Page 18 of A Very Grumpy Christmas

The cold winter air hits us as we step away from the buildings, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve never felt warmer in my life, because tonight, I’m with Kip.

We can’t stop smiling at each other as we make the short drive to Kip’s house. He lives on the outskirts of town, next to his business, Semper Fly.

“I should have taken my car so you don’t have to drive me back to town,” I say as we pull into his driveway.

“That old thing might have never made it all of the way out here,” he grunts, and I laugh.

“It’s actually been running pretty smoothly lately!” I tell him, and he shakes his head.

“No, it hasn’t,” he grumbles quietly and it clicks then.

“Oh. My. God,” I gasp as I turn to face him. “You’ve been sneaking around and fixing my car!”

He blushes, actually blushes, and clears his throat.

“Yeah, I didn’t want you driving around in an unreliable car.”

“How many times?” I ask him, my mind racing as I try to remember all of the times when my car wouldn’t start or when it seemed like it was starting to act up and then magically was fine.

“I don’t know. A few.”

“It had to be more than just a few! I mean…” I trail off as I count in my head. “Jeez, Kip, it had to have been like once a month for the last six months at least.”

“It’s not a big deal,” he grumbles, and I shake my head.

“Yes. It is. That was so… amazing of you. You’re so sweet, Kip. Thank you.”

He nods, and we stare at each other in the dark cab of his truck. I’m not sure who moves first, but soon we’re both leaning over the center console, our lips a breath apart.

“Ginger...” His voice is low and rough like he’s holding back.

I don’t wait. I can’t.

Without thinking, I reach for him, my hand sliding up his neck as I lean over the console. I feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingers, the roughness of his jawline, and before I know it, my lips are on his.

The moment our mouths meet, it’s like everything else falls away. The world outside the truck disappears, leaving only the heat of his kiss, the way his lips move against mine with such intensity it makes my head spin. He kisses me back, his hand tangling in my hair as he pulls me closer, and it’s like we’re both caught in this moment—wild, breathless, unstoppable.

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted someone like this, felt this kind of urgency. My heart is racing, my whole body trembling as I press against him, deepening the kiss. His lips are soft, warm, and when I feel his tongue brush against mine, a shiver runs down my spine. I can’t get enough of him. I never want this to stop.

Kip groans softly against my mouth, and the sound sends a jolt of electricity through me. His other hand slides to my waist, gripping me firmly as he pulls me even closer, like he’s afraid I’ll slip away. But I’m not going anywhere. I want to be right here, in this moment, with him.

I shift in my seat, turning toward him, my hands roaming over his chest, feeling the solid muscle beneath his shirt. He’s strong, every inch of him, and it drives me wild knowing he’s holding back for me, controlling that strength even as the tension between us builds.

“Kip...” I whisper against his lips, my breath ragged, my heart pounding. His name comes out like a plea, and he responds by kissing me harder, deeper, his fingers tightening in my hair.

I don’t know how long we kiss—seconds, minutes, it could be hours for all I know. Time doesn’t seem to matter when I’mwith him like this, lost in the feel of him, the taste of him. The windows of the truck fog up, the world outside blurring into nothingness as we lose ourselves in each other.

When we finally break apart, we’re both breathless, our foreheads resting against each other as we struggle to catch our breath. My lips feel swollen, tingling from the heat of the kiss, and my heart is still racing in my chest.

Kip looks at me, his eyes dark with desire, his breath warm against my skin. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night,” he murmurs, his voice rough with need.

I smile, my fingers still tracing the line of his jaw, my own desire mirrored in his gaze. “Me too.”

For a moment, we just stay like that, our bodies pressed close, the heat between us still simmering. I can feel his heart pounding against mine, and there’s a part of me that wants more. I decide to listen to that part of me.

“Let’s go inside,” I whisper, and he nods.

We climb out of the truck, and he rushes over to my side, helping me down and taking my hand as we head up to the front porch.

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