Page 31 of Run, Run Rudolph (Fairy Godmothers and Other Fiascos #2)

~ Tamara ~

A deep feeling of dread hit me as Haden and I left Rudolph’s stall to sort out our new knowledge and what it meant.

Santa and Boots were cuddling. The reindeer were talking in a huddle, and Hugo was sitting outside the circle.

Christmas felt doomed. How was I supposed to convince a hurt and angry witch to do her part for Christmas, especially when I was aligned with her rival? That was even assuming we could fix the Rudolph and Santa issue…

Haden, as though reading my mind like he so frequently did, pulled me in for a hug, resting his cheek on the top of my head. I didn’t know what his comforting embrace meant. Was it a prelude to finally having that interrupted kiss? Or did he see me as little Tamara, in need of consoling?

He’d said he wished he’d met me first. As in, before his brother did. Was it a deal breaker that I’d once dated Kade?

Or was he simply under the influence of magic, and none of his feelings were particularly real? Magic was all around us tonight, and it could no doubt impact the way we felt.

I felt him stifle a yawn, and I pulled my head back, looking up at him.

“Hey, adorable,” he said softly, his gaze lingering on my lips. If I were a mind reader like he was, I’d say he was wondering how to get a second kiss. And I wondered how I could subtly make that happen.

“I can only imagine how many emergencies you’ve dealt with today,” I said. “You must be tired.”

“Not too tired for this.”

I could see and feel the solidity and power behind his words. He was here until the end, willing to help me.

He still had his arms around me, and I fidgeted with the button on his flannel shirt before realizing I had accidentally undone it. I smoothed my hands flat over his pecs, delighted by how firm they were.

If I cared about him, I should convince him to leave before he got so tangled up in this that something bad happened to him. But if I wanted to find love—which I sorely did—I should keep him around so we could explore how deep our seemingly mutual—and our possibly long-hidden—feelings might go.

I sighed, my sense of ethics and responsibility kicking in. “I should warn you that we’re likely in really big trouble with the magical world.”

“Okay.”

“And it’s scary, and I don’t know what will happen, but I think we broke some big rules.”

“We’re trying to help.”

“I know, but Hugo said our help could be construed in a bad way.”

“I see.”

He didn’t seem to be listening, even though his focus was on my mouth again.

“We could end up in their court, facing Mrs. Claus.”

His body stiffened ever so slightly, a sign that, as always, he had been listening and I hadn’t recognized it.

I swallowed hard. “What I’m getting at is… I think you should leave.”

“Do you want me to go?”

“I want you to be safe.”

His arms tightened around me again. “And I want you to be safe. That means there is no way I’m leaving, unless you specifically order me to.”

I wanted to roll up onto my toes and kiss him. Instead, I said, “You’re welcome to stay, but bad things could happen to you.”

I shuddered, my imagination automatically filling in all sorts of blanks for me. Blanks which were now filled with hungry ogres. I know, I know. Igor was vegan, but I just couldn’t get that beast out of my imagination. It had locked onto him, and would not let go.

Haden brushed a strand of hair off my cheek. “If bad things are going to happen, then let’s face them together.”

My heart wanted to believe that he meant as more than friends. But all that came to mind was his earlier comment to Kade that he was here because I was family. It was the same reason he wasn’t charging me for his services.

Yes, tonight had been peppered with kisses and sweet words that I wanted to believe. That, however, was lovely and new.

If I looked at the history of the man, it was obvious that he was a natural-born fixer. And there was a very high possibility that he was here tonight not to woo me, but because of some sense of familial obligation.

“Right,” I said firmly, reminding myself to keep my hopeful heart in check. “Family.” At his questioning glance, I realized I’d said family like it was a dirty word.