The Santa Emergency

By Nell Iris

“I have a Santa emergency and I desperately need your help.”

Sigge isn’t exactly a grinch when it comes to Christmas, but he’s not a fan of the holiday either. So when his new neighbor Kristian shows up in a panic, begging him to help by donning a Santa suit, Sigge’s gut reaction is to say no. But Kristian is cute and funny, rendering Sigge powerless against his heartfelt plea -- especially after a promise of spending more time together -- so he agrees.

The instant connection deepens as they share mulled wine and conversation as easy as breathing. But is it just holiday magic swirling in the air, or is it something real? Something that will last into the new year and beyond?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Dec 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646569953

Nell Iris

Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love. Nell writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.

Book preview

The Santa Emergency

By Nell Iris

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2021 Nell Iris

ISBN 9781646569953

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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Sweden’s main Christmas celebration is on December 24, and every year at three P.M., (nearly) half of our population sit down to watch From All of Us to All of You, the 1958 Walt Disney Christmas special—or simply Donald Duck, as we call it—on national television. I know, I know, it’s weird, but tradition is tradition, so there’s nothing to be done about it.

Swedes also drink lots and lots of mulled wine (glögg) throughout the entire month of December. We buy it pre-spiced in the state-owned liquor store and drink it with almonds and raisins…and a gingerbread cookie or ten.

I hope you’ll enjoy the story. Merry Christmas (or God Jul, as we say in Swedish).

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The Santa Emergency

By Nell Iris

Chapter 1

I have a Santa emergency and I desperately need your help. The words pour from my new neighbor’s mouth the moment I open the front door, before I even have time to say hello.

He recently moved in, so I’ve seen him only a few times, but I’ve definitely noticed him. He always looks friendly and happy, even when sprinting from his house to his car in the mornings so fast, I fear he’ll spill his coffee from his thermos mug. His hair and beard are inky black, neat, and impeccably styled, but not even the beard can hide how young he looks. The early twenties, had been my guess, but up close, I see a few thin lines radiating from the corners of his eyes. His eyes are warm and chocolatey, sprinkled with golden flecks and mischief.

Like every other time I’ve seen him, he’s wearing a suit. It’s probably the most well-fitting garment I’ve ever seen, accentuating his tall, lean physique, making his legs look miles long, his shoulders narrow but strong, and the few hints of his ass I’ve gotten make my mouth water.

But, unlike the other times I’ve seen him, he’s finished off today’s outfit with a cheerful, fluffy Santa hat. I love the whimsy of it. The severe suits would make it easy to believe he’s prim and proper and businesslike all the time, but the silly hat tells a story of a man with humor, of a man who doesn’t take himself too seriously. For all its goofiness, it makes him even more attractive.

Please? he says, forcing me to stop ogling him and pay attention to what he’s saying.

Uh, hi, I say, trying not to wince over my eloquence. I clear my throat before continuing. A Santa emergency?

Yes! He accentuates his reply with a sharp nod. And if you’d invite me in and let me explain, I’d be forever grateful. I have— he glances at his watch, a black chunky thing that dwarfs his wrist "—exactly forty-seven minutes until Donald Duck