Page 53 of The Christmas Romance Wish

“Perfect. You could be one of Santa’s elves.”

I grumble, but the canned response feels old, stale. Just the way I’ve acted about Christmas for as long as I remember despite my brothers’ best efforts to make sure I had a holly jolly good time.

“I was also going to stop at HQ. If you’d like to join me, we’re going to deliver the wreaths and meals today.”

“Sounds like a full schedule.” A busy day during which I will not be getting on an airplane. I wouldn’t want to interfere with Alex’s charity work.

His dimpled smile grows. “Excellent.”

Glancing down at my outfit, I say, “Maybe I should go change.”

“What’s wrong with this?” Alex asks.

“Well, l shouldn’t wear leggings out?—”

“They’re comfortable, warmish?”

“Well, yes. They’re also my preferred attire. But I want to seem professional, an author from the city who you could take seriously and trust with your story.”

Alex’s eyes roam over me, grazing my legs and lifting toward my eyes. “I vote for leggings.”

A pleasantly warm flush washes over my cheeks. “Are you sure? They’re what I wear around the house...and on my peppermint mocha runs after I gave up trying so hard to fit in”

“You fit in here and they fit you very nicely.” His lips quirk.

I draw a deep breath, trying to accept the compliment when for so long there haven’t been any.

“Also, Emmie, I trusted you with my story before we met in person. It’s one thing to relay facts. It’s another altogether to experience the associated feelings, process them, and let them go. You’ve helped me heal. I’m forever grateful for you and,” Alex pauses, rubbing his thumb over his lower lip, he then adds, “for the leggings.”

“What do you mean?”

“About the leggings? They look good. Don’t argue with me about it. Stop trying to resist?—”

His arms are around me and I give in. I sink into his embrace and once more, we kiss. I savor it like I would a good meal after a long day, the warmth of a fire after being out in the cold, connection after being alone for so long.

And whatever I’ve given him, I want to double it, give him more, so I do, deepening the kiss.

But we can’t very well do this all morning with the charity work waiting, so after bundling up as best I can, given my city girl clothes, I reconsider my winter wear choices. Also my life choices, but I don’t want to think about those right now.

Utah winters require insulated boots, a heavy jacket, practical gloves, a scarf, and a hat instead of the stylish accessories I brought, thinking I was dressing to impress. Turns out Alex likes leggings.

Letting out a breath, while I wait for him to warm up the Jeep, the night before funnels back to me. I told Alex about my parents and...nothing happened.

He was right. I do have a story, but I’ve also told myself one. That if anyone knew about my cluttered thoughts, worries, and imposter feelings, they’d laugh me out of the room.

Once on the road, Alex first stops to get gas. He chats with a guy one pump over while the tank fills. If he walked down the street in New York, people would clear a path for him. He’s big, intimidating, and rugged.

And that’s what I like about him...and that with me, I get a different side. A thoughtful guy who treats me to peppermint mochas, reads to me, and kisses me like he knows I won’t break but also like I’m the most precious thing in the world.

He gives so much. Has been through so much. What can I do for him?

A chilly gust of air fills the Jeep when Alex gets back in. He brushes his hands together, warming them up. “That was one of Jesse’s buddies. I guess he recognized me from an event we held in town about seasonal preparations. A lot of people don’t knowabout the simple things they can do at home to make sure they’re ready for bad weather like the kind we just had.”

“Even people around here?”

Alex tugs on my silk scarf. “Even people around here.”

I highly doubt that I fit in. I never have, anywhere, but just like I adapted to life in the city, I suppose I could look the part and fake it ‘til I make it here in the mountains.

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