Page 60 of Christmas Criminal

I can't resist her.

I pull her into me, one arm around her back and one hand on her neck. She moans lightly as she winds around me, her tongue licking at my lips and slipping into my mouth. She tastes like chocolate peppermint coffee, and it stokes that hunger that's been building in me for her.

When she pulls away from me, she bites her lip, standing on her toes to glance over my shoulder. "I think Hanky Panky is looking for us."

Sure enough, when I turn around, Hank is standing behind his table, hands on his hips and a shit-eating grin on his face.

At least he's not angry. I get the feeling he cares about Noelle in the way that her dadshouldhave.

She grabs my hand, tugging me along behind her until we reach his booth and duck inside.

I know I was supposed to tell her something, but after the way she kissed me, my brain is blank aside from thoughts of that chocolate peppermint coffee she's drinking. And the fact that Hank is staring at us like that.

"Good morning, kids," he says, eyeing us both. I take the spare seat in the back of the hut, pulling my glasses off so I don't have to watch him watching me. I clean them on the edge of my shirt and affix them to my face again, only to see Hank standing above me, staring me down.

I think I'm about to get a scolding until Noelle speaks."Good morning, Hanky Panky," she says, her voice all high and sweet, and Hank and I start laughing as we turn to her.

"Hanky Panky?" he asks. "Where the hell did you get that one?"

She shrugs. "Out of my mom's old yearbook," she says, her gaze trained on him as he nods, doing his best to hide the smile on his face.

"Ah," he says. "I guess I forgot about that."

"Did you date my mom in high school?" she asks.

Hank's eyes slide to mine as if he's looking for an out. But I'm looking for a way out of the scolding he's about to give me, so there's zero chance I'm going to interrupt Noelle's questioning.

"Well, we had a little flirtation, I'd say," he admits, nodding to Noelle.

"Aw, you love her!" she exclaims, as Hank’s eyes dip.

She turns to me, eyes wide and bright. "He loves her!" she repeats.

"Noelle!" Hank barks. "Your mom and I are good friends."

She winks at him. "I got you."

"Noelle," he warns.

She only grins back at him.

"I don't need you spreading anything, okay?"

Christina pops into my mind again.Fuck. Another thing Hank doesn't want spread.

Unfortunately for him, my loyalty lies elsewhere.

She waves him off. "Oh, Hank, I'm not going to blow up your spot. I'm happy for you guys. Long lost loves coming back together. That's so sweet!"

Hank doesn't seem to know where to put his eyes. "We're not long lost loves. We're good friends."

"Uh huh," Noelle says, dropping her bag underneath the folding table in the back of the hut. "You love her and I think it's adorable. For what it's worth–not that you need it–I fully approve."

Hank shakes his head, turning away from us and out to the fair that's slowly growing more crowded with every passing minute. "I don't know what to do with you, Noelle," he grumbles, but I catch the smile in his voice.

She turns to me, a big grin across her face, as she winds an arm around his back and hugs him.

A second later, he hesitantly wraps one around her shoulders and squeezes.

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