Mistletoe Magic Read Online Free

expression, the invitation in his dark eyes. She’d probably be safer going home alone.
    “How are you planning to get home anyway? By flying?” His bedroom eyes roamed over her wings as Rafe moved closer, practically forcing Melissa to back into the closet. “You’re such a cute little fairy. Dainty wings, dainty feet, dainty mouth…”
    His face only inches away, Melissa was sure he was going to kiss her. Whirling around, she found her jacket and bag and pushed by him. “I’ve got to get going.” She tried to keep her voice steady, unlike the unexpected thundering of her heart. She couldn’t believe the man had the nerve to try to make a pass at her! If he weren’t a friend of her boss, she’d tell Rafe Damon a thing or two.
    Before she could get her jacket on, he reached out and touched the wire and net wings. “How is this costume put together anyway? Are the wings attached or do they come off first?”
    That did it. Did Rafe Damon think his blatant come-on was sexy or something? “Stuff it, Mr. Damon. I’m leaving now .”
    Struggling into her jacket, she stormed out of the building, ignoring his earnest, “Melissa, wait a minute, please!”
    Melissa couldn’t believe the man had made her lose her temper so quickly. She’d been raised to think the best of people, to stay out of arguments, and not to say anything if it weren’t something nice. She’d learned her parents’ philosophy so well they had called her their “little angel,” although her best friend had given her the disgusting nickname of “Goody Two-Shoes.”
    Already feeling guilty and highly resentful that Rafe Damon had so easily made her cross her principles, Melissa huffed her way over to Christopher Street, where she flagged down a taxi she really couldn’t afford.

Chapter Two
    Catching the eight-by-ten prints as they fell from the rotating drum of the dryer, Rafe carefully laid the black-and-white glossies of Gretta and her tooth fairy on the counter. He examined them closely.
    His daughter was a real imp, he thought proudly, smiling at her various expressions. She’d really hammed it up, alternately smiling, frowning, and sticking out her tongue. In contrast, the tooth fairy was mostly aloof in front of the camera, seeming to have her mind on other things. But there was one shot in which she’d looked straight into the lens, and the expression in her eyes made his blood sizzle.
    Whew!
    Melissa Ryan. Louise had told him that was the tooth fairy’s real name. Staring down at the photo in his hand, Rafe cursed softly as he vainly tried to control his masculine reaction to her fragile, innocent beauty. The other night he’d been unable to stop himself from teasing her unmercifully until she’d lost her temper. Then, when she’d run out onto the street, he’d felt guilty.
    To be truthful, what he’d really wanted to do was take Melissa in his arms to kiss her again.
    Rafe hit the counter with the flat of his hand. That was the problem! He wanted to kiss her even now, but, dammit, she was too young for him. Yet he couldn’t help being attracted to the golden-haired, blue-eyed doll who’d accidentally landed in bed with him. For the past two nights he’d had a rough time sleeping; he couldn’t eradicate her magical image from his mind.
    Rafe had never thought of himself as one of those men who tried to recapture his youth by courting some pretty young thing. But wasn’t that precisely what his mind—not to mention his body—was telling him to do? How ridiculous. He was a thirty-two-year-old man lusting after a younger woman who was probably right out of college. How old could Melissa be? Twenty-two? Ten years made a big difference, especially when two kids were involved.
    Still, Rafe regretted scaring Melissa away as he had. His actions had been uncharacteristic. He’d probably come on to her so strong because he’d had a hard day and one drink too many to relax. That or frustration must be warping his hormones. Maybe