Free A Christmas Affair: A Seaside Cove Romance (Seaside Cove Romance Series Book 1) by Cora Davies

was gone. Jeremy followed.
    "You were on Bridget's news spot today?" he asked loudly. Molly ignored him instead and walked over to the two women who were flipping through postcards next to the counter.
    "Just let me know if I can help you find anything," Molly said with a smile. She motioned for Jeremy to follow her to the other side of the room.
    Molly took a deep breath and quickly explained about the Boughmans moving, what that meant for the Dickens Village, and how she had volunteered to be Mrs. Claus.
    "I don't believe it Molly," Jeremy shook his head and spoke loudly. "You know, you whine and bitch about how I moved to the city, and how I don't make the time to come see you. Then I get here, and you are putting something else on your plate. You know, it takes two to make a relationship work, and you aren't even coming close to doing your part."
    "I know it takes two," Molly hissed. "I'm doing my best, but I had to let two of my girls go in the fall when season slowed down. I started putting in many more hours, probably as many as you," she said quietly, hoping Jeremy would follow her lead and lower his voice. She saw her customers looking uncomfortably towards them. 
    "Yeah," he laughed. "Your job here is just as intensive as mine. Sit on your ass all day and gab to your friends. You have no idea how to run a business, and it shows when you can barely keep this place afloat. Then, you go stretch yourself even thinner and go onto this stupid fucking Dickens board." The front door opened as the customers left. "Now you're going to pay someone to run your dead shop so you can go play Mrs. Claus for free?"
    Molly felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to let them spill over. Jeremy was a little right, she was not making a huge effort to go see him. Her job was just as important to her as Jeremy's was to him. But if they were really in love, would they not make the effort?
    Molly let this thought wash over her just as she realized this was just another version of the same argument they had every time they saw each other anymore. "Dickens Village is a tourist boost for the entire town. I make enough in December alone to pay mortgage and utilities for almost the whole winter- and that is after paying my crafters their fees too."
    "And what about a Santa? Kids don't come to see Mrs. Claus, and I doubt anyone is dumb enough to volunteer to be Santa for all those hours. Especially not working next to someone as high strung as you!"
    Jeremy walked to the front door and turned the locks as he flipped her sign over to closed. "Come on," he said grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the storeroom. She dug her feet into the carpet.
    "What are you doing?" she asked feeling angry. How dare he close her shop up an hour early?
    "You don't have any customers now. We're going upstairs," he said, but the emotion in his voice from earlier was gone.
    "Are you kidding me? We're in the middle of an argument," she said stomping her foot. "I'm not going upstairs to have sex with you!"
    "Right here then?" he asked roughly gripping her arm and spinning her around. He pressed against the back of her body, and she could feel his stiffness against the small of her back. "If you want."
    "What the hell are you doing Jeremy?" she asked trying to mask her terror.
    "I'm taking what was promised to me for the past two months. What's mine," Jeremy said hotly against her neck as he reached around and squeezed her breast.
    "Let go of me," she said dropping the mask from her voice and letting her fear through. Jeremy was always rough when it came to sex, but he had never reacted to her like this before.
    "I didn't know you liked playing hard to get," he said kissing her neck. "It's fun when you're mad Mols ." Jeremy emphasized the name Mols, and Molly knew he was not only mad at her, but a little jealous of Jack being here earlier.
    His grasp went from tight to painful, and Molly realized he was not going to stop. She picked her foot up and