Wrapped with Love

By Bree Kraemer

3 steamy instalove stories to get you ready for the holidays!

 

DecorHATE for the Holidays

 

What happens when one neighbor likes to decorate their house for Christmas and the other neighbor hates it?

A scorching holiday that neither will ever forget, that's what.

 

Falling Over You

 

Spending a week with her family over Christmas was the last thing Eve wanted to do.

Until she collides with another skier, falling over him.
When she gets her first good look at him, she starts thinking falling might not be that bad.
 

 

Light Me Up

 

A new town, a snow storm, and a power outage. Oh, and a very hot guy. What could possibly go wrong? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bree Kraemer
• Release date: Sep 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223397502

Book preview

Wrapped with Love

Bree Kraemer

Published by Bree Kraemer, 2023.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

Wrapped with Love

First edition. September 2023.

Copyright © 2023 Bree Kraemer.

Written by Bree Kraemer.

Also by Bree Kraemer

The Only Series

Only By His Touch

Only With Trust

If Only

Only You

Only For Love

Cedarville Novels

An Unexpected Home

Capturing Us

Choosing You

Better Together

A Chance Worth Taking

Forever Starts Here (Novella)

After All These Years

Won’t Let You Down

Say When

Something To Lose

Finally Home

Friends & Brothers

Sky High Love

Bridge To Love

When It’s Love

Rockstar Romance

The Right Note

Pick Me

Christmas Novella

Light Me Up

DecorHATE for the Holidays

Falling Over You

The Beckmeyer Family

Hooked

Sparked

Shocked

Kneaded

Valley Falls Strikers

Late Tackle

First Touch

Give & Go

Narrowing the Angle

He’s a Keeper

Ground Rule

Walk Off

Sacrifice Bunt

Grand Slam

DecorHATE for the Holidays

By

Bree Kraemer

Chapter 1

Tate

Every second closer he got to his home, Tate Frost became more agitated. It had been like this every day since Thanksgiving. It had gotten to the point that once or twice, he’d debated sleeping in his office just so he didn’t have to go home.

His cheerful, always happy, always in a good mood neighbor was one of THOSE people.

People who decorated for the holidays.

Just the thought made him groan.

He’d purchased the house in April and since then, he’d had maybe twenty total conversations with the ever cheery Caroline Hyatt. He'd been there a day and she’d been standing at his door with a Tupperware container full of cookies.

Delicious fucking chocolate chip cookies that he’d eaten in one sitting and then had a stomach ache for two days.

He probably should have assumed at the time that she’d be the kind of person who put up outside Christmas decorations. She changed the sign on her front door weekly. Always something cute and friendly.

Not that he was looking at her front door or anything.

His life from October to the end of December was all Christmas, all the time. His family owned a farm and garden center. And once Halloween was over, everything around him was Christmas-themed. From trees, to wreaths, to plants and other decorations. Thanks to his sister, who was in charge of marketing, every Saturday and Sunday, they were packed with families who came to enjoy activities, music, lights, and all manner of other things. He got enough of that stuff at work. He didn't need it right next door.

Even if it came in an interesting package.

Except, Caroline Hyatt didn’t interest him in the least.

So what if she was adorable with her big brown eyes and pixie-like height. Seriously, the woman couldn’t be more than five feet tall. When she stood next to his own six-foot, six-inch frame, he towered over her. It was like looking down at a child.

Except for her tits.

Her huge, more than a handful tits.

Not that he’d ever pictured putting his hands on them. Because he definitely hadn’t.

She annoyed the ever-loving shit of him.

Case in point, he was four houses from her house and he could already see it, lit up with more lights than Clark Griswold. Maybe that was exaggerating, but to him, it was a lot. He‘d had to go and buy blackout curtains for his bedroom, just to be able to sleep.

Even that hadn’t helped. At least, it hadn’t helped him to stop thinking about her.

It was just his dumb luck that she happened to be standing outside, on a ladder against her house no less, when he pulled into his driveway.

Even worse, she wasn’t wearing a coat, hat, or gloves from what he could tell. The temperature had dropped drastically during the day and snow had been predicted for the next several days. She shouldn’t be up on a ladder only half-dressed.

Fuming at her idiocy, he pushed the door to this truck open and ran into her yard shouting, What the hell do you think you're doing? He pulled his own gloves from his pockets and slipped them on. He was still wearing the hat and heavy winter coat he’d had on during work.

He was just on the edge of her yard, but the lights she had up everywhere lit up her face as she turned at the sound of his voice.

Hi, Tate. Her voice was happy, like she was glad to see him.

Get down from there right now. He didn’t mean to be so stern, but she could break her neck if she fell.

Not that he cared.

The smile never left her face. Oh, I’m fine. I’ve been up here a million times throughout the years. I just needed to fix a few strands that were flickering. She went back to what she was doing.

He should leave. Walk away and let her do whatever it is she was doing by herself. So what if she froze to death? Not his problem. But something inside his head stopped him.

His mom’s voice.

Groaning, he walked deeper into her yard until he stood at the foot of the ladder. Come down from there and I’ll fix whatever the problem is. His words came out harsher than he’d wanted but fear for her safety had taken over.

She looked down. I can do it but I would appreciate it if you could hold the ladder steady for me. I think I see the problem, but it’s higher up.

All he’d wanted when he’d left his twelve-hour day of work was to come home, have a beer, a shower and kick his feet up on the coffee table and relax. This, Caroline, was not part of the plan.

Damn woman, he said under his breath. At least put on some gloves or a hat.

She climbed higher up the ladder, her pert ass distracting him for a second. I can’t work with gloves on. Plus, I’m wearing plenty of layers.

No, she wasn’t. He could see the outline of her panties through her skin-tight red pants. Of course, she was wearing red pants. If he could see the front of her sweatshirt, he was sure it would have something to do with Christmas. The woman was a walking, talking, Christmas billboard.

He held the ladder tightly as she worked to fix the lights on the side of her house. Lights he’d prefer weren't there. Why was he doing this again? If it was up to him, the lights would all stop working.

There, she said happily. All fixed.

She began backing down the ladder. The lower she got, the easier it was to smell her and the more he knew he needed to get out of there and inside his house.

She smelled like hot chocolate and candy canes. What sort of scent was that?

He was just about to back up when she turned to look at him. I was lucky you came by when you did.

Her feet were level with his shoulders meaning her ass was about a foot away from his face. Thinking became difficult and the front of his pants grew tighter as his cock hardened.

Get it together, Frost.

He did not like this woman. Not one bit. She was too sweet, too nice, and too fucking happy. She probably liked lovemaking over the hot, sweaty sex he preferred.

Stepping back, he shook his head to clear the image from his mind. He should not be thinking of sex of any kind with her. You're lucky you didn’t break your neck.

She climbed the rest of the way down the ladder. Like I said, I know what I’m doing. She started to bring the ladder down, but he stepped forward, stopping her. As he did so, the front of his coat brushed her back.

If only he was wearing less clothing.

Or even better, if they were both naked.

I got it, he said gruffly, annoyed with his thought process. Where does it go?

In the garage, she said happily. While you do that, I’ll go in and make us some hot chocolate.

I don't want any damn hot chocolate. He slid the ladder down and then easily lifted it to turn it sideways. I want a beer and a shower.

She was already walking up her porch steps. I have beer, too, if that’s really what you want. Before he knew it, she was gone and he was walking toward her detached garage around the back of her house.

After storing the ladder, he closed the garage door and headed back to the front of the house. He was planning to go straight home, but she stuck her head out the door before he could.

I have your beer ready, she said. And there’s cookies.

The mention of cookies stopped him. What kind of cookies?

Iced sugar cookies. Those words were better than the dirtiest words any woman had ever whispered to him.

He fucking loved cookies and if they were half as good as her chocolate chip ones, they would still be the best he’d ever had.

Fine, he said, turning and trudging up her porch. I can have one beer. And a dozen cookies. But he didn’t tell her that.

He rationalized that he was going to drink a beer anyway, so why not have one of hers.

It had nothing to do with her or wanting to see her longer.

As soon as he stepped into her house, he was assaulted with all things Christmas. There were decorations everywhere, music was playing and the smell of fresh-baked cookies hung in the air.

His first instinct was to turn and run.

Before he could do that, she was standing in front of him, handing him a beer. Why don’t you take your coat off. It’s plenty warm in here. He followed her gaze to the fireplace where a fire was blazing.

A damn good fire.

I’m good. He took a long pull from the bottle of beer, downing almost half of it in one sip.

Caroline stared at him, her gaze never wavering. Why don’t you like me? Did I do something?

The nerve of this woman. He blinked several times to try to regain his composure. I don’t dislike you. That was the easiest thing to say that wouldn’t get him into trouble.

She smirked. That’s not the same as liking me and you know it. We’re neighbors and as far as I know, I haven’t done anything that would warrant your bad attitude.

He huffed at a breath. Listen, lady, I work long hours, and when I come home all I want to do is relax and go to sleep. We don’t need to be friends.

Her face deflated, her big eyes looking lost and sad. Oh. I guess that’s fine. She thrust a Tupperware container at his stomach. Here are some cookies.

Well, fuck. He hadn’t meant to make her sad. He’d just wanted to make her understand that he wasn’t looking to be friends. Caroline... he said but before he could say more she turned her back to him.

Thank you again for the help with the ladder. Her voice was clipped, letting him know she was done talking to him.

That was a dismissal if he’d ever heard one.

Setting the half-empty bottle of beer down on the coffee table, he retreated to the door. Looking down at the container of cookies in his hand, he wondered if he should leave them too. He decided against it when his stomach rumbled with hunger.

Opening the door, he looked back one more time only to find her back still to him. Thanks, he mumbled and then left.

Out on her porch, he chastised himself several times over for being an ass. She hadn't deserved his bad attitude and his gruff words. He could chalk it up to exhaustion, but he knew that wasn’t true. There was just something about her and her perpetual happiness that irked him.

Walking the short distance to his house, he stopped at his truck to grab his things and then went inside. The first thing he did was open the container of cookies and shove one into his mouth, groaning as the sugar and frosting touched his tongue.

The woman fucking had a magical hand when it came to cookies.

Grabbing two more, he made his way to his bathroom, which was attached to his bedroom, for a shower. He ate both cookies quickly, wishing he'd brought the whole damn container, before stepping under the steaming hot water.

His muscles were sore from hauling trees all day and night.

And his brain was sore from all the happy, friendly people.

He didn’t begrudge people’s happiness but he’d never really understood why it was only during this one time of year. Wouldn’t it be better to be happy all year?

An image of Caroline flashed in his head. She was happy all year. There had been many times since he’d bought his house that he’d heard her singing or laughing out in her yard or on her porch. He had no idea what the woman did for a living, but there were always people coming and going.

Without realizing it, he’d grabbed his dick and was stroking it up and down. He might not like Caroline Hyatt, but that hadn’t stopped him from stroking himself as he thought about her.

Many, many times.

Bracing his hand on the wall in front of him, a new visual came to him. Now that he’d been inside her house, he couldn't stop picturing her on the rug in front of her roaring fire, naked. He’d feast on her huge tits, licking and sucking until she moaned and begged under him. Her pussy would be so wet by the time he reached his hand down between her legs.

His hand sped up on his cock and he knew he was only seconds from coming. Picturing one last image of his cock driving hard inside her was all it took to send him over the edge.

Jesus fucking Christ. He needed to stop this. And the best way to do that was to go out and get laid.

After drying off and wrapping the towel around his waist, he went in search of his phone. His friend Adam had been trying to set him up with a sure thing for weeks. It was time to take him up on the offer.

Maybe then, he’d be able to jerk off without thinking of his happy, cheerful next-door neighbor.

He doubted it, but anything was worth a try.

Tate:

Set me up with the woman.

Adam:

It’s about time. What changed?

Tate:

Stop asking dumb questions.

Adam:

I’ll get it out of you sooner or later.

Tate dropped his phone down onto his bed, already annoyed that he’d have to go out with this woman just to sleep with her. Maybe he should have just gone to a bar and picked up a random woman. Except that required him to be nice and flirt and he wasn’t sure he could do that.

Through his blackout curtains, he could see light peeking in. Walking over to the window, he opened the curtain a small amount and looked out. Caroline’s house was lit up bright like it always was. He saw movement in the window across from him and turned his attention there. The curtains were open and he could easily see into the room. From the looks of it, it was her bedroom and she was standing in front of a mirror with an easy smile on her face as she brushed out her hair.

His gut clenched and for a quick second, he wished he was the one doing the brushing. Would her hair be soft and smooth or coarse and thick? Would she like it if he dug his fingers into her scalp or would she prefer he gently massage?

She moved, turning to face the window and before he could be seen, he quickly jumped back, closing his curtain.

Just great. Way to be a creeper, you fucking idiot.

With the towel still slung around his waist, he went out to his