Page 9 of Stepbrother For Christmas

If Chase were to find out that I’m a jinx, he’d never be attracted to me.

With bad luck all around me all of the time, what’s the point in getting my hopes up? It’s better to have my guard up than risk dying or getting people killed. It’s best to just stay focused and stay aware and present in the moment.

“What’s wrong?” Chase asks, his deep voice interrupting my negative thoughts.

My head snaps up. “Hm. Why do you ask?”

He glances down at my hands, white-knuckled around my mitten. “You’re twisting your one glove up in a ball. If it was alive it would be dead by now.”

“Oh, I’m just excited about the mall. When I’m excited, I like to squish things together.” I laugh nervously. “Is there anything you need crushed?”

“Nah, I’m good thanks,” he says with a wink.

The way he looks at me makes me melt. Oh no, here come more butterflies in my stomach.

CHAPTER 5

Chase

What was I thinking going to the mall on Christmas Eve? This is an introvert’s worst nightmare.

I haven't been thinking straight since I met Emma. Hell, I never should have kissed her. I just keep making mistake after mistake. Then, to make matters worse, I—

I turn to talk to her, but she's gone.

Where did she go?!

Fuck, I just lost track of her in Colorado’s biggest mall and on one of the busiest shopping days of the year .

My dad is going to kill me.

How will I find her in this mess of moving people? The mall is full of holiday shoppers seeking the best deals. There’s foot traffic everywhere.

I spin around in a panic, my eyes searching the crowd. Then I spot her in the window of a children’s toy store. Much to my shock, she’s in the window display with two mannequins dressed in holiday outfits.

What’s she doing in there?

I rush over to her and call out to her. “Emma! Hey, whatcha doing?” Right now, she’s reaching both arms out to pet this huge stuffed teddy bear with a happy smiling face.

“I just touched one of the teddy bear’s paws and now I need to touch the other one. Because if I don’t make it even, I will have bad luck for seven years,” she explains, as if there’s nothing weird about this.

How does she come up with this stuff?

I need to get her out of there as fast as I can. Men are giving Emma lascivious grins through the glass window, and I have no choice but to bare my teeth at them. Then I turn to the shopkeeper who seems just as mesmerized by the sight of her in his window display as the men are. “How much for the giant teddy bear?” I bark at him.

“Three hundred dollars,” he replies quickly.

“SOLD. Now pack it up, pronto!”

A few minutes later, I’m escorting Emma from the toy store. I have the huge stuffed bear in tow, and now I can hardly walk without bumping into things.

“You can’t keep paying for my stuff. You already paid for my winter gloves—elegant cashmere knit gloves—that cost a small fortune,” Emma says softly.

“They’re durable and windproof. Besides I can buy you anything I want. I’m rich from designing apps and games. Consider these early Christmas presents.” Whatever my Christmas angel wants, she gets.

“Thank you for everything. But what will I get you for Christmas?” she asks sweetly.

“The pleasure of your company is enough for me.”

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