intense. Lucy had not witnessed a single smile. He wore wire-rimmed glasses over his hazel eyes, and had a thick black beard to match dark wavy hair.
Every day for weeks he'd settled down in a corner with various cookies, pastries and decadent desserts. The look on his face while he sampled her wares was positively disconcerting. He appeared to be memorizing each bite, analyzing the creations. At first she thought he was a food critic. His buttoned-up appearance and overwhelming focus on her food lent credence to that idea. But a food critic would not be visiting her shop so frequently.
Lucy was mortified that her hands shook each time she waited on him. When she leaned over the table to serve her pumpkin crème brulée, his delicious scent hit her like a steam engine...smoky rum and dark spices. Rough callused hands gripped the shaking dish, and saved her the embarrassment of dropping the dessert in his lap. Horrified by her reaction to him, she fled. But not before she noticed him peeking down her blouse. His look of hunger had nothing to do with her crème brulée.
Further adding to her mortification was the sad fact that she was dreaming about him. Wicked, naughty dreams. Never in her twenty-eight years of life had she experienced such lusty nighttime reveries. Those big rough hands, soft full lips, and rock-hard body brought her unimaginable pleasure. Only in her dreams did her mystery man smile, a slow seductive grin that reminded her of the big bad wolf.
If only she had the courage to introduce herself. Although she was out-going and friendly with her patrons, she found herself too flustered to speak to her mystery customer.
Lucy sighed as she nudged the door to Sweet Inspiration open with her boot, carefully balancing the basket of apples in her arms. A large hand, encased in a handsome leather glove, grasped the door above her head. She glanced up, and in the twirling snowflakes, saw his face. Dark, serious, and lightly dusted with melting snow.
"Oh! My goodness, I didn't see you there. Um, thanks...for the door, I mean." Good gracious, Luce, pull yourself together. You sound like a bumbling idiot!
"My pleasure, Miss Brewster." His voice was so deep and rich, Lucy shivered. He gently took the basket from her arms, and smiled. A slow, seductive, wolfish smile, and Lucy shivered again.
"It's quite cold out this evening. We should really get inside." He gestured to the inside of the shop, and Lucy nodded mutely.
"How do you know my name?" she asked as she pulled off her cap. He seemed mesmerized by the sight of her messy curls falling down around her shoulders. Shaking his head, he returned his gaze to her face.
"Everyone around here knows your name, Miss Brewster, owner of Sweet Inspiration, and friend to all. I've heard many intriguing things about you."
Lucy laughed. "I find that hard to believe. Nothing about me is 'intriguing.' You, however, are a mystery." She blushed as the words popped unbidden out of her mouth.
"Am I? How so?"
"You've been here every day for weeks, and I don't know who you are. You're not a food critic, by any chance? I hope you've been enjoying our food."
"Not a food critic, just a fellow baker duly impressed by your creations. About those sugar cookies..."
"Lu-cy! Thank God you're here! Thirteen cousins are dropping by for my party, and they have extremely hearty appetites. I hope you have enough apples to increase my order. I think fifteen pies should be adequate." Mrs. Henderson, red-faced and clearly frazzled, grabbed Lucy by the shoulders and shook vigorously. "You do have extra apples, don't you?"
Lucy extricated herself from Bertha's grip and patted her arm reassuringly. "Calm down, Bertha. I have plenty of apples. Would you like a few platters of cookies, too? Are there children coming?"
"Why, yes, there are children. Quite a handful, so poorly behaved. Why, the last time they visited..."
Lucy cut her off before she started another story. Mrs. Henderson had a tendency to be long-winded with her family dramas. "Why don't I include a platter of Santa cookies? The children love those. And Genevieve made beautiful candy canes this morning. We'll fill a few stockings and add them to the order."
"Wonderful! You are a darling girl. I'll see you in the morning." Bertha wrapped a bright pink muffler around her face and hurried out of the shop.
Before Lucy had a chance to find out her mystery man's name, another arm reached out and grabbed her. "Lucy! Come and see our new puppy! He's an early Christmas present from Santa!"
Little Amy Chandler was tugging Lucy's hand and pointing to a bundle of fur wrapped up in a blanket on her mother's lap. Dogs should not be in the bakery, but the puppy did look adorable. Lucy better say a quick hello. And of course she would send them home with a bag of homemade dog biscuits, shaped like elves. In a matter of moments Lucy was surrounded by children all wanting to pet the new puppy.
\*\*\*\*
Nicholas carefully folded his coat over the back of a café chair and watched Lucy giggle with the children, as the puppy (lucky bastard), licked her face like an ice cream cone. He could barely contain his irritation.
First of all, a dog had no place in a dining establishment. What the hell was the woman thinking? Secondly, if a customer attempted a last-minute order change, Nicholas would firmly instruct him that all orders were final five days prior to the gathering. How could one efficiently run a kitchen without rules? Thirdly, and most importantly, Nicholas could smell gingerbread. Cookies. And they were burning. Lucy was oblivious. And her young assistant with the nose ring was leaning over the front counter watching the puppy, utterly clueless about the impending culinary disaster.
Nicholas tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for someone to remember the cookies. He knew by the scent that the cookies were browning, probably a bit too dark around the edges. Still waiting. Now the assistant was snuggling with the puppy, and an old man was regaling Lucy with some ridiculous story. Oh, the hell with it.
Nicholas marched into the kitchen, which was surprisingly clean, found a pair of oven mitts shaped like Laurel and Hardy, and removed the cookies from the oven. He found wire racks in a cupboard and lined them up on the counter. Although the cookies were a tad dark, they were still salvageable. Thanks to him. Using a spatula, he carefully transferred each gingerbread man to cool on the racks. He washed and dried his hands at the sink, and turned around to find Lucy and her nose-pierced assistant staring at him in disbelief.
Lucy stepped up to him, hands on her hips. "Just what do you think you're doing in my kitchen? I don't remember inviting you in here!" Lucy asked him incredulously.
"Yeah!" added the assistant. Clearly not the brightest bulb on the planet.
"Since you and your assistant were too busy to tend to the kitchen, and an entire order of gingerbread was about to go up in smoke, I thought I would lend a helping hand. No need to thank me." Nicholas smiled and raised his left eyebrow in a manner his brother Sven insisted was infuriating.
"Thank you? Kandy and I are more than capable of looking after the kitchen. We do not need your help, Mr...?"
"Klaus. Nicholas Sebastian Klaus. Is your assistant really named Candy? How...charming."
"It's Kandy Kane, with a K, not a C. I'm a performance artist." The young woman gave him a rather lukewarm smile.
"Fascinating." Nicholas turned to Lucy, who looked ready to murder him. Good going, Nick, how are you supposed to seduce her now?
"I run my own kitchen up north. I assumed you wouldn't mind a little help, since you were...momentarily distracted. Have I told you that your sugar cookies are divine? They are, truly. I was wondering if we could discuss the subtle flavor profile..."
Lucy crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Mr. Klaus, while I appreciate your concern for my cookies, I can assure you I do not need any more help in my kitchen. Why don't you sit down with a cup of cocoa, and I'll bring you some gingerbread cookies. Nice and dark, just the way I like them." And then Miss Lucy Anne Brewster raised her right eyebrow in an utterly patronizing manner. Nicholas simply could not help himself. He raised his eyebrow right back. Two can play at this game.
A young man rushed into the kitchen, grabbed the performance artist and began to thrust his oddly pierced tongue into her mouth.
"Oh Kandy, can you ever forgive me? Let's get married right now. Vegas, baby, what do you say? I want our bambino to have a daddy." Nicholas noted that in addition to his creatively pierced face, tongue-boy also sported a nice assortment of tattoos, all of candy. Peppermints, butterscotch balls, M-and-Ms, and of course, candy canes.
"Oh Ray, I missed you." Miss Kane began thrusting her tongue right back at him.
Nicholas turned to Lucy. "Ray? That's not too original."
Lucy shrugged. "Ray, as in Ray-of-Sunshine. They're both performance artists." Then she turned to her assistant and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Kandy, you are forbidden to leave me right now. It's the middle of our busiest season, and I need you. You and Ray can get married after the new year..."
"But I don't want to wait, Miss Brewster. I love him!"
Ray licked the side of his girlfriend's face, and both Nicholas and Lucy shuddered. "Yeah, and I got tickets for us to see Celine Dion, your favorite, honey."
Lucy watched in disbelief as her assistant bundled up in a parka, plopped on a red Santa hat, and flew out the door with the gangly boy. Nicholas bit his tongue to keep from laughing. Served the woman right for hiring such a flake in the first place.
Leaning down close to Lucy's ear, he whispered, "Need a new assistant? I just happen to know the perfect gentleman for the job."
Lucy slowly turned her head to stare at the infuriating man. His eyes positively gleamed with delight at her unfortunate predicament. And his lips were...well they looked delicious. Full, firm and oh so close to her mouth. She had the shocking impulse to bite down on his lower lip, and then lap at it like a kitten. What am I thinking? Get a hold of yourself, girl!
"Mr. Klaus, that is a very kind offer, but I'm sure I'll struggle by...without you." Then Lucy spun on her heel and headed to the freezer in the back of the kitchen. She was trying very hard not to cry, but the truth was that Kandy just left her in the lurch, and she could really use some extra hands. However, she was not about to give Mr. Eyebrow the satisfaction of knowing any of that. She pulled several large batches of homemade pastry dough out of the freezer and spread them out on the counter to thaw. Wiping the back of her hand across her teary eyes, Lucy resigned herself to a long lonely all-nighter in the kitchen. Just me, ten thousand apples, and a butt-load of bourbon. Thank God for the bourbon.
Reluctantly, Lucy had to admit to herself that she was envious of Kandy. Ray could not keep his hands off her quirky assistant. They were madly in love, and Lucy was jealous of their passionate affair. For once in her life, she would like to experience true passion with a man who adored her. For God's sake, Luce, quit feeling sorry for yourself and get to work. You have a long night ahead of you.
"Miss Brewster, it can't be that bad, can it?" Lucy just about jumped out of her skin as Mr. Klaus looked down at her with a gentle smile. His smile was not judgmental, nor pitying, nor was it mean-spirited in any way. The giant baker man looked...surprisingly kind.
"Not really. Just another all-nighter in the kitchen. I've done it before. And I'm sure I'll do it again."
"As have I. All great chefs lose track of time when their creative juices are flowing. Once I was on a mission to recreate a superb soufflé I tasted in Lucerne, and twenty-four hours later I finally got it. I was looking a bit bedraggled at that point, but I was thrilled with the results."
Lucy sniffled. "What kind of soufflé?"
"Ah, well, it was a delicious and subtle mixture of cheeses. I had a hell of a time trying to ascertain the ingredients. But I finally figured out it was chèvre with a touch of Parmesan. Lightly seasoned with nutmeg. A fascinating combination."
"Umm, that sounds great. You could go sweet or savory with that one. Add chives for a breakfast soufflé, or dried cranberries for a sweeter dessert."
"Not a bad idea, Miss Brewster." Mr. Klaus pulled a mini notebook out of his front shirt pocket, placed it on the counter, and began to scribble furiously. One hand was absentmindedly stroking his beard, while the other was writing.
Lucy watched, mesmerized. His beard was thick and dark and neatly trimmed. What would it feel like? Coarse and rough, or silky smooth? Without thinking, she reached out to touch his face. Slowly she brushed the backs of her fingers down the side of his jaw. Silky, I knew it!
Mr. Klaus froze, and Lucy snatched her hand back. "Oh my goodness, I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. Please forgive me..."
"Do it again." His voice was hoarse as he reached for her hand and brought it back up to his face. "Please."
Lucy's hand was shaking as she stroked his beard. "I just wanted to know...what it felt like," she whispered in a small voice. "It's soft." She dropped her hand abruptly and touched her own flaming cheeks. "I'm not usually this unprofessional. I don't normally go around...um, well, touching my customers. Like that. Please forgive me."
"I liked it." Mr. Klaus' voice was thick and low. Lucy shivered again, hugging her arms across her chest.
"And what will you feel like, I wonder?"
Lucy gazed in shock as Nicholas dragged his callused fingers along the side of her face to her chin. She closed her eyes in surrender at the delicious feel of his rough skin against her cheek. With one finger, he tilted her face toward his own. "Open your eyes, Lucy."
She opened her eyes, stunned to find him just inches away.
"My God, you are a delectable treat. I want to eat you up." Mr. Klaus was breathing hard as his fingers swept across her lips. Back and forth, again and again. "I'm going to kiss you now, Miss Brewster, if that's all right with you."
Lucy nodded, fixated on his mouth. As Nicholas began to brush his lips softly against her own, she thought Just like in my dreams. Only better. Much better.
He tasted like Christmas. Brandy, cloves and dark molasses. His tongue was doing slippery, sexy things to her mouth that were simply unbearable. She was momentarily worried that he would notice her lack of kissing expertise. Being the sole owner of a café did not leave a lot of time for socializing, and her sum experience with men was utterly unimpressive.
"So damned good..." Nicholas was murmuring into her neck. Vaguely she was aware of him exploring her back, squeezing her bottom, and one giant hand cupping the back of her head. With a whimper she raised her hands and began to caress the lush beard on his face. Each of her whimpers was answered with a growl from Mr. Klaus whose straight white teeth were grazing her neck. Lucy could not believe the passion in his eyes...no one had ever looked at her with such longing. For the first time in her life she felt truly desirable.
Lucy was desperate to feel his skin. His whole body shuddered as her hands began to pull the starched white button-down shirt out of his trousers.
Nicholas groaned, "Please don't stop. I've dreamt of this."
She stopped and stared up at him. "You dreamt of me? Really?"
"Hell, yes, every night for weeks. You're driving me insane."
"I've been dreaming of you, too, Nicholas." She blushed wildly admitting her nocturnal fantasies, but Nicholas was now reverently cupping her breasts through her apron. Lucy's legs began to buckle. She bumped against the counter behind her, and the basket of apples tipped over, spilling Granny Smiths all over the floor.
"Oh no! What am I doing? " I must be losing my mind.
Nicholas, looking rather disheveled and flushed, knelt down on the floor and quickly captured the rolling apples. "Don't worry, the apples are fine. No one will notice a bruised apple in a pie."
Lucy shook her head at Nicholas. "I can't believe I'm kissing you when I hardly know you. I have a huge order to fill, my assistant just quit, and...and...well, I'm not usually like this, honestly. You are a huge distraction, Mr. Klaus. I simply can't afford a distraction right now. I have too much work to do." With trembling fingers, she tucked her loose curls behind one ear.
"I apologize for the distraction, but not for the kiss. The timing was poor, perhaps, but I won't deny my attraction to you, Lucy. Later, after the work is done, we're going to finish what we started." Nicholas cupped her chin with his hand and forced her to look into his eyes. Lucy was shocked by the intensity of his gaze. My God, his eyes are gorgeous. Like burnished gold, burning...for me? No man has ever looked at me like that.
Lucy was shaking. Embarrassed by her blush, she turned away from Nicholas and began to stack the apples back in the basket. "I'm sorry, Mr. Klaus. I really have to get back to work."
"Please call me Nicholas. And we definitely need to get to work. Pies, cookies, candy canes. What else do you need for tomorrow?" Lucy was astounded to see him listing ingredients on his little note pad.
"You can't be serious. I'm sure the last thing you want to do is pull an all-nighter in my kitchen..."
"On the contrary. I've been on vacation for a long time, and I desperately miss working. I don't have to head back home until tomorrow. You've impressed the hell out of me in the last two weeks. Every single item I tasted from your menu has been divine. I would be honored to aid you in any way I can. Although I draw the line at puppies in the kitchen."
Lucy laughed at his horrified expression. "No more puppies. It's almost closing time. It'll be just you and me and Bing Crosby on the CD player."
Nicholas rolled his eyes. "You want to torture me, don't you? How about Bach or Vivaldi for inspiration?"
"It's Christmas time, Nicholas. My CD player is filled with Christmas music. Just be glad Kandy's gone. She listened to punk rock holiday mixes and Celine Dion. She has eclectic taste in music." Lucy grinned impishly at her new assistant, and he laughed out loud. It was a deep, rich, husky sound that surprised her. Lucy had the distinct impression that he did not laugh often.
"Well, if you really want to help out, I can offer you Kandy's pay."
Nicholas shook his head. "Not necessary. I'm offering as a friend. I'll wash the Granny Smiths while you close the shop. What do you say?"
Lucy shot him a shy smile. "Thank you. It will be nice to have some company tonight."
As soon as the last of her customers headed home, she cleared the tables and turned out the lights in the front of the store. She could hear Nicholas humming absentmindedly as he gathered the ingredients for the pies. Lucy smiled to herself. He was humming God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, one of her favorite Christmas carols. Mr. Nicholas Klaus was a fascinating combination of passion and discipline, and Lucy could not help her curious nature. That kiss was the most overwhelming, delicious and irresistible moment of her life, and she desperately hoped that Nicholas truly intended to finish what they started.
Nicholas could not in good conscience allow Miss Lucy Anne Brewster to struggle alone with her huge party order. Her seduction would have to wait...just a little longer. The sight of tears in her lovely eyes shook him to the core. He usually worked alone in the kitchen, but he found Lucy's company very pleasant. They were a good team. He could hardly wait to celebrate later with more of her extraordinary kisses. The heat of their brief encounter was difficult to forget, but he reigned himself in, determined to finish the pies and alleviate some of her worries.
"So, Nicholas, when did you decide you were going to become a baker?"
Nicholas was rolling out pastry on the cold marble counter. Although Lucy did not have the latest gadgets in her kitchen, it was well-stocked with old-fashioned equipment, like the beautifully made wooden rolling pin he was using.
"My earliest memories are of me in the kitchen - driving our cook mad." He chuckled as he smoothed the dough. "He finally gave up trying to barricade me out and started to teach me how to cook. He was a wonderful instructor."
Lucy carefully cut out tiny leaves and apples with copper cutters. "Did your parents approve? Baking is a rather unconventional career for a man."
Nicholas laughed. "Are you implying it's a less-than-manly occupation, Miss Brewster? That's not very politically correct." He raised an eyebrow questioningly.
Lucy blushed red as a beet. "Oh no. It just seems like everyone I know wants their sons to become doctors, lawyers, or some Wall Street wiz. I think anyone who follows their passions...well, it's wonderful to see people passionate about what they do, you know?"
One perfect corkscrew curl was dangling in front of Lucy's lovely blue eyes, and a light dusting of flour coated her adorable nose. It took all of Nicholas' willpower not to hop over the counter and pin her to the wall. He cleared his throat. "I completely agree. Unfortunately, the eldest son in my family is expected to follow in his father's footsteps, and baking is not the preferred career."
Lucy raised her head and gazed at him intently. "Are you the oldest in your family? What does your father do?"
Nicholas began his precision cuts of the pastry, forming perfect circles to line the pie tins. "I am the oldest of five brothers, and my father...well...he's in the toy industry."
"Oh, that's wonderful. Christmas must be his busiest holiday. Do your brothers help out, too?"
"Yes, we're all involved, including my mother. Sven is a toy designer, Gregor oversees the financial end of the business, Wolf is involved in charity donations, a big part of our operation, and my youngest brother Oskar manages our employees. We have a lot of them, and they're quite a handful."
"What does your mother do?" Lucy added details to the leaves using a thin scalpel.
"Um, well...our business is so large, we have an entire community built around the factories. My mother takes care of the village and basically makes sure everyone is happy. Which is not a simple job."
"Where exactly is your business, Nicholas?"
Nicholas waved vaguely with his rolling pin. Lucy was starting to ask too many questions, and he needed to distract her.
"Up north. So, how about you? When did you know you wanted to work in the culinary arts? Those leaves are beautiful, by the way. I can't believe you have serrated edges."
"Oh, thanks, I actually studied real apple foliage to make sure they were accurate. To answer your other question...I knew I wanted to be a baker when I was about five years old. It was Christmas time, and I visited one of those holiday villages with my parents. There was a gigantic gingerbread house in the center of the display, and a man was decorating the outside with white frosting and candy. I thought to myself, 'That is the coolest job ever! To create delicious things people love to eat, and to use your imagination all the time.' My parents always indulged my experiments in our kitchen, even after the exploding food processor incident, kitchen fires, and the time I burned my dad's tongue by using too many habanera chilies in my salsa, and..."
Nicholas barked out a laugh and held up a hand. "My God. You had a steep learning curve. It's a wonder you didn't burn your house down."
Lucy blushed. "I certainly tried, on more than one occasion. We didn't have a lot of money, but my parents scraped together the funds for culinary school. They were so proud the day I graduated."
Nicholas began to chop the apples. He loved the feel of the knife in his hand, flying as fast as he could, clicking on the wooden cutting board. "Well, your parents must be thrilled with your success. Sweet Inspiration is a wonderful café."
"Actually, my parents died several years ago in a car accident. They never got to see my café. I wish...well, after all the years I spent dreaming about opening this place, I really wish they had gotten a chance to see it. They would have loved it."
Nicholas noticed the wistful look on Lucy's face. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
She shook her head. "No, just me. I think I was enough trouble for my parents by myself."
She's all alone. No wonder she spends so much time at the shop with her customers. This is her family now. Nicholas could not imagine life without his brothers and parents. Although they often infuriated him, being part of the loud and boisterous Klaus family was also a comfort.
"I'm sorry to hear about your parents, Lucy. That must have been a tremendous loss for you. They would have been very proud of your beautiful café and all of your delicious creations." He slanted a glance at her. "You do have fire extinguishers in here, don't you?"
Nicholas was relieved when Lucy laughed, although her eyes were suspiciously misty. He did not want to see her sad again this evening.
As Nicholas continued to dice the apples, he became aware of Lucy staring at him.
"My God, I've never seen anyone with such fast knife skills. You're already halfway done with the apples!" she said, an astonished look on her face.
He shrugged. "One of my best talents, I must admit. If things don't work out as a baker, I can always become a hit man."
Lucy laughed.
Nicholas was filled with an inordinate amount of satisfaction as she watched him work. Others had commended him on his abilities in the kitchen, but for some reason her approval filled him with pride. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his arm and started on the next batch of apples.
Lucy left and went into the cooler, then returned with a chilled mug of apple cider. She smiled as she handed him the mug. "You look hot and tired. This cider is great. It's from a local farmer."
Nicholas was touched by the unexpected gesture. He took the cup from Lucy and nodded his appreciation. "Thank you." No one had ever bothered to bring him a cold drink when he was working. His employees were more or less scared to death of him, having witnessed his temper tantrums when things did not go according to plan. They scurried about the kitchen, avoiding eye contact. Nicholas realized that Lucy thought about others a lot. It was simply her nature, and that's why so many people were drawn to her shop.
"Are we ready for the custard? It's just about finished. The final touch is the bourbon."
Nicholas breathed deeply. "It smells incredible. What kind of vanilla do you use?"
"I prefer Madagascar. How about you?"
"I've been making pure vanilla extract using Mexican beans. They're very rich, and I think add a depth of flavor I need for my cookies."
"Oh, I would love to try those sometime. They're difficult to come by."
"I would be happy to get some for you. I have a great supplier in Mexico. What are you doing?" Nicholas watched incredulously as Lucy poured the bourbon into her mixing bowl.
"What do you mean?"
"You're not measuring. You should be measuring. How do you know that's the correct amount of bourbon?"
Lucy laughed. "By taste, Nicholas. You can't convince me that you always measure out your ingredients."
"Yes, I do. Measure them precisely. Otherwise, how will you be able to recreate your recipe with any consistency? It's damned near impossible. Let's get you a measuring glass..."
"Not necessary. It's perfect." Nicholas gaped in horror as Lucy dipped a spoon in the mixture and tasted it.
"There are raw eggs in there, Lucy!"
"My goodness, Nicholas. Live a little dangerously. I'll be fine. The custard is delicious, you want to try some?"
He recoiled. "No...I'll just take your word for it."
Lucy shook her head. "Do you always follow the rules? Sometimes it's nice to...just go with the flow."
Nicholas laughed. "You sound like my brothers. They are constantly haranguing me about my lack of spontaneity. Truthfully, the order in my kitchen is a comfort for me. I don't really like surprises. I'm not so good with customers, either. They have a tendency to irritate me with their indecision and lack of focus. My assistant Markus takes care of that part of my business."
Lucy finished pouring the custard over the apples, and was carefully decorating the top of each piecrust with her tiny leaves. Nicholas brushed an egg-white wash over the crust, and sprinkled cinnamon on top. She stopped working for a moment and looked up at him.
"I think you should listen to your brothers. You're clearly a well-trained chef. But sometimes my best recipes result from mistakes I make. And those customers are people. Listening to their problems may seem irritating, but it's nice to have friends to care about, and who care about you."
Nicholas raised his left eyebrow. "Are you going to bill me for this session, Dr. Phil?"
Lucy giggled. "Yep. Well, maybe not. I think you should be billing me for all of the work you're doing. Thank you, Nicholas. I can't tell you how many nights I've spent all alone in this kitchen frantically finishing an order. It's wonderful to have your company."
Nicholas cleared his throat. The adoration in Lucy's eyes was humbling. "We make a good team, don't we?"
She nodded her head, and copper-colored curls bobbed around her face. "Yes, we do."
Nicholas watched Lucy yawn and found himself unduly fascinated by her mouth. "Let's get these into the oven. We're almost done. And you need to get some sleep before morning."
"I usually stretch out on the sofa in my office. Thank goodness the candy canes and cookies are already done. I just need to organize them on some platters."
While the pies were baking, Nicholas and Lucy cleaned the kitchen. He noticed that her "go with the flow" attitude did not extend to cleanliness. Her work area was gleaming by the time the pies were finished.
Lucy arched her back and yawned as Nicholas put the last of the pies in the cooler. Just as he turned out the lights, he noticed that she was leaning in the doorway with her eyes closed. A little bouquet of mistletoe, tied with a red ribbon, dangled over her head.
Nicholas chuckled and leaned down to softly kiss her luscious lips. "Let's get you to bed, Lucy Anne." He slid his arm beneath her knees and lifted her slight body up against his chest. Lucy snuggled her face into his shirt and mumbled something. He found the office down the hall and gently laid her body on the lumpy couch, then blanketed her with a fleece throw.
He smiled as he gazed around her office. A fresh evergreen tree was in the corner, draped with strands of popcorn and cranberries and tiny homemade ornaments. On the walls hand-drawn pictures and photos of her customers vied with assorted travel posters. One displayed a stunning field of lavender in Provence, another showcased the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, and the one in front of her desk advertised a romantic gondola ride in Venice.
Purple post-it notes dotted her desktop with reminders about birthdays, future orders, and recipe ideas. A charming collection of Santas covered an antique table next to the window. The only illumination in the office radiated from the garlands of white lights hanging over the windows.
Lucy curled into a ball on the sofa, mumbling something nonsensical about apple pies. Her stomach interrupted her gibberish, choosing that moment to growl loudly. Nicholas frowned. Another grumble from her tummy convinced him she must be ravenous.
"Lucy...wake up, honey."
"Hmm. Is it morning already?" Lucy rubbed her eyes.
"When was the last time you ate, Miss Brewster? Your stomach is growling like a lion."
Lucy shrugged. "I was too busy today. I think I ate something for breakfast?" she answered sheepishly.
"Well, you're not going to bed on an empty stomach. I'm going to whip up a little snack for you. In the meantime, take a nap. I'll come and get you when your food is ready."
Lucy was fast asleep before he was even out the door. Nicholas made his way to the kitchen and pulled a cell phone out of his shirt pocket. He pressed a single button and waited.
"Markus, I need a few things."
"Sir, it's midnight."
"I'm aware of that. Nevertheless, I'm in the mood to cook. Meet me at the back door of Sweet Inspiration. Here's what I need you to collect..." Nicholas quickly rattled off a list of ingredients. His assistant was expedient, efficient, and used to his unusual demands. On more than one occasion, Nicholas had called him in the middle of the night to collaborate on some culinary experiment. Some were abject failures, some miraculous successes. Markus was always a good sport, and a most loyal friend.
Ten minutes later, there was a discreet knock at the back door. Nicholas opened it and looked down at his assistant, who was clutching a crate of fresh produce and herbs.
Markus's ears twitched as he handed the crate to Nicholas. "Hungry tonight, sir? This is enough food to feed all of Glasdorf..."
"Spare me the commentary, Markus. Let's get everything into the kitchen. Did you get the Mexican vanilla?"
"Yes, sir, and the organic chickens, Kashmiri saffron from India, fresh cream from Vermont..."
"Excellent. Let's get to work. I want to prepare an elegant meal for Lucy Anne. After the hard work she did this evening, she deserves a treat."
Markus blinked at Nicholas. "You're doing all of this for a woman? The baker woman who makes the sugar cookies?"
"Yes, she is quite something, Markus. I've never met a woman like her."
"She does seem rather...unique. And her pastries are wonderful. Have you asked her what the secret ingredients are in those cookies?"
"Not yet. Let's get to work. You start on the saffron chicken. I'll chop the green beans."
Markus handed him his favorite apron, and Nicholas began to hum as he assembled all of his ingredients. This would be a feast that Lucy Anne Brewster would never forget.
Lucy was dreaming. Seated at a long formal table, she admired place settings of gleaming silver, sparkling crystal and rows of flickering candelabras. In front of her glittered a gold-rimmed plate, piled with delicious looking morsels of food. Nicholas leaned down and offered her a silver platter covered with hors d'oeuvres. She noticed immediately that Nicholas was naked. Since he was usually naked in her dreams, it did not seem that out of place, but this was the first time he offered her culinary treats in addition to his delicious body.
"Why, thank you, Nicholas. Are those mushroom crepes?"
"Lucy, wake up. Time to eat."
"Yum, you look yummy..."
"Lucy, darling, what are you dreaming about?"
Lucy's eyes snapped open and she lurched upright into a sitting position. Nicholas stood next to the sofa with a small smile on his face. "You must have been having a nice dream. What was so yummy?"
Before Lucy could respond, her stomach rumbled loudly. How embarrassing!
Nicholas laughed and pulled back the blankets. "I'm glad you're still hungry, because I've prepared a midnight snack. Ready to eat?"
Lucy inhaled deeply. The scents coming from the kitchen were extraordinary. "Do I smell...roast chicken? Saffron? Is that it? Oh! I smell chocolate, too."
"Right this way, Miss Brewster. I don't want your dinner to get cold." Nicholas reached for her hand and pulled her into the hallway.
Lucy looked down at their hands linked together and felt a rush in her chest. She gazed up into Nicholas' smiling face. "That feels good."
"What feels good, sweet?"
"Our hands. Together. It's like...they fit together perfectly." His large strong fingers curled around her tiny hand and squeezed gently.
"I agree. It's hard to believe your little hands are capable of such gastronomic creations. They're so tiny...well, they're as tiny as elf hands." Nicholas stopped suddenly, looking mildly uncomfortable.
"My mom used to say that, too. That I was as tiny as an..." Before Lucy could finish her thought, she stopped, speechless, staring into the café. All of the tables were pushed together and covered with a beautiful embroidered tablecloth. Elegant place settings for two surrounded a gorgeous roast chicken, nestled in clusters of pomegranates, lady apples and fresh herbs. Votive candles flickered along the length of the table. Tears filled Lucy's eyes, and spilled down over her cheeks.
"What have you done, Nicholas?" she whispered in awe. Before she could take a breath, he was pulling back her chair, and seating her at the table. He filled a champagne flute in front of her plate, and leaned down to kiss her tear-stained cheeks.
"How could you do all of this? Where did you get all of this beautiful food? This is too much...I...I..."
Nicholas smiled mischievously. "A friend stopped by to help out. I couldn't let you fall asleep with your stomach rumbling loud enough to wake the whole town. After enjoying your delicious cooking for the last two weeks, I thought it would be nice to return the favor. What do you think?"
For a second, Lucy thought she saw an expression on Nicholas' face that looked a bit vulnerable. He's worried I won't like his cooking. "I think this is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me. Can you tell me what all of these incredible dishes are?"
"Of course. We have a saffron-roasted organic chicken in the center of the table. Wild rice and a green bean vinaigrette to your right, freshly baked rosemary bread with sweet cream butter from Vermont, and French champagne with pomegranate seeds. For dessert, I've made pears poached in white wine and thyme, and a bit of homemade hot chocolate, made with the finest chocolate from Switzerland."
Lucy stared at Nicholas in astonishment. "Have you really been to all of those places? France, Vermont, Switzerland...?"
"Oh yes, of course. Traveling around the world and tasting culinary treasures from different regions is my favorite hobby. It's very inspirational for me as a chef."
Lucy shook her head and looked down into her lap. "I'm embarrassed to say I've never left New York State. I've gone to the city a few times, but I felt so intimidated that I didn't stay long. Someday I would love to travel, to taste exotic foods from every country."
"You'll really enjoy it, Lucy. It will open your eyes to a whole new world." Nicholas tilted up her chin with his fingers and lightly brushed his lips across hers. "So those travel posters in your office are fantasy adventures?"
Lucy nodded. "...hopefully someday. My employees make fun of me for dreaming about my 'world travels', when the truth is I seem to be having a hard time leaving Eston."
"Well, it's something to look forward to, n'est-ce pas?" Nicholas gestured to the table. "Ready to eat?" he asked softly.
"Yes, please. Everything looks delicious."
Nicholas lifted the champagne flute to her lips, and she took a swallow, enjoying the fizzy bubbles of the sparkling wine. He winked at her, then began to carve the chicken with a professional looking carving knife. "What would you like to try first?"
"Everything! I want all of it...you're joining me, right?"
"Of course, I have a hearty chef's appetite after preparing this feast. Let's dig in."
The next hour was bliss. Nicholas continued to heap Lucy's plate with all of his decadent dishes. The green beans were crisp and vibrant, tossed with a fruity olive oil and sherry vinegar. The rice had a lovely nutty flavor. He served her rich hot chocolate with a dollop of vanilla-infused whipped cream, playfully licking some off her lips after he spooned it into her mouth. He hand fed her pieces of the fragrant bread, and then brushed imaginary crumbs from her face. Every subtle touch had her shivering and impatient for more.
During the meal, Lucy peppered him with questions about his cooking techniques, unusual ingredients, and his travels around the world. She realized that she probably sounded like a provincial star-struck groupie, but Nicholas' travel stories were marvelous and fed her thirst for adventure.
"Oh, I almost forgot. I have a little something for you." Nicholas leaned down and pulled a covered basket out from under the table. "I'll think you'll like it."
Lucy blinked as she stared at the container. "You got me a gift? Really?"
Nicholas laughed at her surprise. "Don't you ever get gifts, Lucy Anne?"
"Not very often." She looked down at the table to hide her teary eyes. "Thank you."
Nicholas leaned close to her and gently brushed an errant curl from her cheek. "Why don't you open it up and see what it is?"
Lucy nodded and carefully removed the checkered tea towel from the top of the basket. The sweet aroma of vanilla was released as soon as she lifted the fabric.
"Those are the Mexican vanilla beans I was telling you about. I like to make an infusion with vodka. Of course, you can use them however you'd like."
Lucy's eyes filled with tears. "This is perfect. Thank you." She leaned forward and brushed her lips across his, so softly they barely touched. Nicholas' gaze was riveted on her mouth. Lucy had the distinct impression that he wanted to gobble her up for dessert. When he finally gazed into her eyes, his look was so intense, Lucy blushed.
Nicholas cleared his throat. "Are you ready for dessert, Lucy Anne?"
She nodded. "Absolutely. It looks wonderful," she answered quietly.
As Nicholas served her a perfect poached pear, Lucy smiled and patted her stomach. "I don't think I'm going to fit in my baker's pants anymore. This meal is more than I've eaten all week. Your family must be thrilled to have such an incredible chef to feed them."
Nicholas drizzled some of the wine sauce over the pear. "Actually, my father is somewhat annoyed with my 'little hobby' as he likes to call it. I know he appreciates my cooking skills, but he thinks my energy should be focused elsewhere."
"Really? You're so talented. How can he not be proud of your accomplishments?"
"It's not that he's not proud of me. By the time I was sixteen I had already surpassed his master baker. Everyday I presented my parents with some new cookie creation, and they were my biggest supporters. It's just that he expects his oldest son to take over the family business, and I'm not interested. My passion is cooking. My father is not getting any younger, and it's only a matter of time before I have to sacrifice my work in the kitchen and fulfill the Klaus family tradition." Nicholas sighed with resignation.
"Do any of your brothers show an interest in the business? Maybe one of them could be his apprentice?"
Nicholas looked surprised at the question. "I have no idea. It is a long-standing tradition that the eldest son takes over the business. My brothers all seem content with their positions in the village."
"Well, I hope you don't give up your passion, Nicholas. It would be a shame. You have a real talent for the culinary arts." Lucy took a bite of the tender pear. "This is wonderful. But I think I have too much tryptophan in my system. I can't keep my eyes open."
Nicholas stood and pulled out her chair with a flourish. "I'm so pleased you liked the meal. I think it's time to get you back to your lumpy sofa."
Lucy giggled as Nicholas lifted her into his arms.
"Hmm, you seem a bit heavier than last time." He staggered down the hall, moaning and groaning for effect.
"It's not nice to comment on a woman's weight, you know."
"You barely weigh a hundred pounds, Lucy Anne. I think I need to fatten you up with a few more calorie-rich meals."
"I certainly wouldn't mind. That was truly the most delicious meal of my life."
Nicholas beamed at her as he gently laid her on the sofa. When he attempted to stand up, Lucy reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Please don't leave. I...I want you to stay."
Nicholas grinned down at her. "You have no idea how much I've been waiting to hear that from you, sweetheart. But you are simply too exhausted for company tonight, I'm afraid."
Lucy shook her head and tugged on Nicholas' hand, pulling him down onto the sofa with her.
"You promised we would finish that kiss. I'm not usually this forward with men, honestly. But I enjoyed tonight so much, especially the dinner. And I've never felt the way I did when you kissed me earlier. It was wonderful and intoxicating. Just for once, I want...I want..."
"What do you want, Lucy Anne?"
Tell him, Lucy, tell him what you really want...
"I want you, Nicholas. I'm tired of spending hours in the kitchen toiling away while everyone else has a life, and lovers, and...intoxicating kisses. I want you to make love to me. Please."
"As you wish, my sweet. A Klaus never reneges on a promise."
Finally, Miss Lucy Anne Brewster was in his arms.
Sated by his decadent meal, she looked drowsy and delicious. My God, he wanted to taste every square inch of her luscious little body. Nicholas carefully removed his spectacles and placed them on a table next to the sofa. He felt like a child in a candy store, with so many tempting choices it was difficult to know where to begin.
Breathing deeply, he buried his face in Lucy's neck, inhaling her unique scent, a heady combination of vanilla, citrus and woman. He ran his tongue along her collarbone, up her graceful neck and made his way to her lips. Soft, full, and sweet as honey.
Lucy's lips were plump and wet, and Nicholas took his precious time tasting, teasing and nipping. She was hesitant at first, especially as his tongue began to explore her sweet mouth. But soon she was stroking his face and devouring his lips enthusiastically. Lucy suddenly giggled and Nicholas pulled back, searching her face.
"What is so funny, Miss Brewster?"
"Your beard. It tickles." Lucy rubbed her cheek along the side of his face, clearly savoring the feel of it. "I like it."
She smiled gloriously at him, and Nicholas could swear he could feel the rapid thumping of his heart in his chest. She likes my beard. Hallelujah! Nicholas used to be embarrassed by his thick beard. It was a family curse, and all of the Klaus men were either forced to shave three or more times a day, or give in and look like a lumberjack. Nicholas vowed he would never shave again.
As Nicholas began to press small kisses along Lucy's neck, he could feel her body tremble beneath him. Her little moans of pleasure were igniting his lust. An erection of epic proportions was pressing happily down onto Lucy's pelvis, and he almost laughed out loud as she arched up against his massive frame, grinding against him.
"Uh, Lucy, I'm trying to go slow, darling, but..."
"Fast," Lucy panted against his mouth, "hurry, please..."
His control snapped as she rubbed more vigorously against him, and he scrambled to remove her T-shirt, tugging it over her head and flinging it onto the floor.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Underneath her plain white T-shirt was a delightful surprise. A sheer pink demi-bra, with lacy straps and rosebuds along the seams. All of the blood in Nicholas' body seemed to rush to his groin and left him feeling rather light-headed. He cupped her beautiful breasts and reveled in the sight of two burgundy nipples screaming for his attention.
"What a nice surprise, Lucy Anne. It's like discovering a hidden treasure."
Shyly, Lucy whispered, "I like pretty lingerie."
Nicholas smiled when her breathing grew labored as he brushed his mouth over the tips of her breasts. "Lucky me. Oh, yes, this is what I want. Dark as merlot and hard as berries."
He suckled fiercely through the bra and Lucy gasped while her hips continued to buck against him. Nicholas trembled as he slid the bra straps down her shoulders, and forced himself to take a deep breath and slow down. Don't embarrass yourself, Nick. You've been waiting for this a long time, now relax and savor every moment. Constellations of freckles were scattered along her slender shoulders and arms, and Nicholas found himself kissing each one, delighting in the sweet-salty taste of her skin.
He managed to unhook her sexy bra, and groaned out loud at the sight of her lovely teardrop breasts. His tongue traced a path on the sensitive skin underneath each one, slowly heading toward the aroused crests. When he finally closed his mouth over the plump tips, he shook from the sensation.
"God, they're perfect." His lips and teeth were grazing over her pale skin, teasing her with little licks and kisses.
"They're not very big. Do you really think they're perfect?" Lucy was looking at Nicholas with a worried expression as he continued to feast.
He lifted his eyes to her in surprise. "Lucy, they are exquisite. Sensitive and sweet, just like you. Any man who thinks otherwise is mistaken. Or gay."
Lucy giggled, and then moaned again as he pinched the hard buds between his fingers.
Nicholas quickly unbuttoned her baker's pants and slipped the pants along with a lacy pair of panties down her shapely legs. He found an interesting array of freckles along her silky smooth hips, which he felt compelled to kiss, of course, and then some more along her knees. When he removed her clogs and snowman socks, he was shocked to discover bright red toenails. He raised an eyebrow at the discovery.
Lucy whispered "They're Pepperberry Red, for the holidays."
Nicholas could not resist kissing each red-tipped toe, and then Lucy was spread out before him like a naked banquet.
What a sight. Her body was slight, but toned and curvy in all the right places. Strands of red curls rippled over the sofa cushions and he was delighted to find the same silky curls between her legs. She was a vision of loveliness.
He turned Lucy onto her side and pulled her back against his fully-clothed body. The feel of her naked skin against his clothes was disarmingly erotic, and she clearly liked it as well, because she began to rub her gorgeous bottom against his trousers. Lucy arched back against him, purring with pleasure, and then reached up to wind her arms around his neck.
"What about your clothes, Nicholas? I want to undress you, too. And touch your skin. And..."
Nicholas' breathing was choppy. "Not yet, sweet. The first course is just for you. I want to watch you come, Lucy Anne."
Lucy sighed her consent as his fingers began to glide over her skin. He skimmed his callused fingers along her arms, over her rounded shoulders and teasingly over the tip of each breast. Then they journeyed down her taut belly, smooth hips and thighs. When they found their way to the tangle of copper curls between her legs, Lucy was shivering all over. Nicholas' fingers trembled as they slipped into the lush curls on her mound. Gently he stroked, exploring every inch of her secret place.
She was already hot and creamy, and he was dying to taste her. The warm musky scent of her arousal was killing him. Lucy's head tipped back so she could gaze into his face as he touched her, and the look of innocent wonder in her eyes held him spellbound. He was sure that she had never known pleasure like this before, and it made him feel ridiculously good that he was the one to initiate her.
"So hot and soft and sweet, Lucy Anne. Open for me. Yes, that's it."
Lucy blushed as her legs fell open wider to allow Nicholas to caress her. Hell, this is better than I imagined. And God knows I imagined it enough. Suddenly desperate to taste her, Nicholas slipped from the sofa to the floor in front of her. He opened her legs gently with his hands and rubbed his beard along the smooth skin on her inner thighs. Slowly he kissed a path to her sweet spot and found her ripe and swollen. As he lightly brushed his lips over her sensitive flesh, he felt Lucy tense up.
"Umm, Nicholas, I'm not sure about this..."
"Please don't deny me, Lucy Anne. I've been fantasizing about tasting you since the first moment I saw you."
Lucy looked a bit bewildered. "Are...are you sure? I thought, you know, that guys didn't really like to do that..."
Nicholas raised an eyebrow at the comment. "I'm not sure what men you have been with in the past, Lucy, but they must have been idiots. There is nothing more delicious in this world than the taste of a beautiful woman, and that is exactly what you are." He ran his tongue along her cleft and Lucy shuddered. "Sweet as honey. Just lie back and relax."
With the single-mindedness of a man possessed he devoured her with his mouth, his lips, his tongue. Her apprehension soon dissipated, and was replaced with enthusiastic moans and whimpers. She was as rich and decadent as a Parisian pastry, her skin soft and sensitive and creamy. Nicholas glanced up at her face and found her drowsy eyes watching him, completely enthralled, wild curls falling across her forehead. Dear God, this woman is delicious. He reached up to cup her breasts, and squeezed the swollen nipples at the same time he began to suck on the sensitive nub hidden in her folds.
Lucy came undone. Her back arched with the intensity of her orgasm, an eruption that seemed to surprise her. Blindly she reached for Nicholas' head between her legs, spearing her fingers in his thick hair. Her hips rocked against his mouth, over and over again, until she was completely spent. Only then did Nicholas release her, placing gentle kisses on her inner thighs and brushing his fingers lightly over her breasts. He could barely hide a smug grin of male satisfaction, knowing full well that no other man had satiated Lucy in such a way.
"I had no idea..." Lucy whispered as Nicholas crawled back onto the lumpy sofa and pulled her into his arms. She was clearly struggling to keep her eyes open, but her boneless body had other ideas.
"Don't fight it, sweetheart. Go to sleep. You have a big day tomorrow." As much as Nicholas craved to fill her and find his own satisfaction, he realized that Lucy was exhausted.
"But I haven't touched you yet. I want to touch you, too..."
"It's all right Lucy Anne. Just rest. Visions of sugar plums and all that..."
Even as the luscious little chef fell asleep in his arms, leaving him still erect, fully dressed, and more than a little uncomfortable, he was content. For some reason that eluded him, a night spent working in a chaotic kitchen with a somewhat unorthodox chef, and giving, but not receiving sexual favors, had turned into the best night of his life. He tugged the fleece blanket over both of their bodies as Lucy fell asleep snuggled within the cradle of his arms. One thing was for certain. No matter what the complications, he was determined to see Lucy again.
And there would be complications, no doubt about it.
\*\*\*\*
Lucy awoke next to a large, hot, very male body. Never in her life had she imagined a night as decadent as the previous evening. Nicholas Klaus had seduced her with a saffron-roasted chicken, glasses of champagne, and his magic hands and lips. No one had ever showered her with such thoughtfulness. The meal was astounding; his talent in the kitchen left her speechless.
He was also a generous and selfless lover. She was amazed that he seemed fascinated with her body, even her tiny breasts. And it felt so sexy to sleep naked in his arms when he was fully dressed. She thought he looked adorable with his clothes rumpled, his hair standing up, and his feet dangling over the edge of her little sofa.
Nicholas was so wonderful to her last night...and she had fallen asleep before reciprocating. How embarrassing! Lucy was determined to make it up to him today. Before the bakery opened for the morning shift, she wanted to peel off his wrinkled clothes and pleasure him. She had never really enjoyed giving oral sex before, but the thought of taking Nicholas into her mouth and tasting him had her shivering with excitement. His scent lingered all over her, masculine and earthy, and she reveled in how possessive that made her feel. She secretly hoped Nicholas would extend his trip to Eston, and that they would be able to spend more time together.
Lucy had never felt this way about a man. Sometime during the night she had totally fallen for Nicholas Sebastian Klaus. He fascinated her. His combination of passion, creativity, discipline and self-control was utterly intriguing. She had fallen hard, she had fallen fast, and she prayed that he felt the same. Otherwise, she feared that she would be nursing a bruised ego and a broken heart for Christmas.
Gently she extricated herself from Nicholas' arms. Although she was reluctant to leave him, the delivery trucks would be here soon with supplies. She tucked the blankets around him and kissed him softly on the forehead, then quietly dressed. A sick feeling in her tummy reminded her that he was supposed to leave today to go home. Funny, she couldn't remember where he said he lived. Somewhere up north.
Lucy tiptoed into the kitchen to start the cappuccino machine. Last night Nicholas had confided to her that he started every morning with a perfect shot of espresso. She wanted to surprise him with a steaming cup of rich coffee, and one of her flaky croissants.
She sighed as she gazed out the window. The sun was just beginning to rise over the brownstones across the street, streaking the sky with apricot and pale blue the color of cotton candy. On every tree branch, light post and banister was a thick layer of ice, sparkling in the early morning sun, a testament to the snowfall the night before. Lucy smiled to herself, thinking that while the snow and ice froze the town last night, Nicholas had been heating her up to a feverish pitch, giving her a release that was completely new and exciting. She never considered herself a passionate person, but something about him brought out a very lusty side to her, and she liked it.
Lucy began to pull out large party platters for the sugar cookies. The cappuccino machine sputtered and hissed, and soon the fragrance of hot coffee, cinnamon and cloves filled the kitchen. She glanced out the window and spied Mr. McCracken's produce truck fishtailing around the corner. The roads looked slick and icy, and she hoped the old man would be careful on the steep driveway to her loading dock. She grabbed a thick cardigan from a hook on the wall, and stepped out the back door. Gingerly she made her way down the slippery steps and began clearing some crates from the parking spot in front of the dock. Just as she finished stacking the last of the crates, Mr. McCracken pulled into the drive.
Lucy looked up and waved hello but realized too late that old Joe McCracken had a look of pure terror on his face. The truck slid down the driveway much too fast for her to jump out of the way. She closed her eyes as the truck slammed into her, shattering all thoughts of hot chocolate, soft kisses, and hazel eyes.
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Several thoughts occurred to Nicholas as he awoke on the lumpy sofa in Lucy Anne Brewster's office. One was that although the sofa was approximately twelve inches too short for his frame, was thread-bare and mushy, he had experienced the most restful and contented sleep of his life. Having a well-pleasured Lucy curled up in his arms for the night had been nothing short of bliss. It also occurred to him that he had completely forgotten to interrogate Lucy about her sugar cookie recipe. They spent hours in her kitchen, but he had been much too distracted to remember his main reason for visiting her last evening.
His seduction strategy had not gone exactly according to plan, either. Although Lucy fell asleep before he could finish making love to her, the look of surprise and wonder on her face as she came apart in his arms was extremely satisfying. He had the distinct feeling that the petite chef was somewhat inexperienced with men. She obviously spent the majority of her time at the café, taking care of her orders as well as needy customers, and ignoring her own needs.
Nicholas never thought he would be attracted to someone like Lucy, but his obsession with her was growing. She was fascinating in every way; her combination of innocence and passion, her joyful love of cooking, her generous nature with others.
He sat up and stretched his back, his spine crackling and popping like roasting chestnuts. His clothes were sadly rumpled, and his hair jutted up in all directions. Nicholas was somewhat embarrassed for Lucy to see him in such disarray, but the delicious scent of French roast was too enticing to ignore. And truthfully, he was impatient to see and touch and taste the little baker. The thought of leaving her today was unsettling. Somehow he would figure out a way to see her again.
Nicholas smiled as he entered the kitchen. Lucy had placed two holiday espresso cups next to the coffee machine. They were cherry red with hand-painted Christmas trees. His mother would be absolutely charmed by Lucy's sweet and giving nature - and her choice of china. His family's collection of Christmas dishware was rather extensive, to say the least. Lucy would be impressed for sure.
The sound of a vehicle barreling down the street caught his attention. A white truck turned into the driveway just past Sweet Inspiration. He realized that Lucy must be meeting her first delivery of the morning.
Nicholas picked up the red mug and was reaching for the coffee carafe when a horrible feeling of foreboding hit him. His head snapped up as the sound of smashing glass exploded into the silence of the morning and sent him running to the back door. Heart pounding, he yanked open the door and refused to process what his eyes were seeing.
No, no, not now, I've just found you, sweetheart...
Lucy looked like a crumpled rag doll, flung against the pavement. Bright red blood pooled around her body and saturated her white apron and coated her curls. Nicholas flew down the steps and knelt next to her body as the truck driver stumbled out of his vehicle.
"I couldn't stop. It was too slippery." The old man looked dazed as he stared at Lucy's broken body. "She gonna be okay?"
Nicholas touched Lucy's hair, stroking softly. Reaching for the cell phone in his pocket, he pressed a single button, never once taking his eyes off of Lucy.
"Markus, I need you." His voice sounded hoarse and shaky. "Meet me immediately behind Sweet Inspiration. And call Hector...tell him...tell him we're bringing in an emergency."
\*\*\*\*
Later that morning, when Chief of Police Nathan Mayer questioned Joseph McCracken about the accident, they assumed he had been drinking. There was a crushed truck, a pool of blood, but no body. Joe was teary-eyed and confused and blabbering like a fool. The chief of police wasn't sure what to write in the report. They didn't have a hell of a lot of crime in Eston, New York. Especially in the wintertime. The most excitement usually came from kids whipping snowballs at the school buses. But old Joe just kept repeating the same damned story, and it sure was a doozy.
"A sleigh. In the sky, he carried her off. And there was an elf. It just disappeared. I'm telling you, he carried her off."
Funny thing, Joe McCracken didn't smell like he'd been drinking.
Cold and pain. That was all Lucy knew. She heard sounds, too. A high-pitched whistle, eerie and unsettling, like the wind in the trees. And voices - one was deep and rich...and very close to her. Nicholas. She smelled his comforting scent, felt the scratch of his beard on her face. It was possible that she was draped over his body, fighting for his heat and vitality. But she couldn't be sure. There was another voice, tinny and high, almost childlike. But she could tell from the tone that it was an adult, and he was worried.
Lucy struggled to open her eyes. Yes, her face was touching Nicholas' cheek. In front of her sat a tiny old man, wrinkled with time, and he was driving. They must be in a car, but she couldn't see the road. Only blackness. The pain radiated from her head, down to her back and legs. Thankfully, it seemed to be waning. She was desperate to talk to Nicholas, but unable to form the words. An overwhelming fatigue claimed her. Lucy was too weak to resist it.
"Dear God, Lucy, don't you dare die on me. Hold on, love, we're almost there." Vaguely, Lucy felt Nicholas grip her more tightly, and suddenly the cold was interrupted by something hot and wet. His tears?
Her eyelids fluttered as sleep beckoned enticingly. Around her the black void gave way to a glowing mist, and Lucy had the sensation she was falling. The mist dissipated and an enormous castle made of glass appeared below her in the distance. It sparkled with flecks of color and movement within. More beautiful than any fairy tale castle, it glistened with lights, with musical sounds and laughter, and vibrated with some sort of energy that seemed magical to her. I must be hallucinating. Maybe this is what heaven looks like.
Her last shattering thought was that she would never see Nicholas again.
\*\*\*\*
Surrounded by swirling eddies of snow, Nicholas clutched Lucy to his chest. He stopped in front of Hector's cottage and prayed silently. Dear God, please let her live. Don't let Hector refuse me. The tiny home was dark, but smoke spiraled from the chimney and a few lights twinkled from the lower windows. Markus knocked hesitantly on the front door, and eventually a shriveled woman appeared.
"Helga, we need to see Hector. It's an emergency, as I told you on the phone."
The old woman's gray eyes widened slightly as she spied Nicholas. Two long braids hung down below her waist, and a green apron covered her clothes. She and Marcus clasped hands in greeting and she turned misty eyes to Nicholas.
"Come inside. Hector will see you. But I must warn you, he is very angry."
Nicholas carried Lucy's limp body into the healer's cottage. As was habit, he ducked his head before crossing the doorway. Gently he placed Lucy on a bed in the center of the room, then knelt down and brushed a curl from her bloody forehead. His hand trembled so badly he could hardly control it.
The steady thumping of a cane on the wooden floor captured Nicholas' attention and he glanced up to see Hector, fuming with anger. The old man was barely three feet tall, with long wispy gray hair and sparkling green eyes. He wore baggy pants and a woolen vest, buttoned up to his neck. At the moment his features were pinched, his leathery skin pulled tight over sharp cheekbones. The points of his ears jutted out from his hair and his fierce expression worried Nicholas.
"What have you done, Nicholas? This is forbidden. The council will be furious. We are not permitted to interfere with the lives of Sudlanders." Nicholas watched warily as Hector Ischman, master healer for Glasdorf and head of the Elfin Council of Seven, paced along the floor in front of the bed. The old man stooped over a gnarled walking stick, hobbling back and forth with nervous agitation. He stopped and pointed the cane right into Nicholas' face.
"Never in my two hundred and thirty nine years of life have I seen such a defiant gesture made in the Klaus family. This young woman should have been allowed to die in the Sudenwelt." Hector turned and faced Markus, who stood loyally by Nicholas' side.
"Markus, how could you allow young Nicholas to do such a foolish thing? You are supposed to be watching over him, protecting him. He is heir to our master. Is this how you fulfill your duty? By permitting him to break one of the most sacred rules of Glasdorf?"
Markus' face turned red and blotchy. "Nicholas cares for this woman. My first responsibility is to Nicholas as a man and a friend." His voice softened. "Please, Hector, do not let her die. I know it is within your power to save her."
Hector limped to the bedside and peered at Lucy. He reached out with one bent finger and touched her forehead. A bright light, white speckled with prisms, flowed from his hand to her head. "Her spirit is already fading."
Nicholas' head snapped around. With menacing deliberation, he stood to his full height and glared down at the old man. In the back of his mind, he was dimly aware that he was physically intimidating one of the most respected elders of his community. He didn't care. All that mattered was that Lucy survived.
"She...will...not...die!" Nicholas' voice was raw. "Do you hear me? I don't care what you have to do...what magic you use...you will save her. Now!" The roar of his voice vibrated on the shelves along the walls. Glass apothecary jars rattled on the tables.
Hector tilted his head and gazed into Nicholas' face. "You would defy the council for her? Ignore the rules that have served Glasdorf for all of these years? What will she say when she finds out about us?" Hector shook his head. "Does she know already?"
Nicholas' gaze had already returned to Lucy. "No. She knows nothing."
"Hector, her spirit is fading fast. There is not much time left. You must make a decision quickly." Helga clasped Lucy's hand and nodded to the healer.
"What should I do? The consequences of this act may be severe."
Helga looked at Nicholas' face, contorted with anguish and streaked with dried tears. "Do, it, Hector. Her death will crush him."
Markus nodded his head in agreement. "Please, Healer."
Grumbling, Hector pushed Nicholas' towering form out of his way and leaned over the bed. "Helga, I need the red sphere, please. Hurry."
Helga hustled to a cabinet in the corner of the room. She opened the doors to reveal hundreds of shimmering spheres, in all sizes and colors, lining the shelves. She reached up and a blood-red sphere jumped from the cabinet into her hand, humming a soothing resonance. The old woman carried it to Hector, who was lightly running his crooked fingers along Lucy's forehead. He reached out, palm up, and the globe jumped into his hand, and began to vibrate.
Nicholas had the distinct impression that the sphere was excited and eager to heal. Strange. Sparks flew off the orb as the color changed...brighter, lighter, until it was pale and transparent.
Hector placed the sphere over Lucy's heart. Within the globe Nicholas could see her image. Laughing, baking in her kitchen, kissing him in her office. Colors swirled within the sphere and flowed directly into Lucy's still form. Her back arched and she moaned. Nicholas watched in awe as the bruises on her body faded, the lacerations disappeared, the broken bones healed. Her slight body twitched and sparks flashed along her skin. Hector was mumbling. Nicholas nervously watched the healer for any indication that this was normal.
"Is it working? Dammit, Hector, tell me what the hell is going on!" Nicholas wanted to touch Lucy, but wasn't sure if it was okay.
"Yes, touch her. It will help. She is longing for you," Hector rasped.
Nicholas wondered fleetingly how Hector could read his thoughts, and then he touched Lucy's face, stroked her cheek. She turned toward him and sighed, as her body continued to heal in front of his eyes.
"Lucy, sweetheart, can you hear me? You're safe now. I promise you." Nicholas could not stop shivering, a feeling of desperation gnawed at his stomach.
"Hector, will she be completely recovered? Will she remember what happened?"
The healer grimaced as he shuffled back from the bed. The sphere popped off Lucy's chest and hovered in front of the old man, waiting. Hector closed his eyes and murmured something from his memory.
Nicholas watched in astonishment as the sphere danced back to Lucy's body and touched the spot above her heart, then rushed to his own chest, illuminating his heart for a moment before it flew back to the cabinet. It spun giddily on the shelf, as the color deepened from translucent pink, to cranberry, and finally back to a rich blood-red. Helga laughed as she closed the cabinet door.
"That one hasn't been out in a while. She had a good time, eh?"
Hector smiled. "Yes, I have forgotten how powerful she is. And such a sucker for true love." He rolled his eyes as he waved at Nicholas. "She likes the boy, of course. Lucky for you, Nick. The woman's name is Lucy?"
"Yes, Lucy Anne Brewster." Nicholas released a breath in relief as Lucy snuggled up closer to his hand.
Hector nodded in her direction. "She will sleep for a long time, Nicholas. When she wakes up she will be completely healed. In fact, if she had any medical issues in the past, they will probably be healed as well. Obviously, she cannot stay here. Where will you take her?"
"To my home here in Glasdorf." Nicholas brought Lucy's hand to his lips and kissed her softly, inhaling her sweet fragrance. "Hector, I must apologize for my behavior..."
"Save your breath, young man. The council will be anxious to hear an accounting of this, I am sure. And your father will be disappointed in your behavior. This is a most inauspicious start for the future Weihnachtsmann."
Nicholas gazed at Lucy's peaceful face. "I am not afraid to face the council or my father."
Markus stepped forward and bowed to Hector. "You are truly worthy of your title, Healer. Thank you for serving Nicholas and this woman. I will bring the sleigh to the front door." He hurried out of the cottage, quickly closing the door as a freezing gust of wind snuck inside.
Nicholas slid his arms beneath Lucy's body and pulled her against his chest. "I can never repay you for this, Hector. You have no idea what this kindness means to me. Truly." Nicholas bent his head in awe at the diminutive old man.
Hector glanced at Helga. "Actually, I do know. Now get her home quickly and out of the cold. Come along, Helga. It's time for tea." Nicholas heard the muffled thump of the cane as he carried Lucy out of the cottage and back to the sleigh where Markus awaited him.
\*\*\*\*
Hector Ischman watched through the frosty window as the sleigh disappeared into the blustery night. He turned to his wife and uttered a weary sigh. "Who could have guessed that Nicholas would be the one to defy our laws? He has always been such a damned prig."
Helga clucked and wrapped her arms around Hector's waist, resting her face against his chest. "Maybe it was time for him to loosen up a little, Schatzi. Something tells me that Alena will be thrilled. Nicholas is the first of the brothers to show any sign of settling down. Alena would like a few grandchildren, I think."
"Alena is a hopeless romantic, just like you." Hector bent down and placed a soft kiss on his wife's head. "My feet are sore. Let's snuggle in front of the fire and you can rub my feet with that honey cream I like so much."
Helga laughed, a musical sound that forced Hector to smile in spite of himself. "All right, Mr. Grumpy. Don't worry. Everything will work out."
Hector prayed she was right.
Oskar Johann Klaus rocked back on his bar chair, precariously balanced on two feet. Deftly he tilted his head to the left as a bottle flew through the air whizzing past his ear. It smashed on the wall behind him, splattering warm beer.
"Christ, Monie, enough to drink already? Cut 'im off now, Dag."
Dag leaned forward on the bar, resting two heavily muscled forearms covered with tattoos on the sticky surface. "Ahh, he looks all right to me, O. Don't be such a pussy."
Oskar snapped his head back to the right as a glass arced over his shoulder, shattering behind him. "For the love of...Dammit, Monie, if you make me come over there, I swear I'll..."
Monie grinned. There weren't a hell of a lot of teeth left in his mouth. "Shite, man, you party like a Suddie." The three-foot elf waddled over to Oskar's table and shook a handful of magik pebbles on the scarred top. His belly wobbled beneath a shredded T-shirt with a ZZ Top logo, and his reddish beard was crusty with bits of food that Oskar guessed was this evening's special. Bratwurst and egg noodles.
"Here, a bit of magic for your trouble, Mr. High and Mighty." Spittle flew out of the elf's mouth as he coughed up the words.
Oskar brushed a few bits of bratwurst off of his coat and sighed. "Keep the damned pebbles, Mon. Just quit flinging glassware my way, you bastard."
Monie roared with laughter, slapped the table and sauntered off toward the dartboard.
"Why the hell you insist we come to this God-forsaken pub, I'll never know." Sven, Oskar's older brother, shook his head as two elves flung themselves off a nearby table onto the crowded dance floor. "The beer is good, but Christ, is it worth it, bro?"
Oskar laughed at Sven's startled expression as one of the elves started to break dance. "Dag just brewed up a fresh batch of stout. I don't know how the damned elf does it, but I've never had better. And after the week I've had, I could easily put down a couple of pitchers by myself."
"Your week? My entire order of pine was infested with beetles. And we only have a few weeks till Christmas. I think I'm going to have to give in and use man-made polymers for the trains. Our ancestors will be turning over in their graves."
"Yeah, well try squelching an elf rebellion after the whole freakin' village has consumed about a million gallons of Dag's Schwarz biers. Christ, my back still hurts."
Sven took a long drag from his beer stein and propped his feet up on a chair. "Well, in a couple weeks we can relax a bit. I, for one, am going on a much-deserved vacation."
"There's an idea. Where ya going, Sven?"
"Mexico. Sun, sand and tequila. And I'm not coming back for awhile."
"Maybe I'll call that girl I met last year in Vegas and see what's up." Oskar stared thoughtfully into his beer glass. "She had a really nice set of..."
"Hey!" Gregor raced over to the table and pulled up a stool. Before sitting, he wiped the seat with a tissue and glared at Oskar.
"Jesus, O, this place sucks. Has Dag ever heard of soap? I don't think it's been cleaned in here for a good three hundred years."
"Well, if you didn't wear such pansy-ass pants, big brother, maybe you could sit without wiping first."
"These pants are Armani. If you ever bothered to dress like an adult instead of a punk snowboarder..."
"All right, gentleman, that's enough. Have a beer and lighten up, Greg. What's going on?"
Gregor sat down on the stool and raised his eyebrows. "Well, I just happened to hear a bit of gossip in town. It's so ridiculous I can't believe it's for real, but who knows? Nick's been gone a while, and nobody really knows what he's been up to. All I heard was he was checking out some cookies in New York."
Sven leaned forward. "You heard gossip about Nicholas? Is he back in Glasdorf?"
Gregor nodded. "Yeah. I heard he's not alone. He brought a cute little redhead with him. Must be a memento of his trip?"
Oskar barked out a laugh. "I'm not buying it. Nicholas would never break the rules around here. He doesn't have it in him. And furthermore, I don't remember the last time he showed any interest in a woman...unless maybe she was wearing a baker's hat and carrying a platter of cookies."
Sven poured some beer into an empty glass and pushed it in front of his brother. "That is a little far-fetched, Gregor. Nicholas can't bring a Suddie here unless he has the permission of the council."
Gregor pounded back his beer and smiled. "Yeah, well, that's not all I heard. I also heard the redhead was hurt, and Nick made Hector fix her up. She had 'life-threatening injuries'."
"He made Hector use his magic to save her? I don't believe it." Oskar ran a hand through his green spiky hair. "Has Dad heard about this yet?"
Gregor shook his head. "I don't think so. The 'rents will be shocked that 'the good son' has finally managed to fuck up."
"The girl must be really special to him if he was willing to risk the ire of the council. I hope he's okay," Sven said.
Oskar turned to Gregor. "Has the council already determined the Tag der Rache?"
"No meeting scheduled yet. They probably just found out about it. Puts Hector in a bad situation since he's head of the council."
Sven shot his youngest brother a worried look. "We should do something to help him. Nicholas stood up for us a million times when we were in trouble."
Gregor nodded. "True. He was always getting us out of scrapes with the council. Could'a been a lawyer, that guy."
"Maybe we could write a letter of support to submit to the council before the meeting. Remind them of all of the good stuff Nicholas has done in Glasdorf."
"Great idea, O. Truth is, they've always been harder on him than the rest of us. He has that frickin' big-ass legacy to deal with. Never complains about it either."
Gregor took a swig of beer. "I think the letter idea is spot on. Any bit of help with the council will be appreciated by Nicholas. I sure hope they let him off the hook. He's supposed to be cookin' up my New Year's soiree in Manhattan. I have a nice selection of hot young supermodels ready to celebrate with me, and I promised them a spread they wouldn't forget."
Oskar narrowed his eyes at Gregor. "I wasn't invited to any par-tay, big bro. Invitation got lost in the mail? And anyway, I thought supermodels didn't eat."
Sven nodded. "Maybe they can look at the food."
Oskar cracked a smile. "Smell the food."
Sven smirked. "Puke up the food?"
Gregor rolled his eyes at his brothers. "Personally, I don't give a rat's ass what the hell they do with the food. You two are welcome to come, but a warning. It's a sophisticated crowd. No toy-building hippies or green-haired punks. If you can clean yourselves up a bit, I'm sure you'll fit right in." Gregor took a last gulp of his beer and stood up from the table, laughing as he left the bar.
"I hope one of the supermodels pukes all over his fuckin' Armani suit."
"Well said, O." Sven raised an eyebrow. "Ass."
"Hole." Oskar strained his neck to peer over the bar. "Pool table's open. Wanna play?"
"Yeah, might as well. Don't think I wanna go home until this mess with Nicholas is cleared up. Do you think it's for real?"
Oskar finished his beer. "Christ, Sven, I don't know. But for Nicholas' sake, I sure hope he knows what he's doing."
\*\*\*\*
Lucy awoke to the scent of apple cider. She wriggled her nose. With cloves and cinnamon and orange peel. Her stomach rumbled and she smiled, stretching like a cat. My God, I feel terrific! Sleeping with Nicholas is definitely good for me. She rubbed her blurry eyes and frowned. This wasn't the lumpy couch in her office. In fact, she wasn't home at all. She shook her head and glanced around the beautiful bedroom that surrounded her. Am I dreaming?
Piles of ivory silken sheets and downy comforters were twisted around her in the middle of a massive sleigh bed. An enormous stone fireplace covered most of the wall opposite her, and everywhere she looked was gorgeous handcrafted wooden furniture. Lucy slid off of the bed and began to wander around the room.
It was meticulously clean and organized, not one knick-knack to be found. On top of a dresser she found a silver picture frame and pulled it down. The formal portrait of five towering men and two older adults was the only personal effect in the room. Right away she recognized Nicholas. This is his family! I must be in Nicholas' house. For the life of her, Lucy could not remember how she got here.
"Nicholas! Are you here?" Silence echoed in the huge room. Lucy was wearing an elegant silk nightgown, and a matching robe was lying across the bottom of the bed. Did Nicholas get these for me? Her head started to pound. She pulled on the satiny robe and tightened the sash around her waist.
Lucy wandered through a masculine living room, furnished with dark leather couches and cherry wood cabinets. The delicious aroma of white pine filled the room. Evergreen swags covered the fireplace mantel and decorated the chandeliers. A towering spruce stood in the corner. It was the most spectacular tree she had ever seen...completely covered with tiny white lights and sparkling glass ornaments. Something jogged her memory. Those glass ornaments remind me of something. A glass...castle?
Continuing through the great room, she found the kitchen. Nicholas' kitchen. It was incredible. Top of the line stainless steel appliances nestled within custom walnut cabinets, black granite topped every surface, and a myriad of pots and pans hung from a rack in the center of the room. She tiptoed to the stove and found a simmering pot of cider. She inhaled the delicious fragrance and started searching the cabinets for a mug. When Lucy opened the cabinet above her, she giggled out loud. Rows of black ceramic mugs were lined up in perfect order on the shelves. Nicholas gives anal retentive a new meaning.
Lucy ladled cider into a mug and walked back to the great room. Sunshine filtered through the tall windows and glistened off the glass ornaments on the tree. Built-in benches stretched across the front of the room, just under the windows. She sat down on the soft cushions and wrapped a plaid blanket around her shoulders. How beautiful! I can see the whole village from here.
Lucy vaguely remembered Nicholas talking about his village. It reminded her of photos she'd seen of European towns. Dozens of shops and stone buildings lined the narrow streets. Multicolored awnings crowned the doorways, and window boxes filled with boxwood and pinecones greeted shoppers. Black iron lampposts with old-fashioned gas lamps stood at each street corner. And Lucy could swear she heard music...Christmas music.
I wonder why so many children are outside. Shouldn't they be in school? In fact, the bustling town was filled with children, no adults at all. Lucy stood up and pressed her face to the window. All of the children were dressed in unusual clothes. Many of the boys sported vests, and knickers with black buckled shoes. The girls wore colorful hand-knit hats with tassels and mufflers wrapped around their necks. Their stockings were striped and checkered, and their woolen coats had old-fashioned wooden buttons. As Lucy studied the children more closely, she realized one other thing. Their ears...their ears...they're pointy! There is no way...this is impossible. I must be hallucinating.
And their faces weren't youthful at all. Many were wrinkled, with shocking white hair woven into braids. In fact, now that she looked a little more closely, she realized that the "children" were actually adults. Some of them had babies bundled in their arms, and some were walking with tots so tiny, they were barely two feet tall. Lucy blinked and fell back on the cushions. What is happening to me? This is craziness.
"Hull-o! Nicholas...are you home?" Lucy's head snapped up in recognition. I've heard that voice before...somewhere. She slowly turned her head as a man walked into the great room. A very small man. A very, very small man. In fact, he was so small, some might call him...an elf!
"Well now, Miss Lucy. It's good to see you up and about. Nicholas is anxious to show you around Glasdorf today. How are you feeling this morning? Having a bit o' cider?" The little man's ears twitched as he took off his cap and looked expectantly at Lucy.
"Glasdorf?" she whispered.
"Of course, you're in the North Pole, my dear."
Nicholas hurried along the cobblestone path to his cottage. His arms overflowed with packages for Lucy. Oda, Markus' wife, insisted on getting her clothes, make-up, shampoo, fresh flowers and various other items that women liked. Nick's bachelor pad was stark and "lacking in a much-needed feminine touch" according to Oda. She had also helped to bathe and dress Lucy yesterday after they returned from Hector's. Nicholas wanted every drop of blood washed from her body, every reminder of her near-death experience erased. He had never felt so shaken, so unsure. His world tipped upside down, then righted itself as Lucy slept for almost twenty straight hours in his arms, breathing, alive, perfect.
Sleeping with her was a form of torture. It was damned near impossible not to give in to his lustful urges. Having her silky skin, delicious scent and subtle curves pressed up against him all night had pushed him to the breaking point. He could not stop himself from touching her, stroking her hair, her slender arms, dragging his knuckles across her lips as she slumbered. She looked so incredibly beautiful and peaceful, and he loved that she kept reaching for him in her sleep, sighing with contentment as she buried her face in his chest.
He awoke this morning with his hands curved around Lucy's firm breasts, and a massive erection pressed up against her nicely rounded bottom. But there was no way he would interrupt her sleep, not until he was completely sure that Hector's healing medicine was successful. When Lucy was awake and completely recovered, Nicholas planned to seduce her properly in his big bed.
After he explained about Glasdorf...and the elves...and that Santa was real. A headache started to hammer away at the spot right over his eyes. He had no idea how Lucy would take the news. In addition to somehow explaining to a Sudlander that the legend of Santa Claus was real, Nicholas would soon be faced with his day of reckoning, the Tag der Rache. The council would demand an explanation for his actions.
He also wasn't looking forward to dealing with his parents' disappointment. As heir to his father, Nicholas' behavior was expected to be exemplary in every way. He wasn't sure how they would react to the news that the 'good son' had broken fundamental rules of Glasdorf. But in his heart, he had no reservations about using elfin magic to save Lucy's life. And he would do it all again. Lucy's spirit was too bright, too dear to him to lose. Hector's brilliance as a healer was legendary, and he'd proved it last night.
Nicholas set the packages on the ground in front of the door. No more stalling. You need to explain things to Lucy, and pray that she'll be understanding...and hopefully not prone to hysterics. He opened the door to the cottage and shuttled the bags inside the foyer. He heard laughter, Lucy's laughter, and his heart sped up at the sound. She's awake!
When he walked into the great room, he could hardly believe his eyes. Lucy and Markus were seated at the window seat, with a scrabble board game on the cushions between them. Light poured through the tall windows, highlighting Lucy's copper curls, glowing from her pearly skin. She's alive, she's here with me, and...uh oh, she looks pissed off.
"You cannot spell 'deception', my dear. You used the last 'i' for 'liar', remember?" Markus was studying the scrabble board with intense concentration.
"Hm. How about 'underhanded' or 'hurtful'? I still have some u's and a's left." Lucy glanced up and her eyes narrowed as she spied Nicholas.
"Good morning. You're finally home." Lucy collected the game pieces and sorted them into the box. "Markus and I have been getting to know each other. He's very charming."
Markus blushed.
Nicholas held his hand out to Lucy and pulled her off the bench. He began to wrap his arms around her, but she pushed him away.
Markus cleared his throat. "I think I'll head to work. We have a lot of orders to fill before Christmas Day. Nice to meet you, Miss Lucy. You call me if you need anything at all. And Oda is dying for you to come by and have a spot of tea."
Lucy turned to Markus and beamed. "Yes, thank you, Markus. Please tell Oda I would love to stop by later today." Then she looked at Nicholas and scowled. "After Mr. Klaus and I have talked."
"Markus, thank you for entertaining Lucy. Could you please contact the council and schedule a time for me to meet with them? I want to get this over with as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir, of course."
Nicholas smiled at Lucy. "Mr. Klaus? I thought we had moved onto a first-name basis."
"It's funny. We spent a lot of time together in Eston. Baking, enjoying a delicious meal and, well, you know..." she whispered the end of the sentence as she glanced at Markus heading out the door.
"Making love, Lucy? Is that what you're referring to? Yes, I remember every second you were naked in my arms, love..."
"Oh, no you don't! Don't distract me, Nicholas Klaus! We talked about our families and our lives, but I think you neglected to mention a rather important fact, didn't you?"
Nicholas sat on the back of a leather sofa. "And what might that be, Lucy Anne?"
"You know exactly what I mean! Let's see, you live in the North Pole, I mean Glasdorf. You ride around in a sleigh. Your assistant is an elf! And, oh yeah, your dad is the Weihn...the Weihn..."
"The Weihnachtsmann, Santa Claus."
"Yeah! Santa Claus. Hmmm, did I leave anything out?" Lucy cocked her head and raised an eyebrow accusingly at Nicholas.
"And what, pray tell, do you think would have happened if I had enlightened you of these facts when we were in Eston? You would have dialed 9-1-1 and had me carted off to a psychiatric facility."
"That's not true. You didn't even give me a chance, did you?"
"Lucy, did Markus tell you what happened yesterday?" Nicholas asked softly. He reached for Lucy's hand and squeezed it, bringing her fist up to his mouth as he started to nibble on her knuckles. He needed to touch her, to taste her.
"You understand that no one is supposed to know that Glasdorf exists. My brothers and I are very careful not to reveal its existence to anyone in the Sudenwelt."
"I can understand that, but I thought you trusted me more than the average person."
"I do. Eventually I would have gotten around to telling you, but we were just getting to know each other. I wasn't going to screw up my chances with the most incredible woman I've ever met by telling her Santa is alive and well and living in the North Pole. And he's my dad!"
Lucy's pale blue eyes blinked up at Nicholas. "You think I'm the most incredible woman you've ever met?"
"Absolutely. Not to mention impressed that you're so calmly accepting where you are and what's going on around here."
Lucy wrapped her arms around Nicholas and tilted her head back to gaze up at him. "It's hard not to accept when it's right in front of my eyes. I just played scrabble with an elf, for goodness sake. By the way, I really like Markus. He's a very nice elf."
"Yes, he is. He is as loyal as they come. Did he tell you what happened yesterday?"
Lucy nodded. "Joe McCracken hit me with his truck. Markus said I would have died if you hadn't brought me here to be healed." Her brow furrowed in worry. "He also told me you broke some really important rules and that now you're going to be in big trouble with the council. What is that exactly? And why do you call the rest of the world the Sudenwelt? And..."
Nicholas laughed and pulled Lucy down onto the sofa, lifting her easily onto his lap. "I guess Markus didn't explain everything. The Elfin Council of Seven governs Glasdorf. They are seven crusty old elves, including Hector, the healer who saved your life."
"How did he save my life? Markus said I was dying."
"Hector is our master healer; he uses a combination of modern medicine, herbal folk remedies, and magic. I watched with my own two eyes when he saved you, but I can't explain how he did it. A lot of things in Glasdorf are altered by the elf's magic. They control the weather inside the castle; it's cold, but not 40º below Fahrenheit like the rest of the polar cap. And the sleigh that we use to travel around the Sudenwelt is controlled by elf magic, too. It's sort of like flying in an airplane, but once it's airborne, it's invisible to all Sudlanders."
"Why do you call this place Glasdorf, instead of the North Pole?" Lucy stroked Nicholas' beard and rested her head on his shoulder. He welcomed the distraction.
"Glasdorf is 'village of glass'; from the atmosphere, the ice castle looks like glass, hence the name. The elves' magic keeps it invisible to anyone but the inhabitants of our village. The Sudenwelt literally means 'the southern world' in German. And Sudlanders, or Suddies as we sometimes call them, are 'southerners.'"
"I remember the ice castle, Nicholas. When you brought me here. I think I was fading in and out of consciousness at the time, but I remember this incredible castle. It was so beautiful." Lucy looked at Nicholas with tears in her eyes. "I thought I was dreaming, that I was dying. That I would never see you again."
Nicholas hugged Lucy tightly against him. "Forgive me?"
"Yes, I forgive you. How can I ever thank you for saving my life? I can't believe what you've done for me." Lucy stroked Nicholas' face. "I hope you trust me enough to tell me the truth from now on."
"There's nothing left to hide. I knowingly disobeyed several crucial laws of Glasdorf yesterday. You were going to die, and I simply could not allow that to happen. The council will call a special meeting called the Tag der Rache, and I'll be asked to defend myself."
"I want to go with you. And talk to the council. What's going to happen when you meet with them?"
Nicholas shook his head. "I don't know. I guess it's possible I'll be expelled from Glasdorf..."
"What! They wouldn't do that! You'd be separated from your family, Nicholas. I won't let them. I'll talk to them..."
Nicholas cupped Lucy's cheeks in his giant hands. "Don't worry, sweet. Whatever happens, I'll be okay. I can make it in the Sudenwelt as a chef, right? Nothing is as important as your well-being, Lucy. That means everything to me."
Lucy buried her face in Nicholas' chest.
Damn. I don't want her to feel guilty. I don't have any regrets for what I've done. "How about a tour of Glasdorf? There's so much I want to show you. And I can't wait for you to meet my family. We might run into my brothers around town and I'll introduce you."
Lucy turned her face up to Nicholas. "I saw the photo in your bedroom. You and your brothers are all giants. The elves must think you guys are Paul Bunyan, or something."
Nick laughed. "Not all the elves are like Markus and Hector. Some of them are rather...how should I put this...a little rough around the edges?"
Lucy looked intrigued. "How rough?"
"Well, if we stop by Dag's Pub you'll get the idea. Sometimes they get a little stir crazy living up here. My youngest brother Oskar has a difficult job keeping all of the workers in line. And things tend to get pretty crazy as Christmas approaches. As you can imagine, it's a very frantic time in Glasdorf."
Lucy kissed the tip of his nose. "I can't wait to see the rest of the village! Let's go...but, I don't have any clothes."
"Actually, you do. Oda, Markus' wife, sent me home with lots of packages for you. Let's go take a look."
Lucy dragged Nicholas into the bedroom, chattering and practically bouncing up and down. Most people would have reacted with disbelief, even scorn, to the news that Santa was not just a children's legend, but a reality. Lucy was bursting with excitement, eagerly opening all of the boxes from Oda, as thrilled as a child on Christmas morning.
Nicholas had to swallow a groan as she started to model her new outfits. Each one seemed more alluring than the last, clinging to every curve, highlighting the sexy swing of her hips. She spun around in front of the full-length mirror, and he was treated to a sweat-inducing view of her gorgeous arse and a wild mane of copper curls. It certainly was not helping that his sleigh bed was just a few steps away. He could just imagine pushing her down on the silky sheets, rubbing his aching erection between her legs, showing her just how primed he was...
"Oda has very good taste. I love this dress. It's feminine, but really comfortable. I could even bake in this!" Lucy smoothed her hands down the sides of a rich blue dress that set off her reddish curls and sparkling eyes.
Nicholas instantly snapped out of his wayward reverie. Pull it together, man.
"Baking...Speaking of baking, how would you like to see my kitchen, Klaus Küche? I need to check in with my workers and see how the Christmas orders are coming along."
Lucy stopped suddenly, her face ashen. "Oh my God, Nicholas, I can't believe I've forgotten about Sweet Inspiration. I have orders, and employees counting on me. Mrs. Henderson's party. How could I have forgotten?"
"I guess almost dying, being abducted by Santa's son, and waking up at the North Pole may have been a bit of a distraction. Never fear, I've sent a friend to your café, and he's filling in for you until...well, until you've recovered. He told your customers and the police that you were injured in the accident and I brought you to a special medical facility to save you."
"Who's this friend? Someone you trust? Does he know anything about baking?"
Nicholas chuckled. "He is a very close friend from the Sudenwelt, not to mention a master chef. He owes me lots of favors, and I called them in. Mrs. Henderson and all of your orders will be taken care of."
Lucy's forehead crinkled. "I don't know, Nicholas. This is my busiest time of year...I've never been away from my shop before. There are a lot of people counting on me. Amy Chandler's birthday party is coming up. And my oven sometimes gets a little finicky...I'm the only one who knows how to coax it into gear..."
Nicholas pulled Lucy into his arms and kissed her forehead. "I promise you that your café is in good hands. I know how important Sweet Inspiration is to you."
Lucy smiled sheepishly. "Thank you for being so thoughtful. I hope Joe wasn't too worried."
"He was very much relieved to hear you're okay."
"This is actually the first vacation I've had...well, ever. I've worked in my café every single day since it opened."
"Well then, I have to ensure that you are properly pampered on your vacation. In every way."
Lucy's blush was too rosy to hide. "I can't wait," she whispered and slipped her hand into his. Nicholas swallowed a lump in his throat. He was determined to make this a vacation she would never forget. And maybe if I'm lucky, she won't want to leave.
Lucy had fallen totally in love---with a village. Glasdorf was the most enchanting, festive town she could ever imagine. Every street was lined with charming shops and restaurants, singing elves enjoying the Christmas season, and sleighs gliding by on the snowy roadways. She and Nicholas sipped mugs of hot chocolate as they meandered through the streets. Lucy eagerly explored the shops, amazed by the cheerful elves who greeted her. There were clock stores and bell stores and toy stores and candy stores. Shops filled with antiques, music shops with every imaginable instrument, stores filled with beautiful linens and hand-knit items...and bakeries. Some had stacks of cookies in the frosted windows; some were filled with trays of chocolates and petit fours. One shop was literally made completely out of gingerbread...the entire thing! When Lucy expressed her disbelief, Nicholas leaned over and took a bite out of the doorframe. A little old woman shooed him away with a broom, but she was laughing, her eyes crinkled with mischief.
"How would you like to see my kitchen, Lucy Anne? It's right down this street."
"Oh, I would love to."
"Here we are. Klaus Küche." Nicholas beamed as they turned the corner and came to a gigantic building.
"Oh Nicholas! It's wonderful..." Lucy gazed in awe at the enormous shop. A seemingly endless line of windows framed by peppermint-striped awnings stretched down the entire block. Inside she could see hundreds of elves in baker's whites scurrying around the kitchen. The delicious scent of baking cookies filled the air around her. Mothers with their children hustled in and out of the shop, baskets of goodies in their arms.
"Umm, that smells so good. What kind of cookies are you baking today?" Lucy grabbed Nicholas' hand and pulled him toward the front door.
"Snicker doodles. They're my father's favorite."
"So it's true that Santa loves cookies and milk!"
Nicholas nodded. "There's nothing my father likes better than a plate of fresh, hot cookies right out of the oven, and a big glass of milk."
Lucy laughed. "Does he really eat all those cookies children leave for him on Christmas Eve?"
"He shares them with the elves. There's actually a ton of sleighs in action on delivery night. But the reindeer are a myth, sorry."
"No Rudolph?" Lucy pouted. "I don't believe it."
"The sleighs are powered by elfin magic. We don't have reindeer, but we do have a lot of other animals. My father has a fantastic pack of malamutes. And my mother loves birds. She has a room filled with finches at their house."
Lucy entered the foyer to Klaus Küche and gasped. "Oh...my...God. This is incredible." Rows and rows of stainless steel tables filled an enormous workroom crawling with elves. One wall was covered with ovens, stacked three high. Elves stood on stepladders to reach the upper level, as baking sheets were quickly unloaded and replaced with new ones. Another wall was lined with shelves, covered with transparent glass canisters. Lucy could see candies and colored sugars, dried fruits and nuts. There were packages of flour, sugar and salt, as well as countless bottles of flavorings. The elves occupied different stations; some mixing, some cleaning, some packaging, and some in charge of the ovens.
It seemed to Lucy that as soon as she and Nicholas entered the shop, the elves began to work a little faster, eager to please their boss. Not one of them smiled or said hello, however. Lucy thought that a little strange. In fact, the elves seemed to be studiously avoiding all eye contact with Nicholas.
"Lucy, I'm going to check in at the office and make sure our holiday orders are on track. Would you like to join me, or continue exploring the kitchen?"
"Actually, I would love to stay here in the kitchen. I've never seen anything like it. Is that okay?"
"Of course. If you have any questions, the elves will be happy to assist you." Nicholas gave her a soft kiss on the lips before heading off.
As Lucy slowly investigated the shop, the elves seemed to relax. A bit hesitant at first, they slid glances and timid smiles her way, and finally they began to speak and introduce themselves.
"You must be Nicholas' new lady friend we've been hearing about. Would you like a tour of the facility?" a serious-looking elf inquired.
"I would love a tour! I'm in heaven in this kitchen. It simply has everything, doesn't it? My café back home is much smaller, but we still manage to crank out some yummy treats."
"Oh, you have a café in the Sudenwelt! We didn't know you were a baker, Miss...?"
"Brewster. Lucy Anne Brewster. I'm from Eston, New York. It's a really tiny town. My shop is called Sweet Inspiration."
About half a dozen elves had gathered around her looking quite curious.
"Nice to meet you, Lucy Anne. I'm Max, in charge of the gingerbread men, women and children." He had spoken so seriously, so sincerely, Lucy could not help laughing.
"That sounds like a fun job. Where are the gingerbread...people?"
"Right this way, Miss." Max grabbed onto Lucy's hand and led her down a hallway. The other elves tagged along, chattering behind them. About a dozen more elves had joined their parade before Max stopped in front of a door labeled Pfefferkuchen.
"Here we are, Miss Lucy." Max opened the door and Lucy gasped in delight. In a room the size of a football field was a model village, complete with cars and trains, houses and bridges, schoolyards and churches, lakes and mountains. And everything was made of gingerbread. Thick layers of creamy icing topped the cottages, sparkling sugar glistened from the frozen ponds, and lights twinkled from inside the buildings. The trains clacked along the tracks, and church bells began to ring. Lucy glanced around the room. Where are the electrical wires?
"It's magic, Miss." Max smiled at Lucy and a big dimple popped out on his chin, just above his russet-colored beard.
Lucy was surprised to feel a tiny hand reach for hers and give her a squeeze. She looked down to find a pretty blonde elf with long silky braids holding her hand.
"I'm Birgit. Are you okay, Miss Lucy? Don't be sad."
Lucy realized that tears were slowly rolling down her cheeks. "Oh, Birgit. I'm not sad. I'm captivated. This is...a miracle. I wish every child in the Sudenwelt could see this room. It is simply amazing." Lucy squeezed Birgit's hand and smiled. "Tell me what you do here. Do you like working here?"
"Oh yes, Miss. I work in packaging. We have so many orders to fill for the holidays. Working for Nicholas Jr. is a very big honor in Glasdorf. His baked goods are the best in the world. It's a very well-run kitchen, I assure you."
Lucy spied a shy-looking woman in the corner, very pregnant, and a bit flushed.
"Hello. What's your name?"
"Greta, Miss. It's an honor to meet you."
"I hope you haven't been on your feet too long. Expectant mothers should take frequent rests during the day, you know. One of my employees had a baby last year. A little girl." Lucy found a stool and pulled it over for the elf who looked surprised and thankful.
"I'm having a girl, too. I'm going to name her Astrid."
"What a beautiful name. Can I get you something to drink, Greta? You look tired."
"Oh no, Miss. That's not necessary."
"I'll bet it's time for all of you to have a break soon. Why don't we all have some cocoa and you can tell me about Klaus Küche and Glasdorf?"
Max clapped his hands delightedly. "What a nice idea. You don't think Nicholas Jr. would mind, do you? He's a little particular about how things get done here."
Lucy shook her head. "Nicholas won't mind. He told me to enjoy myself, and that's what I'm doing." Lucy realized the gingerbread room was now packed with elves. Soon they were bringing her cocoa and platters of cookies, and regaling her with stories about Glasdorf. Nicholas is so lucky to work here, thought Lucy. The elves are so sweet natured and cheerful. This is a dream-come-true.
\*\*\*\*
Nicholas walked into a nightmare. The kitchen was deserted. Smoke was pouring out of at least five ovens, icing was hardening on tabletops, and trays of cookies were turning stale in front of his eyes. What the holy hell is going on in here? Where is everybody?
Distantly he heard the sound of laughter; it almost sounded like a party. And it was coming from the gingerbread room. Nicholas stomped through the workroom and down the hall to the Pfefferkuchen display. He wrenched open the door and stopped in stunned silence at the sight in front of him. Lucy Anne was seated on a stool with scores of elves surrounding her. They were giggling and chatting away without a care in the world. Half-eaten platters of cookies and sweets were stacked around the room, and there were mugs of cocoa everywhere, some spilling onto the floor. Nicholas could feel a twitch in his left eyelid start to flutter.
"Silence!" he roared. Everyone froze. A sea of startled faces turned towards him. Softening his voice, Nicholas continued. "Would someone like to tell me why there is no one manning the workroom? I have just been informed by the office that since I left for my vacation, production has decreased by seven percent. That is unacceptable. Christmas is only days away. Why, in the name of all that is holy, are all of you here instead of there?!" He pointed to the main work area as he shouted the end of his sentence.
A tiny, red-faced man stepped forward. "Miss Lucy said we could take a break and tell her about Glasdorf. She has a lot of questions since she's a Suddie."
Nicholas glanced at Lucy. She was clasping the hand of a pregnant elf and stroking her hand reassuringly. "Nicholas, there is no need to be so angry. All of your employees have been working so hard, I thought it would be nice to have a little break. You do allow your workers breaks during their shifts, don't you?"
"Of course I do. But not all at the same time. There is mass chaos out there right now, because my rules and regulations are not being followed."
Lucy stood up. "All of these wonderful elves have been gracious and kind to me. You should be appreciating their concern, instead of berating them. I'm happy to help clean up in the kitchen and catch up with the orders."
"Oh no, you don't. Klaus Küche is not like Sweet Inspiration, Lucy. There are no puppies rolling around on the floor, no punk waitresses fleeing for Vegas, and no pushy clients ordering me about. I make the rules around here, and everyone follows them. To a 'T'. We are a bit more organized and efficient in Glasdorf."
Suddenly aware that a multitude of curious faces was observing him, Nicholas turned to the workers and barked "Back to work! Now!" The room cleared in a matter of seconds. He reached for Lucy's hand, but she stepped back from him, her eyes sparking with anger.
"That was uncalled for, Nicholas. Rude, and...and...unkind. Your elves were just being sociable. It's my fault that they left their stations. I told them it was okay. I didn't realize it would jeopardize your precious schedule."
She poked him in the chest with her finger. "And how dare you insult my café! Sweet Inspiration might not be as impressive as your kitchen, but my customers love it. At least my employees aren't scared of me."
"Maybe that's your problem, Lucy Anne. They should be a little bit scared of you. Instead, they run you ragged. You need to learn how to become more authoritative if you want to run an efficient business."
"You...you...you pompous ass!" Lucy grabbed the nearest object she could find, which happened to be the remains of a cherry-filled chocolate bon bon on a plate. Nicholas gasped as she flung the dessert right at him, splattering it all over his pristine white shirt. He looked down in disbelief at the mess on his chest. Before he could utter another word, Lucy was racing past him with tears streaming down her face.
"Wait, Lucy, dammit, slow down!" She was out the door before he could catch her. "Well, hell." Nicholas could not believe their lovely day had soured so quickly. It probably wasn't such a good idea to criticize her business. Or yell at the elves in front of her. She was clearly feeling protective of his workers.
He banged the door open and glared at the nearest elf he spotted. "Clean up the damned mess in there! Immediately!" Then he trudged down the hallway to the main workroom. Hundreds of accusing eyes stared at him. The pregnant elf stepped forward, trembling all over.
"You made Miss Lucy cry, Mr. Klaus. We like her."
Another elf, bald with a handlebar mustache, also stepped forward. "Yes, sir, Miss Lucy has a heart of gold. She doesn't deserve to be yelled at like that."
Several more elves moved toward him, looking earnest and concerned.
"Enough." Nicholas held up his hand. "I promise to find Lucy and apologize to her, all right? In the meantime, this kitchen better be up and running by the time I get back. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." The elf with the curly mustache leaned forward and whispered to Nicholas. "By the way, the ladies like a bouquet of flowers when you're in a groveling mood. Roses are always nice."
The gingerbread elf added "Red roses, sir."
Nicholas couldn't remember his name. Mack? Matt?
"What's your name? You're in charge of the Pfefferkuchen room, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir. I'm Max."
"All right Max. I'll stop by the flower shop and get Lucy a nice arrangement. And you need to get your display room cleaned up. How did Lucy like it, by the way?"
Max grinned. "She absolutely loved it, sir. Cried, she did. She's got a soft heart."
Unlike me. Nicholas knew that Max and every other elf in the room were thinking the same thing. I sure hope Lucy Anne likes roses. And has a forgiving nature.
Lucy was halfway down the street before she realized she had absolutely no idea where she was going. She stopped and tried to get her bearings, but all of the streets in Glasdorf looked alike to her. There was no way she would go back to Klaus Küche and ask Nicholas for help. Sniffling, she looked up and saw a sign that read Dag's Pub. She recalled that Nicholas had said the rowdy elves liked to hang out there. Hmm...maybe a beer will make me feel a little better.
Lucy pushed open the door to the pub and stopped in her tracks. Loud rock music blared from speakers attached to the walls. The pub was dark and smelled of beer, sweat, and bratwurst? Everywhere she looked were elves---shouting around a dartboard, chugging from tall beer steins at the bar, arm wrestling on the tables, and swinging on the chandeliers. Or rather, falling off a swinging chandelier and landing in the middle of the dance floor. Never in her life had she witnessed such a raucous scene.
A short squat fellow with angels tattooed on his forearms sauntered up to Lucy, raked his eyes over her from top to bottom, and smiled a slow, semi-toothless grin.
"Well, what do we have here? A redhead. I love red heads."
"You wouldn't know what to do with a red head if she fell on you. Naked." A mohawked elf jumped off his bar stool and leaned close to Lucy. "Never mind him. My name's Jörg, and I'd love to buy you a beer, pretty lady."
A man at the bar whistled loudly. "Watch your manners. The red head's name is Lucy and she belongs to Nick Jr., from what I hear. Don't reckon he'll be too happy if he finds out she was getting some trouble at the bar."
"That true? You belong to Nicholas Jr.?" The muscular elf with the mohawk ran his fingers through his spiky hair.
A few new tears slipped down Lucy's cheeks. "I don't think so. We just had a fight. He's really angry at me. I distracted his workers at Klaus Küchen, and he lost his temper."
"She's crying, Dag. Look at that."
"How'd you distract his workers?"
"They were so sweet. We were having cookies and cocoa, and they were telling me all about Glasdorf. Then Nicholas showed up and blew his stack. He...embarrassed me in front of everyone."
"Son of a bitch. That wasn't nice."
"Nicholas made her cry. What an ass."
"Bloody bloomin' baking bastard."
The bartender came out from behind the bar and rubbed Lucy's back. "Don't fret, little red. He'll come to his senses. Why don't you sit down and we'll get you a nice pale ale? Would you like that?"
Lucy nodded. "Thank you so much. I never ate lunch today either. Do you have sandwiches here, by any chance?"
"We've got the best Sloppy Joe in the northern hemisphere. I'll fix you up with a nice snack. I'm Dag, by the way. Nice to meet you." The elf wiped his hands on his apron, and then reached out to shake Lucy's hand. She shook his little hand, and smiled.
"Thank you, Dag. I love Sloppy Joes. With lots of sauce."
"Oh yeah, that's the way we serve 'em."
Jörg pulled out a stool for Lucy at a nearby table. "Take a load off, Lucy. We'll keep you company. Don't you shed any more tears for Klaus. He's lucky a lovely like you is paying him the time of day."
"True. Bastard should be treating you like a queen. We elves treat our ladies like queens, don't we, fellas?"
"We sure do. Shower our loveys with flowers, sparklies, and lots and lots of honey."
"Honey?" Lucy was confused. "Whatever for?"
"One thing an elf can't resist - that's a fine taste of honey. I hear that tightwad Nicholas keeps his under lock and key in the office. Greedy bastard."
"Do you like ZZ Top, Miss Lucy?" An elf sporting a ratty-looking ZZ Top T-shirt smiled and gestured to the jukebox. "My name's Monie, and I'll pick out a few songs to cheer you up, if you'd like."
Lucy wiped the tears from her cheeks and nodded. "Thanks, Monie. That would be great. I haven't listened to ZZ Top in years."
The elf chuckled and dropped a few coins into the jukebox. The familiar guitar riff from La Grange started playing and everyone in the bar cheered. Lucy started to tap her foot to the pounding bass and smiled. I'm feeling better already.
\*\*\*\*
Nicholas ripped open the door to Dag's Pub and allowed his eyes to acclimate to the dim interior of the bar. He had been searching for hours, and there was no sign of Lucy anywhere. Not in his house, not at Hector's, Markus', or any of the shops they had visited. He stroked his beard nervously as his eyes swept the room. Maybe she's here...a beautiful woman from the Sudenwelt is bound to attract attention at some point. Hopefully someone's seen her.
He could kick himself for hurting Lucy's feelings. He had no business insulting her café. It was her pride and joy, and she was a damned fine baker. Even though her business approach seemed somewhat lax, she managed to produce excellent quality fare, and her customers obviously adored her.
Nicholas was reluctant to admit it, but it was conceivable that he was being a bit too stern at Klaus Küche. He was embarrassed that he hadn't known Max's name. The elf had been in charge of the Pfefferkuchen room for years. Perhaps production would increase if his employees felt more comfortable in his presence, instead of terrified of his rigid rules and regulations.
There was quite a large crowd gathered around the dartboard roaring encouragement to someone. He couldn't see a thing since elves were standing on top of stools and lying on top of the pool table. Dag was wiping down the bar and chuckling to himself.
"Dag, I'm glad you're here."
Nicholas was surprised to see Dag narrow his eyes at him for a split moment. "Finally you show up. The poor girl's been waiting, you bloody bastard."
"Lucy? Is here? Thank God. I've been searching everywhere. Where the hell is she?"
"Playing with the boys. They've been teaching her darts, and she's got a real knack for it. She's got a nice big pile of magik pebbles to take home."
"Is she...okay?" Nicholas was almost embarrassed to look Dag in the eye. "She left in tears, and I've been desperate to talk to her."
"We've taken good care of your girl. Fed her Sloppy Joes, which she loved, and a nice pitcher of beer."
"A pitcher? By herself? Christ, Dag, she's barely a hundred pounds. I don't think Lucy can handle that much beer, especially the way you brew it up."
"Well, she seems fine to me. And not crying anymore. In fact, she's been all smiles since she forgot all about you humiliating her in front of your employees. And yelling at her for being friendly. And..."
"All right! I get it...I'm a jerk." Nicholas sighed and rolled his eyes. Dag could be a real judgmental pain in the ass sometimes.
"Well, at least we agree on something." Dag whistled shrilly through his teeth and the crowd quieted down. "Nick Jr.'s here, boys."
Nicholas pushed his way through the crowd of hostile looking elves and finally found Lucy standing in front of the dartboard, her curls a little wild, her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink.
"Thank God, you're all right. I've been searching everywhere for you." He suddenly remembered the bouquet of red roses, pepper berries and ivy he had bought at the florist's. The flowers were wilted, the red satin ribbon was unraveling, and all of the pepper berries had fallen off several hours ago.
"I got you these, but they're not looking too good anymore." Nick took a step forward, but a group of angry-looking elves intercepted him.
"Not so fast, Nicholas. You've insulted Miss Lucy, and I haven't heard an apology."
"The poor girl was crying her heart out, you son of a bitch."
"Nice flowers, asshole. They're dead."
"Shoulda gotten her some honey."
Nicholas ignored the elves and peered over the tops of their heads to look at Lucy. "I'm sorry, love. Could we please go home so we can talk, in private?"
Lucy stepped forward and tapped Monie on the shoulder. "Thanks for looking out for me, but Nicholas is right. We need to talk in private." The elves shuffled apart so Lucy could walk up to Nicholas. He yanked her into his arms and kissed the side of her neck.
"Please don't ever scare me like that again. No matter how angry you are, just let me know you're okay. I almost lost you a few days ago, and I'm still not over that terror."
Lucy trembled in his arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I guess I lost track of time." She hiccupped. "And I think I've had too much beer, Nicholas. I feel a little bit wobbly."
Nicholas leaned his forehead against hers and sighed. "It's okay, sweetheart. I'll take care of you. And please forgive me for being such a jackass earlier."
Lucy reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "And I'm sorry I disrupted your workroom. I hope you're not too far behind."
"None of that matters. I had no right to insult you or embarrass you in front of the elves. They were so pissed off at me I feared I had a rebellion on my hands. You've already stolen their hearts."
"Nicholas, can we go home now?" Lucy's eyes were closing. He scooped her up in his arms and headed toward the front door.
"Out of my way, gentlemen. I'm taking her home." He paused and looked at the elves, still staring at him with disgust. "By the way, thanks for cheering her up. I owe you."
"Don't forget these." Jörg handed a bag of magik pebbles to Nick. "That girl's a natural. I think we got played, boys!" All the elves started to laugh, slap each other's backs and stomp around the room.
Nicholas snuck out of the bar with a sleeping Lucy in his arms, and a bag of magik pebbles clutched in one hand.
Lucy could not stop kissing Nicholas' neck. They were racing back to his house in a sleek sleigh. As soon as they got into the front seat, Nicholas pulled her onto his lap and held tight. Intrigued by his earthy scent and the feel of his solid form beneath her, Lucy started to play. She speared her fingers through the dark waves of his hair, stroked his soft beard, and nibbled on the smooth skin of his neck.
"Dear God, Lucy, what are you doing?" Nicholas' breathing was choppy, and Lucy felt him tremble beneath her.
"I can't help myself. You smell so good. And you taste so good." She sucked hard on his neck, leaving a bright red mark.
"Hope you don't mind, I just gave you a love bite." She giggled softly, still feeling the effects of Dag's strong brew.
"Don't mind?" Nicholas' voice cracked. "I'm about to stop the sleigh and take you right here in the middle of the road."
"Really?" Lucy liked the sound of that. I wonder what was in that beer? She was usually shy and unsure with her lovers. Tonight she felt sexy and carefree. Spontaneous and wanton. This was the woman in her dreams, the one who made wild, passionate love with Nicholas. Her fingers dropped down to his chocolate and cherry-stained shirt and started to work on the buttons.
"Oops. I really made a mess of you. Time to change." Nicholas looked down at her hands working on his buttons in disbelief.
"Lucy, have you lost your mind? You can't undress me in the sleigh..."
Lucy hid a mischievous grin as she wrenched open his shirt and pushed it down his arms. Since the first day she spied Nicholas in her café, she had been consumed by curiosity about him. What was hiding underneath that starched white button-down and those polished spectacles? Muscle and fevered skin. A dusting of dark hair over well-defined pecs and a ridged abdomen. And a tattoo! Around one thick bicep was a band of vines, fashioned from holly and berries, in vibrant colors. At the center of the vine was a "K" in old-world lettering.
"You have a tattoo! I don't believe it...you don't seem the type, Mr. Klaus."
Nicholas groaned as Lucy licked a path along the vine. "All of us have it. My four brothers and my father. It's sort of a dumb tradition that usually transpires after a night of heavy drinking."
"Well, I love it. It's totally unexpected...and really sexy." Lucy eagerly ran her hands over Nicholas' chest, dragging her nails through the soft hair. She could not resist rubbing her face over it like a purring kitten. His scent was delicious, musky and spicy. Her lips brushed across one of his dark nipples, and she felt him shudder. Curious, she opened her mouth and flicked her tongue over the nub, and was immediately rewarded with a long groan from Nicholas.
Emboldened, she started to lap at his puckered skin, and then sucked hard on the sensitive spot. Nicholas' hips lurched forward and he gasped for breath. Lucy smiled to herself. She wrapped her hands around his biceps and squeezed, loving the feel of his taut muscles.
"I think your other nipple might be getting jealous. Better give him some attention, too." She giggled as she began to kiss her way across his chest.
"Lucy, I'm not kidding. You have to stop. Now." Nicholas' voice was so low and gravelly she could barely hear him.
"Why? Last time you got to touch me, but I never got a chance to touch you. Or taste you. Now it's my turn." Lucy looked up into Nicholas' darkened eyes as she ran her tongue around and around his nipple, tempting and teasing. Finally she reached her goal, and sucked the skin into her mouth, flicking her tongue over his sensitive flesh. The gold in his hazel eyes seemed to darken even more, and his lids drooped dangerously low. A deep, rough hiss escaped from his lips just a moment before he jerked the steering wheel to the side, and jammed on the brakes.
"All right, my little temptress. We're home. Still feeling naughty?" Lucy realized they were parked in a driveway next to his cottage. A carriage house and high stonewall enclosed a courtyard for the sleigh. The only illumination outside was a breathtaking array of stars in the inky night sky, and the tiny flickering lights along the walkways. Their breath came out as misty little puffs in the chilly air, but the heat pouring off Nicholas' body was palpable.
Nicholas sat on the front seat of the sleigh, legs splayed, shirt opened, spectacles gleaming in the moonlight. He had a most ferocious look on his face, and his chest was heaving. Lucy had never seen anyone so sexy in her life. Time to make your fantasy come true, Lucy Anne. Seduce the man you're falling in love with.
She sat up in Nicholas' lap, bunched her dress around her thighs, and shifted to straddle him. His gaze was riveted on her legs. Oda had provided her with beautiful lingerie to go with the dress, including thigh-high silk stockings, rimmed with intricate lace. Nicholas' fingers reached down and brushed against the top of the stockings, barely grazing her skin. His eyes snapped back up to her face.
"Now what, Lucy Anne? You started this, love. What next?"
Lucy arched her back, and shifted slightly on his lap, suddenly aware of his arousal beneath her. Ohh...that feels good! She started to rock back and forth, loving the feel of her heat pressed against his hard length. Overwhelming sparks of pleasure were igniting her skin, tingling between her legs. She was barely surprised to see real sparks of light blinking on and off around her, like fireflies in the night sky.
"Nicholas, what's happening?" she whispered softly.
His hands were gripping her hips tightly as she continued to rock against him. "Magic. It's the elfin magic in the sleigh. I guess it's reacting to us..." He moaned loudly and leaned his head back against the seat. "Dear God, Lucy, you're killing me."
She was suddenly desperate to feel his bare skin against hers. Lucy grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it up over her head. She shivered at the hungry look in Nicholas' eyes. His gaze roamed over the lacy panties and push-up bra she was wearing.
"You look like a dream, love. Very nice."
Her fingers trembled as she reached down to unbutton Nicholas' pants. "You're my dream, Nicholas Klaus. And I want to see and touch all of you." She blushed faintly as she fumbled with the fly on his pants. "Could you help me, please?"
Nicholas lifted Lucy up and quickly pushed down his pants and boxer shorts, then flung off his shirt. He sat back against the seat and anxiously reached out to her.
Lucy couldn't move, could hardly breathe. He was beautiful. The most delicious sight she'd ever seen.
"Oh...my...goodness..." Although she had been with men before, she had always been too hesitant to do much exploration, or even appreciation, of the male body. Nicholas was a big man, probably more than six and half feet tall, and his large size was certainly proportionate...well, everywhere.
Nicholas chuckled. "What is it, love?"
"Umm, I'm not sure about this, Nicholas. You look...well, like an extra large. And I think I might be...maybe an extra small." Lucy bit her lip.
Nicholas stroked his hands down the curve of her hip and smiled at her devilishly. "I would never hurt you, sweet. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be good and ready for me. I promise, no pain, only pleasure. You trust me, don't you?"
Lucy nodded. "Yes, of course. I...I can't believe how beautiful you are." Nicholas was a feast in every way - his body sculpted and powerful. His scent overwhelmed her, musky and hot. She reached down to touch his pulsing erection, and was shocked by the feel of his soft, sensitive skin. Lucy wrapped both hands around him and stroked.
Nicholas closed his eyes. "That feels incredible."
She ran her fingers through the thick nest of hair at the base of his sex, and then carefully cupped his sac. It felt alive beneath her fingers. A single drop of fluid glistened on the tip of his arousal. She ran her finger along the edge and then licked it. "You taste delicious."
"Lucy, I'm close, sweetheart. I can't take much more of this."
"Oh, yes you can. I just started to play." Nicholas' eyes widened in apprehension as she slid down from his lap to kneel in front of him. It was lucky for her that the sleigh was big and roomy, because she intended to pleasure him like this for a long time.
Lucy ran her hands along the inside of his muscular thighs. His erection bobbed in front of her, obviously anticipating what she had in mind. Smiling, she leaned forward to press a kiss to the broad head of his arousal. He tasted salty, masculine. Her fingers wrapped around the base of his penis, anchoring it in place as her tongue flicked out to capture another drop of fluid on the tip.
As Lucy widened her mouth to engulf him, she glanced up to look into Nicholas' face. His nostrils were flaring, his hazel eyes smoldering beneath drooping lids. She sucked hard and slid her mouth down his length, as far as she could go. On the way back up, her tongue swirled around his skin, flicking and tasting his unique essence.
Nicholas closed his eyes and reached blindly for her head, entwining his hands in her hair. She could feel him shudder with each stroke of her tongue. Lucy ran her fingers over his sac, and Nicholas groaned again. She loved the feel of him in her mouth, the taste of him, and especially his reaction. How yummy is this? Nicholas is my new favorite treat! For the first time in her life she felt truly powerful and sexy. She had Nicholas spellbound with sensual delight, and it was a thrilling sensation.
"I surrender. You've had your chance, now it's my turn, love." Nicholas leaned back and shakily pulled her onto his lap.
"But I'm not done yet! I just started."
"Later. I'm not going to last."
"I don't care, Nicholas. I don't mind if you...you know...come in my mouth." Lucy was whispering the words, nervous about revealing one of her fantasies to him. "I want to taste you."
"I promise we'll try that soon. Very soon. But not right now. Right now I want you to ride me, love."
"Ride you? I don't think I know how to do that."
"Well, I'm definitely going to enjoy teaching you then."
\*\*\*\*
Nicholas was using every bit of will power to control himself. He had nearly come in Lucy's mouth the first second she took him in. The sight of her sparkling blue eyes watching him as she sucked...things were escalating out of control, too fast.
"First, I need you naked." He pulled down the straps of her bra and unclipped the clasp. The lacy scrap of material fell to the floor of the sleigh. He ran his hands over the smooth skin of her hips, hooking the edge of her panties and pushing them down her legs. Lucy shivered in the cool air, her silky skin finally bare to him. Nicholas noticed that the sleigh was glowing, encased in some sort of pulsing light. The magic warmed the air around them.
Lucy looked like a goddess---copper curls streaming down her back, pale skin glowing in the moonlight. Sparks of light burst around their bodies, outlining them in the darkness. His fingers slid into her tight curls and found her heat, wet and slick. Nicholas leaned forward to capture a beckoning nipple in his mouth and suckled hard while his fingers gently parted her folds to explore her tight channel, readying her.
"Nicholas, that feels so good..."
While one hand continued to pleasure her, his other hand cupped the back of her head and pulled her down to his face. His mouth fairly devoured her on the spot, nipping, licking, sucking on her plump lips. He explored her honey-sweet mouth with his tongue, loving the sounds she made, her whimpers of pleasure. His fingers continued to glide in and out, slow and gentle, until finally he was sure she was ready for him.
"Are you ready to ride, sweet?" Nicholas whispered, surprised by the husky tone of his voice.
"Please. I...I need to feel you inside of me." Lucy lowered herself to his erection, sliding her wet folds along his rigid length. Again and again, she rocked against him. Lucy's eyes were locked on her skin gliding over him, mesmerized by the sight. Showers of lights were flickering around her, swirling around Nicholas, enclosing them in some sort of brilliant cocoon.
Nicholas finally lifted her and poised the slick head of his erection against her entrance. Sweat beaded along his forehead. "I'll go slowly, okay?"
Lucy nodded as he entered her, and then he stopped suddenly, his entire body tensing.
"Oh hell, I can't believe...I'm so sorry, Lucy. I don't have a condom. I got carried away, and I forgot..."
Lucy smiled. "It's okay. We don't need one. I'm healthy. And I won't get pregnant."
"Are you sure? I don't want you to be worried. I'm healthy, too. In fact, I'm embarrassed to say I don't even remember the last time I did this. I guess I've been a little preoccupied with my work."
"I'm sure."
Nicholas kissed Lucy gently. "Are you on the pill?"
"No. Actually, I...I can't have a baby. I had a medical condition. Well, anyway, I can't get pregnant, so you don't have to worry."
Everything stilled inside of Nicholas. She can't have a baby? Without warning a vision of a pregnant Lucy popped into his head and it elicited a host of feelings completely foreign to him...pride, possessiveness, love. The image of her pregnant with his child was disconcerting and unexpected. She would be beautiful, glowing, lush and ripe. He was jolted by the sense of loss.
"I'm so sorry, Lucy. You are the most generous and caring woman...there's no one I could imagine who would make a more loving and devoted mother. You were made to have children."
She stroked her fingers along his beard. "That's okay, Nicholas. I decided a long time ago that when the time is right, I'm going to adopt. There are a lot of babies in this world who need parents."
"And you're going to make one of them a very lucky child." Of course she would already see a positive way to reach her goal of having a family. Nicholas was not surprised, and in fact, quite proud of her. He pushed a corkscrew curl back from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. Taking a deep breath, he nudged himself back inside of her. "Are you ready, love?"
She nodded and bit her lip. "Please."
Lucy pushed down on him as he gently guided her, impaling her on his straining erection. She rocked against him, working her way down his length, until finally he filled her. Nicholas kept his gaze riveted on Lucy's face. She looked astonished...probably surprised that he really did fit inside of her. He watched as her eyes filled with wonder, then intense pleasure. She moaned and cupped his face, stroking his beard with her fingertips.
He had fantasized about this moment for so long, but the reality of being inside of Lucy surpassed anything he could have expected. She was so damned tight, so hot and wet for him. He was trembling with the need to claim her fully. He had never felt this way with a woman before.
"Ohhh...that feels so good. I love how you feel inside of me. How does it feel for you, Nicholas?"
"Like I never want to leave."
Lucy arched her back, and sunk even lower onto him. Nicholas could not stop running his hands up and down her beautiful body. He let Lucy determine how to ride, thrilled by her discovery. She leaned forward and wound her slender arms around his neck, pressing all of that gorgeous skin against him. The feel of her soft breasts crushed against his chest and her loose curls enveloping them both was exhilarating.
Lucy pressed little kisses along the side of his face. Shyly, she pulled back to gaze into his eyes. "I feel so close to you. It's never been like this before. Thank you, Nicholas."
"You don't have to thank me, love. I feel it, too." The lights around them were buzzing, warming up, caressing their skin. Nicholas tried to allow her to set the pace of their coupling, and kept his hands lightly on her hips. But as he watched her arch and undulate above him, silhouetted against the moonlit sky, his barely leashed control eroded. His hands grabbed onto her luscious bottom, and he began to thrust upward with each rock of her body. The strokes got harder, deeper, faster. He could hear himself grunting, and the repetitive sounds of their bodies slapping together, mixed with her moans of pleasure. He watched her, aware of the tension filling her, aware of how tight her channel was squeezing him. She was close.
Nicholas had never seen anything as exciting as Lucy Anne riding him. She was completely transformed by their lovemaking, looking wild and sexy, his own Aphrodite. He inhaled sharply, breathing in her scent of sweet orange and vanilla, and licked the berry-red nipples swaying in front of him, too enticing to ignore. She gasped and dug her nails into his back.
"Do you like that, sweetheart?"
"Oh, yes...Nicholas, please don't stop."
"My God, Lucy, you taste so sweet. I can't get enough of you...I'll never get enough."
He reached down to touch the sensitive nub between her legs. It was swollen and wet, and the second he stroked her, Lucy came apart. Nicholas felt the waves of her pleasure along his shaft, and it sent him over the edge. He felt himself pouring into her, marking her as his own. His hoarse shout drowned out her cries, and suddenly the flickering lights around them exploded. The starbursts vibrated and sang, tinkling like bells, illuminating all of the space around the sleigh. Nicholas could feel the light, caressing his skin, humming to him. It felt soft and silky, binding them together.
Lucy's spent body collapsed against him, and Nicholas held her tightly, aware that she was crying. Gently, slowly, he stroked her back, placing soft kisses along the side of her face and neck.
"Easy now, love. It's all right, Lucy. Please don't cry."
"I had no idea it could be like this. So beautiful." In a voice so quiet, he could barely make out the words, he heard her whisper "I love you, Nicholas."
He lifted his head to her face, but her eyes were already closed. She had fallen asleep.
The sparks were fading, quieting down. He pulled his shirt over Lucy's back and continued to stroke her skin as his breathing returned to normal. His entire body was sated in a way he had never experienced. With his arms wrapped tightly around her, he felt utterly content. The softness of her skin, her silky curls draped over both of them, and the heady scent of their lovemaking was perfect. She had given all of herself to him, body and soul. Nicholas felt truly blessed.
Since the first day he spotted Lucy Anne in Sweet Inspiration, Nicholas had the distinct sensation of riding a runaway steam engine, barreling down a hill. And he didn't want to get off this ride. He could easily picture the two of them together in a kitchen, concocting a new culinary masterpiece. Taking moonlit sleigh rides through Glasdorf. Building snowmen with their children. There was no way he would allow Lucy to leave him now. He had fallen in love with the petite, curly-haired chef, and he was determined to keep her.
Gently he lifted Lucy up and propped her on the seat so that he could pull on his pants.
He took a blanket from the back of the sleigh and wrapped it around her slumbering form, then lifted her into his arms and carried her to the house. As he slid into his bed, tucking Lucy in right next to him, he realized that for the first time in his life, something other than being a master baker had become a priority in his life. He kissed her softly on the forehead and closed his eyes.
"Ich liebe dich von ganzem Herzen...I love you with all my heart."
A ringing cell phone disturbed Nicholas from his peaceful slumber. Rosy shafts of light streaked into his bedroom. It was almost sunset. After an idyllic night and day with Lucy, he was reluctant to interrupt his drowsy state. Her well-sated, luscious body was draped across him on his sleigh bed.
The last twenty-four hours had been nothing short of bliss. He and Lucy spent the night making love, sleeping in each other's arms, and whispering sweet-nothings as the sun rose over Glasdorf. He lavished her with a decadent bubble bath in his big bathroom, and fed her morsels of food while they snuggled on the sofa. They kept exchanging secret smiles and could not seem to stop touching each other.
He and Lucy talked for hours. She was fascinated by his travels. He could sense a burgeoning wanderlust inside of her, and could not wait to introduce her to exotic places all over the world. She had hidden herself away in Eston, New York long enough.
The blaring phone reminded him that there was still important business at hand. He reached for the phone and snapped it open.
"Nicholas here."
"It's Markus, Sir. You told me to inform you when the council was ready."
"Is it time?"
"Yes, just after sunset."
Nicholas let out a ragged sigh. "Thanks for calling, Markus. I'll be there shortly. Is my father coming?"
"No, Hector and the rest of the council want to speak to you alone. Your father will be informed of their decision later. But your father did request your presence at his home this evening for dinner, following the council meeting."
"All right. Thank you." Nicholas hung up the phone and pulled a frowning Lucy into his arms. "Don't fret, little love. Everything will be okay."
"That was Markus, wasn't it? What did he say?"
"The council is ready to see me. I have to get ready."
"I want to come with you."
"Sudlanders are not allowed at council meetings, sweet. I appreciate that you want to help me, but there's nothing you can do. Just knowing you're here, waiting for me, is all I need."
"What do you think is going to happen?"
"I honestly don't know. But please try not to worry. No matter what happens, we'll be fine, I promise you. Why don't you relax in front of the fire, and I'll be home before you know it. You'll finally get to meet my family tonight. My parents invited us for dinner." He leaned down to kiss the frown lines on Lucy's forehead.
Lucy gazed at him intensely, her blue eyes shimmering. She sighed deeply and wound her arms around his neck, squeezing tight. "I think I might do some baking, to keep me occupied so I don't get too nervous."
"That's a wonderful idea. Why don't you try out those lemon stars we talked about? My brothers could demolish a dozen batches of those in no time."
Nicholas kissed Lucy one last time, and then grudgingly got out of bed to shower and change. She was hard at work in the kitchen by the time he departed for the council meeting. With a heavy heart, he set out for Hector's cottage. And prayed that his future in Glasdorf was not about to end.
\*\*\*\*
Nicholas rapped on the wooden door to Hector's cottage. Bitter winds whipped across the path and swirled around him, chilling him to the bone.
The door creaked open, and Helga beckoned for him to enter.
"Nicholas, come in, come in." She clasped his arms and peered up into his face anxiously. "How is your Schatzi doing?"
"She's doing great, Helga. Lucy Anne has completely recovered, thanks to you and Hector."
"I talked to my friend Greta today and she said that Lucy made quite an impression at Klaus Küche. The elves adore her."
Nicholas smiled. "I know. She thinks they're wonderful, too."
Helga took his hand and led him through a dim hallway. "I hope you're not too nervous for this meeting, young man."
"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm a little worried about getting thrown to the wolves."
Helga shook her head vigorously. "Don't even say that, Nicholas! The council will do the right thing. I know they seem...a bit solemn at times. But underneath the scruff, their hearts are beating with love and understanding. Don't doubt it."
Nicholas carefully ducked his head as he followed Helga through the cottage. They entered an oval-shaped room darkened by shadow. In the center of the room stood a black circular table, surrounded by high-backed chairs with red velvet cushions. Seven wall sconces dotted the curved walls, dripping wax onto the stone floor. The glass-paneled ceiling offered a clear view of the night sky.
Helga led Nicholas to the single human-sized chair and motioned for him to sit. "They will be with you shortly, Nicholas. Please try not to fret. Do you believe in your heart that you did the proper thing?"
"There's not a doubt in my mind."
Helga smiled and patted his hand reassuringly. "You'll do fine, young man," she whispered softly, and was gone.
Nicholas gazed at the ceiling, noting the leaded glass panels formed a star. The glass seemed thick and wavy, shimmering occasionally. He shivered in the cool air, and pulled his coat tightly around him. Long, lean shadows flickered against the slate tiles on the floor and up the walls toward the sky. He propped his elbows on the polished table and rubbed his eyes wearily. It was ironic that the best-behaved Klaus son was now summoned to the council. His mother and father were probably shocked by his actions.
Growing up, he and his brothers often fantasized about what life would be like in the Sudenwelt. Now that they traveled frequently, they were aware that life outside of Glasdorf came with its own set of complications and problems. In spite of the quirks and eccentricities of life at the Pole, Nicholas loved it here. He would be devastated if the council chose to expel him. Nicholas prayed silently in the darkness that the elves could forgive his actions.
A heavy door scraped open at the far end of the room. Nicholas looked up to witness a somber procession glide across the floor. Seven men, their brows creased with worry, approached the table. Nicholas noticed that they were wearing their formal dress, loden green robes with silver sashes. Hoods were pulled up over their heads, and long braids hung down, plaited with silver threads.
Nicholas stood and bowed his head respectfully as the ancient elves took their places around the table. Achim, Tobias, Otto, Gerd, Johan and Ebbe were seated. Hector remained standing, and faced Nicholas.
"Young man, it is good to see you." Hector grasped his arms with gnarled hands. Nicholas was surprised to feel a tremor there.
Achim stood suddenly and fidgeted with his sash. "Nicholas, please be seated. Before we begin, Hector has something to say."
"Yes, yes I do." Hector shuffled to his chair, but remained standing. "I feel that I must withdraw myself from the decision this evening. In fact, I am convinced that I am mostly to blame for the events of two days past. Nicholas was not thinking clearly; his loved one was dying. I, however, had a choice to make. And, for whatever reason, I chose to ignore a sacred rule of the council, and to use my magic to save the life of a Sudlander. I respectfully request that the council excuse me from the forum tonight."
Achim cleared his throat nervously. "All in favor, say aye."
Nicholas watched in astonishment as a unanimous decision was made to exclude Hector from the judgment.
Tobias stood and read from a scroll in front of him. "Nicholas Sebastian Klaus, son of Weihnachtsmann, heir to Weihnachtsmann, you have committed the following offenses which must be reviewed by the Elfin Council of Seven. First, you have brought a Sudlander to Glasdorf without prior permission of the council. Second, you have coerced a member of this council to use elfin magic to alter the outcome of a medical emergency on the previously mentioned Sudlander. What say you?"
Nicholas nodded. "Yes, I did commit these acts."
Gerd shook his head and glared at Nicholas. "Truly, I did not think you capable of such outrageous behavior. Of all the Klaus sons, you were the one who seemed most clear-headed and responsible. It is difficult to believe that the heir to Weihnachtsmann has been so defiant."
Ebbe concurred. "How could you disregard the laws of our village? You know how imperative it is that Glasdorf is kept secret from the Sudlanders. We cannot allow just anyone to know about this place. Only the council can look into the hearts and minds of Suddies to be assured of their loyalty."
Nicholas nodded. "I understand. Under normal circumstances, I would have gained your approval first before bringing Lucy here, but there wasn't time..."
Johan interrupted. "We were not aware that you had formed an attachment with a Sudlander, Nicholas. We would have happily honored your request for a visit."
"Yes, I realize that...but..."
"Are you in love with her?" Otto's direct gaze caught Nicholas off guard.
He turned to Otto to respond. "With all of my heart."
"And so you allowed your emotions to dictate your actions? You always seemed such a disciplined, rational young man. This is shocking." Ebbe shook his head in disgust.
"For God's sake, Ebbe, let the boy speak." Otto leaned over the table to peer at his colleague. "There is nothing wrong with emotion."
"There is a time and place for everything, but not at the expense of our safety." Achim's eyes darted nervously.
Otto turned to Nicholas. "Please give the council an accounting of the events leading to this forum."
Nicholas cleared his throat. "Thank you, Otto. As most of you already know, I frequently travel to the Sudenwelt. A colleague told me that the sugar cookies at a certain establishment were excellent, and I went there to investigate. The owner of the café is Lucy Anne Brewster. She is a very talented pastry chef, and also a kind and loving woman. On the morning I was to return to Glasdorf, Lucy was involved in an accident, and she was dying. I...I..."
Tobias gently placed his hand on Nicholas' arm. "Take your time, young man. These must be difficult memories."
"Quit coddling the boy, Tobias. Get on with it." Ebbe rolled his eyes.
Nicholas swallowed. "I have never been so afraid in my life. I didn't think about what I was doing. I just called Markus, and he brought us to Hector's." Nicholas turned to look at Hector, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable. "I forced Hector to save her. And thank God, he did. I would be lost if anything had happened to her that night."
"That's it? Your explanation? Ridiculous! That is simply unacceptable. Just because you are a member of the Klaus family, don't think you are not bound by the laws of Glasdorf, like the rest of us, young man!" Spittle flew from Gerd's mouth as he yelled.
Ebbe pounded the table. "I agree! The pact made by our forefathers clearly delineates the most critical aspects of this community...respect for the magic, the vital need for secrecy. How a Klaus intending to fill the role of Weihnachtsmann could possibly ignore these laws is beyond my understanding. Shame on you, Nicholas!"
Otto sighed. "Calm down, Ebbe." He turned to Nicholas. "I am reluctant to admit it, but Ebbe has made a valid point. The future Weihnachtsmann must be above reproach. Although we were willing to extend some flexibility with your brother's questionable behavior, you are certainly not in the same situation, Nicholas."
"I know, I apologize, Otto. I give you my word that it will not happen again. I never intended to disappoint the council, or my parents."
Johan stroked his beard thoughtfully and regarded Nicholas. "Our disappointment with you is not solely limited to these transgressions, Nicholas. You are not showing any indication of readiness for the role of Weihnachtsmann. In the near future, you must assume responsibility for Glasdorf, and yet you continue to toil away in that bakery of yours. Have you sat down with your father and begun instruction? When will your apprenticeship begin? We have waited patiently for you, but enough is enough."
Gerd's expression became more grim. "Excellent point, Johan. Nicholas has an enormous obligation to fulfill as the eldest Klaus son, and it's high time he embraced it. Your father has carried out his duty faithfully for many years. It is time for you to put aside piddly interests and assume leadership."
"With all due respect, Gerd, I do not consider Klaus Küche a 'piddly interest.' I've worked hard for years to establish my reputation as a master baker. I have every intention of honoring the pact, once my father informs me he is ready to step down."
Ebbe scowled. "Show a little initiative, young man. The time has come!"
Johan turned to Hector. "We seem to have gotten a bit off track at these proceedings. May we continue with the discussion concerning Nicholas' disregard for the rules in question?"
"Fine! Get on with it, then!" Ebbe grumbled.
Johan spoke to Hector. "Is Nicholas' recollection of the events which occurred two nights past a true accounting?
Hector sighed. "Yes, for the most part. But as I have already mentioned, I made the decision to heal Miss Lucy. I am also responsible for what transpired that evening. And, according to the laws of Glasdorf, I must also be held accountable."
Tobias held up a hand. "Just a minute, Hector. I would like to know how you saved Lucy's life."
"I used the red sphere, the most powerful magic I have. She would not have survived otherwise. Her wounds were severe."
Otto nodded deliberately. "The red sphere, you say. I thought that sphere was quite choosy about her tasks. I've heard stories that she has refused treatment for certain patients..."
Achim chimed in, "Yes, I have also heard such things. Wasn't there an incident with Hans Ulderman?"
"The man who was beating his wife?"
"Yes, that's the one. Supposedly, the red sphere refused to touch him. Later, they found out about his violent nature."
Johan joined in. "Yes, I remember that incident. And another one, too. It was the Schiffer's baby..."
"The one who was choking on magik pebbles? She almost died," added Achim.
"What happened with the babe?"
"I think the baby was choking, unbeknownst to the parents. The red sphere jumped from the cabinet and saved her before anyone realized what was happening." Johan looked at Hector for confirmation.
"Yes, this story is indeed true. Little Elsa was apprenticed to me a while ago. She has blossomed into quite a talented healer."
Tobias looked thoughtfully at Hector. "Is it possible that the red sphere was privy to a future that must be fulfilled? That it directed you onto the path you must take?"
"He brings up an interesting point, Hector." Otto tapped his fingers on the polished table in front of him. "You are not one to defy our rules. If your heart led you to this choice, then you must trust that it was the right thing to do."
Johan nodded in agreement. "At some point Nicholas Junior must take a bride and continue the line to fulfill the duty of the Klaus family. It appears that fate simply hurried the process along a bit."
Hector answered slowly. "It does seem possible...I must say, I was somewhat surprised by the healing. The red sphere appeared to recognize the union of these two, Nicholas and Lucy Anne."
"Fascinating. How exactly did this occur?" Tobias asked.
"She touched the spot above both of their hearts, one after another. She knew they were already linked, and I had the distinct impression...well, that she was blessing their future together. I have never seen her react in such a way."
"See, this is exactly what I am talking about." Tobias' eyes lit up as he looked at Hector. "Our magic has a way of working things out, regardless of our laws. It sees a bigger picture than we are privy to. We must not question the ways of fate."
Hector smiled. "Perhaps you are correct, Tobias. Perhaps these things were simply meant to be."
Ebbe coughed. "I, for one, am not so eager to let young Nicholas off the hook. He should be held accountable for his actions." He turned to Hector. "And you, Hector, well...I think you simply need a vacation."
Gerd looked sternly at Nicholas. "You are next in line to be Weihnachtsmann. You have a duty to uphold the laws of Glasdorf and set yourself as an example for everyone in this village. If indeed it is true that elfin magic has played a part in this scenario, then I feel you are somewhat exonerated. But the council still needs your reassurance that you will promise to obey the laws of this realm in the future. And to accept all of the responsibilities of the role of Santa. Are you willing to do this, young man?'
Nicholas realized at that moment the price he would pay for saving Lucy's life. It would soon be time to give up Klaus Küche and accept the position of Weihnachtsmann. "I apologize to the council for failing to uphold our laws. And, yes, Gerd, I have every intention of fulfilling my destiny as the oldest Klaus son in our family. However, I will not apologize for saving Lucy's life."
Otto smiled indulgently at Nicholas. "Tell us about Lucy, Nicholas. Is she trustworthy? Will she reveal our existence to the world or protect our secrets? Is she loyal to you?"
"Lucy is the most loyal, loving and trustworthy woman I have ever met. I have every confidence that she will guard our secrets. She has already captured the hearts of elves all over Glasdorf."
Tobias laughed. "That is certainly true. Many of the workers at Klaus Küche are singing her praises."
Johan raised an eyebrow. "And at Dag's, too. We have a petition here signed by over a hundred elves."
Nicholas blanched. "Uhh, yes, she may have played a couple of rounds of darts at the bar. Lucy has a way about her. She truly cares about everyone she meets."
Otto placed a pair of reading glasses on the tip of his nose and removed several sheets of paper from his pocket. "I also have a letter of support from Nicholas' parents, as well as his brothers. I would like to read them if you don't mind..."
"Well, I do mind!" shouted Ebbe. "Of course Nicky Sr. and Alena will stand behind their eldest son. Their love for him and all of the boys has never been questioned. However, a letter from the rest of that gang of hooligans is not exactly a ringing endorsement..."
Gerd snorted. "Oh, yes, let's hear what the reformed juvenile delinquents have to say. Should be fascinating."
Otto looked perturbed. "Cut the sarcasm, Gerd. The brothers have written a very eloquent letter of support for their brother."
Nicholas was astounded. "My brothers did that, for me?"
Gerd laughed. "Probably while consuming several gallons of Schwarz biers at Dag's, no doubt."
Otto ignored Gerd's comment and began to read. "To the members of the Council of Seven. We are concerned about the recent events involving our brother, Nicholas. We hope that the council does not overlook all of his past accomplishments and loyalty when determining his fate at the Tag der Rache. Although he may have broken a few rules, he has shown undying devotion to his family and all of Glasdorf over the years, and we do not believe that the acts of a single night should cancel out all of the good things he has done in his life. He has worked tirelessly at Klaus Küche, bringing much pride to the elves who work there. We could not have asked for a better brother. Nicholas looked out for us regardless of our short-comings. He protected us, taught us even though we often exasperated him, and stood loyally behind us, regardless of our antics. He put up with a lot of trouble from us over the years, but never once let us down when we needed his help for any reason. We have the utmost faith in his abilities and realize that any defiant acts on his part were purely unintentional and not done with any malicious intent. Our brother is a good and loyal man, and deserves the respect of all of the members of Glasdorf, including the Council. Respectfully yours, Sven, Gregor, Wolfgang and Oskar Klaus."
"My God, I can't believe my brothers did that..." Nicholas took a deep breath and looked at Otto who was nodding in agreement.
"I can't believe it, either. The hoodlums are literate," Gerd said.
Johan addressed the council. "The brothers make a good point. Nicholas has accomplished much in his young life, and has shown unwavering loyalty to his family and Glasdorf prior to this incident. We must take that into consideration when judging him."
"Yes, I agree," added Otto. "One instance of ill behavior cannot negate all of the good he has done."
"Fine, fine. I think it is reasonable to consider his past exemplary behavior when determining our ruling. Let's move on." Gerd waved his hand dismissively.
Ebbe grunted. "Yes, this is a complete waste of time. I would like to discuss Hector's culpability in this matter. Nicholas, do you believe Hector is at fault in any way?"
"Absolutely not. Contrary to what Hector may believe, he is not at fault here. I forcefully insisted that he save Lucy's life. And I am in his debt always for his act of compassion."
"Hector has served as the head of the council for many years, displaying excellent leadership and sound judgment on all matters. If the red sphere willingly saved this woman's life, then I think that Hector's actions should be forgiven," said Johan.
Achim nodded. "I agree. Hector was put in a difficult situation by young Nicholas. It is not easy to refuse the son of Weihnachtsmann, for any reason."
Ebbe turned to look at Hector, and the old man's wrinkled face softened a bit. "Yes, our relationship with the Klaus family is a bit thorny, is it not? Difficult to refuse the saviors of our race regardless of our position in Glasdorf. Hector, do not look so forlorn."
Tobias turned to the other elves. "I think we are agreed that Hector deserves some latitude in regard to his actions. And young Nicholas seems determined to uphold our laws in the future. Lucy appears to be a wonderful candidate for the wife of Weihnachtsmann. I, for one, think that Nicholas should be absolved of these crimes and allowed to continue as heir. It seems the time has come for Überholen, the passing of the torch."
Johan nodded forcefully. "I fully agree with Tobias. Hector could not have healed this woman unless the red sphere deemed it. The magic has spoken to us...we must listen carefully."
Achim nodded. "The council will discuss your fate, young man. Please wait in the hallway until we call you for the judgment."
Nicholas bowed to the council. "Thank you for allowing me to be heard this evening. I will willingly abide by any decision the council metes out."
Hector stood and shuffled to Nicholas' side. "I, too, will await your judgment. Come along, Nicholas." The two of them entered the long hallway. They leaned against the cold walls as the small arched doorway closed, enveloping them in darkness.
"Hector, I am so sorry. I never meant to get you into trouble. You saved Lucy's life..."
The old elf shook his head and laughed gently. "Do not worry, Nicholas. I believe the council is right about magic interfering in this process. These things were meant to be. All will be well."
Nicholas could hear murmuring in the next room, punctuated by an occasional outburst. About quarter of an hour passed, and then the door opened, revealing Tobias in his velvet robe. His hood was down, and he reached towards Nicholas and Hector with open arms.
"Please join us, my friends. We are ready."
Nicholas and Hector moved in front of the table and awaited the council's announcement.
Johan cleared his throat. "Hear this, Nicholas Sebastian Klaus, son and heir of Nicholas, Weihnachtsmann. We, the Council of Seven, have made a decision."
Six wizened faces greeted him with somber expressions.
"The council has decided to trust in the hands of fate today. Although you have broken two sacred laws of Glasdorf, it appears that our magic may have encouraged the outcome of these events. It does seem that the Sudlander Lucy Anne Brewster will make an exceptional partner to the future Weihnachtsmann, and is trustworthy and loyal. In addition, you have exhibited exemplary behavior in the past, and have proven yourself to be more than worthy of the position of Santa for the upcoming generation of Glasdorf. The Council will make a recommendation to Nicholas Senior that you shall take over the role of Weihnachtsmann within twelve cycles of the moon. It is time for you to fulfill your destiny, to honor the pact made centuries ago."
"In conclusion, the council forgives your transgressions, and gives our blessing to your union with Lucy Anne Brewster."
Johan turned to Hector. "Hector, our good friend, and head of the Council of Seven, we absolve you of any and all guilt pertaining to the events of the day in question. Clearly, your magic was only successful based on the merits of this case, resulting in an outcome that is critical to the welfare and future of Glasdorf." In a softer voice, Johan whispered to his friend, "Do not lose trust in yourself, Hector. You have served Glasdorf well for many years. And will continue to do so, I have no doubt."
Nicholas swayed a bit and let out a huge breath of relief. Hector patted him on the back and grinned. "You see, I told you all would be well. The council prides itself on being fair and just."
"I think it's time to celebrate with some Irish coffees and honey sticks for everyone. I also have a delicious platter of honey bars from Klaus Küche," announced Tobias as he carried a tray of food to the table.
"Honey bars? Those are my favorites." Ebbe reached over to grab a handful of cookies.
Nicholas smiled. "I'm glad you like them, Ebbe. We've been using lavender honey this year and my workers assure me it's the best."
Johan nodded. "I love the texture. So soft and chewy. My granddaughters can't get enough of these."
"Will you join us, Nicholas?" Tobias asked.
"Thank you, Tobias, but I promised Lucy I would return home as soon as I could to let her know what happened. She's very nervous."
Tobias nodded at Nicholas. "We are all looking forward to meeting your Schatzi. Perhaps we could plan a get-together soon."
Hector agreed. "Helga would enjoy planning such an event. She loves entertaining."
Nicholas buttoned up his coat as the elves continued to discuss their plans and distribute honey sticks around the circular table.
Ebbe sauntered up to Hector, clutching a photo album in his hands. "Hector, it's clear that this entire matter has weighed heavily on you. How about planning a nice vacation after Christmas?" He smiled at his old friend. "There's a lovely island in Tahiti that is nice this time of the year. Very isolated and quiet."
Nicholas smiled to himself as Ebbe opened up the album to reveal numerous photos of himself in flip-flops, a red Speedo bathing suit, and a T-shirt that said Naked Co-Ed Elfin Lacrosse.
Hector stroked his beard thoughtfully. "What a beautiful beach. Helga always enjoys a nice swim in the tropical waters."
Nicholas laughed as the elves began a discussion about various vacation destinations. As he entered the hallway, he turned and shouted "Good night! And thank you!" to the council.
"Gute Nacht, young Nicholas!" Otto shouted back as he sipped a large mug of coffee.
Nicholas hurried out of the cottage. He felt an odd sense of relief, a touch bittersweet. He was immensely thankful the council had not expelled him from Glasdorf. But the knowledge that the Überholen was only a year away filled him with dread. And he was still wary of Lucy's reaction to all of this. He was not certain that she would be willing to sacrifice her life in the Sudenwelt to stay here with him. He would be asking a lot...a hell of a lot.
Lucy sank her hands into a large bowl of cookie dough. The wonderful fragrance of lemon and cardamom filled the air. The dough was light and buttery as she deftly formed it into several mounds on the granite counter. She sprinkled a bit of flour over the top, and began to roll out the batter with Nicholas' professional rolling pin.
As Lucy worked the dough, she smiled to herself, thinking about the absurdity of her present situation. Here she was, in the North Pole, making Christmas cookies in the kitchen of Santa's eldest son! After so many years of yearning for excitement, she had certainly found it in spades in Glasdorf. And she felt completely content in this charming, magical village. She assumed her first journey outside of New York would be to Paris or Rome. Instead, Lucy was having the adventure of a lifetime surrounded by elves, magical sleighs, and the man of her dreams.
There was no doubt in her mind that Nicholas was her dream-man. In spite of their creative differences, she was utterly smitten with the eldest Klaus son. If only she knew for sure how Nicholas felt about her. They had avoided discussing their future together, and Lucy wondered if Nicholas considered her a short-term relationship. What sort of future could they have? He lived in the North Pole, and was expected to take over as Santa. She still had the responsibility of Sweet Inspiration. Lucy tried to ignore the secret fantasies floating around in her mind that involved her and Nicholas running their own bakery together, then making passionate love all night long. She sighed. Fantasies like those would probably get her heart broken.
Time to cut the cookies. Lucy laughed when she opened the doors to the baking cabinet. Dozens of copper cookie cutters hung from hooks on the inside of the door, in alphabetical order! She thought of the willow basket at Sweet Inspiration where the cutters, well worn and banged up, were thrown haphazardly into a pile. Nicholas would have a hissy fit if he could see that. She chose a beautiful star cutter and began to punch out the cookies.
Just as she pulled the final batch from the oven, she heard the front door open. Nicholas is home!
"Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about. I knew he'd be baking something good for dinner tonight."
"I recognize that smell. I think he's making the lemon stars. Hope he's making them crispy the way I like 'em."
"I've missed Nicholas' cooking the last two weeks. It doesn't feel like Christmas without him."
"Remind me to tell him to bake those for my party..."
Lucy froze in the kitchen as four giant Klaus brothers stood in the doorway. She recognized them from the photo in Nicholas' room.
One had green spiky hair sticking out from under a Dr. Seuss style hat. His emerald green eyes sparkled mischievously, and he held a snowboard under one arm. The second one wore a hand-knit cap and scarf over a heavy poncho, with a brightly colored tie-dyed shirt hanging out the bottom. His eyes were chocolate-brown, and he had sandy hair that fell in loose waves over his shoulders. The third brother had eyes so dark, they looked almost black. He sported the same dark hair and beard as Nicholas, and wore blue jeans and a heavy parka. The last brother looked like a lawyer, dressed in an impeccable suit and overcoat. His chestnut colored hair was trimmed very short, and he had a stylish goatee.
"You're a lot cuter than Nicholas," said the Klaus with the poncho.
"Lucky son-of-a...she's effin' adorable. I can't believe Mr. Anti-Social got so lucky. Maybe we should plan a little trip to upstate New York," responded a brother with the colorful hair.
"You are beautiful. You wouldn't happen to have any sisters, would you?" the third brother asked.
Lucy shook her head, looking from one to the other as comments bounced around the room. "No, no sisters. I'm an only child."
"Oh well." The giant with the Dr. Seuss hat winked at her. "Let me guess. You must be Lucy. Monie and the other elves at Dag's told me all about you. They said you're a wiz with the darts." He extended his hand.
Lucy shook hands and giggled. "Um, I think maybe I just had some beginner's luck at the dart board. Monie and the others were very nice."
"I'm Oskar, Nicholas' youngest brother."
"And I'm Sven, toy builder and cookie taster extraordinaire." The brother with the poncho leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Those wouldn't happen to be lemon stars baking, eh?"
The third brother with the dark eyes laughed. "Back off, Sven. You touch my cookies and you're a dead man." He also shook Lucy's hand. "I'm Wolfgang, Wolfie for short."
The immaculately dressed Klaus stepped forward. "I'm Gregor. It's very nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet all of you. Yes, I'm baking the lemon stars. Nicholas just taught me the recipe yesterday."
Oskar grabbed a cooling cookie from the counter, tossed it into the air, and caught it with his open mouth. "Perfect. You're going to give Nick a run for his money, sweet thing."
Sven laughed and collected a handful of cookies for himself. "Nicholas said your sugar cookies were the best he'd ever tasted. Have you told him your secret recipe yet?"
Lucy's cheeks reddened. "He said that? No, but I would be happy to. My customers back home really love them, too."
Gregor shook his head. "I can't believe Nicholas isn't back yet. I hope that letter we sent helped out."
"The council must be really letting him have it," answered Wolfie, his dark eyes filling with worry.
"Hope Nick brought some goodies from Klaus Küche. Ebbe's got a sweet tooth, and he's a grouchy bastard when he's riled up." Oskar hopped up onto the granite counter next to the cookies.
"You should know, O. You're number one on his shit list..." Sven laughed.
"Hey, guys, there's a lady present." Wolfgang gestured to Lucy. "Watch your language."
"Have you heard anything yet? Has Nicholas called?" Gregor asked her anxiously.
"No. And I'm really worried. I feel so guilty. None of this would have happened if he hadn't broken the rules to save my life..."
Wolfgang smiled at Lucy. "You shouldn't feel guilty. Nicholas will go to any length for the people he cares about. I know for a fact that he has no regrets about what he did. That's the kind of guy he is."
Sven nodded. "Hell, he took the brunt of it when we were growing up. O and I were especially..."
"Spirited?" Oskar added helpfully.
Gregor smirked. "Spirited is one word for it. Another one is a royal pain-in-the-ass. Oskar and Sven were called before the council about a million times."
"Nicholas was always there, defending them no matter what craziness they got into. He's not afraid to face the council, believe me." Wolfie opened a cabinet and pulled out a large tin shaped like a Christmas tree. "Lucy, do you mind if we take a couple of batches of these cookies to Mom's? Our mother is a sweetheart, but not so hot in the kitchen."
Lucy nodded. "That's a great idea. Nicholas told me there's a family dinner tonight. I'm a little bit nervous about meeting your parents. Especially your father." She looked at the brothers questioningly. "Do you think he'll be angry at me?"
Oskar gave her shoulders an affectionate squeeze. "He's all bark, no bite. He'll probably rake Nicholas over the coals for a bit, but he would never do that to you. My ma would have his head on a platter."
Wolfie smiled at Lucy. "As far as my parents are concerned, Lucy Anne, you're a part of our family now. We all look out for each other, especially my father. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you meet Nicky Sr. and Alena. They're definitely not what you'd expect."
Sven laughed. "Oh yeah. Dad's not really into red coats." The four brothers laughed together, like a rumble of thunder.
"My mom is probably planning your children's names already. She's been bugging us about settling down for a long time, so I'm sure she is thrilled about meeting you tonight." Gregor winked at Lucy.
Oskar laughed. "Get ready to be grilled. In a good way, of course." Oskar and Sven high fived each other. Lucy heard Sven whisper under his breath, "Takes the heat off of us, thank the good God..."
The front door to the cottage swung open, and Nicholas entered in a swirling gust of snow.
"Nicholas!" Lucy ran across the kitchen and jumped into his outstretched arms. "Please tell me everything is okay," she whispered fiercely into his shoulder. She leaned back to look at his face.
"What a nice welcome home." Nicholas kissed her trembling mouth. "Everything is fine. I've been forgiven, and so has Hector."
"Hey, bro, I think the girl likes you." Oskar observed drily from the doorway to the kitchen.
"So, what's the verdict? A week polishing the sleigh?" asked Gregor.
"Two weeks hand knitting stockings for the elderly?" Wolfgang smiled mischievously at his older brother.
"A full pedicure and foot massage for Ebbe?" Oskar asked innocently.
Sven cringed. "That's disgusting, O. For God's sake..."
"Well, tell us, Nick, what happened?"
Nicholas leaned up against the kitchen counter, still holding Lucy snugly in his arms. "The council wasn't too happy, but they're letting everything slide on the understanding that the Überholen takes place in a year."
"Christ, Nicholas. They're cracking the whip, huh?" Gregor shook his head.
Lucy tugged on Nicholas' arm. "What does that mean? What's the Überholen?"
Nicholas sighed. "Literally it is the 'passing of the torch.' When the current Santa steps down and the eldest son takes his place." He kissed the top of her head. "I knew this was coming. It's just a little sooner than I expected. It's my responsibility, and mom and dad deserve a nice retirement. The important thing is that I haven't been expelled." He raised an eyebrow at Oskar. "Or forced to give Ebbe a foot massage."
The brothers laughed and shook Nicholas' hand. Oskar thumped him hard on the back. "Way to go, big brother. Baker Boy gets off scot-free. It's a miracle."
Sven touched his fist to Nicholas' and grinned. "Congrats, man."
Nicholas cleared his throat. "By the way, thanks for the letter of support. It really helped."
Sven slapped Nicholas on the back. "It's about time we paid you back for everything you did for us growing up. I wasn't sure if the council would consider it."
Wolfgang nodded. "I'm glad it helped, Nicholas," he added softly.
Oskar grabbed his snowboard under one arm, and the tin of cookies under the other. "Okay, guys, time for the really important decision of the evening." His brothers looked at him expectantly. "Who the hell is cooking dinner? Because I'm starved, and if mom is cooking, I'm heading to Dag's!"
Lucy gazed up at the beautiful Tudor-style manor. It was certainly a home befitting Santa Claus. Smoke curled from numerous stone chimneys atop the steeply angled roof. Turrets jutted up from multi-colored slate tiles. Draped with fresh garlands of greens, the castle glowed with strands of white lights and flickering candles in each window. Lucy was not surprised to see sparks of light shimmering around the house, enveloping it in magic. She was becoming accustomed to elfin magic in Glasdorf, and it was obvious that the home of the Weihnachtsmann was enchanted.
An enormous glass conservatory was attached to one end of the castle, and Lucy could see vibrant hothouse flowers and fruited trees inside. A troupe of elves primped and polished a magnificent red sleigh parked in the courtyard. Masses of evergreens enveloped a frozen pond, where giggling elfin children were skating, twirling gleefully around the ice. On a porch to the side of the massive home were racks of cross-country skis, old-fashioned snowshoes hanging on hooks, and baskets of skates.
An astonishing assortment of animals roamed the grounds, including playful malamutes and singing birds of every color. A swath of sparkling magic spun from the castle and enveloped Lucy for an instant, then raced back to a turret. She pressed her hand to her heart as she stared in awe at the vision in front of her. I've never seen a home so welcoming, so charming. You can actually feel the Christmas spirit here.
"This is amazing," Lucy sighed.
Nicholas looked up at the castle and smiled. "It's something, isn't it? This has been the home for the Weihnachtsmann since the very first Rudolf Klaus."
"Who is Rudolf Klaus? You haven't told me about your history. How did your family end up here?"
"I'll bet my father would love to tell you that story at dinner. He's really into the Klaus family history. I think I'll let him enlighten you." Several of the dogs ran over to greet them.
"Down, Bowie! Not on my cashmere coat!" Gregor admonished the dogs as they pounced on the band of brothers.
"What a spoilsport." Oskar shook his head at his older brother. "The dogs just want a little play time, right boys?" He patted them affectionately. Oskar and Sven tossed a couple candy cane rawhide bones, and several of the dogs bounded after them, diving into snow banks.
Lucy leaned down and wrapped her arms around one of the fluffy dogs. She kneaded his thick white fur and his tail wagged happily. "They're beautiful, Nicholas. Your parents don't mind all these animals?"
"My dad is crazy about the dogs. He has actually entered the Iditarod several times. There is even a miniature castle in the back that's a dog house."
"Oh! That is so cool. Your family really embraces adventure, don't you? You don't seem scared of anything."
Wolfgang looked thoughtfully at Lucy. "I think you must be pretty brave, too, Lucy Anne. Accepting Glasdorf would be too overwhelming for a lot of people. I'm impressed that you are so at ease here."
Lucy shrugged. "I think Glasdorf is incredible. But I don't really feel that brave. In fact, I'm pretty nervous about meeting your dad."
Wolfie patted her on the shoulder. "Come on then, let's go inside. I guarantee you that it's not going to be that bad. My dad grumbles a lot, but underneath he's really a softie. Especially around my mom. Right, Nicholas?"
Nicholas nodded. "Even if my parents are disappointed in my behavior, they would never think less of you. In fact, I'm sure my parents are going to be thrilled to meet you, Luce."
Sven stomped his feet on the front stoop to dislodge the snow and ice. "Let's head inside, I'm freezing. Time to hang out in front of the fire with a hot toddy."
Nicholas knocked on the front doors, ornately carved and embedded with stained glass. Lucy noticed that the red and green slivers of glass were constantly changing patterns, and sparkling with lights. "What is the significance of the glass? It's so beautiful."
"A lot of the glass has protective qualities when constructed with the aid of elfin magic. My father's entire house is protected and blessed by very old and powerful magic."
Finally, the doors opened. Lucy looked down at an old woman, barely three feet tall, dressed in a red velvet jumper. Her eyes lit up when she saw Nicholas.
"Nicholas Klaus! However do you do, young man? Come in, come in. Your parents will be so happy to see you. Did everything turn out all right with the council this evening?"
"Yes,Wilma, thanks for asking. All is well."
She clapped her hands and beamed. "I knew they would forgive you, young Nicholas! And who is this?" The elf turned to Lucy and warmly grasped her hands. "Is this the lovely lady who's captured your heart? Let me look at you."
The tiny woman pulled on a pair of glasses and peered through the thick lenses at Lucy. "Oh my! What a beauty! Look at all those lovely curls, and such pretty eyes." She turned to Nicholas and clucked. "Congratulations! She's a gem, Nicholas."
Wilma turned to the other brothers in the foyer and planted her hands on her hips. "And when are you boys going to find your Schatzis?"
Wolfgang shook his head ruefully. "Haven't found her yet, Wilma. I'm still looking."
Greg laughed. "Maybe we'll get lucky with the supermodels at my party."
Oskar leaned down and kissed Wilma on the cheek. "Didn't you know? I'm waiting for you to dump Boris. You're the only one for me, fair maiden."
Wilma swatted Oskar on the arm. "Don't get cheeky with me, young man. Come on in. Your mother has been waiting for you." She turned to Nicholas. "Your parents were nervously awaiting the council's decision, Nicholas. They've been worried about you."
As Lucy, Nicholas and his brothers walked into the stately great room, they heard a feminine voice complaining nearby. "Well hell, look at that! I burned another chicken."
Wolfgang laughed and pointed to a door at the end of the room. "That's the kitchen, Lucy. I have a sneaking suspicion that dinner is going to be late tonight."
Sven moaned. "Not again! We're too late, dammit."
Oskar hugged the cookie tin to his chest. "Thank God for the cookies."
Wolfgang headed into the smoky room. Lucy peaked through the doorway and spied a petite woman dumping a blackened chicken into the sink. She wore an apron emblazoned with "Christmas Rocks!" and had beautiful silver and turquoise Native American jewelry to compliment her pixie-styled silver hair.
"Oh no! I wanted tonight to be perfect." The woman sniffled and smacked the charred bird with a wooden spoon.
"Mom? You okay?"
The pixie turned toward Wolfgang with glassy eyes. "Wolfie! Look what I did!" She flung herself into his arms and Wolfie patted her back reassuringly.
"Mom, no worries. We don't care about the chicken."
"But I wanted dinner to be perfect tonight. We're meeting Lucy Anne for the first time, and...well, I wanted to impress her. She's a cook, you know, like Nicholas." Mrs. Klaus wiped her hands on the apron. "And I'm so worried about your brother. I hope the council was kind. Sometimes those elves can get a little bit crotchety, if you know what I mean."
Nicholas entered the kitchen and chuckled. "Mom, I told you a thousand times, bake, not broil for a roast bird..."
"Nicholas!" Mrs. Klaus grabbed Nicholas' arm and squeezed. "What happened? Are you okay? Did Ebbe and Gerd give you a hard time? I'd like to give those two a piece of my mind..."
"Don't worry, Mom. All is forgiven. They let me off the hook with a warning. I'm supposed to shape up, and set a better example."
Alena gave a sigh of relief. "That's wonderful news. I'm surprised they weren't more difficult."
Nicholas nodded. "Well, actually, they weren't too happy with me for breaking the rules. But when they found out Hector used the red sphere to heal Lucy, their attitude suddenly changed."
"What's up with the red sphere?" Wolfgang asked.
"Evidently it only works under certain conditions. They believe that Lucy was meant to live, otherwise the magic wouldn't have worked."
"Aha. It sounds like the elves went off on one of their 'fate of the world' lectures. Good for you." Gregor bumped fists with his older brother.
"What the hell? They never let us off with that one," Oskar commented.
"Yeah, probably because there's no possible magical explanation for joy-riding in the sleigh, you ass." Sven laughed at his brother's irritated expression.
Alena reached up to pinch Nicholas' cheek. "I'm so happy for you, honey. You never know how those council meetings are going to go."
"You're not disappointed with me?" Nicholas' expression turned grave. "It's the first time I've ever gotten into serious trouble with the council. I thought you would be upset."
Alena shook her head. "Actually, I'm proud of you, Nicholas. You took a risk to protect someone you care about. And you were willing to pay the consequences, if need be. I can't imagine anything more honorable than following your heart."
Nicholas hugged his mother and sighed with relief. He turned back to Lucy who was still hiding in the doorway. "Mom, there's someone special here I would like you to meet." He held out his hand to Lucy and she nervously grasped it as he pulled her into the room.
"Lucy Anne Brewster, this is Alena Klaus, my mother, a.k.a., Mrs. Klaus."
Alena dabbed at her teary eyes with her apron and smiled at Lucy. "Oh, forgive me, sweetheart. I'm just upset about another cooking disaster. It is so nice to finally meet you, Lucy Anne. Nicholas has been remiss in hiding you from us."
Alena removed her apron and hung it on a hook on the wall. Lucy could not believe her eyes. Mrs. Klaus wore a short white T-shirt, which showed off very toned arms. Clunky silver bangles jangled on each of her wrists, and a gauzy peasant skirt swirled around her ankles. She padded around the kitchen on bare feet, adorned with silver rings on her brightly polished toes. When she reached out to warmly shake her hand, Lucy noticed a tattoo of ivy and berries around her wrist.
"It's so nice to meet you, Mrs. Klaus."
"Oh, please call me Alena. You are adorable! Way to go, Nicholas." She turned to Wolfie and winked. "There's hope for all of you yet, if Nicholas got so lucky."
Wolfgang nodded. "That's what I'm thinking, too. She doesn't have any sisters though, I already asked."
"Oh, too bad." Alena's sparkling green eyes studied Lucy intensely. "So tell me about yourself, Lucy. Where are you from, and what's your family like?"
"I'm from Eston, New York, a small town in upstate New York. I own a café there called Sweet Inspiration. My parents died several years ago, so I'm sort of on my own."
"Not any more," Nicholas whispered into her ear, and Lucy snuggled closer to his side, thankful for his support.
Alena nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I must admit I've heard wonderful things about you, sweetheart, from all of the elves in town. You've made quite an impression here."
Before Lucy had a chance to answer, Oskar yelled out "What the hell is that?" He was staring into the sink at the blackened fowl.
"Looks like dinner bit the dust, again." Sven poked at the remains of the chicken with disgust.
Alena stood fuming with her hands on her hips. "Quit complaining! You boys could always help out, you know. Why don't you let Nicholas teach you a thing or two about cooking, so you're more self-reliant with the domestic arts? Women like that, you know."
Oskar looked at Lucy and grinned. "Actually, Mom, we have another master chef in the family. Maybe Lucy and Nicholas can whip up a quickie dinner, what do you think?"
Alena looked hopefully at Lucy. "That's a great idea! Lucy, I hate to inconvenience you, but would you be willing?"
Lucy smiled up at Nicholas. "Absolutely. What do you think, Nicholas?"
"Of course." He gazed down at her with a twinkle in his eye. "I love cooking with you, Lucy. Let's look in the fridge and see what we have to work with." Nicholas pulled her tightly into his arms and kissed her on the forehead. She blushed, knowing that all of his family was watching intently. But she was also secretly pleased that Nicholas was not embarrassed to show his affection.
Alena beamed at the two of them. "Well, it's about time, Nicholas. It looks like you finally found something you like as much as your culinary creations."
Sven had opened up the cookie tin and was sneaking one into his mouth when Alena snapped, "Sven, what are you doing, young man?"
"It's just an appetizer. No biggie."
Alena peered into the tin and then raised an eyebrow at her son. "Don't bogart the lemon stars." She snuck a couple out of the tin for herself as Lucy perused the refrigerator.
"What do you think, Luce? Any ideas with these ingredients?" Nicholas started to pull items out of the refrigerator and line them up on the counter.
"Actually, I think we can make some homemade pizzas. I see fresh dough, and lots of veggies, basil and hot sausage. I can even make some with spicy shrimp. Would your family like that sort of thing?"
"Oh yeah, we like that sort of thing." Sven helped Lucy carry her ingredients to the counter. "Dad loves pizza. He'll be digging that."
Nicholas nodded. "I can make a homemade Caesar salad, too. My father loves garlic."
Alena slung her arm around Lucy's shoulder. "Nicky adores pizza and seafood. Spicy shrimp pizza sounds marvelous. What can we do to help?"
Lucy divided the vegetables into several workstations. "Why don't you guys slice up the veggies, and I'll start the marinara sauce. Is anyone interested in rolling out the dough and making the crust?"
From behind her came a deep booming voice. "I think I can handle that."
Lucy spun around to find a giant of a man filling the doorway to the kitchen. His thick white hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he was sporting a sharp-looking goatee. A well-worn muscle shirt with the Boston Marathon logo displayed his muscular arms. He wore runner's pants and high-end athletic shoes, and he was wiping sweat from his brow and chugging from a water bottle.
"Look who's here!" Alena slipped her arm around her husband's waist and gazed up adoringly into his sparkling eyes. "Have a good workout, honey?"
"Excellent. I see our company has arrived." Nicholas Sr.'s gaze flickered to Nicholas and Lucy questioningly.
Alena nodded. "Nicholas is back from the meeting. All is forgiven." She whispered to her husband, "And that's Lucy Anne."
"From the smell of it, I guess roast chicken is no longer on the menu." The giant man leaned down to softly kiss his wife on the lips.
Alena smiled. "Never fear, my dear. Lucy, Nicholas' new friend, is here. And she just happens to be a master chef."
Two serious hazel eyes inspected Lucy from head to toe. She recognized those golden-flecked eyes; they were the same deep amber hue as Nicholas'. The intensity of his gaze was excruciating. Lucy held her breath as Nicky Sr. assessed her in a glance. And then, right before her eyes, his face was transformed by a lop-sided grin, complete with a dimple on his chin.
"Well, well. Looks like Nicholas found himself a Schatzi at last." He reached for Lucy's hand. His giant, callused hand engulfed hers. "It's a pleasure to meet you Lucy Anne Brewster. I'm Nicholas Senior, otherwise known as Santa."
Lucy shook her head as she realized the man in front of her was the honest-to-God Santa Claus. "You...you don't have a belly. I thought that Santa was supposed to be...you know..."
"Fat? That's just an urban legend. Not an ounce of fat on this bod, I assure you."
"No red coat."
"Nope. Can't work out in a coat."
"Your cheeks aren't rosy, and...and...your nose is not like a cherry."
"Well...my cheeks get kinda rosy when I'm running, especially a marathon."
Lucy laughed. "You're...totally buff! I can't believe Santa Claus is buff!"
Nicky Sr. flexed his biceps and smiled. "Thanks for the compliment. I work out three to four hours a day. Alternate cardio and weight training."
Alena squeezed her husband affectionately. "Nicky trains for marathons during the year. He's really an exceptional athlete. I'm very proud of him."
"You're no slouch, yourself, love. Alena completed her first half triathlon this summer. Finished third in her age group."
Nicholas looked at Lucy's astonished expression and laughed. "Not what you were expecting, huh?"
Lucy grinned, trying not to blush. "Not in a million years!"
Santa turned to Nicholas with a grim look. "I'm assuming everything went okay with the council since you look so calm and collected."
"Thankfully, yes, it did," Nicholas answered his father warily.
Santa nodded. "Good. Good. Let's get cooking and you can tell me all about it after dinner."
Sven stuffed another cookie in his mouth. "Great idea, I'm starved. When are we making the pizzas?"
Lucy turned shyly to Santa. "Are you serious about helping with the dough?"
"Of course! Got to put these biceps to good use. What would you like me to do?"
"The dough needs to be rolled out into circles, and if you're interested, I can show you how to flip them to stretch it out."
"No problem." Santa patted Lucy gently on the shoulder. "I'm glad that Nicholas found you; he deserves a good woman in his life." He paused and looked at Alena. "Well, let's get to it. I'm ravenous after my workout. Nicholas must be hungry, too. Groveling before the council works up quite the appetite, I'm sure." Then Santa winked at her.
In a few minutes, Lucy had the four brothers chopping vegetables, Nicky Sr. was rolling out dough, and Alena was stirring the marinara sauce while it simmered on the stove. Nicholas was chopping romaine lettuce and browning fresh croutons in the oven. She quickly realized that the Klaus family had a special bond, and she felt lucky to be included. So this is what it feels like to be part of a big family...heavenly.
\*\*\*\*
Nicholas smiled, observing his family's usual antics. His father was flipping huge discs of dough high into the air, while his mother cheered enthusiastically. Sven, Oskar and Wolfie snuck succulent pieces of shrimp from a platter on the counter. Gregor was absentmindedly stirring sauce on the stove and talking on his cell phone. Lucy laughed at his family's typical boisterous behavior. I knew she would be a perfect fit! Now I just have to convince her she can't live without me.
Nicky Sr. glanced sideways at Lucy and began to stuff the dough into the pans. "So, Lucy, I've heard through the grapevine that you have your own bakery in the Sudenwelt. You and Nicholas must have a lot in common."
"Well, Sweet Inspiration isn't nearly as large as Klaus Küche. We have a more relaxed attitude in my café." Lucy giggled as Nicholas raised an eyebrow at her.
"Lucy and I may have different management styles, but we both love baking. And her creations are divine. She and her staff are very well loved in Eston." Nicholas couldn't contain his pride about Lucy's accomplishments.
"Well, that's quite a compliment from my son. He's a bit of a stickler about his food, if you haven't noticed." Santa paused and turned to Lucy. "What do you think about Glasdorf? This must have come as quite a shock to you, being a Suddie and all."
"Truthfully, this has been a fantasy come true. The real North Pole is even more fantastical than a child could imagine. I love the elves, and the village, everyone is so friendly, and Nicholas' bakery is amazing, and..."
Santa interrupted her with a huge belly laugh. "I guess you like it! That's very good." He shot a measured glance towards Nicholas. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, although Nicholas should have followed the correct protocol before bringing you here."
"Nicky!" Alena wailed. "Not now...please. We're having such a nice time getting to know Lucy Anne."
"Lucy Anne is a part of this, too. I just want to know why my eldest son made life altering decisions without consulting us. Then, brought home a young woman and hid out in his cottage while we were worrying ourselves sick..."
"Well, for goodness sake, Nicky. They're young and in love, anyone can see that. They had a traumatic incident and needed to spend some quality time alone together before meeting the family."
Nicholas cleared his throat. "I'm sorry about that, Dad. I guess I wanted to get the Tag der Rache out of the way before we talked. I didn't mean to worry you and mom."
Santa shook his head. "I'm still having trouble believing that you blatantly disregarded the laws of Glasdorf. It seems out of character for you, Nicholas. And you're the future Weihnachtsmann, supposedly above reproach. What the hell did the council have to say about that?"
Nicholas grimaced. "Why don't we go into your office and talk about it, okay? I don't think this is going to last until after dinner anyway."
Lucy took a determined step forward. "I'm coming, too. I'm the reason Nicholas is in trouble in the first place. If you have something to say to him, then you can say it to both of us, Mr. Klaus."
Sven and Oskar looked at each other and cracked up. "Looks like Nicholas has a little five foot tall body guard."
Lucy bristled. "I'm 5'1" for your information!"
Wolfie smiled encouragingly. "No fear. I like that. The little red head is standing up to big Papa. Very impressive."
Alena nodded her head. "Nicholas, I like her spunk. We need some more sassy females in this family. Too much damned testosterone around here, if you ask me."
Nicky Sr. had an astonished look on his face. "Uh, Lucy, that's not necessary. I really think that Nicholas and I need to speak in private."
Nicholas smiled and pulled Lucy into his arms. "Let me talk to my dad alone, sweet. I can't leave my mom out here in charge of the kitchen by herself...it would be disastrous. You finish up with the dinner, and we'll be back in a couple of minutes." He kissed the worry lines on her forehead. "Everything will be okay."
Lucy looked at Santa and frowned. "If you say so. If you need me, I'm here."
Nicholas was humbled by her fierce loyalty. "I'm sure." He turned to his father and followed him out of the kitchen to his office. Trophies, Nike posters and a vast array of fitness equipment cluttered Santa's study. His father collapsed into his comfy chair behind the desk and motioned for Nicholas to sit also.
"Why the hell has it taken you so long to come see me, young man? You've been back in Glasdorf for two days. You should have called me right after the healing."
"I know. I'm sorry, Dad. But I was worried about Lucy recovering, and then...well, we were enjoying our time together, and I was waiting to hear from the council...and..."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You were avoiding me, and you know it." Nicky pounded his fist on the desk. "Damn it, Nicholas, I don't want you to be afraid to talk to me. Sometimes you boys make me feel like an ogre."
"Well, you do tend to lose your temper fairly easily."
"Regardless. I think I have every right to expect a certain level of maturity and model behavior from all of you. For God's sakes, we're the Klaus family. The elves are dependent on us for their survival...and the protection of Glasdorf is at stake."
"I know that, Dad. I would never knowingly put Glasdorf in danger. Lucy is completely trustworthy."
"And the healing? Using elfin magic to save a Suddie's life...well, that's a major infraction, and you know it."
"I'm not going to apologize for that. I know it's forbidden, but I'm in love with Lucy. There was no way I was going to let her die when it was in my power to save her..."
"And what about all the other people in the Sudenwelt who want to save their loved ones? The ones with sick children, suffering parents, dying spouses? Is it fair for us to use magic when those poor people have no choice?"
Nicholas swallowed and stared at his father's haunted expression. "It's horrible for them, I know. But I just couldn't let her die, Dad. I couldn't do it."
Nicky Sr. sighed and wearily rubbed his hands over his face. "The truth is...I would have done the same damned thing if Alena's life was threatened in any way. I can hardly blame you for saving the woman you love." He paused and looked at Nicholas solemnly. "I can tell that your Lucy is a gem, son. I can't judge you for what you did. Tell me what happened at the council meeting."
Nicholas took a deep breath. "Well, they were definitely disappointed that I broke two of the sacred laws. But after some discussion, they decided that elfin magic may have dictated the course of events, so they were willing to cut me some slack."
Santa raised an eyebrow. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Hector used the red sphere to save Lucy's life. Evidently it is very choosy about what tasks it will complete. The council is convinced that their magic determined the success of Lucy's healing."
His father nodded. "Fascinating. How did the red sphere behave?"
"Well, I guess it gave me and Lucy a blessing of sorts. Touched both of our hearts, one after the other. Hector said it was approving of our match."
Nicky Sr. laughed and slapped his desk. "Oh, I bet the council just ate that up! They love a good story about destiny ordained by elfin magic, etc., etc. Lucky for you. Did Ebbe and Gerd give you a hard time? They're not too pleased with your reluctance to assume the role of Weihnachtsmann."
"Yeah. As a matter of fact, my exoneration was conditional. The council decided that the Überholen is to take place within the year. With your agreement, of course."
Nicky Sr. nodded soberly. "You knew it was coming. It's inevitable. Your culinary interests have been a distraction from your true responsibilities, Nicholas. I tried to tell you. Markus is more than capable of running Klaus Küche."
"I know. I'm sorry I've been dragging my feet. You and Mom deserve a nice retirement. You've worked your ass off for all of these years. I'm ready to step up." Nicholas felt a tightness in his chest as he uttered the words.
"I know you're dreading the Überholen, Nicholas, but hopefully you'll find the same joy in this position that I have. You can also continue with your cooking as a hobby. But the truth is that the role of Weihnachtsmann is a time-consuming job." He cocked his head at his son. "What about Lucy? Will she be able to give up her profession to support you? Perform the duties required of Santa's wife and partner? It's a huge responsibility."
"We haven't talked about it yet, but I'm hoping that she'll agree to marry me."
"It might be difficult for her to give up her café in the Sudenwelt, and all of the independence she has as a Suddie. It seems like cooking is her life's work." Just like you. The words were left unspoken.
"I hope that she'll be willing to join me here in Glasdorf and sacrifice Sweet Inspiration. Truthfully, I don't know what's going to happen."
Nicky Sr. stood up and offered Nicholas a hand. "Good luck, son. I can tell the girl is crazy about you. I hope it works out. You certainly have our blessing."
"Thanks, Dad."
"Well, we'd better get back before Alena causes another disaster in the kitchen. I'm looking forward to tasting Lucy's shrimp pizzas."
Nicholas laughed. "You won't be disappointed. She's good."
"Great! I'm starved." Nicky paused at the doorway and looked into Nicholas' eyes. "It's good to have you back, Nicholas. We've all missed you these last two weeks." Before he could move, Nicholas was swept into a bear hug by his father.
Lucy gazed around the long dining room table and smiled. The Klaus family certainly enjoyed their meals. Sven, Oskar and Wolfgang sat on one side of the table, helping themselves to pieces of pizza, a garlicky Caesar salad, and crispy cheese sticks Lucy created with the leftover dough. Nicky Sr. and Alena were seated at either end of the beautiful table, which Alena proudly told Lucy was designed and built by Sven. Gregor surprised the family with a crate of red wine from a new California vineyard.
Lucy was sandwiched between Nicholas and Gregor, feeling somewhat like an elf herself. Except for Alena, who was just a few inches taller than Lucy, the remaining Klaus members were giants. As she listened to the ebb and flow of conversation around her, she admired the stunning dining room, an interesting mix of formality and casual comfort. A lit fireplace kept the room cozy and warm, and each place at the table was set with hand-painted Christmas china.
Nicky Sr. helped himself to a third piece of pizza and turned to Sven. "Did we ever manage to find any wood that's free of pests? Those beetle infestations are killing us."
Sven nodded. "Yep. Got lucky this morning. I'll be able to finish the last batch of toy trains before Christmas. My workers are using paints tinted with botanical dyes this year, too. Mom's been experimenting with different colors and overseeing plant production in the greenhouses."
Santa beamed. "Excellent. That sounds like an interesting project, Alena."
"Oh, it is. I've been testing the new dyes on Sven's T-shirts. He's accumulated a nice assortment."
Santa chuckled. "Thanks, love. How about you, Oskar? Is Monie's group giving you a hard time? I heard they got a little agitated after Rocco's birthday bash yesterday. Whoever came up with peppermint schnapps jello shots should be strung up..."
Oskar grinned and gulped his beer. "Nah, they're fine. It sucks to have a hangover in the toy truck factory, though. That's a lot of pounding to suffer through. I think those guys will take a breather until Christmas is over."
Alena laughed. "Serves the buggers right. How is the planning of the elfin children's holiday party coming along? The lady's auxiliary club told me you're setting up a carnival this year."
"Yeah, I thought the kids would get a kick out of it. We're handing out tickets, and there will be pony rides, a Ferris wheel, the whole shebang. Nicholas, did you get my memo about the food?"
Nicholas nodded. "Yes, I have some notes jotted down." Nicholas pulled the mini notebook out of his pocket and flipped a few pages. "I'm planning a booth with funnel cakes, cotton candy, and caramel apples. We'll also set up an old-fashioned popcorn cart."
Oskar smiled. "That sounds perfect. Thanks."
"Don't forget the magical snow cones. The kids can't get enough of those," Alena added.
"Thanks, Mom. I'll add it on my list," Nicholas scribbled into his notebook.
"Good, good." Nicky Sr. looked at Wolfgang with concern. "Wolfie, how's that orphanage doing in Manila? I heard the care packages were seized by customs. Didn't we grease a few palms to straighten out that problem last time?"
Wolfie sighed. "I know, sorry. They took the money and kept the care packages. I can't believe that people would steal from an orphanage run by nuns. It's pathetic."
"What are we doing to remedy the situation?"
"I'm personally going to deliver the packages tomorrow. Zip in and out with a little help from some elfin magic."
"Do they have enough formula this year? I don't want those babies to be hungry for Christmas."
Alena piped up. "We've been supplying them with formula, rice and fresh fruit. I contacted some doctors in Manila who are providing free medical check-ups, too."
"Wonderful."
Lucy noticed that a little bit of the light had gone out of Wolfie's eyes by the time the conversation was over. She could only imagine how heart breaking it must be to work with so many needy children. His job is the most difficult of all.
"Wolfie, is there anything I can do to help? My customers at Sweet Inspiration could collect clothes and toys for the children. There is a real spirit of giving in my town, especially at holiday time."
Wolfie shot Lucy a surprised and grateful smile. "Thanks, Lucy, that's a fantastic idea. I'll give you the address of the orphanage."
Santa turned to Nicholas. "Maybe you could send some extra gingerbread to the orphanage, too. I remember the kids loved those last year."
Nicholas nodded eagerly. "Already done. We have gingerbread, candy canes and special candies shaped like animals that my elves have been working on. They come in all different colors and flavors, and have real fruit juice in them."
"What a cool idea! Sneak in a little nutrition with the candy." Lucy squeezed Nicholas' hand encouragingly and he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
Sven coughed across the table. "PDA alert! Don't spoil my appetite, big brother. It's bad enough to be subjected to mom and dad making out all the time."
Alena smiled dreamily. "You're just jealous, hippie boy."
Santa blew Alena a kiss from across the table. "Where's that wine Gregor brought? I'll try some. Does red wine go with pizza?"
Gregor looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm not sure about the etiquette of wine and pizza, but it seems like a good match to me." He opened a bottle and poured a glass for his father.
"Thanks, Gregor. By the way, how are our investments doing?" Santa took a sip of his wine and nodded with approval.
"As well as can be expected with the market fluctuations right now. By the way, Wolfie, an anonymous donation was wired into the account for the pediatric children's hospital. I sent it this morning."
"That's great. Thanks a lot."
"Sure, no problem." Gregor whipped out his blackberry and typed in some notes.
Lucy was astonished by the amount of work and dedication required to run Glasdorf. Nicky Sr. and his sons operated an incredibly complex organization. And Alena obviously played a crucial role in its success. Being the wife of the Weihnachtsmann must be a daunting job. Lucy couldn't help but feel somewhat inadequate compared to Nicholas' mother. She may not have any cooking talent, but the free-spirited pixie certainly knew how to run an empire.
Santa laughed. "I think we've probably been boring Lucy to tears. Sorry, we tend to talk shop a lot at the table."
"Actually, I find all of this fascinating, Mr. Klaus. You have so much to coordinate for your job. I had no idea."
"I'm good at multi-tasking. And I have an incredible partner to help." He smiled at his wife from across the long table. "The Klaus family has fine tuned the toy delivery business. We've had many generations to work on it."
"Nicholas started to tell me the story of Rudolf Klaus, the first Weihnachtsmann. I don't know anything about your history, and how this all came about. Would you mind telling me the legend?"
Oskar groaned. "Would he mind? Are you kidding? Good going, Baker Boy."
Nicholas grinned. "Now, O, Lucy is new to the family. She's never heard the tale of Rudolf Klaus."
Nicky Sr. cleared his throat and shot Oskar an irritated look. "The story of Rudolf Klaus is a momentous tale that each and every one of you boys should be damned happy to hear about, at any time of the year." He softened his voice and turned to Lucy. "I would be thrilled to tell you the tale, Lucy Anne."
Nicholas put his arm around Lucy's shoulders and she leaned against his chest as his father began to speak.
"Many years ago a man named Rudolf Klaus lived in the Bavarian Alps, near Zugspitze, the highest mountain in the region. He and his family were master toy builders, well respected throughout all of Europe. One day his young daughter Imma went exploring in the mountains and was lost in an avalanche. Rudolf and his wife were devastated."
"They were unaware that Imma had been rescued by elves. At one time there were many bands of elves throughout Europe. But over the years, the townspeople developed a mistrust of them, fearing their magic. They became convinced that they were evil creatures, and many of them were brutally murdered and driven away from their villages."
Lucy was shocked. "Oh, that's horrible. What happened to them?"
"Eventually, only one small group of elves remained, and they moved farther and farther into the mountains until finally they ended up hidden on the Zugspitze. They used magic to conceal their settlement, and were forced to isolate themselves in order to survive."
Lucy clenched Nicholas' hand. "They must have been terrified."
Santa nodded. "Yes, they suffered terribly. After the elves found Imma, they returned her to Rudolf. Although he was overjoyed about being reunited with his daughter, he was very upset about the difficulties facing the elves, and the fact that they were forced into hiding. Rudolf knew that this band of elves had mentored the Klaus family in their toy-building centuries earlier, and that they were still master craftsmen. And, of course he felt he owed them a huge debt for saving Imma's life. So, Rudolf and the elves made a pact that has been honored for all of these generations. He would journey with the elves and his family to the north, and hide in a place where no one could find them. Once there, the Klaus family would continue to protect the elves, and the elves would use their magic to aid the Klaus family with their toy production."
Lucy was spellbound by the story. "But how did they become involved with Christmas?"
"As a way to honor St. Nicholas, the Klaus family had traveled all over Germany distributing their toys on the night before Christmas. Once they relocated to the North Pole, the elves insisted on continuing the tradition, but on a much larger scale. With all of the elves to help, and of course, the aid of elfin magic, they were able to transport millions of gifts to children worldwide."
"So, this tradition has been going on for generations?"
"Yes, exactly. The oldest son of each generation becomes 'Santa', the Weihnachtsmann, and assumes the responsibility for the sacred holiday. The other members of each family take on various positions vital to the well-being of Glasdorf."
"So, who is really in charge? The Klaus family, or the elves?"
"Well, that's a very good question, Lucy. There is sort of a balance of power. The council governs Glasdorf, but the Weihnachtsmann and the head of the council share power equally."
Alena smiled at Lucy. "It's an amazing story, isn't it?"
"You're an amazing family. The amount of work that you do to make sure children all over the world get to celebrate on Christmas morning is unbelievable. And...well, you'll probably think I'm being fanciful, but..."
"What is it, Lucy?" Nicholas looked intrigued by her confession.
"When I first looked up at this house, I could actually feel the Christmas spirit here. It's a tangible thing. I guess it's the magic."
Sven laughed. "Oh, you're not imagining things, little red. The magic around here has a mind of its own. Once you've been here for awhile, you'll get used to it."
Oskar patted his belly and yawned. "Well, thanks for that rousing rendition of the tale of Rudolf Klaus, Pops. I hate to eat and run, but the carnival is tomorrow, and I have a ton to do to get ready. Thanks for a most delicious dinner, Lucy and Nicholas. You two are an excellent pair."
Nicholas turned to Lucy with a satisfied smile. "Yes, we are."
Alena stood to help Wilma with the dishes. "I expect to see all of you boys at the carnival tomorrow. It's a very important day for the children. I know that everyone is busy, but you can spare a few minutes for the kids."
Lucy smiled to herself as all of the giant Klaus brothers agreed to their mother's demand, and then showered her with hugs and kisses as they prepared to leave. Nicky Sr. shook everyone's hand, and gave Lucy a warm hug.
"Delighted to meet you, Lucy. Thanks for the delicious meal."
"You're welcome, Mr. Klaus. We'll see you soon."
Alena cupped Lucy's face in her hands. "Nicholas Sebastian Klaus, I can't believe you've met such a wonderful girl. You are a very lucky boy." She kissed Lucy on the cheek and added, "Welcome to the family."
On the way back to Nicholas' cottage, Lucy snuggled up next to his warm body, leaning her head against his shoulder. Glasdorf was like a secret empire, and she desperately wanted to be a part of it. Lucy could not imagine anything more fulfilling than contributing to the success of such a wonderful holiday every year, and bringing joy to children worldwide. If only she were brave enough to broach the subject with Nicholas.
But Nicholas was soon distracting her with teasing looks and seductive touches. He tilted his head down towards Lucy and began to whisper in graphic detail how he wanted to celebrate his victory with the council. She was feeling hot and bothered by the time they got to his enormous sleigh bed and stripped each other naked. Nicholas pinned her down on the silky sheets and slowly entered her body, then proceeded to subject her to a sensual torture that lasted half the night. As they fell asleep, tangled in each other's arms, Nicholas mumbled something in German that Lucy didn't understand. She would have to find a German-English dictionary in the morning.
Nicholas could not believe how big a coward he was. After facing down the council, he still could not muster up the courage to propose marriage to Lucy Anne. Once again he resorted to speaking in German to reveal his true feelings. No more procrastinating. After the carnival, he was going to put his future in Lucy's hands, and pray that she wanted to build a life with him in Glasdorf.
The carnival was a huge success. Oskar had really outdone himself with the festivities. Elfin children skipped delightedly around the fair, their faces smeared with honey, their mothers tickled with all of the attention. Miniature ponies, their tails braided with colorful ribbons, pranced around the grounds with intrepid kiddies clutching on for the ride. A sparkling Ferris wheel awed the elf families, and numerous booths were set up with contests and prizes. Nicholas spied all of the members of the council weaving through the crowds, looking very pleased with the event.
He and Lucy shuttled back and forth from the popcorn cart to the food booth, replenishing supplies and serving the hungry families. Nicky Sr. casually strolled through the throngs of children, lugging an enormous sack on his shoulder, offering small gifts and candy. Alena chatted with all of the parents, listening to their local gossip and fueling the growing excitement for Christmas day.
"So, how is everything going over here? The kids are really enjoying those magic snow cones." Nicholas' father peered over the food counter to sneak a peek at the ice cream supply.
Nicholas laughed. "Jonesing for a cone?"
His father nodded. "I love how the flavors keep changing. Too bad the elves can't market those in the Sudenwelt. We'd be billionaires."
Nicholas scooped some of the sugary treat onto a paper cone, and watched as swirls of colors danced around the ice. "Here you go, Dad. Enjoy."
"Do you mind playing Santa for a little bit while I enjoy my cone? You might as well get some practice in, since the job will be yours soon."
Nicholas swallowed. "Uh, sure. Lucy and Markus can hold down the fort." He untied his apron and hung it on a peg behind the booth. Nicky Sr. presented him with a floppy red hat trimmed with lush white fur.
"Here you go, Nicholas. Try to enjoy yourself. It's not that bad."
Nicholas wasn't so sure about that. As he approached the children, offering gifts, he felt like an imposter dressing up for Halloween. He chose a little red fire truck from his sack for Eben Stuart, and the boy howled with misery.
"What's wrong, Mrs. Stuart?"
"Oh, Nicholas, Eben hates loud noises. Fire trucks aren't his favorite toys. Do you have anything else?"
"Uh, how about a honey stick?"
Eben crushed the honey stick in an instant, spewing sticky amber fluid all over his mother's jacket.
She sent Nicholas a blistering look before dragging her son away.
Nicholas found a group of giggling girls watching the Ferris wheel and offered them some charm bracelets. Five minutes later the girls were pouting and arguing over whose bracelet was the prettiest, and Nicholas slunk away with sweat beading his forehead.
A little girl named Anya tugged on his jacket and asked if he had any dolls. "Yes, of course. Let's see what we have..." Nicholas' stomach clenched in panic as he realized there were no more dolls in the sack. "Hmm, how about a lollipop instead?"
Anya's face scrunched up into a frightening display of disappointment, and then an ear-piercing wail filled the air.
Nicholas felt short of breath. "Dolls, dolls, let's see if I can find some..."
Anya's mother shook her head in sympathy at Nicholas' predicament. "Don't worry, young Nicholas. Your father has his work cut out for him, teaching you the ropes of the Santa business, eh? A word of advice...don't run out of the dollies! The girls love 'em." With a pitying look on her face, she towed her screeching child away.
Nicholas let out a ragged sigh and slumped onto a bench next to the teacup ride. A rambunctious set of twins raced to his lap. "Santa, Santa, what do you have for us?"
Nicholas took a deep breath. Just relax. You can do this.
"Let's see. How about a kite for you, little girl, and a toy boat for your brother. My brother Sven made those toys. Aren't they amazing?"
The little girl shook her head so violently that her braids whipped around and swatted Nicholas in the eye. "I like boats!" She grabbed the painted sailboat from her brother and dashed away.
The little elfin boy looked at Nicholas with a bewildered expression. "She always does that. It's okay. I'll take the kite."
Nicholas had half a mind to pick the little girl up and give her a good spanking. That would go over real well, Nicholas. Santa Spanks Naughty Little Urchin. I can see the headlines now.
"Well, I have a better idea. Do you like funnel cakes?"
The little boy brushed a mop of red hair away from his eyes and nodded. "Yes, sir. They're delicious. My mom said we can have some if we behave today."
"How would you like to make some funnel cakes? You can be...my assistant today. A master chef-in-training. What do you say?"
Nicholas was thrilled to see the little boy's eyes light up. "Really, Santa? I didn't know you knew how to cook."
Nicholas chuckled. "Well, this Santa sure knows how to cook. Come on, let's get started. What's your name, little one?"
"Lukas."
"Okay, Lukas. Here we go." Nicholas swung the little boy onto his shoulders and carried him to the food booth. He helped Lukas pour the batter onto the sizzling oil, and watched in satisfaction as the happy tot sprinkled powdered sugar on the cake. Lukas was beaming with pride when he offered the confection to his mother.
"Thanks, Santa. I like being a chef-in-training."
"And you're doing a wonderful job, Lukas. Merry Christmas." Nicholas lost track of time as a band of little munchkins clamored for a turn with the funnel cakes.
\*\*\*\*
Gerd watched solemnly as Nicholas held up another child for a turn in the food booth. "I hate to say it, but I don't think it's going to be that easy for Nicholas to give up his hobby."
Ebbe nodded at his friend's remark. "It's more than a hobby. It's in his blood. The real problem isn't his passion for the culinary arts. It's his complete lack of talent as Weihnachtsmann. He's awkward with the children and too rigid by half."
Achim agreed, nervously scratching his head. "Santa must be patient and non-judgmental."
"A good listener, filled with joy and spirit," said Tobias.
"Able to go with the flow, not get flustered when things go wrong." Hector nodded thoughtfully.
"He must focus on the task at hand. Make it effortless," added Otto.
"Have a sense of playfulness. Be a child at heart," Gerd announced.
The seven elves contemplated Nicholas intently, frowns marring their faces.
"Young Nicholas does not seem to possess these traits." Johan stated the obvious.
Tobias surveyed the future Santa interacting with the children. "He was clearly uncomfortable with the children in the role of Santa Claus. But he's wonderful with them in the food booth. Truthfully, I have never seen this problem before. In the past, the eldest Klaus son has embraced the position of Weihnachtsmann with gusto."
"The children adore Lucy. Hopefully she will be an asset to Nicholas and help him on his path," Otto pronounced as he observed Nicholas.
Ebbe grunted. "I disagree. I fear that Lucy will distract Nicholas from his responsibility. Her talent lies in the kitchen, and Nicholas will never forget that. He seems besotted with the girl. Look at him, he can't stop touching her." Ebbe shook his head in disgust.
Johan chuckled at his fellow council-member. "Ebbe, don't you remember young love? We are not that old, are we? Things will settle down after the Überholen."
Hector scrutinized the scene unfolding in front of him. "I fear you may be incorrect, old friend. I have a feeling that Nicholas' talents have blossomed in an arena that is not well suited for Weihnachtsmann. I am at a loss about what to do with such a dilemma."
Otto turned to Hector and sighed. "How do you propose we tell Nicky Sr. about this?"
Hector patted Otto on the back and smiled. "Something tells me he already knows."
At that moment, Nicky Sr. approached the council, shaking his head. "Not such an auspicious start, was it?"
"Hmm, we have been viewing your eldest son, also. It appears he is somewhat stymied by the responsibilities of Santa Claus." Hector raised an eyebrow at the Weihnachtsmann.
Nicky Sr. stroked his goatee as he observed the food booth. "Even as a child, Nicholas was always different. His room was always neat as a pin while his brothers tore apart the house. When Alena was flustered with the children's antics, Nicholas would help to settle down the troops. I remember the other boys playing with rocket ships and dressing up as pirates, but Nicholas always had his head buried in a recipe book while he experimented in the kitchen. I guess he wasn't very 'childlike.' But the kids are having a ball learning to cook."
Hector looked at Nicky Sr. "There is no doubt that Nicholas is a talented chef. But he must be prepared for the Überholen. There are new skills that he must learn. Skills that may not come naturally to him. Do you think that he will embrace this challenge, Nicky?"
Santa continued to watch his son with the children. "I think he will do what he must. Duty comes first." He crumpled the paper cone in his hand and walked away, his face curiously devoid of expression.
Johan leaned toward Hector. "He's worried, Hector."
The head of the council turned to his friend. "It will all work out. Let's wait and see what happens. How about a caramel apple?"
"Dipped in honey?" Johan nodded his head in agreement. "Great idea. Why should the kids get all the treats?" He and Hector laughed as they stood in line to wait.
\*\*\*\*
Lucy was well aware that Nicholas had not been favorably judged by the small group of elves who witnessed his first attempt to play Santa. She watched, infuriated, as they shook their heads in disapproval while Nicholas struggled to follow in his father's footsteps. Who cares if he's not the 'perfect Santa?' He is such an amazing man. It's not fair for them to judge him.
She was so proud of Nicholas. An animated crowd of elfin children swarmed about their booth, anxious for a cooking lesson with 'Santa.' A little girl was hanging onto Nicholas' neck, her eyelashes coated with powdered sugar. Noisily she chomped on a bit of funnel cake, her eyes wide with delight.
"This is the most delicious thing I ever ate. I can't believe I made it myself."
"Pretty good, eh? Always remember to have an adult help you with the hot oil, sweet pea. I don't want you to get burned, okay?"
"Yes, Santa. I promise." She hopped to the ground and ran to her mother's arms. "Mama, I'm a baker now!"
Nicholas wiped sweat from his brow and turned to Lucy. "How are we doing with supplies? I think we might need some more confectioners' sugar soon."
Lucy gently dabbed his forehead with a bandana, and handed him a cool drink. "Okay, Santa, I think you need a break. You look exhausted."
"I don't mind. It's actually a lot of fun teaching the kids. They love it." Nicholas beamed with pride at the mob of children waiting for a turn in the kitchen.
His father approached the booth and spread his arms wide. "What's this I hear about Chef Santa? The kids certainly approve. But I think I'm going to need my hat back, son. I have to finish handing out toys."
Nicholas chuckled and removed the red felt hat. "Here you go. I don't think I did such a hot job today distributing toys. I'll try harder next time."
Lucy was livid. Nicholas had no reason to feel like a failure. He was an incredibly talented man. If only his family respected his abilities in the kitchen as much as she did.
"I'll go get the sugar, Nicholas. I'll be back in a minute." Lucy left the booth still fuming. It just didn't seem fair that Nicholas had to sacrifice a profession he loved for the role of Weihnachtsmann.
As she collected assorted sacks of sugar and candies onto a transport cart, several of the elderly council members approached her in greeting.
"Hullo, Miss, I thought I would introduce myself. I'm Gerd, a member of the council. You must be Miss Lucy. We've heard a lot about you."
Lucy hesitated before shaking his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Thank you for your kindness to Nicholas yesterday."
A second elf inspected her warily. "The council is always just, my dear. We take our duties very seriously. I am Ebbe, also on the council. It is an honor to meet the future wife of Weihnachtsmann." He bowed formally to Lucy.
"Oh, well, actually Nicholas has not asked me to marry him." Lucy's gaze became focused on the food cart. She cleared her throat nervously. "We haven't discussed my future role here at all."
Ebbe jerked back. "Well, that is most unusual. I thought there was already an agreement between the two of you."
"No, not yet."
"I hope you will not refuse his offer when it comes, Miss. The boy has sacrificed a great deal for you. He saved your life, ignoring the laws of Glasdorf." There was a note of censure in Gerd's tone.
Lucy's head snapped up. "I have no intention of refusing an offer from him, if he makes one. This all seems like a very personal issue between me and Nicholas, if you don't mind."
Ebbe shook his head. "It is an issue for all of Glasdorf. Nicholas Jr. will be the next Santa, and his wife will have an enormous responsibility. The choice of wife for the Weihnachtsmann is a subject of great interest to all of the elves on the council." The elf's voice shook with authority.
"You know, it wouldn't hurt if you helped to turn young Nicholas' attention away from his little cooking hobby. By encouraging this diversion, it will only make his transition to Santa more difficult." Gerd gave Lucy a disapproving look.
Ebbe added, "I agree. He must buckle down and focus on the task at hand. It will require great concentration and hard work. Any distraction must be avoided. His wife and partner must be a source of strength and conviction, completely supportive of his place in this realm."
Lucy could not hold back the tears gathering in her eyes. "I appreciate you telling me your concerns, gentlemen. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some hungry children waiting for me."
There was no way she could return to the food booth right now. Hot tears poured down her cheeks. Lucy fled from the carnival, down the snowy street toward a steeple in the distance. Her feet slid on the slippery sidewalk, and she wished she had a coat. Her apron was not much protection against the brisk wind. By the time she found herself at the end of the block, her hands were beet red and nearly frozen, and she was hiccupping as she tried to catch her breath.
The gleaming white steeple was attached to a simple chapel, surrounded by holly shrubs. A sign in the front read The Chapel of St. Nicholas.
Lucy struggled with the heavy wooden doors, creaking as they finally opened to allow her entry. The interior of the chapel was dimly lit with black iron candelabras mounted on the white washed walls. Simple wooden benches lined the large room, with swags of juniper and boxwood tied onto the ends with velvet ribbons. Shivering, she sank onto a bench at the back of the empty chapel, willing herself to calm down. She rubbed her hands together, trying to chase away the numbness.
The clicking of footsteps echoed off the walls. Lucy looked up to see an ancient elf approaching her. He wore a cream-colored robe, tied with a green sash. Two long silvery braids hung past his shoulders, and swung slightly as he walked toward her. His face was leathery and tan, with sparkling crystal eyes peering from deep creases. A warm and gracious smile greeted her as he sat down next to her on the bench.
"Hello, my child, you are looking troubled today. Is there anything I can do to help you? My name is Adam. I am the rector here."
Lucy sniffled. "My name's Lucy. I...I just needed a quiet place to think for a while."
Adam nodded. "This is a perfect place for you then. It is quite peaceful here. Most of the families are at the carnival today."
"I know. I just came from there. The children are having a wonderful time."
Adam patted a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "You don't look like you're having a wonderful time, Lucy. What happened at the carnival?"
"It started out great. I was helping Nicholas and Markus with the food booths. The children were enchanted with the entire carnival theme...there are ponies, and caramel apples, Santa was wandering about with toys for the kids..."
"That sounds marvelous. Oskar always does a nice job with the holiday party," Adam said.
"Santa decided to take a break, and so Nicholas stepped in with the red hat and the toy bag. He's expected to take over for his father soon."
"Yes, I heard that the council decided the Überholen will take place in twelve months."
Lucy felt fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm worried about Nicholas. He is really conflicted about taking over his father's position. His passion is cooking, and he's devoted his entire life to perfecting his craft in the kitchen."
"Yes, this is true. He is a magnificent chef. I often visit Klaus Küche. However, this tradition has been around for many generations, Lucy. It is difficult to imagine that Nicholas would not be willing to accept the Überholen. It is something like being president of a country, I suppose. The needs of the people depending on you often come before your own personal wants and needs. This is true for the Weihnachtsmann as well."
Lucy nodded. "It just seems unfair. I met several members of the council today. They were so critical about Nicholas' 'little hobby.' They said it was a distraction from his real responsibilities, and that I was a distraction by encouraging it. They lectured me on the importance of Nicholas' partner supporting him in the role of Santa. I know the council was also angry with him for breaking so many rules when he brought me here from the Sudenwelt. He saved my life, Rector. Do you understand? I owe him my life."
"I know Nicholas very well, Lucy. From what I understand, he is very much in love with you. If he broke some rules to save your life, my dear, then you must hold a very special place in his heart."
"He hasn't told me he loves me. I don't really know how he feels about me," Lucy whispered sadly.
"I think his actions speak louder than words. Perhaps he is feeling a bit shy about discussing his feelings. Sometimes it is difficult."
"I don't know what to do. I don't want to interfere with Nicholas' duty here in Glasdorf. Perhaps those council members were right. Maybe I am a distraction."
"Do you love him, Lucy?"
"Oh, yes! He is the most amazing man I have ever met. I wish...I wish I could spend the rest of my life with him."
Adam smiled. "Well, perhaps your wish will come true. I think you should talk with young Nicholas and tell him how you feel."
The rector patted Lucy's hand reassuringly and left her to ponder their conversation. Lucy sat for a long time on the hard bench, mulling over her worries. What should I do? Although it would be difficult to give up cooking, she would do anything to be with Nicholas and support him as Weihnachtsmann. Unfortunately, owning a café in the Sudenwelt didn't exactly provide suitable experience for the Weihnachtsmann's wife. Alena seemed so confident, but Lucy didn't know the first thing about running such a large organization. Were the council members right? Was she too much of a distraction for Nicholas to overcome? Would she hold him back? If he didn't throw all of his energy into the role of Santa, it would result in a miserable Christmas for everyone.
Lucy heard the pitter patter of little feet on the floor, and realized that several elfin children were clamoring onto a bench in front of her. A harried looking mother trailed after them, and then sat down.
"Mama, is it true that the Weihnachtsmann will be coming soon to visit us?"
A small girl rubbed her runny nose and huffed at her brother. "Of course it's true, Hans. Santa is the most magical man on the earth. He loves children everywhere. He brings them toys and candies and fills their stockings, and watches over all of the little girls and boys in the world. He has a very big, important job."
Their mother smiled. "This is true. Santa's most important job is to spread the Christmas spirit, to encourage people to trust in others and to open their hearts to those in need. Spreading Christmas spirit makes the world a better place for everyone."
Hans looked up at his mother. "Is that why we are taking dinner to Jule's family tonight? Because their daddy died and they need us?"
She patted her son gently on the head. "Exactly. Santa would be very proud that you are helping out your friend this Christmas season."
Lucy watched as the children huddled with their mother on the bench, exchanging hugs and kisses, and finally lighting a candle at the front of the chapel before leaving.
Santa's job was much bigger than Lucy's own personal needs. The selfish part of her envisioned the two of them cooking together, loving each other, raising a family. It wasn't going to happen. Nicholas had never mentioned marriage or a future together, and there had been plenty of opportunities. He needed to put his whole heart and soul into his new position in Glasdorf, or millions of people all over the world would be sadly disappointed. Lucy swallowed painfully as she realized she had no choice but to leave and return to the Sudenwelt. She loved Nicholas too much to interfere with the most important task of his lifetime.
Lucy trudged back to the carnival with a leaden heart. Just as she approached the food booth, the entire sky lit up with a spectacular fireworks display. Dancing animals bounced across the sky, streaking prisms of color in their wake. They giggled and tumbled, as the elfin children clapped their hands in delight. The secrets of Glasdorf continued to astound her. She noticed that Nicholas was as spellbound by the show as the children. Several tots were perched high up on his shoulders, pointing and shouting as the magic captivated the crowd.
Lucy snuck back into the booth as inconspicuously as possible, and began to help Markus with the clean-up chores. Once the show concluded, Nicholas sent the children off to their families, clutching miniature stockings stuffed with peppermint candies from Klaus Küche. He spied Lucy immediately and tugged her into his arms.
"Where did you disappear to, my sweet? I suppose you got sidetracked by the excitement of the fair. I hardly gave you time to explore before I put you to work." He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head. "Sorry about that. Did you enjoy yourself?"
Lucy swallowed and buried her face against Nicholas' broad chest. She was trembling all over.
Nicholas cupped her chin and tilted her face up for inspection. He frowned and brushed a tear from her cheek. "Markus...Lucy and I are heading home. Can you and the crew clean up here?"
"Of course, sir. What a wonderful success the carnival was, eh? Have a nice evening."
Without speaking, Nicholas wrapped his arm around Lucy's shoulders and led her to the street behind the carnival. They walked in silence for a long time. Just as they arrived at his cottage, he stopped and took both of Lucy's hands in his. She gazed up into his hazel eyes, filled with worry and concern. Nicholas looked almost haunted tonight, as though he were anticipating something dreadful.
"Do you want to talk about it, sweetheart? What's bothering you? I can't stand to see you cry, Lucy Anne."
In a soft ragged voice, Lucy answered. "I think it's time for me to go back, Nicholas."
His giant hands trembled for a moment, then clutched hers tightly. "I disagree. I think our adventure together is just beginning. I don't want you to go, Lucy. I know I'm being selfish..."
"Selfish? Are you kidding? You are the most selfless man I have ever met! You took a huge risk bringing me here to save my life. You could have lost your home and your family. That is not the act of a man who is selfish, Nicholas Klaus!"
"What is it, then? Is my family too much for you? I know we tend to get a bit loud and boisterous at times, but I think if you just give it a chance, you'll really learn to love all of us, even my crazy brothers..."
Lucy shook her head vehemently. "I love your family. Your parents are incredible, and I think your brothers are great. That's not it."
Nicholas' brow creased. "Then what is it, sweet? What has prompted this need to go back to the Sudenwelt?"
Lucy pulled out of Nicholas' embrace and leaned against the courtyard wall. The stones were frigid and icy, and she splayed her bare fingers against the rough surface. "I talked with some of the council members today at the carnival. They didn't seem too happy about me being here, I must say."
Nicholas' entire demeanor suddenly changed. His body tensed and his hands fisted at his sides. "Who did you talk to, Lucy Anne?" he asked quietly.
"Um, I think their names were Gerd, and..."
"Ebbe. Bastards. They should know better than to treat my woman like that." Lucy was shocked by the flash of fire in Nicholas' eyes.
"Your woman? We haven't exactly gotten that far, have we, Nicholas? Actually, their concerns were not entirely unfounded. They're worried that you aren't ready to embrace the role of Weihnachtsmann, and the truth is, you aren't."
"Regardless of that, they have no right to pass any sort of judgment about you. You have been wonderful to everyone in Glasdorf...kind, thoughtful, supportive. You are exactly the type of Sudlander that Glasdorf needs." Nicholas glanced back in the direction of the carnival, anger seething on his face.
Lucy's spirits fell. "Unfortunately, I don't think I'm the type of Sudlander that you need, Nicholas. I'm a pastry chef, and you're about to become the 'president' of the North Pole, not open a restaurant. You need a partner who's experienced in running a huge, multi-faceted organization, and I'm just a small town girl..."
Nicholas looked incredulous. "What are you talking about? Sweet Inspiration is a very successful café."
"Not anything like the level of success of your operation. I wouldn't know the first thing about helping out the Weihnachtsmann."
For the first time, Lucy noticed that Nicholas was starting to look nervous. He grabbed her hand and rubbed it vigorously. "Lucy, sweetheart, you are totally off base. The most important thing that you bring, not only to Glasdorf, but to me as well, is your generous nature. All the rest of the technical details of running the North Pole are easily learned. Believe me."
Lucy shook her head. "You're wrong, Nicholas. You need to jump into this venture with all of your heart and soul. I would be a constant reminder of your passion for cooking. It's not fair to your father or to the children of the world to enter into this position unless you completely embrace it."
Nicholas pulled back. "What is this really about? A few days ago you were lamenting that I had to give up my culinary career, and now you're on the Überholen bandwagon."
Lucy stepped away from Nicholas and began to pace around the courtyard, brittle snow crunching beneath her feet. "I still feel badly that you have to give up a career you love and excel at. But being here in Glasdorf has made me realize how important your father's job is. And how integral your mother is to its success. I've never even been outside of New York State, Nicholas. Your mother is worldly, experienced...she's the perfect Mrs. Klaus. And I'm pretty much...just a small town girl who knows how to bake cookies."
Nicholas shook his head in anger. "I think what this is really about is that you're scared. All of your life you've been dreaming about adventure, and now that you have it, you're petrified. You want to run home to Eston and curl up under your lumpy little sofa and hide. For the first time in your life, you're facing a real challenge, and you're going to back down? I don't believe it!"
"That's not fair, Nicholas! I just don't want to face you several years down the road when you're filled with resentment because I can't live up to the high standards of Mrs. Klaus."
"Don't be ridiculous! You are the perfect woman for me, Lucy. I don't expect you to be anything but yourself."
Lucy wiped away the tears overflowing from her eyes. "I know how to cook, Nicholas. That's it. At least in Eston, people respect me for that. Here, I'm the girl who led Nicholas Junior astray. The council clearly doesn't respect me. They think I'm a huge impediment to you becoming the next Santa. I think I've already caused enough trouble for you."
Lucy turned and raced to the cottage, her feet slipping on the slick cobblestones. She skidded to the front door and grabbed the brass handle, when suddenly over two hundred pounds of Nicholas flattened her against the wooden entrance and pinned her in place. He was breathing hard, shaking as his hand reached up to gently brush her wild curls from her face.
"You are not running away from me, Lucy Anne. No way. We're not done with this discussion."
"Oh yes, we are. There's nothing left to say. Just accept it, Nicholas." She gasped as he lifted her up and flung her over his shoulder, then pushed open the front door.
"Just what do you think you're doing? Put me down!" Lucy wriggled ineffectively in his arms. Nicholas silently tightened his hold. He carried her into the bedroom and dumped her onto his sleigh bed. Lucy crab-walked backwards on the silken sheets, mesmerized by the sight of him, cloaked in the shadows of the room. Suddenly a fire roared to life behind him in the massive fireplace, the flames licking at the grate. Warmth infused the room instantly. Nicholas removed his coat, dropping it on the floor. Then his hat. He began to unbutton his shirt, his eyes never leaving Lucy's shocked face.
"What?...Just what do you think you're doing?" Lucy asked. The sight of his beautiful torso was momentarily distracting. Every time she saw the tattoo around his thick bicep she had the ridiculous urge to lick it. She scooted back farther on the bed, knocking into the nightstand. Her sack of magik pebbles tilted over, spilling the polished gems onto the table. Now Nicholas was flinging his boots and socks across the room and unbuttoning his pants.
White dots of light flew out of the magik pebbles and skipped delightedly up Lucy's arms. They tugged at her curls, racing mischievously around her body. "Nicholas? What is going on?"
Nicholas now stood completely naked in front of her. His nostrils flared as he strode to the bed, and then crawled on all fours over the sheets, stalking her like she was some sort of pathetic immobilized prey. For God's sake, Lucy, do something! Otherwise you're about to be ravished by this man. You made a decision. Stick to it!
Lucy took a deep breath and twisted to slip out of the bed. One massive paw, compliments of Nicholas Sebastian Klaus, clamped down upon her leg and held her in place.
"Where do you think you're going, sweetheart? We're not done with our conversation, yet."
The dots of light let out a burst of impish laughter and danced excitedly over Nicholas' hand and up his arm. They seemed to be dive-bombing his head, disappearing and then reappearing throughout the dark waves of his hair.
"Are you going to tell me what these lights are doing?" Lucy looked anxiously at Nicholas, who was staring at her like she was a delicious morsel of food.
"Shooting stars, or sternschnuppen. They pop out of the magik pebbles when...certain energies arouse them. They're imbued with all of the mischief of the elves themselves. And very in tune with their owner."
Lucy squirmed, trying to loosen his hold on her. She rolled onto her belly and grabbed at the headboard, trying to find some leverage on the slippery sheets.
"Nice view." Lucy looked back, horrified, to see Nicholas gazing with interest at her rear end. He licked his lips.
"Nicholas, this is not a good idea," Lucy said desperately.
"On the contrary, I think this is a fantastic idea. You're questioning our future. I think I need to remind you how good we are together." Nicholas tugged on Lucy's leg and pulled her down the bed, then blanketed himself over her body. "Hmm, nice." He buried his face in the crook of her neck and breathed deeply. "You smell good, Schatzi."
His fingers began to leisurely strip the clothes from Lucy's body, tossing them about the room. Lucy groaned helplessly at the delicious sensation of his erection pressed tightly against her. She could feel her treacherous body responding, flowering for him. Readying itself to welcome him inside of her. Once she was completely naked, Nicholas leaned down and rubbed his beard along the side of her face, tickling her just the way she liked. He knew her too well, all of the little things that drove her crazy. Made her crazy for him.
His husky voice whispered in her ear. "Your body already knows what your brain is fighting. We belong together. Before I met you, Lucy, my life was boring and predictable. So well ordered, there wasn't any magic left. You've made me see things in a new light, things I've been taking for granted for a long time. You are exactly what I need...the most giving, generous and sexy woman I have ever known."
Lucy shuddered. The feel of his erection crushed against her bare bottom was naughty and exciting. He rocked against her cleft, whispering to her in German, something guttural and sexy in his rich, deep voice. Goosebumps broke out all over her skin. The sternschnuppen darted all over the bed, skipping over their naked limbs, jumping from the headboard onto the pillows, singing to each other.
Suddenly, Nicholas turned Lucy onto her back and cupped her face between his enormous palms. His eyes were glittering amber, watching her intensely. "The truth is, the elves are right about one thing. You are a distraction. I can't stop thinking about you, wanting you, wishing you were with me every moment." He reached around to squeeze her behind and pushed his rigid length against her with a groan. "You're like a delicious, decadent dessert that I can't get enough of. And I like it like that, my sweet. I wouldn't want it any other way."
"It's not enough, Nicholas." Lucy whimpered as he slowly rolled his hips, grinding against her again and again.
"I'm going to devour every inch of you, Lucy Anne. And you're going to lie there and take it."
Lucy arched up against his massive frame, powerless to stop the firestorm building between them. Nicholas lowered his head slowly to hers. Lucy shut her eyes tightly, trying to block out the myriad sensations rocking her. A feather light kiss touched her eyelids. Then her salty, tear-lined cheeks. Nicholas' firm lips brushed across her mouth. Steadily he worked his way down her body, which surrendered helplessly to his ministrations.
Nicholas made good on his threat to devour her, and finally she cracked open her eyes to watch as he feasted on her most sensitive spot, nestled within the tight red curls between her thighs. His rough fingertips gripped the smooth skin of her hips as his mouth teased her mercilessly. The sternschnuppen cast a faint glow in the darkness of the room, their song beginning to remind her of a frenzy of violins. Nicholas' eyes never left her face. Her hips began to buck in response as the tension coiled relentlessly inside of her. He growled deep in his throat and increased the inexorable tempo of his sensual assault. Lucy cried out as the shooting stars whizzed around the room, flashing triumphantly.
Before she could catch her breath, Nicholas had crawled up her body and thrust into her sheath, riding out the final waves of her climax.
"That's it, Lucy Anne. Show me how you feel. This doesn't lie." His strokes were deep and powerful, and she was held spellbound by the raw desire etched on his face. For one moment, Nicholas stopped and held himself completely still, searching her eyes for the answers he was hoping for. The shooting stars hovered silently in the air around them, also holding their breath. And then he shouted victoriously as his orgasm crashed through him, pulsing inside of Lucy, filling her.
Nicholas slumped over Lucy's body, panting and trembling. Quietly he asked, "So tell me, Lucy Anne, did I find the secret recipe to make you stay? What will it take, my sweet?" He nuzzled the side of her neck. "Take a chance on us. I'm offering you a life of passion and adventure. Don't throw it away."
The words she longed to say clogged in her throat. She simply held onto Nicholas and stroked his back. Lucy refused to torture him with empty words and promises. Reflections of the flickering fire glowed in his eyes, liquid with emotion and vulnerability. Nicholas sighed.
"At least think about it tonight. Tomorrow is another chance for me to convince you that you can't live without me." He kissed her forehead tenderly and turned her onto her side, pulling a blanket over them. His shaft slipped from inside of her, and she instantly felt bereft. This is the last night Nicholas and I will make love. Her heart was breaking, literally splitting in two.
"Sweet dreams, Lucy Anne. Dream about us. We'll work it out in the morning." Nicholas spooned her tightly as he fell asleep, with his arms wrapped securely around her, as though afraid to let her go. The sternschnuppen were oddly quiet until Nicholas' breathing became deep and even, and then they began to sing for her. A sad, wistful song that made her ache. Their music was hollow now, like the wind on the snow plains outside of Glasdorf. They knew what she was planning to do. And they made no secret of the fact that they disapproved. Tears fell silently down Lucy's cheeks as the shooting stars returned to the magik pebbles, sighing one last time before they fizzled out. She was not looking forward to tomorrow.
\*\*\*\*
Lucy's hands trembled as she finished the note for Nicholas. She had to hurry and make her escape before he woke up. He was snoring in the rumpled sleigh bed, still snuggled up in a blanket. Lucy had already called Markus and asked him to meet her secretly at Nicholas' cottage. Before she flew back to the Sudenwelt, she was determined to leave Nicholas one small gift. Quickly she scribbled a few lines onto a piece of paper in the kitchen, and then tied it into a scroll with a piece of cooking twine.
"Miss Lucy, what is going on?" Lucy turned to find Markus staring at her with a concerned look. "You sounded most distraught on the phone. Is everything okay?"
"No, actually, it's not. I...I have to go, Markus. Home. Back to Eston, to Sweet Inspiration."
"What? This cannot be. You and Nicholas...well, it's apparent to me that the two of you have formed quite an attachment. Why ever would you want to leave?"
"It's complicated, Markus. Suffice it to say that Nicholas needs all of his energy focused on the upcoming Überholen, and I'm too big a distraction. He made a huge sacrifice bringing me here to save my life. He risked being expelled from Glasdorf. Now it's my turn to make a sacrifice for him. The children of the world deserve a Santa Claus whose whole heart is involved in his job. They come before my own selfish needs."
Markus shook his head. "I don't believe this. Nicholas loves you, Miss."
"He hasn't told me that. Look, I really have to go before he wakes. Could you please take me back on one of those magic sleighs? Please, I need your help." Tears were now leaking down her cheeks. "We have to hurry."
Markus stepped forward and stared up into Lucy's anguished face. He clasped her hands and squeezed. "I fear you are making a big mistake, Lucy Anne. Nicholas loves you, even if he hasn't said so. He will be crushed by your departure."
"It's for the best, Markus." Lucy's throat felt raw. She propped up the note and scroll on the kitchen counter, right next to his gleaming espresso machine. "Good bye, Nicholas Sebastian Klaus."
Lucy turned to Markus. "I'm ready. Let's go." Before I lose my nerve.
\*\*\*\*
Nicholas was exhausted. He and Lucy had made love two more times during the night. He'd been ravenous for her. And lucky for him, Lucy seemed to have a healthy appetite for him, as well. Making love to her was utterly addictive.
He sat up and rubbed his beard. "Lucy? Where are you?"
Utter silence echoed through the house. A feeling of unease crept down Nicholas' spine. It almost felt...as though some of the magic had disappeared. Which was ridiculous, of course. Only the elves could control the magic in Glasdorf. He stood up and wrapped a blanket around his waist as he headed into the kitchen.
"Lucy?" Nicholas flipped on the light switch in the kitchen. Immediately his gaze shot to several pieces of paper next to his coffee machine. He froze, and suddenly it became difficult to breathe.
He stared at the papers for a long time before he gathered the courage to start walking. This can't be happening. First he picked up a folded note with Nicholas scrawled across the top.
Dear Nicholas, I am so sorry that I'm not here to tell you good-bye in person, but the truth is I am a coward. These last four days have been the most wonderful days of my life. I can never possibly repay you for saving me and giving me the adventure of a lifetime. I am convinced that us being together will threaten your future success as Santa Claus. There are just too many obstacles to overcome. I cherished our time together, but it's time for me to set aside my own selfish desires for the good of children worldwide who are counting on you to be the Santa of their dreams. Anyway, it's probably time for me to get back to Sweet Inspiration. I worked hard to make my business a success, and it's time I returned to Eston. Thank you for everything, and please thank your family, and all of the elves, too.
Love, Lucy
Nicholas reread the note about a dozen times before the meaning of the words began to sink in. A scroll neatly tied with string was next to the coffee machine as well. He slowly untied the bow.
I wish I could get you something amazing for Christmas. You deserve it. This is all I can think of to give you before I go...please think of me when you make them...Lucy Anne's Sugar Cookies...
What followed was a list of ingredients and the directions for Lucy's delicious cookies. The ones that had instantly captured his attention the first day he visited Sweet Inspiration. He read through the list and smiled suddenly as he reached the end.
"Orange blossom water. That's the secret. I should have known." Nicholas laughed as tears splattered on the recipe, turning the ink into a blotchy mess. That was just like her. To include something unexpected, something unique and fun to a traditional recipe to make it her own. The citrus brightened up the flavor, made it perfect.
Nicholas sank down onto the floor. He stayed there for a long time, long after the last rays of sun disappeared and the blackness of night descended over Glasdorf. Many hours later, he finally dragged himself to bed. The last rational thought he had before sleep relieved him of his pain was that the council was wrong. The red sphere was wrong. He and Lucy were not meant to be.
"Holy shite, Nicholas looks bad." Oskar shook his head as he watched his oldest brother slumped at the bar.
"You're telling me. According to Dag, the poor guy's been here for days. Bartender is starting to water down his pitchers. Worried he's going to get sick all over the joint," added Sven.
"I can't believe it's been a week since the carnival and he's still a mess." Wolfgang peered anxiously at his brother from the back of the room. He, Oskar, Sven and Gregor sat at a table in a darkened corner of the bar, so that they could observe Nicholas discreetly.
Gregor whispered to his brothers. "I heard the council gave him crap about playing Santa at the carnival. They told him he has a lot of work to do before the Überholen. Truthfully, I've never seen Nicholas as the Santa Claus type. He's too uptight and obsessed with food."
"I know he's been dreading the Überholen for a while. I thought maybe he would rustle up a little enthusiasm for the job, but it just doesn't suit him, you know?" Sven commented.
Oskar agreed. "He's gotten more and more depressed about it. I feel for the guy. Dad's definitely a hard act to follow. It seemed like Lucy snapped him out of his funk for a bit. It's the happiest I've ever seen him."
"I really liked her. They were good together. Nicholas needs someone to lighten him up a little bit," said Gregor.
Oskar laughed. "And the girl has spunk. Nicholas fell for her pretty fast. He's usually so cautious about everything. For once he took a chance, and he got burned - bad."
Wolfgang nodded. "I can't believe that Lucy left. You could tell she was nuts about him. Her whole face lit up every time Nicholas looked at her. It doesn't make any sense."
"Markus told me she thought she was an impediment to Nicholas embracing his new role as the Weihnachtsmann. He thinks some of the council members may have talked to her, made her feel guilty," said Gregor.
"Damned meddling elves. They should mind their own freakin' business. Nicholas and Lucy were doing just fine," Oskar's voice raised in anger.
"Look," Wolfie interjected, "we can't let him suffer like this. We have to do something."
"What do you suggest?" Gregor asked.
"I sort of agree with you about Nicholas not being the Santa type. What if someone else took the job?"
Oskar, Sven and Gregor regarded Wolfgang in silence.
"Just what are you suggesting, brother dearest?" Sven's gaze was riveted on Nicholas' depressed expression.
Oskar looked at his brothers expectantly. "Wolfie's right. There's no reason that Nicholas has to be the one, except for some dumb-ass tradition that makes no sense. Anyone should be able to do the job, as long as he's willing and able..."
"And likes to boss people around..." added Gregor.
"He'd be revered as the coolest guy on earth," said Sven.
"It would be a chance to travel and meet fascinating people," observed Wolfie.
"We've been watching dad in action for long enough, we know the drill. It's not that bad. He has a ton of help and support from us and the elves. And once Christmas is over, it's vacation time!" Oskar smiled.
"Okay, so who's going to do this?" Gregor eyed his brothers thoughtfully. "Who's the best suited to play Santa?"
Wolfie laughed. "Actually, we don't really have to decide this now. The Überholen isn't for another twelve months. That gives us some time to figure out which one of us is going to win the lottery. In the meantime, it lets poor Nicholas off the hook, and he can make up with Lucy before he jumps off a bridge."
"Good point, Wolfman. Do you think the council will go for it?" Oskar asked.
Gregor nodded. "I do. I think they've been worried about Nicholas not cutting it. They'll probably be relieved to hear someone else is gunning for the job."
"All right. Let's go talk to dad and the council. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I don't want Nicholas' holiday to be ruined by all this melodrama." Sven watched as Nicholas rubbed a weary hand over his closed eyes. "It's making me sick to see him so bummed out."
Wolfgang opened the door for his brothers and the four of them filed out of Dag's bar. He gazed one last time at his brother's wilted form. Hold on, Nicholas. We're getting you a Christmas present you'll never forget.
\*\*\*\*
"I'm telling you, Mr. Klaus, Lucy was madly in love with you. It was obvious to everyone." Max, the elf in charge of the Pfefferkuchen room, watched in alarm as his boss took another swig from the flask in his fist. Nicholas sat on the floor of his office, legs splayed out in front of him on the oriental carpet.
"I saw her with you at the carnival. There was love in her eyes. She couldn't hide it," added Greta, one hand resting on her plump belly.
"Sir, I think maybe you've had enough spirits. It's only 8:30 a.m., after all. It's Christmas Eve, sir. We have quite a lot of work to get done today."
Nicholas shook his head at Markus, who was sporting a perturbed look. He knew he looked somewhat the worse for wear---well, much worse. His shirttails were untucked, and some mystery stain was decorating the front of his apron. He hadn't showered in days, and his hair was greasy and itchy. He sniffed an underarm. Smelled a bit ripe, too. Nicholas burped up his scotch, and then hastily covered his mouth.
"Well, excuse me. This scotch is rather good. It's Lagavulin, you know, aged thirty years. Wanna try some, Markus?"
"No thank you, sir. I really think you've had enough." He sat down next to Nicholas on the floor. "I think it's time for this pity party to end. The sleighs have to be loaded up today. Santa is counting on you, Nicholas. So are the children."
"I wonder what Lucy is doing today? Probably cooking an enormous holiday roast for that annoying Mrs. Henderson."
Birgit sat down next to Nicholas and patted his leg. "Mr. Klaus, I wanted to thank you for the gifts you got for the employees. We were all very touched. It's the first year you remembered..."
"Yeah, I know. I've been a real ass, haven't I, Birgit? Sorry about that. Did your daughter like the Russian doll? Dad says they're really hot this year."
"Oh, yes, she loved it! And my son loves the cookie cutters. He's been busy as a little bee baking honey cookies for us."
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "Your son likes to bake, does he? That's good to hear. I've been thinking about offering children's cooking classes at Klaus Küche. What do you think about that?"
Max responded, "That's a wonderful idea. My kids would enjoy that very much, Mr. Klaus. They loved making the funnel cakes at the carnival. It was the highlight of their day."
"Too bad Lucy's gone. She would have gotten a big kick out of that." Nicholas peered into his empty flask. "Damn it, I need a refill."
Markus shook his head emphatically. "Absolutely not. It's time to pull yourself together, Nicholas. Go splash some cold water on your face. We're heading downstairs to pack the sleighs."
Birgit stood up and offered Nicholas her tiny hand. "Do you need some help, Mr. Klaus?"
Nicholas started to laugh. "I'm at least three feet taller than you, little one. And probably a couple hundred pounds heavier. Do you honestly think you can pull me up?"
"Maybe we can help." Startled, Nicholas looked up to see his four brothers enter the room.
"What the hell are you doing here? I hope to God this isn't an intervention because there's no way..."
"Cool your jets, big brother. We're not hauling you sorry drunken ass off to rehab. We're here with some very good news." Oskar cracked a big grin at Nicholas and offered him a hand. "Let me help you up. I think you might want to be standing for this conversation, okay?'
As Nicholas stood up, he heard his parents in the hallway. "Where's Nicholas? We want to see him." Nicky Sr. barged into the office with Alena trailing behind. He inspected Nicholas from head to toe and raised an eyebrow. "Good God, what are you up to, Nicholas?"
Markus answered, "Having a pity party, sir."
Greta added, "A big pity party, sir."
Nicholas hissed, "Traitors. See if you get any presents next year..."
There was a commotion out in the hallway, and then all seven elves from the council forced their way into the room. Nicholas rolled his eyes. "It's getting a bit tight in here, folks. Not really the best place for entertaining. Maybe you should all head over to Dag's. I hear there's a ZZ Top marathon today, courtesy of Monie."
Hector walked up to Nicholas and wrinkled his nose. "Lagavulin?"
"What else? Only the best for the future Weihnachtsmann." Nicholas looked around the room at the growing crowd in alarm. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see all of you, but what the hell is going on?"
Hector smiled at Nicholas. "We have some important things to discuss, young man. Perhaps your employees should return to their work stations..."
Nicholas shook his head. "They can stay. For some unknown reason, they've been hovering over me like a bunch of mother hens. I think maybe we're...friends?"
Max, Birgit and Greta smiled at Nicholas. "Friends look out for each other, Mr. Klaus."
"Even when they're having an alcohol-fueled pity party," Markus whispered under his breath.
"What was that, Markus?"
"Nothing, sir. Why don't we find out why the council is here?"
Nicholas turned to Hector and sighed dramatically. "All right, Mr. Ischman, am I in some sort of trouble? I'm not really following any of this."
"No, Nicholas. Not at all. Your brothers approached the council yesterday with a proposal. Your father and mother both approve. We would like to discuss it with you."
"What sort of proposal?" Nicholas examined his brothers' huge grins warily.
"After much consideration, we have decided to part with tradition," Achim announced.
Ebbe nodded. "In the past, the eldest son of the Klaus family would accept the title of Weihnachtsmann when the current Santa was ready to retire."
Johan smiled at Nicholas. "For many years this tradition has served Glasdorf well. However, we have decided that it is not necessary for the eldest son to inherit this position. More important than birth right is the proper enthusiasm for the job."
Tobias took a step forward. "The Weihnachtsmann must embrace this role with the utmost joy. It is a great honor, but also a complex and difficult task."
"We have come to appreciate your talents, young Nicholas. Your passion for cooking is something that brings great pride to all of Glasdorf. No one else in the world can create such delicious Christmas cookies and treats. And it was apparent at the carnival last week that your true gift comes from this ability to bring people joy through your craft in the kitchen, not as Santa Claus." Gerd looked down at his feet. "I apologize to you for not being more understanding about this issue. Sometimes I fear I am set in my ways."
Hector put his arm around Gerd's shoulders. "One hundred and ninety seven years is a long time to get set in one's ways, my friend."
Ebbe concurred. "I, too, owe you an apology young man. I fear that I may have inadvertently been too harsh with Miss Brewster when discussing the huge responsibility of Santa's wife and partner. I didn't mean to scare her away."
Nicholas felt as though he were in a fog. "I'm confused. Lucy was afraid?"
Markus shook his head. "Not afraid, Nicholas. She believed that you would not be able to take over for your father if she remained in Glasdorf...that she posed too big of a distraction. She felt that she must sacrifice her own selfish desire to be with you for the good of children who were counting on Santa Claus."
"I know, she told me in her note. That's ridiculous."
"I agree. I tried to tell her, but she insisted that leaving was the right thing to do." Markus finished softly, "She was not convinced you loved her, Nicholas."
Alena looked shocked. "But why would she question Nicholas' love for her? He saved her life for goodness sake. And sparks were flying every time they got together."
Nicholas swallowed. "Actually, I don't blame Lucy for that. I never actually told her I loved her. Well, not in English, anyway."
Alena shot Nicholas a peeved look. "Nicholas Sebastian Klaus! What were you waiting for?"
"I don't know. I messed up."
Nicky Sr. slapped his oldest son on the back. "Well, I think the time has come to finally tell her how you feel, Nicholas. Your mother is already planning a winter wedding, and I don't want her to be disappointed. Got it?"
"Do you really think she'll be willing to give up her life in the Sudenwelt to be with me?"
"I think the red sphere had something to say about the two of you, young man. She hasn't been wrong yet," Hector said.
Nicholas shook his booze-addled head. "I'm still a little confused. If I'm not going to be the next Santa, then who is?"
"Have you not figured it out, Nicholas? How much Lagavulin did you drink?" Otto asked.
Wolfie stepped forward. "One of us." He gestured to all of the brothers. "We decided to let you off the hook, man. I don't think you're cut out for that Santa business. We'll figure out which one of us is best for the job, and then we'll all pitch in to help out the way we always do."
Nicholas looked incredulously at his brothers. "You would do that for me? I can't believe it."
"Believe it, big brother. Hope you and Lucy don't mind if I stop by for dinner, say...pretty much every night?" Oskar teased.
"Yeah, and don't forget about my New Year's party." Gregor looked at his brothers and grinned sheepishly. "By the way, invitations for the whole family are going out in the next couple of days. I hope everyone can make it. It wouldn't be a celebration without all of you there."
Sven turned to Nicholas and clasped his hand. "Why is it so hard to believe we'd do this for you? You've been looking out for us for a long time, Nicholas. It would be a bloody shame if you had to give up the great passion of your life."
"Would that be baking or Lucy?" Oskar asked with a cocky smile.
"Both!" shouted Alena. "Now get to work. As soon as Christmas Eve is over, I expect you to be paying a visit to Eston, New York. I already have the flowers picked out for the church, and the lady's auxiliary is making a bridal dress fit for a princess. Don't forget a ring. Sheesh! This time make sure you speak in English!"
Nicky Sr. put his arm around Nicholas' shoulders and raised an eyebrow. "Well, what do you think?"
"I think I have the best family in the world." Nicholas cleared his throat as he turned to his father. "You don't mind if I'm not the next Weihnachtsmann? You've been grooming me for a long time."
"I'd much rather you throw yourself into a life with Lucy, and nurture the talent that brings you the most happiness."
"Thanks, Dad. On the off chance that Lucy says yes..."
"I have a good feeling about that, son."
"Well, both of her parents are gone. I'll bet she would be really touched if you gave her away."
The famous dimple popped out on Nicky's chin. "You can count on it, Nicholas."
Lucy lay curled on her side, unable to move. It was five o'clock in the morning on Christmas day. All over the country, small children were sneaking into their living rooms, searching for a sign that Santa had visited. They would discover stockings stuffed with candies and peppermint sticks, toy trains racing along their tracks, and a myriad of boxes wrapped in glittery tissue and fluffy bows. Parents would trail behind, yawning and sipping that first precious cup of coffee. Cameras would capture the joy and exultation, the tears and excitement. Eventually the scent of a holiday bird, gently seasoned with rosemary, marjoram and thyme, would fill the house.
Lucy buried her face in her pillow. How can a broken heart hurt so much? The past week had been pure agony. Everything reminded her of Nicholas. The apples in the pantry, the lumpy sofa in her office, the forgotten basket of vanilla beans from Mexico. Her employees and customers whispered about her in hushed tones. They were convinced that she had not fully recovered from her 'hospitalization.' She didn't bother to correct them. It provided an easy explanation for her melancholy.
Her tiny apartment above the café was drab and sadly lacking in holiday decorations. Usually she celebrated on Christmas Eve by bringing home a tree, and trimming it with paper chains and assorted ornaments she had collected over the years. Not this year. She couldn't muster up the energy for anything more than falling into her bed and quietly crying herself to sleep. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine what Nicholas' family must be doing on this joyous day, how they would be celebrating. Lucy clutched her sack of magik pebbles, their enchanted qualities having burned out long ago. Now they were just a pile of cold, hard stones.
A muffled sound from her living room brought her instantly to attention. Oh my God, some one is breaking into my apartment! That's just what I need. Lucy grabbed a new rolling pin from a box next to her bed and gripped it in her hands.
A strange light glowed from the living room. She tiptoed down the hallway and stopped dead in her tracks. She blinked her eyes several times and gazed in utter astonishment at the vision in front of her. A nine-foot Christmas tree stood at grand attention in the center of the room. White lights swathed the sweetly scented evergreen, and hundreds of crystal ornaments dangled from its branches. Piles of packages were stacked beneath the spruce, and the soothing sound of Christmas music was playing on her stereo. Lucy sniffed the air...gingerbread. And coffee, spiced with cinnamon and cloves. On a small antique table next to the tree sat a platter of hot gingerbread cookies and a steaming mug of coffee, lightened with cream, just the way she liked it.
She looked around the room, into the kitchen, even her cramped bathroom. The apartment was empty. Lucy sank to her knees in front of the sparkling tree and looked at a tag on one of the large gifts. To my darling Lucy, The Woman of my Dreams...You're going to need this when we begin our European adventure...Love, Nicholas
Lucy ripped open the package and found a gorgeous leather valise. It was monogrammed with her initials. Another box had a travel pack and a passport with her name on it. Next to that was a beautiful new digital camera. The tag read...I can't wait to take your picture at the Eiffel Tower. Je t'aime toujours, Nicholas. Miniature kitchen gadgets, candies, and hand carved ornaments stuffed a hand knit stocking. All compliments of Sven. Laughing, she carefully opened a box marked fragile. She found a stunning set of Christmas china nestled in mounds of tissue paper. Lots of love, Alena and Nicky Sr.
A card filled with homemade coupons was propped up on her mantel. Oskar had scribbled one for a free snowboard lesson. Gregor's note promised a champagne boat cruise of the New York harbor. Wolfgang's package was postmarked from the Philippines. It was a precious angel that the orphans had made with paper and glitter and glue. He also included a lovely box fashioned from mother-of-pearl. Open me! it read on the front. Inside was a hilarious picture that the brothers had taken inside a mall photo booth, with the inscription Welcome to the Family!
Lucy could not stop shaking. She sat in a nest of shredded tissue and paper on the floor of her living room and started to laugh. "Nicholas Klaus! I know you're here! Don't keep me waiting another minute!"
Suddenly, the glint of light reflected off a pair of spectacles from behind the towering evergreen. Nicholas poked his head out from behind the tree and smiled. "How do you like your Christmas surprise?" he asked softly, his eyes suspiciously glassy.
"Nicholas!" Lucy jumped up and flew into his arms, kicking ribbon and tissue paper out of her way. "Oh God, please forgive me. I should never have left you. I love you, Nicholas, I love you..."
"Shhh, it's okay, my sweet. I love you, too." Nicholas pulled back and gazed into Lucy's eyes. "You do know that, don't you?"
"You never told me."
Nicholas pulled her back into his arms and clutched her fiercely. "I was an idiot not to tell you. I was planning to tell you after the carnival, but our conversation didn't go according to plan."
Lucy hiccupped and stroked Nicholas' face. "I shouldn't have left you. I was a coward. Markus tried to tell me, but I didn't listen. I don't want to jeopardize your job as Weihnachtsmann. I know how important it is..."
"Lucy, you don't have to worry about that anymore. One of my brothers is going to take over as Santa. I'm off the hook. I have the blessing of my father, my brothers, and all of the council to continue on as the master chef of Glasdorf. They decided my talents in the kitchen were my best contribution to the North Pole and to the children of the world. Someone else will be better suited as Santa Claus."
Lucy was stunned. "Oh my gosh, that's wonderful! You must be so happy, Nicholas."
"Not quite. I am relieved, but my very worst moment was realizing you were gone and out of my life. I know I don't have the right to ask this of you, Lucy Anne. You've worked so hard to make Sweet Inspiration a success. But do you think you might consider..." Nicholas took a deep breath as he rushed on. "Maybe, joining me in Glasdorf? For the rest of your life? As my wife? And, Klaus Küche will be our bakery, together. I promise I'll be better with the elves. Not so strict. And not so stand-offish with the customers...and..."
"Oh, Nicholas!" Lucy buried her face in his neck and cried happy tears. "I don't want you to change, my love. I would be honored to be your wife and live with you in Glasdorf." She pulled back and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you just the way you are, Nicholas Klaus."
"Ich liebe dich."
Lucy pulled back and stared at him. "What does that mean, Nicholas? You said that once before..."
"It means I love you - in German."
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "I think I'd better take a crash course in conversational German. ASAP."
Nicholas chuckled and nibbled on her neck, sucking and pulling on the sensitive skin. When he finally released her, Lucy was panting.
"I have another German word for you, my sweet."
"What's that?" Lucy's legs felt wobbly.
"Knutschfleck. It means love bite. I think I'll give you a nice collection for a Christmas gift. What do you think?"
Lucy smiled. "Bring it on, Schatzi."
\*\*\*\*
Nicholas gazed down into Lucy's eyes, struggling with the realization that the woman of his dreams had just agreed to marry him. And leave behind her life in the Sudenwelt. It was too much. This was truly the most incredible Christmas of his life.
His gaze dropped down to her faded plaid pajamas, and he caught an enticing glimpse of cleavage. "Lucy, I like your holiday pajamas. Very sexy."
Lucy laughed. "Uh, Nicholas, these are the most unsexy PJs ever. If I had known you were coming over, I would have surprised you with some alluring lingerie."
"Not necessary. These are my favorites." Nicholas cupped her sweet breasts through the faded flannel, creating a mouth-watering vision, two luscious peaches, ripe and ready for his pleasure. His tongue swiped a path along the intriguing shadow.
"Really, Nicholas." Lucy's voice sounded a bit breathy. "They're old and ripped."
Nicholas dipped a finger inside a rip on the front of her shirt and found a delightfully pebbled nipple begging for his attention.
"And, they're missing most of the buttons."
Nicholas pushed apart the button-less sides of the shirt, and kissed a path along Lucy's trembling belly.
"Also, the elastic is all stretched out on the waist. They're practically falling down."
Nicholas smiled to himself as his hands slipped inside of the pajama pants, brushing the soft material over Lucy's smooth hips. Her breath was downright choppy now.
"And, sometimes..." Lucy was having difficulty finishing her sentence.
"Yes, Lucy Anne, what is it, love?"
"Sometimes I get too hot with all this flannel. You know what I mean?"
"Hmm. I certainly do. We don't want you getting overheated now, do we?" Nicholas pushed Lucy Anne down into the nest of tissue and ribbons on the floor. He slowly pulled off the red flannel pajamas, until Lucy Anne was a naked treat awaiting him under the tree. The glow of blinking lights shone temptingly on her freckled skin and caressed her coppery curls. Quickly he divested himself of his clothes, and blanketed her blushing body with his own.
He captured her lush bottom lip and sucked it gently, savoring the taste of her honey-sweet mouth.
Lucy's eyes glittered up at him as she returned his tender kisses. Her arms wound around his neck and she pulled him closer, until the most sensitive part of him found her welcoming heat. She arched her back and sighed with pleasure.
Nicholas thrust slowly into her body, determined to capture all of her this day, to ensure that she would be with him forever.
Lucy smiled up at him as he rocked against her, enjoying a slow sensual ride. There was no need to rush. He would shower her with pleasure until she was convinced of his love. He teased her until she begged him to finish, and then he reveled in the feel of her stunning climax and her declaration of love.
"I missed you so much, Nicholas." Lucy was stroking his beard, her legs still tightly clasped around him. She wasn't ready to let him go, and he wasn't willing to leave.
"Me, too. This past week was hell. From now on, you're going to be stuck with me, my sweet. At work, at home..."
"On vacation! When are we going to Europe?" Lucy giggled joyfully.
What a damned wonderful sound!
"Well, Europe would sure make a good honeymoon."
Lucy's eyes lit up. "Honeymoon? Don't we need to get married first before the honeymoon?"
Nicholas laughed. "Absolutely. I hope you're not set on a long engagement."
Lucy shook her head. "No. Why?"
"Because my mother reserved the chapel for our wedding on Boxing Day."
Lucy blinked once at Nicholas. "Boxing Day? Isn't that...tomorrow?"
"Uh huh. What do you think?" Nicholas looked nervously at Lucy for her reaction.
A slow smile spread across her face and she kissed him again. "Perfect. We'll never forget our anniversary. I can't wait."
Lucy looked across the counter of Klaus Küche at her husband chattering away with a small group of elves. He'd wasted at least half the morning discussing Greta's upcoming baby shower. She pulled a miniature notebook out of her front shirt pocket and scribbled a few notes about the party. Greta's favorite color was yellow, and Lucy was determined to make a mountain of lemon cupcakes for the festivities.
She stuffed the notebook back into her shirt, and watched Nicholas' animated conversation. He had really opened up with his workers. It was astounding. They adored him, and production had increased by twelve percent since the New Year. It was wonderful to have all of them at their candle-lit wedding ceremony on Boxing Day. The chapel of St. Nicholas had been filled with a sea of ivory candles, cream-colored roses and all of the elves in Glasdorf. The lady's auxiliary created the most stunning dress Lucy had ever seen, fashioned from white velvet and a veil made of Bavarian lace. Nicky Sr. had given her away, and all of Nicholas' brothers attended, looking like gorgeous giants in their formal tuxedos.
Lucy's honeymoon lasted for three weeks! She and Nicholas rode a gondola in Venice, shared fresh antipasti in Rome, toured a goat farm in the French countryside to taste creamy chèvre, and demolished bars and bars of rich chocolate in Switzerland. The first night of their honeymoon was spent in a Parisian inn, where Nicholas had paid the concierge to fill their room with roses and buckets of champagne. Nicholas liked Lucy's wedding gift to him...a tiny heart tattoo at the base of her spine made with holly and berries. He kissed it frequently during their trip.
The Klaus' had welcomed her with open arms upon their return to Glasdorf. In spite of the fact that Nicholas' brothers were preoccupied with the Überholen, being part of the big, boisterous family promised everyday adventures. Nicky Sr. and Alena were planning their retirement with much excitement. They deserved some time to relax after so many years of hard work. Lucy would be forever grateful to them for allowing Nicholas to continue as the master baker of the North Pole. Cooking with her husband was a joy.
Leaving Sweet Inspiration had not been too difficult. The new owners, Mrs. Henderson and Kandy and Ray, were taking good care of it. Joe had been hired as their full time deliveryman, and Lucy had left all of her most cherished recipes on the computer. The only thing that was bothering her was her tummy. It was really upset. Lucy worried she was getting sick. She felt exhausted, too. Telling Nicholas was out of the question. He worried too much.
"Miss Lucy, here's the checklist for the candy delivery to California. I wanted you to look it over and make sure we didn't forget anything." Birgit handed Lucy the binder with a pen.
"Are you okay? You look a bit pale today."
"Oh, it's nothing, Birgit. I'm just feeling a little under the weather." She signed off on the order and leaned against the counter. "I think I might sneak home for a quick nap. I don't know what's wrong with me."
Helga and Hector had just stopped by to purchase some loaves of bread. She waved weakly at the couple, and they hurried over to her.
Helga grasped Lucy's hand and peered into her face. "You don't look so good, Lucy Anne. What's wrong?"
"Nothing to worry about, I'm sure. I think I've been running around too much since we got back from our honeymoon."
Hector shook his head. "Are you really that obtuse, my dear?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You do know how babies are made, don't you, Lucy Anne? I wouldn't want to embarrass you with the story..."
"For goodness sake, Hector! Don't mortify Lucy. Of course she knows how babies are made. Suddies call it 'the birds and the bees.'" Helga scowled at her husband.
Hector raised an eyebrow. "That's odd. What do birds and bees have to do with babies?"
"How should I know? Suddies have a lot of strange expressions." Helga led Lucy to a stool and insisted on getting her a glass of water.
Lucy rolled her eyes at their fussing. "I can't be pregnant, you two. I'm...barren, okay? This is a little personal, don't you think?"
"Barren? What are you talking about young lady?" Hector looked questioningly at Lucy. "You're as fertile as the hills of Bavaria, my dear."
"No, Hector, I'm not. I had a medical condition a while ago that caused scarring, and I'm infertile. The doctors in the Sudenwelt told me it was impossible for me to have a baby."
Hector spied Nicholas across the room and whistled shrilly. Her husband looked up, and Hector summoned him with a flick of his wrist.
"Hello, Hector. Helga. What can we do for you today?" Nicholas slid his arm around Lucy's waist and kissed her softly on the forehead.
"Nicholas Klaus, were you listening to me when I healed your lovely wife? With the red sphere? She is under the misconception that she is barren, young man."
Nicholas blanched. "We're planning to adopt our children someday, Hector. Not that it's any of your business."
Hector laughed. "The hell it's not. I healed Lucy with the red sphere, Nicholas. I told you it would heal her wounds that day, and any other medical conditions she had suffered from in the past. Don't you remember?"
"Uh...no." Nicholas responded slowly, clearly trying to jog his memory. "I was a little distracted by Lucy's near death experience. I don't remember much about that day, to tell you the truth."
Hector pointed to Lucy with an exasperated look on his face. "Why don't you ask your pretty wife how she's feeling?"
Nicholas gazed at Lucy with concern. "Sweetheart, is everything okay?"
Lucy shrugged. "I guess I have been pretty tired lately. And my stomach is off. I've been feeling a bit queasy."
Nicholas raised an eyebrow at his wife. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Are you late, Lucy Anne?"
Lucy's face went blank. "Umm, actually, come to think of it, I haven't had a period for a while. Since...before I met you."
Nicholas smiled at his wife and gently put a hand on her tummy. "Do you think it's possible, Schatzi?"
Lucy's eyes filled with tears. "I gave up that dream a long time ago, Nicholas."
Hector reached out to Lucy and touched her forehead. A wave of shimmering light danced up his hand. He nodded and patted her on the shoulder. "You'll feel better soon, my dear. Call Helga for some ginger tea. It will help to settle your tummy."
Helga gave Lucy a hug. "Oh, Nicholas. Alena and your father will be thrilled!"
Hector and his wife walked away hand-in-hand, not bothering to hide their enormous grins.
Nicholas cupped Lucy's face and kissed her startled face on the tip of her nose. "Wow. I think I gave you a really cool Christmas gift this year honey. How do you feel about that?"
Lucy laughed and sank into his embrace. "You're making all of my dreams come true, Nicholas. I didn't think this year could get any better. But I was wrong." She gazed up into his eyes. "I hope our baby has dark wavy hair and beautiful hazel eyes."
Nicholas held Lucy tightly in his arms and whispered into her ear. "And freckles and ringlet curls. Just like her gorgeous mom. Merry Christmas, Lucy Anne Klaus."
Lucy laughed with happiness. "Merry Christmas, Nicholas Klaus."
PENNY WATSON is a native Pittsburgher whose love of romance started at the age of twelve when she discovered Gone With The Wind in the middle school library. This resulted in numerous attempts at a first novel involving a young lady with windswept hair who lived in a treehouse.
A biologist by training, Penny has worked at various times as a dolphin trainer, science teacher, florist, and turfgrass researcher (don't ask). Through it all she was a compulsive reader and collector of romance novels.
After taking time off to raise her two spirited children, she decided to rekindle her passion for storytelling with the support of a wonderful writer's group, The Quirky Ladies.
Now she gets to incorporate her wide array of interests, including gardening, cooking and travel into her light paranormal stories. Penny lives outside of Boston with one fly-fishing crazed husband, two lively Filipino kids, and a wiener dog.
Thank you for purchasing this Wild Rose Press publication. For other wonderful stories of romance, please visit our on-line bookstore at www.thewildrosepress.com.
For questions or more information contact us at info@thewildrosepress.com.
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