Free Kissing Santa, A Clover Park Novella (Clover Park, Book 4) Contemporary Romance (The Clover Park Series) by Kylie Gilmore Page A

conquests.”
    “I don’t keep a list,” he said with a quick grin. He tapped his head. “It’s all up here.”
    Exactly. Samantha wasn’t looking for a quickie. She wanted a real relationship with someone who truly cared about her. Someone that wasn’t putting on an act.
    “Good-bye, Rico.” She caught his frown before she turned and hurried to meet up with her sister.
    She found Lucia near the end of a long line.
    “Everything okay?” Lucia asked.
    “Fine,” Samantha said.
    Lucia raised a brow. “Who was that?”
    Samantha leaned close to whisper in Lucia’s ear. “The guy Mom set me up with.”
    Lucia’s jaw dropped. “He’s gorgeous! I can’t believe that’s who Mom set you up with. He looks like a sex god.” She fanned herself. “I should’ve let Mom set me up with someone when she tried years ago.”
    “He’s an immature, womanizing beast,” Samantha replied as calmly as she could. She caught a black leather jacket out of the corner of her eye as Rico walked by on his way to another long line. She stiffened and looked only at Lucia.
    “There he is!” Lucia exclaimed. She waved. Rico waved back.
    Samantha’s cheeks burned. “Just ignore him.”
    “Are you going to go out with him again?” Lucia asked out of the corner of her mouth, still stealing glances at Rico.
    “No. And stop looking at him!” she hissed. “Don’t give him any attention.”
    “Are you nuts?” Lucia asked, fanning herself again.
    Samantha grabbed Lucia’s fanning hand. “Stop it. He can see you.”
    Lucia gave her a pointed look. “I’m married and pregnant and even I want him. Of course he’s a beast. He probably has to beat women off with a stick.”
    Samantha raised her chin. “Not this woman.”
    “If only…” her sister muttered, gazing appreciatively over at Rico.
    Samantha looked over. Rico raised a hand in greeting. She faced front, ignoring her full-body blush, and prayed he couldn’t see it from across the store.
     

Chapter Eight
    Rico got back to his apartment with the Violet doll, feeling lower than a stray dog. Why did he have to fall in love with Samantha, who clearly wanted nothing to do with him? They’d had three dates, all of which ended badly, and she seemed immune to his usual charm. Most women he would’ve slept with already. First, second date tops. It really seemed to bug her that he had experience. She should be glad. That meant he knew what he was doing.
    He set the doll in the bedroom closet, unwilling to have the creepy huge purple eyes of Violet follow him around all weekend. He’d mail it out on Monday. He headed to the kitchen for a beer. Normally he’d go to the bar on a Friday night and pick up someone, but that was ruined now that he’d fallen in love. Thanks a lot, Ma . You sure can pick ’em . It was the ultimate payback for all his slutting around. The irony was not lost on him.
    He popped open the cap and took a long drink. He should call Elena and let her know he got the doll. He pulled out his cell and punched in her number.
    When she answered, he surprised even himself when he blurted, “The doc says I’m in love.”
    “Rico?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Did you get Violet?”
    “Yes, I got the doll. Did you hear me?”
    “I heard you, but you’re not making any sense. The doctor said you’re in love. Are you seeing a shrink?”
    “No.” He blew out a breath. “I thought I had a heart condition, so I went for a physical. The doc says my heart’s fine and—”
    “You’re in love.”
    “I need advice. She wants nothing to do with me.” Then to butter her up, he added, “I’m asking you first.”
    “Hmph. You should always come to me first. Is it Samantha?”
    “Yeah.”
    “She didn’t go for your romantic date? What’d you end up doing, anyway?”
    “I don’t want to talk about it.”
    “How can I help you if you won’t tell me what you did wrong?”
    He started pacing. “I didn’t do anything wrong! I did everything the guys did in the