Page 22 of Kiss Me

Why that idea seems suddenly appealing to me, I have no idea.

CHAPTER 6

Tania

“Something isn’t right.” I bite my bottom lip as I stare at the almost completed gingerbread house.

Without a thought, I reach for another gingerbread cookie from the plate of extra, unused pieces.

I chew slowly while examining our gingerbread house.

“What are you talking about? It’s perfect,” Taehyun claims. He stands and spins our gingerbread this way and that to display this supposed perfection. “It’s double the size of everyone else’s since you insisted on using three boxes.”

I ignore him as he recounts how we even had Mrs. Townsend check the rules to make sure I could use a second box. That triggered others around us to insist on second boxes to double the size of their house.

Yes, I then used a third to construct the house.

“It’s a damn gingerbread McMansion,” Taehyun says.

“It’s missing something,” I insist. The house looks good. But it can be great.

He chuckles when I tell him as much.

“We’ve already added a damn two-car garage, a front and backyard, as well as a Nativity scene in the front yard. What else could it possibly nee?—”

“More gumdrops.” I snap my fingers before taking another bite of the cookie in my hand.

I move to get up to search for some gumdrops since we’ve used all of the ones supplied to our table. A pair of strong arms on my shoulders stops me.

“How about I get them?” Taehyun’s eyes land on me. There’s a knowing glint in his eyes.

Dammit. Once again, I’ve forgot all about myinjuredankle.

I peer around the room, but to my relief the more than thirty family members around the room are engaged in constructing their own gingerbread houses, teasing one table or another about how lame their gingerbread house is, or arguing how superior their home building skills are.

“How the hell has this guy been head of Townsend construction for two decades?” Damon Richardson calls out while gesturing to his and Joshua Townsend’s gingerbread house.

The two friends chose one another to partner with since their wives are two of the judges. They’ve bickered off and on for the past hour.

It’s hilarious to watch.

“Where the hell have your construction skills disappeared to?” Joshua gripes to the man I’ve learned is his best friend.

Laughter spills from me and I turn back to Taehyun. “They’re getting antsy because they know ours is superior.” I rub my hands together. “Get the gumdrops.”

His eyebrows spike. “Bossy much?”

“Do you want to win or not?”

That gets him going. Taehyun heads off from one table to the next searching for extra gumdrops.

Laughter spills from me when one of the younger Townsends, who doesn’t look more than eleven or twelve, snatches a box of gumdrops that Taehyun was about to swipe from a table.

“Get your own.”

“That wasn’t particularly hospitable.” Taehyun looks like he’s on the verge of pouting.

I have to cover my mouth because I’m laughing so hard from my seat.

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