Page 38 of The Christmas You Crash

My dirty mind supplies an image of Ryder and me in the hot tub. Naked. Somehow, I resist the urge to fan myself. “Yeah. Me too.”

nineteen

RYDER

Damn me forpacking these stupid boxers. Why on earth did I ever think collecting them was funny? You go out shopping one time with your buddies in college, laugh at a pair of boxer briefs with a decorated dick pouch, and suddenly that’s your newthing.

None of these are good options. There’s Frosty the Snowman with the carrot dick pouch, Rudolph with the red pom-pom nose on the crotch, the pair with a Santa hat pouch, complete with white fur pom-pom on the tip, and more along those lines. The least embarrassing pair is one with mistletoe on the crotch, and I’m pretty sure that’s going to send the wrong idea. I don’t want Lexi to think I’m trying to get her to suck my cock. Obviously, I wouldn’t beopposedto that, but I’m fairly certain that won’t happen.

The second least embarrassing pair of boxer briefs is one with a present on the crotch and a big red ribbon bow. Guess that’s what I’m wearing in the hot tub. I certainly can’t wear any of the ones with a fabric cone over my penis. I lightly bang myhead on the wall a few times and vow never to go on another trip without packing at least a couple pairs of normal boxer briefs.

Oh, well. Can’t be helped, now.

Once I’ve slipped into the mortifying boxers, I grab a towel from the bathroom, wrap it around my waist, and head for the back deck and the hot tub. The cabin is quiet. Lexi must already be outside.

Cold air envelops me as soon as I step outside, and I shiver. The arena is always chilly, but it’s nothing compared to this. When I play, I’ve got padding and layers of clothes on. My feet are covered in socks and skates. My helmet keeps all the heat from escaping my head. But right now, I’m hopping through the snow in bare feet and nothing but underwear and a towel, and it’s a lot, even for me.

But then I see Lexi, and all thoughts of the cold flee.

God, she’s stunning. Submerged to her chin in the steaming water, Lexi has her head tipped back against the headrest behind her. Her eyes are closed, letting her long lashes fan out across high cheekbones. A small smile plays at her lips.

I’ve never been so attracted to a woman in my life.

“Just gonna stand there and stare, stalker?” she asks without opening her eyes.

Clearing my throat, I unwrap the towel and drop it with hers. And as I’m dipping my first toe into the water that’s plenty warm but not quite hot enough to be consideredhotafter the days of snow and a power outage, Lexi’s eyes pop open.

The way she drinks in the sight of me would be enough to make me hard if my balls hadn’t already shriveled up inside my body from the cold and my dick hadn’t tried to tuck tail to conserve heat. Her half-lidded stare starts at my shoulders before sliding down my chest and abs. Those pretty green eyes linger on the dark trail of hair that starts below my navel and disappears beneath the waistband of my boxers.

And then her gaze dips to my dick. My dick, which is behind a printed present and a big red ribbon bow.

Just like that, her half-lidded eyes widen, and her lips twitch before splitting into a broad smile, then opening with laughter. She tries to stifle it, but she can’t.

With a sigh, I hurry to lower myself into the water and hide mypackage. The water feels blisteringly hot compared to the outside temps, even though I know it’s cooler than normal. “You swore you wouldn’t laugh.”

Lexi covers her mouth with her hand. Her eyes dance. “I’m sorry, it’s just...I wasn’t sure what to expect, but that is...” She stares at my crotch through the bubbly water. Her shoulders shake with silent laughter. “There’s a big bow on your dick.”

I’m sure my cheeks are bright red with embarrassment, but I try to play it off like I’m unaffected. “This is the least offensive pair,” I admit. That has Lexi bursting with laughter.

“No way. I need to see the others if this one is the tamest option.”

“Hell, no, OTG. Not happening.”

She bats her eyelashes at me and pulls her lips into an exaggerated pout. “Oh, come on, Ryder. Don’t be such a grinch.”

“No. Nope. I don’t care how much you pout. That’s going to be a no from me.” I shouldn’t want Lexi to want me, but I do. And, somehow, I don’t think showing her my ridiculous boxers will help. Not that I think much of anything would, at this point. The frustrating thing is, I know she wants me. But she won’t let herself go there. I can respect that. I don’tlikeit, but I can respect it. Hell, I shouldn’t be entertaining the thought of her, either, let alone dry humping her against an exterior wall. At least one of us has some self-control, because as far as Lexi Cross is concerned, I seem to be fresh out.

“You’re no fun, Hanson.” That damned pout. Her lower lip juts out, and I want to nip at it. Suck it in between mine. I want to make those lips swollen and bee stung.

“Agree to disagree,” I say. My eyes drop to her chest as she sits up in the water, and I catch a glimpse of her bathing suit. It’s a black string bikini with silvery screen-printed flowers all over the fabric. The triangular pieces hug perky breasts with peaked nipples. The top is tied tight enough that it helps push her breasts together and up, and my dick hardens as I watch small rivulets of water forge paths down her chest and cleavage. From what I can see, the bottoms sit low on her hips with bows tied on each side.

She’s a goddess. Stunning. I can’t look away.

“My eyes are up here,” Lexi teases. Her chest rises and falls faster. Her voice is low and sexy. She’s just as affected as I am.

Good.

Looking up, I don’t deny that I was staring. I don’t apologize. I don’t even smile. Completely serious and utterly honest, I give in to my urges and surge toward her in the hot water. “You’re beautiful,” I say. She shivers when I trace my thumb across her jaw. “Absolutely stunning.”

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