Poles Apart Read Online Free PDF Page B

kept her questions
to Santa, his reindeer, and elves, she’d get the information she needed. Move
them to matters of love and he was in big trouble.
    “Your workshops...?”
    “Ah, yes. They are also in Korvatunturi.
But nobody can go there because all the secrets of Christmas can be found
there.” He tilted his head toward her and lowered his voice. “Do you know why
Santa can hear all the children of the world so well?”
    She shook her head, slower this time.
Niklas watched mesmerized as long, dark tresses swept a contrast over her cream
jersey.
    You’re staring.
    He shifted in his chair and slid his
hands further down the armrests, wrapping his fingers around the wooden end. He
ventured a gaze into those pale blue pools, swallowing hard. “Because Korvatunturi
is shaped like two ears. The name actually means ‘ear fell’.”
    “So you wouldn’t take me there if I
wanted to discover the secrets of Christmas?”
    “No, no, no. It is not possible. It’s a
very secret place. But if you like, I could share the secret of
Christmas with you sometime.”
    What are you doing? Flirting?
    Of course he wasn’t. He was making an
opening to evangelize, that’s all.
    Right...
    Her eyes twinkled as she raised her
brows. “The secret of Christmas? I’d like that. Perhaps we could set up time
outside this venue to talk further. Soon. That very question is integral to my
plot, and I only have a few weeks here to write this story.” She tapped the pen
against her notebook again. “I really don’t have the time to stand in these
queues.”
    Mila stretched, releasing a long groan.
She glanced up at Niklas through lowered eyes, and he patted her. “You want to
go home, girl. Yes. It’s been a long day, I know.” He turned back to his
interviewer. “I hate to be rude, but I do need to take them home. She’s
pregnant and looking for the warmth of her own bed.”
    “Of course. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to
take up this much of your time. Would you mind if I asked you one last
question?”
    “Not at all.”
    She smiled, clearly satisfied with how
this was going. “You’re reported to be a very popular man. How many letters do
you receive in a year?”
    “Around five to seven hundred thousand
from about one hundred and sixty countries.”
    The look on her face as she jotted down
the figure and some notes told Niklas she was suitably impressed. She closed
her journal.
    Niklas rose as she did.
    Bending down in front of Mila and Risto,
she gave them each a good scratch. “Nice dogs.” She pushed herself up and
stared at Niklas. “Does Santa have a cell phone, so I can call to make
arrangements for us to continue this conversation? Out of office hours, of
course.”
    He’d have to give her his personal
number. For the next few weeks his usual ‘Niklas Toivonen’ wouldn’t do. Maybe just a
long ‘Helloooo’?
    He slid the pen from her grasp and
lifted her hand. “Do you mind?”
    “No.”
    He wrote on top, +36703112599 Nick ,
and then handed back the pen, unable to pull his gaze from hers.
    The first to look away, she slipped her
hand from his fingers. “I’ll be in touch, Mr. Claus.”
    Niklas raised his hands. “No Christmas
wish on Santa’s knee before you leave?”
    For a moment her eyes narrowed. “I’ll
pass on the knee. As for the wish, how about a completed novel by New Year’s
Day?”
    “I can do that. Books are one of the top
requests Santa receives. But, I am disappointed—most requests come to me when
the person’s on my knee. What about a hug, then? Santa always gets lots and
lots of hugs.” Was he really resorting to shameless begging?
    A smile touched her lips. “Good night,
Mr. Claus.” Shaking her head, she exited his office leaving him alone and at
the mercy of a number penned on her skin.
    “Remember to be good,” he called after
her before sinking back into the large chair. The urge to see this woman again
overwhelmed him. However, unless she called, he’d never know who she was