Page 38 of Christmas for Keeps

“Mm.” Giving me a dubious smile, he snickered. “It’s early yet. How do you know we won’t work hard all day?”

“I’m in!” I pounced quickly, rolling on top of him for kisses and giggles. That’s what we’d always called wrestling in bed, and today, it was more fun than ever. After so long apart, it nearly made my heart burst with happiness. Laughing and rolling around, knowing we’d both rather be here than anywhere else in the world, was the stuff dreams are made of.

Growling stomachs eventually sent us to the kitchen. After wolfing down pancakes and bacon, Con scraped up his leftover syrup with a spoon, making me snicker. “You like that stuff, eh?”

His cheeks pinked, and he grimaced. “Sorry. Is it disgusting?”

“No judgment. Vermont maple syrup is the best in the world.”

“Canadians might disagree with that, but it’s certainly the best I’ve ever had.” He licked the last of it off his spoon, making my dick twitch when I remembered all the things he could do with his tongue.

We stayed at the table to finish our coffee, and I asked, “What should we do today?”

“I’d like to say go back to bed, but I’m a little sore. A break would be good so I’m ready for tonight.”

“Understood. I should probably drink a gallon of water today. Wouldn’t want to disappoint you with a dry delivery.”

Smirking, he said, “I’m not worried. Old Faithful never fails to impress.” He sipped his coffee and frowned. “I should probably check on my car. Waiting for them to call might be an exercise in futility.”

“Why don’t we go to the dealership? Since the roads have been plowed, we should be able to get into town. It’ll be harder for the mechanics to ignore you if you’re standing in front of them.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d love to go. We should do some food shopping too.”

I nodded and drained my coffee. “I was thinking the same thing. Christmas is the day after tomorrow, and I want to cook you a feast.”

He shook his head. “We’ll do it together, a reunion feast. Let’s make a list. I have a notepad in my bag.”

“Why not use our phones?”

He shot me a crooked grin. “Surely you haven’t forgotten I like to take paper lists to the store. I know it’s very 2010, but it’s just me.”

“I remember.” Con had always been weird about grocery lists, making sure to put similar items together and arrange the list to match the aisles. “You’re a little obsessive with your lists.”

He narrowed his eyes and scoffed. “I amcarefulabout them. And you like it when I’m obsessive about some things.” Raising his eyebrows, he said, “Like your cock.”

Fuck going into town!I considered throwing him over my shoulder and carrying him to the bedroom. Instead, I was responsible. “Get your pad, and we’ll load the dishwasher while we make a list. Then we can shower and hit the road.”

CHAPTER13

Connor

The car dealershipwas on the outskirts of town. A feeling of unease washed over me as Zach and I made our way through the mostly deserted building, heading toward the service department. Zach didn’t think the car was totaled, but what if he was wrong? How much would my insurance cover? I’d used my savings for the down payment in September, so finding extra money would be a challenge. For that matter, what would repairs cost if the car wasn’t totaled? The insurance policy had a deductible, and I’d have to come up with that.

“You okay, babe?” Zach took my hand as we waited our turn at the counter. An older man was in front of us, apparently telling the clerk his life story.

“Nervous. I hope it isn’t too bad.”

“We’ll deal with it, whatever. I know it’s hard, but try not to worry.”

He saidwe’lldeal with it.My heart warmed at the prospect of being a “we” again, knowing I wasn’t facing this alone. But a nagging worry persisted: was it all too easy? Things were happening so quickly. Could it be real?

The man in front of us left, and after the clerk typed my name into the computer, he excused himself.

“Shit,” I mumbled, “this can’t be good.”

Zach kissed my cheek. “Easy there. Let’s see what they say.”

The clerk reappeared, this time accompanied by a mechanic who said that they could fix the car. I was lost in translation as he rattled off a list of issues. I recognized terms like “radiator,” “fender,” and “hood,” but much of what he said may as well have been in a foreign language. After describing the damage, he said they needed to order some parts. Since it was the holiday season, the repairs might not be finished until the new year.

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