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at a distance because now his handsome face was no longer out of focus. She had a full view of the most gorgeous male she’d ever known.
    “This isn’t a good idea, Dash. My life is complicated enough as it is. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t like visiting the past. Frankly, mine hasn’t been very good. If it’s all the same to you, I’d just rather start over.”
    Dash pulled himself out of forbidden mental territory and back to the present. He nodded and took a step away.
    “Okay… I’ll take that no for the moment. Will you help me with the beard before I go out there? If my dark one shows through the white, one of the kids is going to call me on it.”
    Vixen took a deep breath and picked up the Santa beard and attached hat from the chair. Dash bent so she could position it on his head. It brought his mouth within reaching distance of hers. She saw his dawning awareness moments before she covered his face with white. She found the tiny self-stick tabs with nervous fingers and tightened them until the beard molded to Dash’s incredible facial structure. The natural beard he wore looked new, but it only enhanced the thirty year-old version of himself.
    “There. Now you look like a real Santa,” Vixen teased to distract herself.
    Then she sobered when she recalled Nicky’s insistence that his letter get into the real Santa’s hands.
    “Dash…”
    “Yes?” he answered, the beard muffling his lips as he spoke.
    Vixen wavered. Was she really going to dump his son’s heart-wrenching wish on him right at that very moment? Dash had just hinted at them dating again. If she gave him the note now, wouldn’t he think she was doing it because she was interested in the position?
    Her face flamed at the idea of making a fool of herself again… especially with this man. She just couldn’t do it. Ratting out Nicholas Dasher Sleigh Number 3 to his father would have to wait a bit longer.
    Vixen sighed and shrugged. “Nothing, really… I guess I’m glad we talked.”
    “Me too,” Dash said sincerely. He thought he sounded like he had a pillow stuffed in his mouth.
    Vixen laughed at his muffled speech until his face creased into a genuine smile. “Don’t worry. Kids never notice. Gruff is good in a Santa voice.”
    “Says Santa’s too sexy elf with great legs and wonderful diction.”
    “Santas aren’t supposed to be looking at elf legs,” Vixen chastised.
    Dash said something as he walked out the door. She wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly, but was pretty sure he’d said he couldn’t elf himself .
    She snickered thinking about it. He’d had that same dumb sense of humor back when she’d known him in college. It had been part of her attraction to him.
    And if Dash hadn’t been a man on the list of those who had broken her heart, she would have said yes to coffee, to dinner, and to giving him that kiss he’d almost taken without her permission anyway. He hadn’t been the only one wanting to erase the distance between their lips a few minutes ago.
    “You’re being a bad elf, Vixen… a very bad elf,” she whispered.
    Walking out the door to go do her job, she shook her head and sent the jingle bell on her hat ringing.
    ***
    Dash was grateful Vixen had been to his right and out of his line of vision for the majority of their shift. The one time she’d come to rescue a crying baby from him had put his forehead at hip level and his gaze on the naked expanses of thigh above her socks. She was wearing elf booties today instead of the red heels. He was grateful for that concession, or his mouth would have been level with his growing obsession. He was definitely not going to think of Christmas costumes ever again without thinking of her in that elf one, that was for sure.
    Vixen had put out the SANTA IS ON BREAK sign out five children ago and they were finally on their last child. He understood now why Blix had scheduled each Santa and elf pair in short, two-hour stints. Talking to just Nicky