Christmas Eve: A Fairy in the Bed

By Lark Westerly

Eve is about to enjoy some vigorous water sports when she gets the call. Someone needs her this Christmas Eve, and it's up to her to work out who and where. Raph is driving a taxi that isn't his when he sees the brown-eyed beauty looking lost at the lights. He agrees to help her out, and she gives him the best Christmas present ever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Dec 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9781487420307

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Dedication

For my sister, who came up with a surname for Eve after I checked out the full lyrics of the Coventry Carol and decided against my first choice of Eve Lullay.

Author Notes

This story is set two years to the day after Fairy on the Christmas Tree, in which Frances first met Niall. They appeared again in Hot Summer Knight, and a third time in Tied Up in Tinsel. As Frances says, it’s getting to be a habit.

Over there and over here refer to the human realm and the fay realm. Which is called which depends on where you are at the time.

Chapter One: I Wish You a Merry Christmas

Eve Adeste stood poised on the lip of the pool. The grey stone faintly shone, and the inky water reflected a thousand stars.

As she rose to her toes, preparing to dive, a shadow detached itself from the rocks behind the falls and stepped through the sheeting water.

Greet you, Hector, Eve said, smiling as he came to stand beside her. She couldn’t see him clearly, but she knew he saw her.

Greet you, girl. Hector put his arms around her with the ease of long acquaintance.

Eve leaned against him. Hector had just come through the falls, but he was toasty warm. Eve had known the waterfolk all her life, but she’d never been able to work out whether they had warmer blood than other people, or whether it was an illusion.

Play? Hector offered.

Mm, maybe, she teased.

Maybe? He contrived to sound affronted.

Eve tilted her head back against his chest. He was very much taller than she was. Maybe, she repeated, and she laughed.

As if I didn’t come here to play!

Hector laughed too, bent and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. Why else would a luscious elf girl like you be here at the falls if not to play with me?

Maybe I came to wish you a Merry Christmas.

Deep breath, lovely.

Eve, forewarned, inflated her lungs. Hector slid one arm down and scooped her into his arms, then jumped into the pool.

Water fizzed around Eve’s ears, and she saw bubbles rising as if to meet the stars. He was taking her into the underwater caves. It was perfectly safe, although she wouldn’t have made the dive at night herself. Hector would lie down on a smooth stretch of stone, hold her close and make her body happy. He always did. So did some of the other water lads, but Hector was her favourite. He was just as virile as the others, but he had more conversation than most and was not in so much of a hurry.

Maybe it was his age. Eve didn’t know how many years he had, but his daughter Kin was grown, so he must be in his upper thirties if not older.

Hector dived under the rock wall and surfaced in the cave. It was dark, but he guided Eve to the ledge and lifted her to a comfortable perch. He surged up to sit beside her and clicked his fingers to bring up