#Naughty or # Nice (The Holidaze Book 1)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Meri had no time to indulge in a leisurely shower the following morning, not with Holly hammering at her door. In fact, she found herself barely awake when the pounding on the door began.

She had wanted to relive the previous night that she had spent with Sander. The blizzard had eased away into flurries of fluttering snow by the time they had left Santa's Workshop. Sander had insisted on walking her to her hotel door, which she appreciated.

When he left a chaste kiss upon her lips and a hasty goodnight, Meri hadn't stopped smiling. It wasn't a huge step, but it was the first time that Sander had chosen to kiss her.

"Meri, we have to go!" Holly shouted once again above the noise of the shower, and Meri groaned.

"Coming," Meri replied without making a move to get out of the shower.

She took her time, not to annoy Holly, but to look her best for her breakfast date with Sander. This one was for the cameras, and as much as she wanted to avoid it, she knew she couldn't.

"I hope you're dressed in there because I'm coming in!" Holly warned.

"This is way over the top."

Holly ignored Meri's protest and opened the bathroom door. A shriek escaped Meri when she realised there were at least a dozen elves waiting for her in her room.

"What is going on?" Meri exclaimed.

"We're all here to get you ready for your date with Sander, now come on."

Meri had every inch of herself primped to perfection. From a new set of clothes, that fit her body perfectly and warmed her more than her own clothes, to hair and make up. When Meri finally peered in the mirror at herself, she couldn't believe the transformation.

"Looks like I'm ready," Meri said as she twirled around in her new outfit.

"Excellent, let's go. Sander's meeting you downstairs," Holly said as she swished her hands about to get Meri moving.

Arriving in the foyer came with an unexpected fanfare, and not just from the cameras Meri found pointed at her. All eyes turned to watch Meri's entry and that made her uncomfortable.

When Sander's mouth gasped open at her approach, Meri appreciated all the effort the elves went to. She smiled and waved at him while he continued to stare at her gobsmacked.

"Hello, Sander, are you ready for our date?" Meri asked with a cheery grin.

"Are those elf clothes?" Sander asked.

Meri, who had expected a compliment after the way he'd stared at her, deflated and her smile vanished. Had he only looked flabbergasted because she wasn't wearing her own clothes?

"Yes, Holly spent the last little while trying to make me look perfect for our date, so I guess these must be elf clothes. They are warming me up nicely," Meri forced herself to sound as upbeat as possible.

"They look fantastic on you," Sander exclaimed and his ruddy cheeks deepened their fiery hue.

"Thank you," Meri preened under his attention with all her doubt vanishing.

"I've got the sleigh waiting outside," Sander gestured through the large front doors of the building.

Once she was in the sleigh speeding through the snowy streets of Santa's Village, Meri found herself both amused but disconcerted. The camera crew kept insisting on achieving the best angles of the date.

To manage that, the elves had shuffled Sander and Meri close together on the sleigh while the camera elves dangled on the edges. Trying to get the best picture once the sleigh started moving became difficult. The crew clung to the sleigh desperately with white knuckles, and Meri shook her head.