What do you do when your monster wants to be Santa CLAWS?

Orvos is probably the grumpiest Gryn on Ustokos. The grouchy healer spends his time growling at any warrior who enters his domain to be treated and his bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired.

He's also not prepared to let me help, at all, despite my medical qualifications and his haughty behaviour and dismissive attitude towards me mean we're hardly the best of friends.

And then I go and open my big mouth to say we should share the celebration of Christmas with the Gryn.

There's only one problem, we need one of these huge winged warriors to be our Father Christmas. So it comes as a huge surprise when Orvos actually offers to play Santa for all the younger Gryn.

Admittedly, the big grump thinks he's going to be Santa Claws, but as no one else is offering and Christmas is quickly approaching, it looks like I don't have a choice, even if it means we're going to have to work closely together.

The more time I spend with Orvos, the more I can't ignore my growing attraction to the big, burly but oh-so-gentle warrior turned healer. But as soon as we get close, he pulls away.

Now, not only can I not lose Orvos, I have to save Christmas too, because a Christmas without Santa Claws is no Christmas at all.

From USA TODAY Bestselling Author Hattie Jacks - A short, spicy/sweet age gap romance between two lost souls who need to find each other, no matter what.

This Christmas novella was previously featured in the "Unwrapping the Alien" anthology.