Comfort & Joyce

By Barbara Kellyn

Prickly Marcus is unimpressed by his meddlesome sister's gift to him: a professional cuddle therapy session on Christmas Eve. 

 

Being spooned by a stranger? Ugh, no thanks.

 

Despite his misgivings, Marcus reluctantly agrees to an introductory meeting with his assigned cuddler, grumbling all the way.  

 

Sparkly, sweet-natured Joyce gives away too much of herself, getting so personally invested in her clientele that she's cuddled herself out of a job. 

 

Christmas Eve is her final day at the agency, and Marcus is her last client. 

 

Will Joyce be able to give Marcus a safe space to let down his guard and get out from under his dark cloud? Can Marcus show Joyce that it's finally time to nurture her own needs and make room for love?

 

WHEN GRUMPY MEETS SUNSHINE, THE SNUGGLE IS REAL. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barbara Kellyn
• Release date: Nov 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223234456

Barbara Kellyn

Barbara Kellyn writes the kind of stories that she loves to read: contemporary romantic comedies fraught with amusing complications and taut sexual tension between a likeable heroine worth rooting for and an alluring hero worth the trouble of falling for. A lifelong storyteller, Barbara thanks her lucky stars that she is living out the kind of blissful existence that her characters can only dream about reaching before the last page. 

Book preview

Comfort & Joyce

Barbara Kellyn

Copyright © 2023 Barbara Kellyn

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

An earlier version of this story originally appeared in the anthology Wrapped in Romance (2022) by The Independent Romance Authors Association.  

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

About The Author

Chapter 1

This is crazy. I’m going to cancel, Marcus grumbled, stabbing at the glowing screen.

Put down your phone this instant! Fiona demanded. You know how hard it was to nail down a meeting with this girl? She has amazing ratings. So don’t you dare waste the best Christmas gift I ever gave to you by flaking out now.

But Fee, hiring a paid cuddler? It’s all so… so… He shivered with disgust.

What? Good for you? Actually, it’ll be good for us both. I can’t keep shouldering the burden of you all by myself. It’s very draining.

He scowled. Gee, thanks a lot.

Darling, you’re quite needy, and I say that with the utmost affection. She sniffed. Not only will this meeting benefit your personal growth, but it’ll get you out of this dismal dump.

He took exception to the industrial-style loft being called a dump, as stark and sparsely furnished as it may have been, but Fiona wasn’t wrong about him needing to leave it more often. After two years of working at home, Marcus had grown accustomed to going days, sometimes even letting a week slip by, without encountering another soul. Thanks to doorstep delivery of every conceivable convenience being a few keystrokes away, it was far easier to stay inside to write his column or listen to music from dawn until dusk than it was to face the agonizing process of dragging himself from point A to point B. Except for physiotherapy and the required maintenance for possessing natural hair and teeth, if Marcus had to venture out, it had better be for a damn good reason. Obviously you like it, or you wouldn’t hang around here so much.

I would love to challenge you to a battle of wits, but clearly, you’re unarmed. She tossed her shiny blonde hair over her shoulder. This cuddling thing is supposed to be a positive therapeutic experience, so why not give it a try? You have nothing to lose.

Other than my dignity. Miffed that Fiona was once again getting her way, Marcus angrily screwed down the black cashmere beanie over his ears. Okay, I’ll go, but only to get you off my back, he groused. You know how much I hate going out.

Translation… you hate trying new things and meeting new people, you ol’ crank.

He pulled on his coat. And I especially hate them both at this time of year, remember?

I’ve been the recipient of far too many of your lame, last-minute Christmas gifts to ever forget how much you detest the holidays. The all-time low was that gas station trifecta of a pine-scented air freshener, trail mix, and a double pack of batteries. Toy not included.

I thought it was rather practical, and as they say, it’s the thought that counts. He reached for his crutch, slipping his forearm into the cuff and grasping the hand grip for support. Shifting his weight, he snapped to attention for final inspection. Well? How do I look?

Fiona nodded her approval. Like a nimrod in desperate need of a hug. In other words, perfect.

A nearby coffee shop served as neutral territory for the introductory meeting with his cuddler-for-hire, ensuring a quick escape if things went south. Not that Marcus