{"id":160,"date":"2016-01-07T21:09:50","date_gmt":"2016-01-07T21:09:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heidi-rice.comrice\/?post_type=portfolio&#038;p=160"},"modified":"2016-02-04T11:25:46","modified_gmt":"2016-02-04T11:25:46","slug":"on-the-first-night-of-christmas","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/heidi-rice.com\/books\/on-the-first-night-of-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"On the First Night of Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section av-av_section-d18d8c2c81d10022ebd21ffa95322c35 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-shadow  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_section  avia-builder-el-first  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><main  role=\"main\" itemprop=\"mainContentOfPage\"  class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-160'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_heading-f42cb6bb4fdd5cd6d10fd2b5096b588f\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-f42cb6bb4fdd5cd6d10fd2b5096b588f{\npadding-bottom:10px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-f42cb6bb4fdd5cd6d10fd2b5096b588f .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-av_heading-f42cb6bb4fdd5cd6d10fd2b5096b588f .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-av_heading-f42cb6bb4fdd5cd6d10fd2b5096b588f av-special-heading-h3  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-first '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >On the First Night of Christmas<\/h3><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_half-9497bbf8bff73ea4c6992cc17fa9ec36\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_half-9497bbf8bff73ea4c6992cc17fa9ec36{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-av_one_half-9497bbf8bff73ea4c6992cc17fa9ec36 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_one_fourth  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding '     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-35972167d9f102c5ddaec0c531c98b9e'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><strong>Cassie\u2019s tips for the Perfect Christmas Fling!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1. <strong>\u2018Tis the season to be daring:<\/strong> Find the perfect Mr. Right Now (extra points for a bad-boy-turned-billionaire) and be brave about getting him\u2014even if that means jumping straight into sexy Jace Ryan\u2019s car!<\/p>\n<p>2. <strong>Enjoy the ride:<\/strong> Once you\u2019ve chosen your man, get swept away by the moment! For once, Cassie\u2019s determined to stop worrying about the future, but she must remember one thing\u2026.<\/p>\n<p>3. <strong>This fling is just for Christmas:<\/strong> Jace Ryan\u2019s a seasonal special. Do not start falling for him, Cassie, no matter how perfect the package or how much you\u2019ve enjoyed unwrapping it\u2026.<\/p>\n<p><em>Reprinted in: <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B00MY6JXR4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Misbehaving Under the Mistletoe<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_fourth-9c1d454dc06f7247226bc4e8f931daae\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_fourth-9c1d454dc06f7247226bc4e8f931daae{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-av_one_fourth-9c1d454dc06f7247226bc4e8f931daae av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_one_half  el_before_av_one_fourth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_image-5463db19c01c194ade1e81ac7940529a\">\n.avia-image-container.av-av_image-5463db19c01c194ade1e81ac7940529a img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-av_image-5463db19c01c194ade1e81ac7940529a .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-av_image-5463db19c01c194ade1e81ac7940529a av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-5  el_before_av_button  avia-builder-el-first '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img class='wp-image-162 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-162 avia_image ' src='https:\/\/heidi-rice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/First-Night-US.jpg' alt='' title='On the First Night of Christmas...'  height=\"600\" width=\"400\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class='avia-button-wrap av-av_button-607db112abeca341560cfdab2ef4d2b3-wrap avia-button-center  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_image  avia-builder-el-last '><a href='http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B005WJDN4Y'  class='avia-button av-av_button-607db112abeca341560cfdab2ef4d2b3 avia-icon_select-yes-left-icon avia-size-medium avia-position-center avia-color-theme-color'  ><span class='avia_button_icon avia_button_icon_left' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue924' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><span class='avia_iconbox_title' >Buy on Amazon<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/p><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_fourth-9c1d454dc06f7247226bc4e8f931daae\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_fourth-9c1d454dc06f7247226bc4e8f931daae{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-av_one_fourth-9c1d454dc06f7247226bc4e8f931daae av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_image-5dc1aa8a242165afc51417a24b15bdb5\">\n.avia-image-container.av-av_image-5dc1aa8a242165afc51417a24b15bdb5 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-av_image-5dc1aa8a242165afc51417a24b15bdb5 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-av_image-5dc1aa8a242165afc51417a24b15bdb5 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-8  el_before_av_button  avia-builder-el-first '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img class='wp-image-161 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-161 avia_image ' src='https:\/\/heidi-rice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/First-Night-UK.jpg' alt='' title='First Night UK'  height=\"600\" width=\"400\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class='avia-button-wrap av-av_button-39ce7d1b2fdd77fe21066223c72a2fea-wrap avia-button-center  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_image  avia-builder-el-last '><a href='http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/First-Night-Christmas-Mills-Modern-ebook\/dp\/B005NKA63S\/'  class='avia-button av-av_button-39ce7d1b2fdd77fe21066223c72a2fea avia-icon_select-yes-left-icon avia-size-medium avia-position-center avia-color-theme-color'  ><span class='avia_button_icon avia_button_icon_left' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue924' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><span class='avia_iconbox_title' >Buy on Amazon UK<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/main><!-- close content main element --><\/div><\/div><div id='av_section_2'  class='avia-section av-av_section-e6a1d4415f00834e57075e9e0043e492 alternate_color avia-section-default avia-no-shadow  avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_section  el_before_av_layout_row  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-160'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_heading-a701df67fc882b7ec7e9f953f772e560\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-a701df67fc882b7ec7e9f953f772e560{\npadding-bottom:10px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-a701df67fc882b7ec7e9f953f772e560 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-av_heading-a701df67fc882b7ec7e9f953f772e560 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-av_heading-a701df67fc882b7ec7e9f953f772e560 av-special-heading-h3 blockquote modern-quote modern-centered  avia-builder-el-11  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Excerpt:<\/h3><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-35972167d9f102c5ddaec0c531c98b9e'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><em>If only my love life was as perfect as Selfridges at Christmas.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Cassie Fitzgerald let out a wistful sigh as she gazed at the explosion of festive bling in the iconic London store\u2019s window display. The Sugar Plum Fairy sparkled flirtatiously on the shoulder of a hunky manikin dressed in a Ralph Lauren dinner suit, silver snowflake lights making her tiny wings twinkle. Cassie\u2019s heart lifted. Selfridges\u2019 Christmas window dressing never let you down. It always captured the hope and expectation of the season of good will so beautifully. And okay, maybe her love life wasn\u2019t perfect \u2014 in fact it was non-existent \u2014 but that was still a big improvement on last year.<\/p>\n<p>A frown creased Cassie\u2019s brow as she recalled the Christmas wish she\u2019d made the year before while standing in front of Selfridges \u2014 involving Lance, her boyfriend of three years, and a proposal of marriage.<\/p>\n<p>She wrinkled her nose in disgust, the frozen air making it tingle, as her mind conjured up the image of Lance and Tracy McGellan getting up close and pornographic on the sofa in Cassie\u2019s flat a month after Valentine\u2019s Day. A month after Cassie had accepted that wished-for proposal.<\/p>\n<p>Colour hit her cheeks as she remembered her shock and disbelief, swiftly followed by the shame of her own idiocy.<\/p>\n<p>What on earth had possessed her to agree to marry a deadbeat like Lance?<\/p>\n<p>As Christmas wishes went, it was one of her worst. Right up there with wishing for a pair of inline skates when she was eight \u2014 which had resulted in a broken wrist and four hours in accident and emergency on Christmas day. Marriage to Lance would have been worse, but in her typically romantic fashion she\u2019d overlooked all his shortcomings, determined to convince herself that he was The One.<\/p>\n<p>Cassie hunched her shoulders against the brisk winter wind. From now on she was going to stop looking at life through rose-tinted glasses\u2026 Because all it did was blind her to reality. And she wasn\u2019t making a Christmas wish this year, because it might come true.<\/p>\n<p>It would be a shame not to have anyone to wake up with this Christmas morning \u2014 and she\u2019d been in a funk about it for days. She adored bounding out of bed, brewing a pot of spiced apple tea and then savouring the presents artfully arranged under the tree. Having to do all that alone wasn\u2019t quite the same. But as her best friend Nessa had pointed out, Cassie was better off doing it alone than with Lance the loser. Cassie huddled in her coat. Absorbing the bright sparkle of Sugar Plum and her beau, she let the thought of her lucky escape from Lance strengthen her resolve.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2018What you need is a candy man \u2014 to give your girly bits a wake-up call. Then you wouldn\u2019t need another deadbeat boyfriend.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Cassie\u2019s lips edged up as she recalled Nessa\u2019s use-him-then-lose-him advice when they\u2019d chatted on the phone that morning. Sometimes she really wished she could be as pragmatic about sex as Nessa. If she could just take sex a little less seriously, maybe she could have some fun, without getting tangled up with creeps like Lance.<\/p>\n<p>Biding goodbye to Sugar Plum and Ralph, Cassie jostled her way to Bond Street tube. Frantic shoppers herded in and out of the shops along Oxford Street on a mission to buy all those essential last-minute items that would make their Christmas complete. Stopping at the curb as the traffic barrelled past on one of the cross streets, Cassie squeezed her eyes shut and fantasised about her candy man. Hot, hunky and devoted to making her feel fabulous, he would be magically gone by the New Year \u2014 so she\u2019d never have to spend time picking his socks up off the bathroom floor, or washing the dirty dishes he left piled in the sink, or persuading herself she was in love with him.<\/p>\n<p>Her errogenous zones zinged pleasantly for the first time in months.<\/p>\n<p>She opened her eyes as the roar of a car engine interrupted the warm, fuzzy glow. Then shrieked as a tsunami of freezing water slammed into her. The elderly gentleman next to her muttered \u2018bloody inconsiderate,\u2019 as a puddle the size of the Atlantic sluiced back into the gutter, and a sleek black car sped past.<\/p>\n<p>Cassie gasped. The warm, fuzzy glow replaced by ice-cold shock. \u2018What the\u2026!\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The driver hadn\u2019t even stopped. What a prize jerk.<\/p>\n<p>Flinging her bag over her shoulder, she turned to glare at the vehicle which had braked at the crossing ten feet away. Her fingers curled into tight fists at her sides.<\/p>\n<p>Normally, she would have let the matter pass. Normally, she would have chalked the drenching up to bad luck and assumed the driver hadn\u2019t meant to splash her. But as she stood there, the other shoppers edging past her and gawping at the huge wet patch on her favourite coat as if she had a contagious disease, she felt something new and liberating surging up her torso.<\/p>\n<p><em>Sod that!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Whether he\u2019d meant to do it or not, she was soaked. And she wasn\u2019t going to just stand by and take whatever life had to throw at her anymore.<\/p>\n<p>Dodging through the crowd, she drew level and rapped on the passenger window. \u2018Hey, Ebenezer.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The tinted glass slid down with an electric hum. She blinked, the zing tingling back to life as a man peered out from the shadows on the driver\u2019s side. Dark hair swept back from a broodingly handsome face accented by a strong jaw and hollow, raw-boned cheeks. She felt the odd jolt of recognition as the scent of new leather wafted out of the car. Did she know him?<\/p>\n<p>\u2018What\u2019s the problem?\u2019 he demanded.<\/p>\n<p>Clammy water dripped down inside Cassie\u2019s boots and kick-started her tongue \u2014 and her indignation.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018You\u2019re the problem. Look what you did to me.\u2019 She held up her arms to show him the extent of the damage, ruthlessly silencing the zing. He might have a striking face, but his manners sucked.<\/p>\n<p>He swore softly. \u2018Are you sure that was me?\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The blare of a car horn had Cassie glancing at the lights. Green. \u2018Of course, I\u2019m sure.\u2019<br \/>\nThe horn blared again. Longer and angrier this time.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I can\u2019t stop here.\u2019 He straightened back into the shadows and Cassie saw his hand grasp the gear shift.<\/p>\n<p>No way, Pal. You are not driving off and leaving me in a puddle on the pavement.<\/p>\n<p>Yanking the heavy door open, she launched herself into the passenger seat.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Hey!\u2019 he said, as she slammed the door behind her. \u2018What the hell do you\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Just drive, Sir Galahad.\u2019 She pinned him with her best disgusted look. \u2018We can discuss your crummy behaviour when you find somewhere to stop.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>His dark brows drew down, the piercing emerald of his irises glittering with annoyance.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Fine.\u2019 He slapped up the indicator, shifted into first. \u2018But don\u2019t drip on the upholstery. This is a rental.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The car purred to life, and a blast of heat wrapped around Cassie engulfing her in the subtle aroma of man and leather \u2014 and wet velvet. Her heart careered into her throat as the flicker of Selfridges\u2019s fairy lights disappeared from her peripheral vision \u2014 and the surge of adrenaline that had propelled her into the car smacked head first into her survival instinct.<\/p>\n<p>She was sitting in a complete stranger\u2019s car being driven to who knew where \u2014 which probably rated a perfect ten on the \u2018too stupid to live\u2019 scale.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Actually, forget it.\u2019 She grasped the door handle.<\/p>\n<p>The driver pulled to a stop at a loading bay. \u2018So it wasn\u2019t me after all.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Cassie\u2019s fingers stilled on the handle at the accusatory tone and her common sense dissolved in a haze of outrage. \u2018It was definitely you.\u2019 She glared at him over the gear shift. \u2018Don\u2019t you know it\u2019s Christmas?\u2019 She announced. \u2018Show a bit of respect for the season and stop being such a jerk.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><em>Typical. When Cassie Fitzgerald is on the hunt for a candy man, what does she get? A candy man with a crappy attitude.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Jacob Ryan cranked up the handbrake, slung his arm over the steering wheel and stared at the furious pixie in his passenger seat whose wide violet eyes were shooting daggers at him.<\/p>\n<p><em>How the hell did I end up with Santa\u2019s insane little helper in my car?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='av-layout-grid-1'  class='av-layout-grid-container av-av_layout_row-caf1f26e08707a2ebe9176b630e736c2 entry-content-wrapper main_color av-flex-cells  avia-builder-el-13  el_after_av_section  avia-builder-el-last  grid-row-not-first  container_wrap fullsize'  >\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_cell_one_fifth-60a6860ab9a8c13539eab25cf5a33c12\">\n.flex_cell.av-av_cell_one_fifth-60a6860ab9a8c13539eab25cf5a33c12{\nvertical-align:top;\nbackground-color:#425f9c;\n}\n.responsive #top #wrap_all 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aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue909' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/a><\/span>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>November 2011<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/br><br \/>\n<\/br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":162,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"portfolio_entries":[2],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>On the First Night of Christmas - Heidi Rice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/heidi-rice.com\/books\/on-the-first-night-of-christmas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"On the First Night of Christmas - Heidi Rice\" \/>\n<meta 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