Page 61 of Merry Kissmas

“Don’t you both look cute,” I say.

“Same.”Carter lifts his eyebrows at me.

“Nice of you to join us.As you can see, there are only three snowmen done.”I wave at the yard.“It’s not like you to pass up on not one, but two, challenges.What gives?You won last year, so you’re ready to give up that spot on the tree to me?”

“It’s not over yet,” Carter challenges as I expected him to.

Maybe I’m wrong about the longevity of his and Faith’s relationship, because he’s spending a lot of time with her.

We all head inside, eat the meal Mom and Dad cooked for us, and finish up by watchingMiracle on 34thStreet.As expected, everyone heads to their villas as soon as the movie is done.

“I’ll close up, Mom.”

She smiles and takes her hand off the knob to turn off the gas fireplace.“Don’t forget.”

“We won’t.”

After my parents leave, I take the blanket off me and stand, yawning because I realize I’m ready for bed myself.

“I’m going to get a water, do you want one?”I ask Pierce, heading into the kitchen.“Can you get the fireplace?Let’s go back to the villa.”

“Sure.”

I grab two water bottles and head back toward the door.It takes me a moment to realize that Pierce is just standing by the fireplace, staring at me.My stomach whooshes when I realize he’s standing under the mistletoe, and the fire is still going.He crooks his finger at me, and I walk toward him.

“What are you doing?”I ask quietly.

He takes the bottles out of my hands and places them on the coffee table.

“Pierce, you don’t have to.”I hope I didn’t pressure him into this.

“I’m doing what I wanted to earlier, but…” He steps closer to me, his hand cradling my cheek.“I wasn’t going to kiss you again for the first time in front of your family.I wanted it to be a moment shared between just the two of us.One we’d both remember.”

“Oh,” I say, feeling foolish for being upset.

“And I wanted it like this, right here.Me and you, a roaring fireplace, and us under the mistletoe.”

“Yeah?”

He chuckles.“Yeah.Can I kiss you now, Brynn?”

“You better.”

He lowers his head, and his lips meet mine.Familiarity and desire bloom in my chest.The six years of separation disappear, and there’s a natural ease between us that isn’t found when you kiss a stranger.

A low current moves through the warmth and tenderness of his lips.His tongue slides into my mouth, and it’s a rekindling of our passion.All the memories from that weekend flood back into my mind, and I push away the regret that’s accompanied them for too long.He’s right here, and we’re together again, so I rise on my tiptoes, running my fingers up and over his shoulders, offering myself to him.

His hands wind around my waist, tugging me toward him so that our bodies are flush.He deepens the kiss, his tongue sliding along mine.But when he slows the kiss, his lips moving off mine, I whimper because I wasn’t ready yet.

Pierce trails his mouth down my jaw.“I never forgot how you tasted,” he whispers.“And I can’t wait to taste every inch of you again.”

My core heats, and I clench my thighs, needing a lot more than kissing to satisfy what’s blossoming inside me.In my head, I told myself I’d take it slow, but I want him.I want him naked and on top of me.I want him in my mouth, and I want his mouth on me.

“Take me back to our villa,” I say.

“My pleasure.”He slides his hand into mine, turns off the fireplace, and we lock up the lodge before walking back to our villa.

Pierce presses the code, and opens the door, turning on the light.

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