Page 23 of Kiss Me

“All hospitality goes out of the window when it comes to our annual gingerbread house competition,” someone yells at Taehyun from across the room.

“In that case …” he says and quickly grabs two boxes of gumdrops and hurries across the room to our table, carefully guarding his treasure.

“We better win this damn competition,” he tells me as he places the boxes in front of me.

“Have you seen me do a backside one-eighty? This W is as guaranteed as me landing one of those with my eyes closed,” I say before he can answer my question.

I rip open the box, uncaring that a few of the gumdrops spill onto the floor.

“Grab all of the red ones from that box,” I instruct.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see him give me a sideways glance, but soon enough, he does my bidding. Before this competition began, I would’ve bet three gingerbread men that Taehyun was the type to balk at taking orders.

Especially from someone he’s hoarding a secret over.

Yet, he surprises me at almost every turn when I instruct him on how to build the perfect gingerbread house.

“The last one goes right here.” I draw out the word ‘here’ as I place the final red gumdrop along the roof of our home. “Now, she’s perfect.” I push out a sigh as I press back against my seat.

When I do, the ice pack that I’d been ignoring falls onto the floor. I barely notice it, but Taehyun quickly scoops it off the ground and carefully places it back on my ankle.

Our eyes lock while he kneels down, adjusting the pillow under my ankle.

“How’s that?” he asks after a second.

My lips part and close a few times before anything comes out. He knows, just like I do, there’s no need to be concerned about a fallen ice pack. Nor do I need the pillow under my ankle.

Yet, he adjusts everything as if he truly cares.

“It-It’s perfect,” I stutter out. It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him why he’s being so damn caring, but we’re suddenly interrupted.

“Look who’s caught under the mistletoe,” Stasi Townsend sing-songs.

Taehyun and I both slowly tilt our heads upward to discover she’s holding mistletoe over us.

“You two can’t not kiss. It’s a family tradition,” she encourages, smiling brightly.

“I, uh, well, it’s not—” Yeah, my protest is suddenly cut off when Taehyun cups my face.

“Well, if it’s tradition …” His voice is smooth as silk and as enticing as a gingerbread cookie that’s been dunked in warm, creamy hot chocolate.

A second later, I come to discover that his lips taste as good as the aforementioned treat when he pulls me in for our very first kiss.

He doesn’t let the kiss linger, though. It’s just long enough that I get the taste of the peppermint chocolate bark he snacked on earlier, while also leaving me wanting way more than I should.

“Nice!” Stasi says before skipping off to the next table.

Taehyun rises to his full height, never taking his gaze off of me. Meanwhile, I can’t take my eyes off of his lips.

Those very lips start to spread into a smile. But it’s not like the cocksure grins he’s given me over the past twenty-four hours. It’s an expression as if he’s just realized something.

Something important.

My stomach twists and heart races with an anticipation I can’t put a name to.

“Alright, that’s time,” someone calls out, putting a halt to the gingerbread house decorating.

“With all of the abuse I took to get your damn gumdrops, we better win this competition,” Taehyun says as he retakes his seat next to me.

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