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Holly learned firsthand what people meant when they spoke of a hard cop stare "What aboutin a strip club? Even temporarily?"

"It’s not that ood friend as well as a client I stopped by to drop off soed lasses of spiced wine…and the next thing I kneas strutting across stage wearing a bustier, leather hot pants and ankle-breaking heels"

Those shiht was the first night you ever…?"

"Got all dolled up, paraded across a stage barely dressed, in front of a roomful of horny men, and pretended to be someone I’m not? Yes"

"Oh baby"

"Then I h with the lap dance fiasco--"

"Not a fiasco It was the sexiest godda that’d ever happened to me"

Holly blinked "It was?"

"Yep"

"But I didn’t knohat I was doing! And I especially didn’t knoasn’t supposed to touch you or let you touch host of his sexy smile appeared "The last time that happened to me, I think I still believed in Santa Claus"

She smiled back at him "Part of me didn’t want you to coer part of ain"

Confused, he deuy like you would only be interested in me if I was a wild stripper Yet, I was afraid if I told you I wasn’t Mistress Christmas you wouldn’t be interested inEspecially if you saithout all the caked-on "

"Your au naturel look didn’t seem to deter me, did it?"

"No Maybe it was selfish, but I didn’t tell you ht with you to be the sexy woht I was That wasso much…more than I’d ever dared hope for"

"Sweet darlin’" Nick’s voice held bewilder deeper she couldn’t decipher

Elanced down at her hands "I never meant to hurt you Or trick you Or lift your wallet"

"I understand that now"

"Last night was one hundred percent one wild"

Several excruciating seconds passed before Nick sighed "Maybe ere both at cross-purposes, at least initially But everything I told you, everything I did, everything I was last night, was me too Not Detective Nick West, just Nick West, a lonely h to catch the eye and the attention of a beautiful, sweet, sear as she heard his footsteps getting closer Very gently Nick lifted her chin to ht you asked what I wanted for Christmas, so earnestly, like you really cared? I al time I’ve wished for a woman to see the real me A woman with fire, passion and sweetness, inside the bedrooh, drive e, and round You are that woo you called me a thief"

"Holly--"

"Do you kno bad I freaked out when I discovered I had your wallet? And then I saw that badge? I was half-afraid you’d show up here and bust me for solicitation"

He practically snarled, "Like I said, it wasn’t a cop in bed with you last night, it was a man A man who hopes to see a lot more of you--in bed and out"

"What? You want to…date me?"

"It’ll do for now"

"F-for n-now?" she sputtered "What’s that supposed to reat Christrandkids" Nick closed her mouth after it’d dropped open in absolute shock "Does that surprise you? Or scare you?"