#miracle creek christmas

[vanillahigh00]

WIP Wednesday

Thank you for the tag, my dear friend @hippolotamus!

A little more Searching for you!

David looked up, finding Patrick’s earnest eyes focused right in his direction. There was a softness in his warm, honey brown irises that David wanted to curl up into. A wide smile featuring these slight wrinkles at the corner of his mouth that David imagined kissing every morning. He looked relaxed and somehow attractive than David had ever seen. He looked happy, like he didn’t have a care in the world. Maybe he and Rachel made love this morning. David imagined he might look like that if he fucked the love of his life before starting the workday. Hell, he might consider becoming a morning person for the right person. A person standing maybe six feet in front of him. 

The site of the recycled cardboard drink tray brought him back to reality. “Oh, thank God. I was wondering how much longer you were going to be.” David retrieved the bag, securing it in his hands. “Did you literally take these out of the oven?”

“Twyla took them out just as I walked in.” 

David peeked inside the folded wax paper parcel. “Oh my God? Did you get all the muffins? I could kiss you right now.” David glanced up, finding a visible blush running down Patrick’s neck, likely matching the warmth on his own cheeks. Sometimes he just needed a filter. Patrick likely knew he was kidding, but still David knew he shouldn’t joke around about kissing your straight, engaged to be married business partner. “Not that I would kiss you.” David clarified, flailing around his hands around before scooping out a Chocolate Chip muffin.

The grin on Patrick’s face disappeared into something blank, unreadable even. Maybe confusion? It couldn’t be disappointment. Patrick said no ten years ago. Nothing changed. Rachel was still part of the equation and he sure as hell would not be the reason those two didn’t make it to the altar.

Tagging anyone that I am not sure if they have been tagged, but just in case anyone has anything to share from any fandom: @designatedgrape @themelancholyvegetable @simplymarleycat

@edie4711 @simplythebexx @cheesecurdsgravyandfries @chelle-68

@ohhhelloyou @seadeepy

[cevansbrat0007]

Cross-Country Christmas

Summary: When Ari is left stranded at the airport on Christmas Eve, you find yourself in need of a little holiday miracle...

Warnings: Light Angst, Mature Themes, Angst, Ari Being A Menace, Holiday Themes, Smut, Arguments, Oral Sex (fem rec), Spanking (mentioned), Pet Names, Cursing, Violent Thoughts, Minors DNI

A/N: Full story! Part of my Sweet Renegades Series. Semi-proofread, not beta'd. All mistakes are my own. Likes, comments, and reblogs are always appreciated. Thanks for reading!

2:00pm, Christmas Eve – Bell’s Creek, Texas

You couldn’t believe this was happening. After spending the last several days out of town with his family, Ari had been due to fly back to Bell’s Creek tonight so that the two of you could spend the holiday together. 

Your first Christmas as a couple. 

But that was before the surprise arrival of the severe winter storm that was currently sweeping through the Midwest, resulting in numerous canceled flights that had left thousands stranded across the country – including your handsome Bounty Hunter.

“Are they at least trying to get you on another flight, or are you just shit out of luck?” Putting the phone on speaker, you set it on the counter so that you can go back to rolling out more dough for your next pie.

“Well, the airline is being a little evasive.” Ari admits, blowing out a heavy breath. You can practically hear him raking an agitated hand through his chestnut locks. “But with this storm comin’ in, I’m gettin’ the sense that I’m most likely fucked until tomorrow. Maybe a little longer.” 

“This is exactly why you should’ve just stayed at your sister’s place.” You sniffle, blinking away tears as you wield your rolling pin with a touch more force than necessary. 

“Bird.” You can tell he’s doing his best to keep hold of his patience. 

“Oh, don’t “Bird” me.”  

“Bird.” This time your name is spoken with a slightly more authoritative note. It’s one that your body recognizes almost immediately. “Please don’t start with me, okay? I’m not in the mood.”

Too bad you weren’t neccessarily in the mood to obey today. 

“I’m just saying.” You continue, feeling more pissed at mother nature than anything else. “If you would’ve stayed with Evelyn and the kids at least you would’ve been able to be with your family on Christmas.” You toss the pin in the sink, wincing at the loud clatter it makes. “Now you’ll probably be stuck all alone, sleeping with a bunch of grumpy strangers at the flippin’ airport!”    

“That’s enough of the sass, baby.” Ari grunts. 

“It’s not sass if it’s the truth, Ari.” You hum, peering over at the apples you’ve got soaking in a bowl filled with 7-Up. 

“Sweetheart.” The soft rebuke rolls easily off his tongue. “I made a promise to spend Christmas Day with you – all wrapped up in you – and it’s one I intend to keep. Somehow.” He tacks on the last bit, which unknowingly brings a smile to your lips. 

“At this rate, you’re gonna be spending at least part of the holiday sleeping at your gate.” 

“Fuck.” He curses under his breath. 

“Want me to call the airline, sugar?” You ask as you go to rest your elbows on the counter so you can attempt to stretch the muscles in your lower back. “See if I can fight with ‘em enough so they at least put you up in a nice hotel so that you can get a good night’s rest?”  

“Nah, baby. They got me on standby and all that. I’m trying to get away from this shithole as soon as possible.” While you appreciated his determination, not even your big, bad Bounty Hunter could beat a snowstorm. 

“Hey! Omaha is not a shithole.” You chuckle, feeling a little defensive on behalf of a city you’d never visited. “I looked ‘em up. They’ve got some amazing museums.” You fish an apple slice out of the bowl and pop it into your mouth, chewing slowly. “I could have a good time in a place like that.” 

“Then get your pretty ass down here already and we’ll take every goddamned tour they’ve got.”

“Would if I could, Beast.” You find yourself squeezing your eyes shut to keep the tears at bay. “I’d give anything to have you back in Bell’s Creek with me. I miss you taking up all the space in my tiny kitchen while you help yourself to my treats.” 

“I know. I promise I’ll get there. Just do me a favor and don’t start looking for my replacement just yet, okay?”

Your stomach dips when you realize he’s about to say goodbye. Which is fine because you also still had a ton of baking to do. And while you still weren’t quite sure if you were going to follow through with your original Christmas Day dinner plans, the last thing you wanted was for Ari to hear you crying at the unfairness of it all over the phone. 

It would only make him feel worse than he already did. 

“I’m not sure if anyone could ever replace you, not that I would ever try.” You tell him honestly. “I love you too much.”

“Damn right you do.” Comes your man’s rich, self-assured reply. “No better feeling in the world than being loved by my Duchess.” The warmth in his tone has butterflies stirring in your belly. 

They were the good kind of butterflies – the ones only Ari could cause.

“Go get some food and then call me in a bit.” You glance at the clock to check the time. At 2:06pm, there was no way that all hope was lost just yet. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll be an update.”

“Sure thing, baby. But the same goes for you. And don’t just snack – eat something real for me.” His bossy tone has your pulse kicking up. 

“You didn’t say please.” Your hand goes to cover your mouth as you tamp down a playful giggle.

“Mmm.” Ari groans as he moves to stretch out the kinks in his back. At least that was what you imagined he was doing. “Could you please do me a kindness and keep feeding those curves? I reckon I’m gonna need a little taste of something sweet when I walk through that front door. You with me?”

“I–I’m with you.” You stammer slightly, your mouth suddenly dry. Another effect that man seemed to have on you. “And I promise I’ll eat. Now hang up with me and go make some friends or something.”

“Thank you, sweet girl. But we’ve been over this, and I’m pretty sure you’re the only friend I need.” He quips rather smugly, his voice deepening ever so slightly. 

“Ari…” This had the makings of one of the older, more ridiculous arguments you’d had written all over it. 

“Because the way I see it, we’re best friends.” He continues almost as if you hadn’t spoken. “What with all of the sleepovers, and the hair braiding, and don’t get me started on how many times you’ve kept me up late so you could make sure I’ve had my fill of all that sweetness you’ve got between –”

“Okay, okay, okay!” You cut him off with a hiss, not missing the way he laughs. “Fine, we can be best friends as long as you work on getting your cute butt home to me before Christmas, alright?” 

“Yes, Duchess.” He finally replies after taking some time to collect himself. “You have my word I’ll keep working on that too. Just hold tight and I’ll be in touch with an update as soon as I have one.”

“Thank you, Beast. I’ll, uh, talk to you soon.”

“You can count on it.” Is all he says before the line goes dead, leaving you alone with your thoughts once more. 

If Ari couldn’t make it back for Christmas, you would be devastated. Here you were, finally feeling safe in a secure and loving relationship, and now there was a strong possibility that you both might be forced to celebrate the holiday hundreds of miles apart from each other. 

“God, I can feel a headache coming on.” You mumble as your fingers go to massage your temples. 

8:30am, Christmas Day - Bell’s Creek, Texas

“I promise I’ll be fine, Beast.” Drying your tears, you crumble up your tissues in your fist before discarding them in favor of taking a sip of your coffee. “Like you just said, there’ll be other holidays. And certainly other Christmases.”

Ari was still stuck in Omaha. And while you had suspected this call was coming, you hadn’t been prepared for how much the disappointment would affect you.

By all accounts, your Bounty Hunter appeared to be in good spirits, albeit a little tired. He was still on standby, even though all flights were still grounded indefinitely. But you’d at least been happy to hear that he’d somehow managed to catch a few hours of sleep. 

Not only that, but he’d also made a new friend in some guy named Clint. They apparently had a number of things in common, with the most important being that they’d both served overseas. Ari had also alluded to his new buddy being in law enforcement as well. 

But if you were being honest, you’d been so focused on trying to sound positive that you hadn’t quite been able to focus on his words as much as you would’ve liked. Thankfully, Ari seemed keen on having a conversation – even if it came across a bit one-sided.

“The airline keeps offering to put us up for the night. Anyone who accepts will be guaranteed a spot on one of the first flights out.” Ari coughs softly before continuing. “However, if you’re willing to wait a little bit there’s talk about them sweetening the deal with some sort of voucher or somethin’, plus miles and all that shit.” 

“Oh?” Is all you can manage, forcing yourself to take another pull of your now lukewarm coffee.

“Yeah. So, Clint and I were thinking…” He trails off, briefly leaning away from the receiver to comment on something you couldn’t see.

“You two were thinking…what?” Your next sip of coffee tastes surprisingly bitter on your tongue. Maybe you should dump out the pot and brew a fresh one. 

“That we should take ‘em up on their offer and just ride this storm out. We take the points, get the voucher, and then maybe in a month or two, we go on a vacation together somewhere nice.” 

“You and Clint?!” You screech, accidentally knocking over your mug in the process. “Shit!” You scramble out of your chair to grab a dish towel and hurriedly mop up the mess. 

“Hate to break it to ya, baby, but Clint’s not really my type.” The Bounty Hunter chuckles into the phone. “I was talking about me and you, Bird. We can pick a destination and have ourselves a holiday do-over.”

A beat goes by before you respond the only way that makes any real, logical sense. Even though it seems to take every last bit of your resolve.  

“Okay.” Your voice comes out small and resigned. 

“Aw now, don’t fret. I’ll be home soon.” Ari does his best to reassure you. “And once I’m back, we will spend every waking minute making up for lost time. You have my word.”

Well, when he put it like that…

“I guess we can hold off for a little while longer.” You sniff, wishing you could just go back to bed and sleep until tomorrow. “But you had better keep your promise, Beast. Otherwise I’m gonna have to track down Santa and ask him for a new man.��� 

Your half-hearted attempt at humor elicits a short bark of laughter from Ari which, in turn, makes you smile as well. Sometimes pushing his buttons a little managed to bring joy to your life. 

“Try it, sweet Bird, and I’m telling you right now that I’ll have you in my truck and over my knee before you make it outta the next county.” Comes his gruff response, clearly not enjoying the image of you hanging off another fella’s arm. 

You know without asking that he’s probably not kidding – so you decide to leave it alone. If he wanted to thump his chest a little, then you’d let him. 

“It was a joke.” You amend when the line falls silent. Standing, you pad towards the fridge on bare feet, stopping once you reach the doors. Yanking one open, you survey the contents, silently wondering if you could even be bothered enough to cook today. 

Granted, the spiral cut ham you’d purchased from the butcher wouldn’t take very long in the oven. All you had to do now was throw together the glaze and it would be ready to do its thing. Plus, you’d already baked the pies yesterday, which meant that all that was left for the day was the cake.   

“Joking about my replacement isn’t funny.” Ari growls, the sound rumbling from somewhere deep in his chest. “Especially when I can’t be there in person to plead my case.” 

You blow out a frustrated breath at the same time as you roll your eyes. Couldn’t he understand that you needed to make yourself laugh now and then in order to keep from crying? What was so wrong about that?

“I just said I was kidding. But if you wanna plead your case to someone, plead it to your new friend, Clint. See what he says.” The words tumble out faster than you can stop them. 

Now you could feel your sadness slowly giving way to anger. Not at Ari or his newfound airport buddy, but at the situation as a whole. Which meant it was time to get off the phone before you said something you would later regret.

“And just what’s that supposed to mean, Duchess?”

“It’s – nothing.” You clamp your mouth shut and close the fridge, all the while trying to keep the tears at bay.

“Because if I had my way, I’d be there with you right now so we could have this stupid argument in person. You gotta know that.”

“I know.”  

“Do you, sweetness?”

“Yes, I do.” You respond a touch more firmly, scrubbing your eyes with the heel of your palm. “I just hate this. I hate that it’s Christmas, and that you’re stuck all alone in Omaha and I’m here. But I don’t wanna fight with you, Beast. Not really. I just miss you.”

“So then let’s not fight.” His soft plea makes you sniffle. “I’m gonna go figure out how all this hotel bullshit works and get myself settled in. In the meantime, I want you to go take yourself a nice hot shower and just relax. I’ll call you later, okay?” 

For a moment, you allow the gentle warmth of his voice to wash over you. If you closed your eyes it was almost like you could pretend he was with you now. As if he was only seconds away from wrapping his brawny arms your waist and hauling you close. 

A tear rolls down your cheek as you imagine him burying his face in the crook of your neck, planting tiny kisses along your sensitive flesh until he had you giggling and squirming in his grasp. 

“Bird?”

The sound of your nickname jolts you from your reverie, reminding you that it was time to say goodbye. At least for a little while. Good Lord, when had you become so needy for this man? It must’ve happened when you weren’t paying attention. 

“Goodbye, Ari.” You whisper before using your thumb to end the call.

Setting your phone on the counte do a quick spin, silently taking stock of everything you still had to do. If you started cooking relatively soon, you’d be able to occupy yourself until mid-afternoon. And then you would take a shower, and while you were busy doing that you would figure out your next move.

You’re sitting in a chair that isn’t yours with your arms propped up on a desk that doesn’t belong to you while your chin rests on your palm. Instead of spending the afternoon moping, you’d decided to bring a little holiday cheer to your local boys in blue in the form of a home cooked Christmas dinner.  

“Glad you like everything.” You say for what feels like the umpteenth time as you watch Bell’s Creek’s newest Deputy, Milton Foster, happily devour his second helping of macaroni and cheese. 

A few days ago, you would never have imagined that this would be how you would spend your Christmas Day. But, as they say, beggars couldn’t be choosers. So, it was either enjoy a front row seat to watch Milton wolf down his food at an almost alarming speed, or you could go home and maybe watch a Christmas special on TV. 

Alone. By yourself. Yeah, no thanks.  

“Yep.” Milton grunts once he finally comes up for air. He manages a sip of his drink before diving back in for a slice of glazed ham, stabbing it with his fork and shoveling it into his mouth. “Looks like Levinson’s loss is my gain. Sorry buddy.” 

The words are spoken through a mouthful of food, but you understand them just fine. But just because Milton was arguably your favorite member of the town’s police force didn’t mean he was above pricking your temper every now and again. 

And today you were feeling mighty prickly. 

“Another crack like that and no pie for you.” That stops him cold, his sharp gray eyes immediately zeroing-in on the whole cherry pie you’d decided to bring along as dessert. 

“My apologies.” He beats a hasty retreat, using his fist to muffle a burp. “You know I was only kiddin’. I’m just happy I don’t have to subject myself to another year of Ma’s Christmas Tuna Casserole.” He shudders playfully. “I don’t think I coulda’ handled that one.”

“Yikes.” You mutter before pushing away from the desk to stretch your legs.     

“Yeah, it’s a hard-knock life.” He offers you a smile before wiping at his face with a napkin. “You sure you’re not hungry? I know the man’s not here, but I doubt he’d like the idea of me sittin’ here stuffin’ my face while you nurse a Diet Coke.”

“Eh,” you shrug. “He knows how I am. After tasting and smelling everything for hours on end, I’m not typically all that hungry.”

Which was one of the reasons your Beast liked to take it upon himself to help you work up an appetite – usually by stripping down and fucking you senseless. But Deputy Milton didn’t need to know all of that. 

“Hm. More for me I guess.” He hums, snagging another freshly buttered dinner roll.

“Yep.” The word is spoken like an airy sigh. “More for you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I need to go find the ladies room.” You rise to your feet and polish off your beverage before tossing it in the trash. “Be back in a jiff.” 

Forty Minutes Later…

The drive from the station back to your place feels surprisingly short. Loneliness weighs on you like a heavy blanket as you pull into the driveway and kill the engine. Groaning, you let your head collide against the steering wheel with a dull thunk.

As much as you didn’t want to go inside, you knew you couldn’t linger out here in your car forever. It was much too cold for an extended outdoor moping session. You’d probably catch frostbite halfway through. 

You briefly debate giving Ari a call. Other than exchanging a few text messages here and there, you hadn’t heard from him since this morning. The thought of him being upset with you on Christmas just didn’t sit right.

Maybe you’d call him later, after you’d put the food away and gotten ready for bed. Perhaps you’d even convince him to FaceTime with you so that you could enjoy teasing him while nibbling on a slice of the red velvet cake you’d baked especially for him. 

Yes, that was the new plan. But first, you had to get out of the car. Grabbing your purse, you duck out the driver’s side door and make a mad dash up your walkway. It’s so cold that your teeth are already chattering by the time you finally fish your keys out of your bag to let yourself in.

First, you had work to do. And then you would check-in with your man just to make sure that all was right with your world. 

8:30pm, Christmas Day – Bell’s Creek, Texas

Glass of wine in hand, you plop down on your living room couch with a defeated huff. You’d just tried Ari a few minutes ago while standing in the kitchen, wearing nothing but your new lacy, red chemise and matching thong you’d purchased just for tonight.

Because you’d known how much Ari would like it. 

Except your Bounty Hunter hadn’t answered. Instead, it had gone straight to voicemail both times. Even if he was still pissed at you, you were confident that he would’ve answered. The only reason he would’ve ignored you was if–

Just then your phone dings, alerting you of a new text message. Reaching into the pocket of your robe, you’re elated when you see Ari’s name flash across the screen. But your hopes are soon dashed the moment you read the words written on the screen.

“Hey. Out with Clint. We’ll talk in a bit.” 

For a second you’re almost too stunned to speak. Were you really playing second fiddle to a man he’d just met? And all because you’d been a little snippy with him this morning? No. That couldn’t be right. 

Your bottom lip begins to tremble as you hastily type out the words: “I miss you.” And it only gets worse when he responds with a simple thumbs up emoji. That fucking bastard!

“Oh fuck you, Ari Levinson. And you too, Clint!” You snarl, snagging your wine and angrily gulping it down. “I’m sure you both will be very happy in Omaha. Where you can fucking stay. Forever!”

Now thoroughly pissed, you stomp your way back into the kitchen to fetch the bottle you’d left behind before returning determined to find something on television. So you could ignore the fact that your heart was breaking. 

On fucking Christmas Day.

After a few minutes, you settle on the live action version of A Muppet Christmas Carol. And then you grab a blanket and snuggle up. You’d deal with all of this later. Preferably after your second glass of wine. 

Hell, you might even need a third to convince yourself that murder was not the acceptable way to handle these kinds of problems in a relationship. Perhaps you’d simply pour a little sugar in the tank of his truck and see how that made you feel. 

Sure, you were probably being petty. But seeing as you’d been on an emotional roller coaster for the better part of two days, you were more than ready to hop the hell off this ride. Ari could stay put for all you cared. 

Anger aside, there was no denying the fact that you were absolutely crushed. With that in mind, you decide that you’re not answering whenever Ari finally found the time and inclination to call you back. If he was busy, then you would be too.

You finish off your vino before snuggling even deeper under your blanket. It was officially time for you to go to bed. And when you woke up tomorrow, hopefully all of this would be nothing more than a bad dream.  

And if it wasn’t, then you might find yourself asking the Lord for forgiveness after you let the air out of one of your man’s precious tires.

10:45pm, Christmas Day – Bell’s Creek, Texas

“Wake up, little Bird.” 

A faint brush of lips along your cheek has your eyes slowly fluttering open as your body fights through the last vestiges of sleep. You weren’t sure what had woken you up. Hell, you didn’t even know what time it was. 

You take a moment to stretch before sitting up to reach for your phone. Squinting, you scroll through the handful of last minute messages you’d received from a couple of friends during your nap. But unfortunately there’s still nothing from the one person you’d been hoping to hear from the most. 

Ari.

Your eyes stray to the TV and you’re confused when you see the black screen staring back at you. Now that was strange. Maybe you drank a little more wine than you thought. 

You curiously examine the still half-full bottle sitting on your coffee table with so much focus that you almost miss the notes of Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song filtering into your living room.

It was your favorite song, but the last time you checked, it had not been set to autoplay. Which meant someone was in your house.

“Hello?” You call as you rise to your feet, stepping over your blanket as it falls to the floor. Your hands come up to rub your arms in an effort to ward off the slight chill in the air. 

The warm scent of spiced cinnamon apples fills your nostrils and delights your senses as you round the corner and scurry into the kitchen. Your legs don’t stop moving until you’re standing mere feet away from the one man who seemed to rent space in your mind from sunup to sundown. 

Ari Levinson. 

He’s standing there in your kitchen wearing a pair of dark blue denim jeans and a slate gray thermal, eagerly helping himself to an impressive slice of red velvet cake. He smiles at you through a mouthful of dessert, and it’s impossible to miss the way his sparkling blue eyes darken once he gets a good look at the red silk robe that matched your holiday lingerie. 

“I don’t believe it. Y–you’re home.” You breathe as one of your hands flies to your chest, seeking to calm your increasingly erratic heartbeat. “But–but how?” Clearly, forming coherent sentences wasn’t your strong suit right now.

“I made my woman a promise.” Ari shrugs, setting his now empty plate aside. “And like I told you, I aimed to see it through. That cake is fucking fantastic by the way.”

“You managed to catch a flight?” You’re so convinced that he might disappear again that you’re almost afraid to drink. 

“Nah. Clint and I decided to rent a truck and brave the elements in favor of a little cross-country road trip.” He leans back against the counter, as if bracing himself for your response. And you sure as shit aren’t the type to disappoint. 

“Through a flippin’ blizzard?!” You squeal, gripping your face in your hands. “Jesus H. Christ, Beast! Are you insane?!” 

“Clearly.” His grin quickly fades into a grimace when you let out another scream as you flail your arms wide. 

“I can’t believe you did this!” You tell him as you feel hot tears wet your cheeks. “I can’t believe you–you…you’re here on Christmas.” The words come tumbling out as the dam breaks. 

“Bird…” 

Ari reaches for you then, although you’re quick to bat his hands away in favor of throwing your arms around his neck and hauling him close. At a loss for what else to do, one of his heavy palms comes to rest on your lower back, rubbing in small, soothing circles while you busy yourself with sobbing into his broad chest.

“Breathe, baby. There we go.” He coos softly, waiting patiently for you to pull away long enough for him to get a good look at your tear stained face. 

“I’m so happy you’re home.” You hiccup, using his thermal to dry your eyes. “But I’m also really mad at you for putting yourself in danger like that. You and Clint.” You quickly amend, offering him a watery smile. “You could’ve died, and then I would’ve had to kill you.”

You weren’t joking. You’d been experiencing a variety of violent thoughts lately. 

“Is that right?” Ari wraps your arms around his neck again as you two begin to sway to the beat of the music playing in the background. “Well, I’ll make sure to pass that on.” 

“Please do.” You murmur as you rest your ear on his chest, content to listen to the sound of his heartbeat. “Was it a long drive?” You allow your eyes to fall closed as you wait for him to respond. Regardless of his answer, you’re determined to keep your calm. 

“Eh, about ten hours or so.” He hums, dipping your bodies in time with the song. “Give or take. But the weather got much better around the middle of Kansas. We took our time. We were careful. In fact, Clint’s still out there.”

“Oh God, why?”

“He’s headed to Louisiana. Something about needing to track down an old friend named Nat.” He presses a sweet kiss to your forehead before pushing you away so that he can twirl you around. “But enough about him. I missed you, Bird.” He briefly pauses your dance before bringing your knuckles to his mouth, making you melt.

“Yeah?” You purr, rising on your toes to nip at his jaw. “I missed you too. That’s why I’m wearing one of your Christmas presents. I was gonna show it to you on FaceTime, but you didn’t answer.”

Apparently because he’d been too busy driving across the country at the time. Who would’ve thought?

“This all for me?” His hands go to the belt of your robe, deftly undoing the knot. Once free, you give a little shimmy, content to let the robe pool on the floor at your bare feet. “Oh, yes the fuck it is.” The silky timbre of his voice has you soaking your panties.

As if they weren’t already ruined. 

“Merry Christmas.” Planting your hands on either side of his bearded jaw, you draw him down until your lips meet his. Groaning, your Bounty Hunter wastes almost no time deepening the kiss, his expert tongue sweeping past your defenses to duel with your own. 

God, he tasted so good. Like spearmint and coffee on a cold winter’s night. You honestly had no idea just how much you'd truly needed this man.

“Next time your sexy ass is comin’ with me.” Ari snarls, breaking the kiss to lightly tug at your bottom lip with his teeth. “Was gonna lose my mind if I had to go another day without this.”

“Okay, Beast.” You whimper when he sharply smacks your ass. “Whatever you say.” Right now, this man had no idea just how close you were to giving him whatever he wanted. All he had to do was ask. “Oooh!” You jolt when he delivers another blow. “Yes, baby. More!”

You’re rewarded with yet another delicious spank, which goes straight to your already aching clit. It was taking everything in you not to reach between your thighs and touch your dripping pussy.

But you refuse to give in, knowing that your man would want that privilege all for himself. 

“Mine.” He rasps, his tone taking on an almost feral quality as his calloused palms go to cup your heavy breasts through the thin fabric of your teddy. “Missed these perfect fuckin’ tits.” That’s your only warning before he grips the front of your garment and tearing it in two like it was nothing.

“Ari!” You gasp, arching your back when your man leans down to capture a pouting nipple into his warm, wet mouth. He sucks hard, using his tongue to tease the sensitive flesh. “Ungh!” You squirm in his grasp as long fingers dig into your hips to hold you in place for his sensual assault. 

Eventually, he releases you with a slight pop, just as his hands fall away from your hips. “Hope you’re ready, baby. Cuz’ I ain’t lettin’ you outta bed until New Year’s.” His roguish grin has a fresh tendril of heat unfurling in your belly. “Maybe later.”

“You’re all talk.” You giggle, slowly backing away as Ari continues to stalk towards you, using his muscular body to his advantage. 

“Nah.” He shrugs, his grin growing impossibly wider when your ass connects with your dining room table. “I can’t wait to lose myself between those thick thighs. Want you to fuckin’ suffocate me, baby.” 

Your Bounty Hunter drops to his knees in front you before burying his nose in your panty covered pussy and inhaling deeply. You feel your legs begin to quiver when he does it again, a soft cry escapes your lips when you feel his sharp teeth graze over the outline of your swollen clit.

“Need you to fuckin’ drown me while eat this pretty cunt.” Ari growls, delicately nipping at your inner thigh. “Swear I fuckin' see God every time I get you to sit on my face. That's how divine you taste.” 

“Oh!” You whine as he nuzzles his nose against the swollen bundle of nerves, making your core spasm. 

“But first, I’m gonna fuck you.” He places one last open-mouthed kiss on your mound before standing up and spinning you around in one blended motion. You cry out when your hands slap against the cool wooden surface. “Teach you a lesson for all the sass you fed me earlier today.”

On a growl, Ari makes quick work of his jeans, shoving them down his hair covered thighs along with his boxers almost faster than you can blink. 

“I’m so sorry, Beast…” You moan, offering up your stinging rump for another smack. Thankfully, Ari is more than happy to oblige. “Please…please...” Next thing you know, your thong has joined the rest of your ruined lingerie, putting your weeping cunt on display.

You let out a harsh gasp when you feel his hard, fat cock enter you in one swift thrust. Not wanting to wake the entire neighborhood with your screams, you find yourself biting down on your fist to keep yourself quiet. 

Ari takes a moment to readjust his position, spreading his legs so that he can go deeper, get a  better angle. He loves the way you sob for him, the needy little sounds you make while he fucks the shit out of your greedy little pussy. 

His hips snap in time with the music as your sweat-slick flesh connects again and again – driving you both closer to the brink. Your passion-filled cries fill the room as Ari somehow finds a way to go even deeper, giving it to you so good you know you’re gonna feel him inside you for days. 

Just the way you liked it. 

“Best Christmas ever, Duchess.” Your man grips the front of your throat, holding you in place while he uses you the way he needs to. God, he made you feel so good. Even when he had you ready to pull your hair out, he still had this way about him that made almost everything feel infinitely better.

“Best-oh God! More!” You cry out, your eyes rolling in the back of your head when he spanks your pussy with a measured flick of his wrist. This man wanted you to see stars, and he was more than up to the challenge. “Oh Jesus - f–fuck yeah!”

“There we go, sweetheart.” Ari purrs as his thrusts become a little more erratic. “Now how ‘bout we see how many times I can fill you up before the clock strikes midnight?”

“I–ooh!” You open your mouth to respond, only to let out a small shriek when he administers another wet smack.

“Huh.” He chuckles, leaving a trail of kisses along the curve of your throat. “Guess I’ll just have to take that as a yes.”

END

Unofficial Tag List

@katymae12344

@daykrisr99

@identity2212

@hisredheadedgoddess28

@blackhawkfanatic

@jamneuromain

@queerqueenlynn

@pono-pura-vida

@daykrisr999

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

3rd POV-Peeta Masterlist (2)

Part 1 /

Created: February 18th, 2024

Last Checked:--

Food Comas-mellarked-katnisseverdeen (tumblr) Summary: Post MJ Canon Thanksgiving food comas with Peeta and his family.

Frosted Glass-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Peeta wakes up to an empty bed, but Katniss is in the shower.

Full-Mollywog (ao3) Summary: She’d prepared stew for dinner and between them they’d devoured the whole thing. He had felt fine when he fell asleep, but only hours later, he’d woken to a gnawing emptiness in his stomach. A growth spurt is the only explanation. He was far from starving, the rational part of his brain knew that, but the hunger and darkness of the room, paired with the acrid taste in his mouth triggered a memory of the early days of his Capital imprisonment. The air in the room became constrictive, his breathing turned shallow. He looked over to Katniss, greatful to find her peacefully sleeping on the other side of the bed. He needed to get out of there.

I Don't Want to Wait-Abagail_Snow (ao3) Summary: Peeta Mellark has been in love with Katniss Everdeen, the girl across the creek, for as long as he can remember, but her heart seems to belong to Gale Hawthorne, her best friend since childhood. How can a guy compete? A Dawson's Creek crossover fic.

I Love To Hate You-Diana_Flynn (ao3) Summary: Peeta Mellark can't wait to start his new movie with esteemed director Haymitch Abernathy. That all changes when he learns who the lead actress is - Katniss Everdeen, the woman he hates. For PiP.

i saved you a piece-Word_Addict (ao3) Summary: Post Mockingjay, Peeta bakes bread and reflects on life.

I'm so tired, Katniss-oakfarmer (ao3) Summary: Growing back together through a series of naps

Masquerade-purple_cube (ao3) Summary: "I just want to see what it’s like to be completely anonymous, if only for a few hours."

My House Is Ours-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: When Peeta’s childhood friend Katniss can’t stay in her home over the winter holidays, he offers his guest room for her comfort. He’s been in love with her for as long as he can remember, but it’s partaking in the holiday traditions that finally gives him the opportunity for a Christmas miracle.

Poison and Venom-78bathsheba (ao3) Summary: If she is poison, he'll gladly drink his fill and die of her.

[sweatersinthesummer]

Winter fic roundup

Well, considering I live in a place that barely has a winter, it's a miracle I even have any to list here! Thank goodness for holiday fests.

Stickers of old men and a thousand yen (Schitt's Creek) not gonna lie, the title of this is one of my favorite things i've ever written.

The birthday kiss between David and Patrick didn't happen, and now it's Christmas. What are they going to do when they draw each other in the town Secret Santa gift exchange?

As long as you love me so (Check Please) oh hey I wrote something! A Zimbits future fic.

It's the first Christmas since Jack retired, and it's not going as smoothly as he'd hoped it would.

[Podfic] Merry Christmas, I'm Yours (Check Please) this fic by @doggernaut is so so so good, I beg you to read it or listen. It's so lovely and angsty with a happy ending.

It takes Jack only a couple months after graduation to realize he's in love with Bitty.

It takes him almost 20 years to actually do something about it.

(Or, five Christmases Jack and Bitty spend together.)

[Podfic] snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes (Schitt's Creek) A little wintery bit of fluff.

david slips on a patch of ice and falls in the snow outside the store. patrick comes outside to comfort (and tease) him as he sulks.

The Call of Sweet Things [PODFIC] (in progress) (Harry Potter)

Draco's happy with his quiet, lonely life in Woolbury, spending his days working at Pen Pals and keeping his already tidy flat spotless. But when Harry Potter shows up with pink hair and secrets about his magic, Draco’s carefully upheld balance falls apart. He doesn’t quite know how he ends up decorating Harry's cottage, drinking unreasonable amounts of cocoa, and laughing more than he’s laughed in years, but it's Christmas, after all– and he finally has a chance to set things right.

All I Want For Christmas (Is For You To Stop Talking) [PODFIC] (Harry Potter)

The Niffler's Garden is the most prestigious wizarding nursery school in England and has been for the last century or more. Harry Potter's boys are both enrolled as pupils at the Garden. When he volunteers to assist with the Yule pageant, he has no idea that he'll be working closely with another parent, Draco Malfoy. Although they haven't seen each other much since their own school days, Harry faults Malfoy for not being a hands-on dad to little Scorpius. Will the intense weeks of preparation fan the fires of enmity or something else entirely?

Thanks for tagging me, @doggernaut! Who else wrote some winter fics? Post 'em!

[newvegasdyke]

Unbelievably lucky!! That man was one day away from being a missing persons cold case!

[kelleep]

A Christmas Miracle Comes for Trudy Kockenlocker

Many a cinephile enjoy debating what films merit the definition for a holiday movie. Ever since Preston Sturges directed THE MIRACLE of MORGAN’S CREEK (1944), the controversy surrounding the film was less focused on whether it’s a Christmas movie, but more on the shock that it ever passed the production code under Breen’s watchful eyes. Written and directed by the king of screwball comedies,…

[timelesstimesgoneby]

EPISODE

Season 1

DISC 1

S01E01 movie pilot Little House on the Prairie 1970

S01E02 A Harvest of Friends 1970

S01E03 Country Girls 1970

S01E04 100 Mile Walk 1970

DISC 2

S01E05 Mr. Edwards' Homecoming 1970

S01E06 The Love of Johnny Johnson 1970

S01E07 If I Should Wake Before I Die 1970

S01E08 Town Party, Country Party 1970

DISC 3

S01E09 Ma's Holiday 1970

S01E10 School Mom 1970

S01E11 The Raccoon 1970

S01E12 The Voice of Tinker Jones 1970

DISC 4

S01E13 The Award 1970

S01E14 The Lord Is My Shepherd (120 min) 1970

S01E15 Christmas at Plum Creek 1970

DISC 5

S01E16 Family Quarrel 1970

S01E17 Doctor's Lady 1970

S01E18 Plague 1970

S01E19 Circus Man 1970

S01E20 Child of Pain 1970

DISC 6

S01E21 Money Crop 1970

S01E22 Survival 1970

S01E23 To See the World 1970

S01E24 Founder's Day 1970

Season 2

DISC 1

S02E01 The Richest Man in Walnut Grove 1970

S02E02 Four Eyes 1970

S02E03 Ebenezer Sprague 1970

S02E04 In the Big Inning 1970

DISC 2

S02E05 Haunted House 1970

S02E06 The Spring Dance 1970

S02E07 Remember Me (1) 1970

S02E08 Remember Me (2) 1970

S02E09 The Camp-Out 1970

DISC 3

S02E10 At the End of the Rainbow 1970

S02E11 The Gift 1970

S02E12 His Father's Son 1970

S02E13 The Talking Machine 1970

DISC 4

S02E14 The Pride of Walnut Grove 1970

S02E15 A Matter of Faith 1970

S02E16 The Runaway Caboose 1970

S02E17 Troublemaker 1970

S02E18 The Long Road Home 1970

DISC 5

S02E19 For My Lady 1970

S02E20 Centennial 1970

S02E21 Soldier's Return 1970

S02E22 Going Home 1970

Season 3

DISC 1

S03E01 The Collection 1970

S03E02 Bunny 1970

S03E03 The Race 1970

S03E04 Little Girl Lost 1970

DISC 2

S03E05 The Monster of Walnut Grove 1970

S03E06 Journey in the Spring (1) 1970

S03E07 Journey in the Spring (2) 1970

S03E08 Fred 1970

S03E09 The Bully Boys 1970

S03E10 The Hunters 1970

S03E11 Blizzard 1970

S03E12 I'll Ride the Wind 1970

S03E13 Quarantine 1970

DISC 4

S03E14 Little Women 1970

S03E15 Injun Kid 1970

S03E16 To Live with Fear (1) 1970

S03E17 To Live with Fear (2) 1970

S03E18 The Wisdom of Solomon 1970

DISC 5

S03E19 The Music Box 1970

S03E20 The Election 1970

S03E21 Gold Country (120 min) 1970

Season 4

DISC 1

S04E01 Castoffs 1970

S04E02 Times of Change 1970

S04E03 My Ellen 1970

S04E04 The Handyman 1970

DISC 2

S04E05 The Wolves 1970

S04E06 The Creeper of Walnut Grove 1970

S04E07 To Run and Hide 1970

S04E08 The Aftermath 1970

S04E09 The High Cost of Being Right 1970

DISC 3

S04E10 The Fighter 1970

S04E11 Meet Me at the Fair 1970

S04E12 Here Come the Brides 1970

DISC 4

S04E13 Freedom Flight 1970

S04E14 The Rivals 1970

S04E15 Whisper Country 1970

S04E16 I Remember, I Remember 1970

S04E17 Be My Friend 1970

S04E18 The Inheritance 1970

DISC 5

S04E19 The Stranger 1970

S04E20 A Most Precious Gift 1970

S04E21 I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (1) 1970

S04E22 I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away (2) 1970

Season 5

DISC 1

S05E01 As Long as We're Together (1) 1970

S05E02 As Long as We're Together (2) 1970

S05E03 The Winoka Warriors 1970

S05E04 The Man Inside 1970

S05E05 There's No Place Like Home (1) 1970

DISC 2

S05E06 There's No Place Like Home (2) 1970

S05E07 Fagin 1970

S05E08 Harriet's Happenings 1970

S05E09 The Wedding 1970

S05E10 Men Will Be Boys 1970

DISC 3

S05E11 The Cheaters 1970

S05E12 Blind Journey (1) 1970

S05E13 Blind Journey (2) 1970

S05E14 The Godsister 1970

S05E15 The Craftsman 1970

DISC 4

S05E16 Blind Man's Bluff 1970

S05E17 Dance with Me 1970

S05E18 The Sound of Children 1970

S05E19 The Lake Kezia Monster 1970

S05E20 Barn Burner 1970

DISC 5

S05E21 Enchanted Cottage 1970

S05E22 Someone Please Love Me 1970

S05E23 Mortal Mission 1970

S05E24 The Odyssey 1970

Season 6

DISC 1

S06E01 Back to School (1) 1970

S06E02 Back to School (2) 1970

S06E03 The Family Tree 1970

S06E04 The Third Miracle 1970

S06E05 Annabelle 1970

DISC 2

S06E06 The Preacher Takes a Wife 1970

S06E07 The Halloween Dream 1970

S06E08 The Return of Mr. Edwards 1970

S06E09 The King is Dead 1970

S06E10 The Faith Healer 1970

DISC 3

S06E11 Author! Author! 1970

S06E12 Crossed Connections 1970

S06E13 The Angry Heart 1970

S06E14 The Werewolf of Walnut Grove 1980

S06E15 Whatever Happened to the Class of '56? 1980

DISC 4

S06E16 Darkness is My Friend 1980

S06E17 Silent Promises 1980

S06E18 May We Make Them Proud (120 min) 1980

S06E19 Wilder and Wilder 1980

S06E20 Second Spring 1980

DISC 5

S06E21 Sweet Sixteen 1980

S06E22 He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (1) 1980

S06E23 He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2) 1980

Season 7

DISC 1

S07E01 Laura Ingalls Wilder (1) 1980

S07E02 Laura Ingalls Wilder (2) 1980

S07E03 A New Beginning 1980

S07E04 Fight Team Fight! 1980

S07E05 The Silent Cry 1980

DISC 2

S07E06 Portrait of Love 1980

S07E07 Divorce, Walnut Grove Style 1980

S07E08 Dearest Albert, I'll Miss You 1980

S07E09 The In-Laws 1980

DISC 3

S07E10 To See the Light (1) 1980

S07E11 To See the Light (2) 1980

S07E12 Oleson vs. Oleson 1980

S07E13 Come, Let Us Reason Together 1980

S07E14 The Nephews 1980

DISC 5

S07E15 Make a Joyful Noise 1980

S07E16 Goodbye, Mrs. Wilder 1980

S07E17 Sylvia (1) 1980

S07E18 Sylvia (2) 1980

DISC 5

S07E19 Blind Justice 1980

S07E20 I Do, Again 1980

S07E21 The Lost Ones (1) 1980

S07E22 The Lost Ones (2) 1980

Season 8

DISC 1

S08E01 The Reincarnation of Nellie (1) 1980

S08E02 The Reincarnation of Nellie (2) 1980

S08E03 Growin' Pains 1980

S08E04 Dark Sage 1980

S08E05 A Wiser Heart 1980

DISC 2

S08E06 Gambini the Great 1980

S08E07 The Legend of Black Jake 1980

S08E08 Chicago 1980

S08E09 For the Love of Nancy 1980

S08E10 Wave of the Future 1980

DISC 3

S08E11 A Christmas They Never Forgot 1980

S08E12 No Beast So Fierce 1980

S08E13 Stone Soup 1980

S08E14 The Legacy 1980

DISC 4

S08E15 Uncle Jed 1980

S08E16 Second Chance 1980

S08E17 Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (1) 1980

S08E18 Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow (2) 1980

DISC 5

S08E19 A Promise to Keep 1980

S08E20 A Faraway Cry 1980

S08E21 He Was Only Twelve (1) 1980

S08E22 He Was Only Twelve (2) 1980

Season 9

DISC 1

S09E01 Times Are Changing (1) 1980

S09E02 Times Are Changing (2) 1980

S09E03 Welcome to Olesonville 1980

S09E04 Rage 1980

S09E05 Little Lou 1980

DISC 2

S09E06 The Wild Boy (1) 1980

S09E07 The Wild Boy (2) 1980

S09E08 The Return of Nellie 1980

S09E09 The Empire Builders 1980

DISC 3

S09E10 Love 1980

S09E11 Alden's Dilemma 1980

S09E12 Marvin's Garden 1980

S09E13 Sins of the Fathers 1980

DISC 4

S09E14 The Older Brothers 1980

S09E15 Once Upon a Time 1980

S09E16 Home Again (120 min) 1980

S09E17 A Child with No Name 1980

DISC 5

S09E18 The Last Summer 1980

S09E19 For the Love of Blanche 1980

S09E20 May I Have This Dance? 1980

S09E21 Hello and Goodbye 1980

DISC 1 red pink

S0E01 The Little House Years (180 min) 1980

S0E02 Look Back to Yesterday (120 min) 1980

S0E03 The Last Farewell 1980

DISC 2

S0E04 Bless All the Dear Children 1980

[hippolotamus]

Fic Recs: 1 popular + 2 hidden gems

@alysiswriting tagged me to share three of my fics - one popular and two hidden gems. (I cheated a little because I love all my little blorbos too much)

Popular? What even is popular? Who knows... if we're going by kudos it is I'm weaker than a man should be (9-1-1) [a super quick prompt fill with excessive use of pet names] or This Christmas I'm Not Afraid to Fall (Schitt's Creek) [the Birthday Dinner never happened but that doesn't stop our beloved David and Patrick]

Hidden Gems:

Let the rain sing you a lullaby - I'd be lying if I said this wasn't one of my favorites. Nearly 1300 words of pre-SC David enjoying a rainy day and reflecting on a particularly memorable childhood moment.

This is the miracle that I’ve been dreaming of - a soft moment with Alexis and Twyla following the elder Roses departure the day after David and Patrick's wedding.

Tagging @stereopticons @gayhoediaz @sarahlevys @apothecarose @vanillahigh00 @lizzie-bennetdarcy and anyone else who would like to share! 💙

[bartfargo]

Maybe you'd just like a break from Santa Claus, Ebenezer Scrooge, George Bailey, and the other usual suspects. Maybe you're just not feeling the Christmas spirit this year. Maybe you feel like you're going to scream if you see one more Hallmark Channel or Lifetime Christmas movie. Whatever the case, this blog has your back, with some off-the-sleigh-path movies that you can safely categorize as Christmas movies under the Die Hard rule.

• The Thin Man

Nick and Nora Charles drink as much as your uncle at the family Christmas party. But, while your uncle repeats everything he's read on Facebook or heard on Fixed Noise or Overthrow America Now, Nick and Nora say things that are witty and clever. And, every now and then, they get the whim to solve crimes. Here, they're visiting New York for the holidays when an old friend asks them to find her missing relative, the titular thin man.

• The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

This is the story of Norval Jones and Trudy Kockenlocker (let's take a moment to savor that name, shall we?). Norval has had a thing for Trudy as far back as anyone can remember. However, Trudy hasn't noticed: she's got a thing for men in uniform, and Norval is 4-F due to panic attacks. One spring night, Trudy uses a date with Norval as a smokescreen so she can go to a party for members of the armed forces who are heading off to fight in World War II. She returns with a splitting headache, hazy memories of the night before, and a cheap wedding ring on her finger. The wedding may not have been legal, but the consummation was 100% real, as she has a baby on the way. The movie follows their efforts to fix things so that she and her child won't be smeared for life.

• The Lemon Drop Kid

Bob Hope stars as Sydney Melbourne, although so many people call him the Lemon Drop Kid that he doesn't even recognize the other name. He makes a living as a racetrack tout, conning gullible bettors. That leads to trouble when he makes a mark of the arm candy of a crime boss. Now, he's got until Christmas to pay $10,000, or the matter will be handed over to Sam the Surgeon, who brags about how many of his patients don't make it off the operating table.

• Black Christmas

If not the first slasher movie, the one that helped pave the way. A mysterious killer holes up in the attic of a sorority house, killing the residents one by one. The original stars Olivia Hussey and John Saxon; it was followed by two movies using the same title, but both should be avoided.

• Mitchell

Dirty Harry led to a lot of knockoffs, and they don't come any dirtier than Mitchell; he's a police detective who always looks like he's either starting or coming off of a bender. He upholds the law, just as long as it suits his purposes; he shoots people just to find out who they are, and isn't above accepting a bribe in the form of a $1000 a night sex worker.

• Trading Places

A Wall Street up-and-comer and a street-level con artist find themselves at the center of a low-stakes wager between the heads of an established firm. Takes place at Christmas.

• Night of the Comet

In this movie, the Christmas season coincides with the Earth passing through the tail of a comet that hasn't come this close since the dinosaurs died out. As it turns out, that last part isn't a coincidence: Everyone who was fully exposed to the comet turns to red dust; everyone who was fully shielded by steel survives; and everyone who wasn't fully shielded turns into a zombie.

• Trancers

A villain in a postapocalyptic future uses time travel to attempt to kill off the government leaders before they're born, so Jack Deth must go back and live in his ancestor's body to stop him. Includes a shootout involving a zombie Santa.

• Brazil

Terry Gilliam's dystopian masterpiece.

• The Ref

Denis Leary is a cat burglar pulling off one last job before he retires. When things go wrong, he hides out in a nearby house until the heat dies down. Unfortunately for him, the house is home to a bickering couple, and he must pretend to be a marriage counselor when their family comes for Christmas dinner.

• Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Robert Downey, Jr., plays a burglar who gets mistaken for an actor. Cast in a mystery movie, he ruffles the feathers of a gay private eye (Val Kilmer), but the two must team up when Downey is framed for murder. This is the movie that convinced a lot of people that Downey would make a good Tony Stark.

• Krampus

A family finds itself dealing with the evil opposite of Santa Claus when their Christmas spirit is lacking. Tread carefully looking for this: Krampus is a figure of folklore, so anyone with film and a script can make a movie and call it Krampus. You want the 2015 feature film from the guy who made Trick 'r Treat.

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

New in December - Hallmark Movies Now

USS Christmas (2020)  Starring Jen Lilley, Trevor Donovan, and Barbara Niven  Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Miracles of Christmas

Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Prescription for Murder (2019)  Starring Kellie Martin, Viv Leacock, Matthew MacCaull, Caitlin Stryker, Lauren Holly, Lucia Walters, Gabrielle Miller, Bruce Dawson, Johannah Newmarch, Nathan Witte, Sarah Smyth, and Nancy Grace  Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Movie 8 of 9 

Home for Christmas Day (2017)  Starring Catherine Bell and Victor Webster   Hallmark Movies & Mysteries 

Falling for Vermont (2017)  Starring Julie Gonzalo and Benjamin Ayres   Hallmark Channel / Fall Harvest 

Return to Christmas Creek (2018)  Starring Tori Anderson, Stephen Huszar, Steven Weber, and Kari Matchett   Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Miracles of Christmas 

Mystery 101: Killer Timing (2021)  Starring Jill Wagner, Kristoffer Polaha, Robin Thomas, and  Erin Cahill   Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Movie 6 of 7 

Christmas at the Palace (2018)  Starring Merritt Patterson, Andrew Cooper, and Brittany Bristow   Hallmark Channel / Countdown to Christmas 

Enchanted Christmas (2017)  Starring Alex and Carlos PenaVega  Hallmark Channel / Countdown to Christmas 

Our Christmas Journey (2021)  Starring Holly Robins Peete, Lyriq Bent, Aloma Wright, and Nik Sanchez  Hallmark movies & Mysteries / Miracles of Christmas 

The Angel Tree (2020)  Starring Jill Wagner and Lucas Bryant  Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Miracles of Christmas 

Jingle Bell Bride (2020)  Starring Julie Gonzalo and Ronnie Rowe  Hallmark Channel / Countdown to Christmas 

Christmas Scavenger Hunt (2019)  Starring Kim Shaw, Kevin McGarry, and Tom Arnold  Hallmark Channel / Countdown to Christmas 

Autumn Dreams (2015)  Jill Wagner, Colin Egglesfield, and Matty Finochio  Hallmark Channel / Fall Harvest 

Murder She Baked: Just Desserts (2017)  Starring Alison Sweeney, Cameron Mathison, Barbara Niven, Lisa Durupt, Gabriel Hogan, Toby Levins, David Lewis, James Rittinger, Karen Holness, Tammy Gillis, and Viv Leacock  Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Movie 5 of 5

A Christmas for the Books (2019)  Starring Chelsea Kane, Drew Seeley, and Chad Connell  Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Miracles of Christmas 

December 1  

Christmas in Vienna (2020)  Starring Sarah Drew and Brennan Elliott  Hallmark Channel / Countdown to Christmas 

Boyfriends for Christmas Past (2021)  Starring Catherine Haena Kim, Raymond Ablack, and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee  Hallmark Channel / Countdown to Christmas 

Hailey Dean Mysteries: Killer Sentence (2019)  Starring Kellie Martin, Viv Leacock, Matthew MacCaull, Lauren Holly, Lucia Walters, and Matty Finochio  Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Movie 9 of 9 

December 2  

A December Bride (2016)  Starring Jessica Lowndes and Daniel Lissing  Hallmark Channel / Countdown to Christmas 

Christmas in Evergreen (2017)  Starring Ashley Williams, Teddy Sears, Holly Robinson Peete, Jaeda Lily Miller, Marcus Rosner, Barbara Niven, Malcolm Stewart, and Rukiya Bernard  Hallmark Channel / Movie 1 of 4 / Countdown to Christmas 

Falling For You (2018)  Starring Taylor Cole and Tyler Hynes  Hallmark Channel / Fall Harvest

December 15 

Sister Swap: Christmas in the City (2021)  Starring Ashely Williams, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kevin Nealon, Keith D. Robinson, Anna Hollbrook, and Jim Byrnes 

December 22 

Christmas in Evergreen: Bells Are Ringing (2020)  Starring Rukiya Bernard, Antonio Cayonne, Holly Robinson Pete, Barbara Niven, Malcom Stewart, Marci T. House, Marlon Kazadi, Colin Lawrence, Ashley Williams, ad Jaeda Lily Miller  Hallmark Channel / Movie 4 of 4 / Countdown to Christmas 

Eight Gifts of Hanukkah (2021)  Starring Inbar Lavi and Jake Epstein  Hallmark Channel / Countdown to Christmas 

The Wedding Veil (2022)  Starring Lacey Chabert, Kevin McGarry, Alison Sweeney, Autumn Reeser, Karen Kruper, Fiona Vroom, Catherine Lough Haggquist, and Greg Rogers  Hallmark Channel / New Year New Movies

And More 

[cevansbrat0007]

Cross-Country Christmas (Teaser)

Summary: After Ari is left stranded by a surprise winter storm, you find yourself wishing for a little Christmas miracle...

Warnings: Mature Themes, Angst, Ari Being A Menace, Holiday Themes, Smut, Arguments, Spanking (mentioned), Pet Names, Cursing, More Warnings to Come Minors DNI

A/N: This is only a TEASER, the longer fic is coming soon. Part of my Sweet Renegades Series. Semi-proofread, not beta'd. All mistakes are my own. Likes, comments, and reblogs are always appreciated. Thanks for reading!

8:30am on Christmas Day - Bell’s Creek, Texas

“I promise I’ll be fine, Beast.” Drying your tears, you crumble up your tissues in your fist before discarding them in favor of taking a sip of your coffee. “Like you just said, there’ll be other holidays. And certainly other Christmases.”

Ari was still stuck in Omaha. And while you had suspected this call was coming, you hadn’t been prepared for how much the disappointment would affect you.

By all accounts, your Bounty Hunter appeared to be in good spirits, albeit a little tired. He was still on standby, even though all flights were still grounded indefinitely. But you’d at least been happy to hear that he’d somehow managed to catch a few hours of sleep. 

Not only that, but he’d also made a new friend in some guy named Clint. They apparently had a number of things in common, with the most important being that they’d both served overseas. Ari had also alluded to his new buddy being in law enforcement as well. 

But if you were being honest, you’d been so focused on trying to sound positive that you hadn’t quite been able to focus on his words as much as you would’ve liked. Thankfully, Ari seemed keen on having a conversation – even if it felt a bit one-sided.

“The airline keeps offering to put us up for the night. Anyone who accepts will be guaranteed a spot on one of the first flights out.” Ari coughs softly before continuing. “However, if you’re willing to wait a little bit there’s talk about them sweetening the deal with some sort of voucher or somethin’, plus miles and all that shit.” 

“Oh?” Is all you can manage, forcing yourself to take another pull of your now lukewarm coffee.

“Yeah. So, Clint and I were thinking…” He trails off, briefly leaning away from the receiver to comment on something you couldn’t see.

“You two were thinking…what?” Your next sip of coffee tastes surprisingly bitter on your tongue. Maybe you would dump out the pot and brew a fresh one. 

“That we should take ‘em up on their offer and just ride this storm out. We take the points, get the voucher, and then maybe in a month or two, we go on a vacation together somewhere nice.” 

“You and Clint?!” You screech, accidentally knocking over your mug in the process. “Shit!” You scramble out of your chair to grab a dish towel and hurriedly mop up the mess. 

“Hate to break it to ya, baby, but Clint’s not really my type.” The Bounty Hunter chuckles into the phone. “I was talking about me and you, Bird. We can pick a destination and have ourselves a holiday do-over.”

A beat goes by before you respond the only way that makes any real, logical sense. Even though it seems to take every last bit of your resolve.  

“Okay.” Your voice comes out small and resigned. 

“Aw now, don’t fret. I’ll be home soon.” Ari does his best to reassure you. “And once I’m back, we will spend every waking minute making up for lost time. You have my word.”

Well, when he put it like that…

“I guess we can hold off for a little while longer.” You sniff, wishing you could just go back to bed and sleep until tomorrow. “But you had better keep your promise, Beast. Otherwise I’m gonna have to track down Santa and ask him for a new man.” 

Your half-hearted attempt at humor elicits a short bark of laughter from Ari which, in turn, makes you smile as well. It would be hard, but you could make it 

“Try it, sweet Bird, and I’m telling you right now that I’ll have you in my truck and over my knee before you make it outta the next county.” Comes his gruff response, clearly not enjoying the image of you hanging off another fella’s arm. 

You know without asking that he’s probably not kidding – so you decide to leave it alone. If he wanted to thump his chest a little, then you’d let him. 

“It was a joke.” You tell him when the line falls silent. Standing, you pad towards the fridge on bare feet, stopping once you reach the doors. Yanking one open, you survey the contents, silently wondering if you should even be bothered enough to cook today. Granted, you’d already brined the turkey so –

“Joking about my replacement isn’t funny, Bird.” Ari growls, the sound rumbling from somewhere deep in his chest. “Especially when I can’t be there in person to plead my case.”

You blow out a harsh breath at the same time as your eyes roll heavenwards. Why couldn't he understand that you needed to crack wise here and there in order to keep from crying?

END TEASER

[thenewsart]

Fishermen spotted something shiny near a creek. It was the first step toward a ‘miracle’

The two men had gone out the day after Christmas, scouting for fishing holes at a creek in northwest Indiana, when something shiny in the distance caught their attention. Mario Garcia and his son-in-law Nivardo Delatorre had been ready to call it a day. But curiosity took hold. They went to check it out. Closer and closer they walked Tuesday toward the shiny thing, there under the Interstate 94…

[danielleurbansblog]

Review: Christmas in Painted Pony Creek

Synopsis: Get cozy with this heartwarming holiday story!  Can a Christmas miracle mend her broken heart? Tessa Stafford will do anything for her daughter, Isabel…even stay on the run to protect Isabel from her narcissistic grandmother. But when her car breaks down in Painted Pony Creek, Tessa gets caught up in the warm embrace of the town and feels safe enough to build a home—and a life—for…

[mybookplacenet]

Featured Post: A Cowboy This Christmas: A Sweet Romance Anthology by Roxy Boroughs plus 8

About A Cowboy This Christmas: A Sweet Romance Anthology: At Christmas, even the loneliest cowboy can find true love, whether it arrives with the subtle fragrance of evergreen or the kick of a wild stallion. Celebrate the holiday season with these nine short, sweet, and heartwarming contemporary romances. “The Cowboy’s Comeback Christmas” – by Jan O’Hara – USA Today Bestselling Author The woman formerly known as Shrinking Violet is back, bearing a new no-nonsense attitude and a deadline for leaving town. Five Christmases ago, Russ broke both their hearts. Can he prove he’s a changed man and convince her to stay? “Capturing the Christmas Cowboy” - by Roxy Boroughs, Amazon Bestselling Author To secure her job with an advertising company, an L.A. photographer travels to the wilds of Montana, searching for a rugged cowboy to peddle cheap cologne. There she meets a down-on-his-luck, camera-shy rancher, who wants to give his little brother a homespun Christmas – just like the ones they knew before they lost their parents. “A Rocking Horse Christmas” - by Raine Hughes. Amazon Bestselling Author Recovering from a life-changing injury, a bronc buster drives across Canada with his young sons to work as a ranch foreman. Heart-sore owner, Sally, hides a wariness of being touched with a warm, hopeful smile. Will the miracle of Christmas help them find true healing love? “Candy Cane Cowboy” - by A.M. Westerling – Amazon Bestselling Author Mandy Robinson, a server in a country diner is puzzled when her encounters with the new short order chef, injured bull rider, Chay Burton, seem to mirror events as chronicled over a hundred years ago in her great grandmother’s diary. Romance blossoms as Christmas approaches but should she trust the journal that hints of eventual heartbreak or a cowboy who only has his love to offer? “All I Want for Christmas” – by Victoria Chatham, Books We Love Bestselling Author Rancher Luke Evans expects to spend Christmas alone. When a snowstorm strands Kate Cooper and her five-year-old daughter Alice, that changes. While the child’s smile warms his heart, will widowed emergency nurse Kate dare to love again? Could she and Alice become the family Luke always wanted? “Come Home for Christmas, Cowboy” - by Amy Jo Fleming Jolene, a young widow, needs to sell the ranch that she loves. It’s the only home her son Cody has ever known. There’s a catch. Her late husband’s cousin owns half the property. Devon will be home for the holidays and Jolene needs to convince him to sell before Christmas. Will those old feelings that Jolene and Devon once shared ruin her plans? “Silver Belle’s Christmas Cowboy” – by Lawna Mackie Being the caregiver to nine reindeer in Alaska has many challenges, including a promise Silver Belle Delaney intends to fulfill. Granted, there are a few hiccups. Steal her employer’s reindeer…oh, and his truck and trailer, drive through a blizzard, then hope and pray the handsome, wealthy rancher doesn’t throw her in jail on Christmas Eve. “My Cowboy, Until Christmas” - by Shawna Mumert – Debut Author Desperate to keep her ranch, Caroline Bailey, a young widow, hires Trace Morgan, a drifter, to help her until Christmas Eve, when the final ranch payment is due, but working together changes their dreams and their lives. “A Heart Creek Christmas” – by Joanie Wilde – Debut Author A kind-hearted equine osteopath lands her dream job – and possibly the love of her life in a broken-down cowboy. Can they move past their personal barriers to find love in time for Christmas? Targeted Age Group: 12-99 Written by: Roxy Boroughs plus 8 Buy the ebook: Buy the Book On Amazon Buy the Book On Barnes & Noble/Nook Buy the Book On Smashwords Buy the Book On Apple Books Buy the Book On Kobo Buy the Print Book: Buy the Book On Amazon Author Bio: “Capturing the Christmas Cowboy” – by Roxy Boroughs “All I Want for Christmas” – by Victoria Chatham “Come Home for Christmas, Cowboy” – by Amy Jo Fleming “A Rocking Horse Christmas” – by Raine Hughes “Silver Belle’s Christmas Cowboy” – by Lawna Mackie “My Cowboy, Until Christmas” – by Shawna Mumert “The Cowboy’s Comeback Christmas” – by Jan O’Hara “Candy Cane Cowboy” – by A.M. Westerling “A Heart Creek Christmas” – by Joanie Wilde Follow the author on social media: Facebook Fan Page Read the full article

[stacyalesi]

CHRISTMAS IN PAINTED PONY CREEK by Linda Lael Miller

New #bookreview: CHRISTMAS IN PAINTED PONY CREEK by Linda Lael Miller, a sweet romance set during Christmas - don't miss it! #PaintedPonyCreek 4 #lindalaelmiller #CanaryStreetPress @HarperCollins #romance #Christmas #cowboyromance #smalltownromance

CLICK TO PURCHASE From the publisher: Get cozy with this heartwarming holiday story!  Can a Christmas miracle mend her broken heart? Tessa Stafford will do anything for her daughter, Isabel…even stay on the run to protect Isabel from her narcissistic grandmother. But when her car breaks down in Painted Pony Creek, Tessa gets caught up in the warm embrace of the town and feels safe enough to…