Page 54 of Why Not Now?

At this point, I know he’s goading me, continuing the argument simply because it’s fun. I continue to press my point, anyway.

“It could have been any kind of party. Maybe they were celebrating a big success or a merger. People have parties all the time, as you know, since you’re an owner of a party venue.”

He laughs and kisses the tip of my nose. “We can watch whatever you want, sweetheart. If you don’t want to seeDie Hard, we can put on something else.”

I sniff, tilting my chin up. “I never said I didn’t want to watch it. Just that it’s not a Christmas movie.”

He laughs again and I smile, loving the feeling of him next to me, his shoulders shaking with laughter. I slide my hand along his neck, my fingers sifting into the hair at the back of his head. He looks down at me, still smiling, the firelight glinting off his glasses.

I want to freeze this moment. No camera could capture it. The warmth spreading through my chest at the look in his eyes while the Christmas lights wink and the tinsel glitters. The way the firelight flickers, casting shadows. The smell of the small tree and the candles has worked its way into the room, adding the scent of pine to the aroma of the cookies we’d baked earlier. And Derek, that sweet and spicy cologne filling my senses.

Everything is perfect.

When he kisses me, I sigh as I lean against him. The kiss is soft and sweet. His hands roam along my back while my fingers dive through his hair. We shift and suddenly the kiss turns from sweet to hungry. Sex with Derek has always led to me wanting more, and now is no different.

“Stay the night, Ava,” he whispers against my lips. “Lacey’s at a friend’s house. You don’t work until nine tomorrow morning. Stay here. Don’t leave.”

“How do you know what time I work?” I ask, my head tilting as he kisses a line along my jaw.

“I memorized your schedule,” he says.

Something about that statement is so hot. The straightforward way he says it, the fact that he cared to memorize it.

I haven’t ever spent a whole night with someone. When we were together before, we’d still lived at home with our parents. Since then, I haven’t liked anyone enough to break my rules. No one measured up to Derek.

I blink and lean back, searching his eyes.

I definitely like him enough. If I’m not careful, I might even love him again. I nod.

“I’ll stay.”

I wake to the sound of Derek’s phone ringing. He answers groggily and sits up.

“Shit. Really?” He gets out of bed and I unashamedly ogle his ass as he walks around it to the window. “Fuck.” He listens to whoever has called for a moment and says, “No. I’m going back to bed. I’ll see you tonight.”

Then he hangs up and does exactly what he said he would do, slides beneath the blankets, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It snowed last night.”

“What?” I jerk up, but Derek grabs me and snuggles into my back, making me the little spoon.

“Yeah. There’s about two inches out there. People are going to be fucking nuts today. Are you sure you can’t call in sick?”

“Yes, Derek, I’m sure. What time is it?”

“It’s only seven. Spencer got up to go to the gym and, since I said I might meet him, he called me when he looked outside.”

“Derek. I have to go.”

He shakes his head where it’s buried in the space between my neck and shoulder. “Sleep for another thirty minutes. Then I’ll get you breakfast and take you to work.”

The idea is tempting. If I thought putting a drop ofRefugeon my pillow helped me sleep, it’s nothing to being surrounded by the scent of amber and cardamom, feeling secure in the knowledge that Derek is right there with me.

“I can’t. I have to call Lacey and see if she needs a ride. I should shower. And it’ll take forever to get anywhere today.”

Finally, he lets me go with one arm, keeping the other around me, as he props himself on his elbow. I roll onto my back so I can look at him.

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