Page 55 of The Christmas Romance Wish

Alex’s lips ripple with a smile then he slings his arm across my shoulder. For a second, I thought he was going to take a swing at one of his best friends.

“Oh, I see how it is.” In three long strides, Pax crosses the room and sweeps Shaylin into his arms. Dipping her dramatically, he plants a kiss on her lips.

She returns the kiss for about two seconds before realizing what’s happening and wriggles away. Her cheeks blaze and her eyes shine, but her glower could torch the building.

“Would you two please just admit that you don’t hate each other,” Alex says.

“That would be a start,” Pax murmurs.

Turning to me, Shaylin says, “You’ve been warned. Paxton Pearce flirts with anything that lives and breathes.”

“Just women,” he adds.

She shakes her head like he’s hopeless, but the pink in her cheeks doesn’t fade and she did kiss him back for a moment. My guess is this has happened before, maybe in the store room. Perhaps initiated by Shaylin. Whatever it is, there’s a story here.

Alex points toward the ceiling. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do under the mistletoe?”

We all look up.

“There’s no mistletoe.”

Pax laughs and winks at Shaylin, and then says, “That means we’ll have to visit the Merry Kiss-mas display in town later.”

Alex shakes his head slightly. “These two have a history,” he murmurs to me.

Paxton juts out his thumb. “Like a cat, I’m working on my ninth chance with this woman.”

Alex claps his hands together. “Attention, team. Is everything ready for delivery?”

Pax salutes his boss. “Sir, yes, sir, Sargeant Claus. We have everything ready for delivery. Jesse’s 4Runner is loaded. Shy and I will ride together in my rig, and that leaves the two of you to drop the remaining twenty-five deliveries.”

Alex goes still as if he’s listening for a moment. “Tell me you didn’t.”

“I did sir and I’d do it again.” Paxton uses a mock-official-sounding military tone.

I look at the three of them, wondering what I’m missing.

“You know I hate flying,” Alex says.

“Yes, sir, but if you bail on me, I’ll make you drop and give me a hundred pushups.”

“But you’re my subordinate.”

“That is factually correct, but this is Christmas and concessions must be made.”

Shaylin is all but in hysterics.

“What’s going on?”

Alex lets out a resigned sigh. “Remember I mentioned that I know a few guys with planes? I neglected to add helicopters.”

Pax lifts an invisible walkie-talkie. “Mr. and Mrs. Claus are preparing for takeoff. Over.”

“I’m going to get you back for this.” Alex’s mouth is tight, but the crinkle around his eyes tells a different story.

“No, you’re going to thank me. This was part of the grand plan. Plus, just think, you’re going to make a lot of people happy, especially Mr. Marlin.”

“It was your cockamamie plan, but fine. It’s on you if the wreaths come apart midair.”

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