A Very Whimsy Christmas

By Tiffany E. Taylor

When Clementine Martin returns to her native Florida from Woodbridge, Virginia with her best friend Rowan Holland and Rowan's sister Kelly, the petite streetwise femme has no idea she’s about to meet the one butch who can handle her and her strong personality.

Remy Baumann of Armstrong Protection Services is Teagan Malloy's second-in-command, a quiet
telecommunications wizard who decides on the spot that Clem is hers to protect when the feisty Whimsy Creative Arts Center director puts herself in danger. The unlikely pair start living together in blissful domestic happiness—until Clem’s larcenous cousin shows up, that is.

Waylon “Screech” Holt is a member of Clem’s dysfunctional family, a shady petty thief determined to use his family ties to Clementine to rob the artists and clients of the WAC’s holiday open house with his felonious crew. APS and Remy are equally determined to keep Clem, her friends, and the WAC safe from Screech and his gang—but Clementine shows everyone exactly what happens when you tick off the wrong femme.

‘Tis the season for a very Whimsy Christmas.

Author's Note: This novella is not a standalone story. It will make the most sense if it is not read before you have finished Book 3 of the Whimsical Dreams series, Whimsical Angel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Painted Hearts Publishing
• Release date: Nov 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005777807

Book preview

A Very Whimsy Christmas

A Whimsical Dreams Holiday Novella

Tiffany E. Taylor

A Very Whimsy Christmas

Copyright © 2022 Tiffany E. Taylor

Published by Painted Hearts Publishing

Smashwords Edition

About the Book You Have Purchased

All rights reserved. Without reserving the rights under copyright, reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, is forbidden. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law.

Unauthorized reproduction of distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

A Very Whimsy Christmas

Copyright © 2022 Tiffany E. Taylor

Publication Date: December 1 2022

Author: Tiffany E. Taylor

Editor: Kira Plotts

All cover art and logo copyright © 2022 by Painted Hearts Publishing

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

Publisher's Content Guidance:

This work of fiction contains a scene of disciplinary spanking and other instances of light BDSM that some readers may find triggering.

Acknowledgments

To my alpha and beta readers: Jolene Booher-Kirchhofer, Lisa Caro, Sam DeFiglio, Maria Lau, Mayra Luria, Juliet Pishinsky, Tricia Potter, Allison Reilly, Ashley Ribeiro, Kim Riedmiller, Mysty Ross, Sherri Shimshy, and Michael Wells. Whimsy is what it is because of you.

ARMSTRONG PROTECTION SERVICES (APS)

The APS Management Team

MAP OF WHIMSY

Author's Note

I've always been a Clementine Martin fan, even though she isn't one of the main characters of the Whimsical Dreams series. I’ve always felt Clem deserved her own story, however, if only because of the woman she is. Curious to explore the dynamics between her and Teagan Malloy’s second, Remy Baumann—especially with how things went down between them in Book 1, Whimsical Haven—I immediately knew I'd found a place for them when I had a discussion with Painted Hearts over the summer about writing a Whimsy Christmas novella.

That led me to another idea: enhancing the Whimsical Dreams series with what I call the in-betweens—novellas with secondary Whimsy characters written in between the main series books. Clem and Remy will be the first novella; I don't know who's going to insist on being the second, but I suspect it will be a toss up between Jess Evanston, Casey Christiansen’s second, or Desi Phillips, Jaime Quintero’s second. I really couldn't tell you because they never tell me squat. I’m only here to scribe for them.

In the meantime, this little slice of holiday fun only goes to prove there is never a time of year when mayhem and mischief don’t make an appearance in the town of Whimsy, Florida.

To my awesome friend, Juliet Pishinsky, who is—hands down—the queen of unbelievably celestial Christmas cookie baking. My hips are thankful we don't live near you anymore, sister.

Chapter 1

Remy? Are you home? Clementine Martin pounded up the inside staircase to her apartment above the Whimsy Creative Arts Center (WAC) in Whimsy, Florida.

I’m here, baby. A handsome butch with a dark brown taper fade and light blue-green eyes appeared at the top of the stairs. She caught Clem as the diminutive femme rocketed up the last few steps and jumped. Remy Baumann wrapped her corded arms around her girlfriend before capturing Clem’s mouth with her own. A small whimper escaped Clementine as Remy deepened their kiss.

She sighed and put her head down on Remy’s shoulder when Remy released her mouth. You’re home early, dream girl, Remy said, ruffling Clem’s blonde-streaked, light brown curls. Is everything okay down at the WAC? You’ve had a crazy month so far and have been going nonstop.

This is true. Clementine pulled back so she could look into Remy’s eyes. "However, now that I don’t have anything to worry about except our holiday party in a few days, I can breathe a little bit. The weddings are over, we only have the WAC center and APS holiday parties left, and I don’t have to do a blessed thing for the APS one. Rowan and her mother-in-law have taken charge of that. Our art exhibit in the center runs through January 7, so I don’t have to worry about that for a while and I have almost everything done for the WAC party. We’re golden.

Although, Clem’s brows lowered, if any of these other bitches decide to get married or engaged any time soon, I’m going to kick some ass.

Silence reigned again as Remy took possession of Clem’s mouth once more. If you have all this free time now, I can think of something else you can do, Remy whispered when she finally lifted her head then nuzzled Clem behind her ear. You can get naked, climb into our bed, and let me do everything I want to do to you right now.

Clem’s breath grew ragged, both from Remy’s words and the heated look on her face.

Clem took Remy by the hands and started to pull her over to the bed in the sleeping area of the studio apartment. That sounds like a plan to me, she whispered back, already feeling a small trickle of moisture flow out of her from the desire that was ever-present in her when it came to Remy.

Just as they reached the bed, however, Clem’s cell phone rang. She tilted her head back and groaned in annoyance as she pulled her phone out of the pocket of her jeans and looked at the display. Huh. I don’t recognize this number. Babe, with everything that’s going on, I have to take this, just in case there’s a problem somewhere. She huffed as she hit the Answer button, giving Remy an apologetic look. Hello? Who’s this?

Remy saw her eyes widen before they narrowed in dislike after the caller evidently identified themselves. Screech? What the fuck? How did you get my number? Clem’s eyes narrowed even more as the phone chattered. Look, dude, I don’t have the time or the desire for a fucking family reunion right now. She listened for another minute, growing more irate. "I don’t give a fuck if Aunt Tammy and Uncle Wyatt think it would be a good idea or not. When Granny died, the only thing they were interested in was getting their hands on her shit. Now, they expect me to make nice with the family after what they did?"

Remy put her hands on Clem’s shoulders and started to massage them, trying to calm her clearly pissed-off girlfriend down. Clem listened to the caller for another minute before her temper broke. "Goddamn it, Screech! What fucking part of ‘I couldn’t care less’ do you not get?!? I manage a very classy creative arts center in Whimsy, one that means art things like sculptures and paintings—not a large-mouth bass mounted on a wall plaque and a picture of Jesus made out of bottle caps. Remy smirked, unable to help herself. It’s not shit any of you would be interested in, so why the fuck would I invite any of you losers to our Christmas party? I don’t want you coming here, and I’m not interested in whatever kind of scam your pea brain came up with that that you think you can run around us."

Clem rolled her eyes and huffed again. "Goodbye, Screech. The Holts and anyone else you’re acquainted with can keep their sorry asses in Bartow, because there is nothing for you here. Don’t call me again. Asshole." Clem pressed the End button with finality, her temper still flaring.

Do I want to know who or what the fuck a Screech is, baby? Remy wrapped her arms around Clem and nuzzled her softly behind her ear again. Clem felt herself start to calm with Remy’s touch. Do I need to pay this jackass a visit? You know Mar will be right behind me. Remy was Teagan Malloy’s second on the APS Communications team; Amari Wilson was one of the associates on Teagan’s crew. Mar adores you and she’ll fuck up anyone who’s upsetting you.

Clem felt herself relax in Remy’s arms and sighed. Screech is my cousin. His real name is Waylon. His dad, my Uncle Wyatt, is my mother’s brother, and they’re just as useless as the rest of the crack hoes in my family. Her voice saddened for a moment. I’ve told you before, Rem, I don’t come from good people. That’s why Darius and I have grown so close. Darius Young was the sugar artist for Delaney Malloy’s bakery, Sweet Expectations. "We both know what it’s like to have grown up in a family filled with drug addicts and criminals who are no damn good.

You know about my family on a surface level because we’ve already talked about it. However, I haven’t told you any details. There hasn’t been a need up until now. Clem melted further into Remy’s embrace. "All I know is