Page 49 of Holiday Hostilities

This makes him laugh. “That might be the most polite thing you’ve ever said to me.” He smiles, looking more sure of himself. More like his regular self. “Would you want to move in with me? Temporarily. While you look for a new place.”

“Move in with you?” I squeak.

“Yes.” And then, he adds, “You know, pack up your stuff and move it to my place.”

I look at him flatly. “I know what ‘moving in’ means.”

He smirks. “Well, I have a very nice guest room you can stay in. Two, actually, so you can take your pick.”

At that moment, I realize what’s happening. “I don’t need your charity, Aaron.”

My face is burning. I should have never let him bring me home last night. Because here we are, in the light of day, and the truth couldn’t be clearer. Even my arch-nemesis feels sorry for me. So much so that he’s offering for me to come live athis house.

How mortifying.

“It’s not charity.” He pauses. Clears his throat. “There’s something in it for me, too.”

My eyes widen. “I’m not having sex with you!”

This makes himreallychuckle. “Noted. But no, I didn’t come here to ask you to be my live-in sex partner.”

“Oh.” My face is somehow even hotter. Seriously, the sun’s surface can’t be anywhere near this temperature. “No. No. I knew that. Obviously.”

One side of his mouth quirks up. “Are you planning on coming to the Cyclones Christmas gala?”

I frown, a little stumped by the random question. “No. I don’t think so,” I reply slowly. Jake and Sofia asked me to come to the event a couple weeks from now, and I am here in Atlanta that night, but super-festive Christmas parties aren’t my thing. Obviously.

But strangely, my response makes Aaron smile. “Well then, I want to strike a deal with you: you can stay in my guest suite until you find a new place. And in exchange, you’ll come to the Cyclones charity Christmas auction with me.”

I narrow my eyes at him, cradling my coffee cup so the warmth seeps through my palms. “Why would you want me to do that?”

He ducks his head a little. “I’m up for auction.”

“What a terrific prize.” I roll my eyes.

“Thebestprize. But remember that woman who named a cockroach after me?”

“I recall.”

“She has a ticket. Word has it that she’s going to bid on me, so I’ll need you to come as my plus one and outbid her. I’ll obviously pay for it, so bid as high as you need to.”

“You wantmeto bid to win you?” I burst out laughing. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”

“It might be ridiculous, but it’s true.” He makes big puppy dog eyes at me. “Please,” he wheedles. “Only you can help me.”

“That’s a bit dramatic, Marino.” I lean against the door, enjoying this.

“Olivia, sheproposedto me.”

“Then her winning you might actually be a blessing in disguise,” I tease. “Remember that pro hockey player who married the woman who stalked him online? That all worked out pretty well for him, so if your stalker bids on you at the auction and wins the date, it might work out well for you, too. Might even be your ticket to true love.”

“Your logic is flawless as ever.” His tone is dry as he shakes his head.

I mime taking a little bow.

He smirks. “And when my stalker stabs me to death in my sleep like I’m a life-size voodoo doll, I will come back and haunt the crap out of you.”

“Awh. You’d spend your afterlife haunting lil old me?”

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