Page 26 of Mr. Naughty And Mrs. Nice

The guy freaks out, but Quinn hangs up the phone. “I guess you don’t have any snow pants with you? We can pick some up in town.”

“Who was that?”

“Oh, just a contact. I was working out a deal with him, but… It’s fine.”

“Do you need to work today?” I say, really hoping he doesn’t. “It’s okay if you do.”

“To tell you the truth, Jemma,” he says as he looks at me with the most loving look I’ve ever seen. “Last week, I would have dropped everything to secure that deal. I tried to cancel coming home to get this deal done, but my mother wouldn’t let me.” He laughs. “But right now, more than anything, I just want to spend the afternoon with you. Seeing your gorgeous smiling face is worth more to me than any amount of money. I’m happy to let it go and have a fun Christmas afternoon with my girl.”

I walk over to him, slide onto his lap, wrap my arm around his broad shoulders, and kiss his sexy lips even though I probably taste like coffee and turkey bacon. I’m too smitten to care.

“Thank you,” I whisper as I rest my cheek on his chest. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

He wraps his big comforting arms around me and holds me tight.

“Ready for a Christmas afternoon straight out of a movie?” he asks.

I laugh as I melt against him. “I thought you’d never ask.”

CHAPTER TEN

Jemma

“So, you’re the new girlfriend I keep hearing so much about,” Quinn’s aunt, or his mom’s friend, or their neighbor, I don’t know, there are so many people here, says. “Are you getting married?”

“Married?” I say, nearly spitting my wine out. “We’re just dating!”

She narrows her eyes on me, not looking impressed with my answer. “Word to the wise, honey—nail that shit down asap. A good-looking rich bachelor like Quinn has atonof options.”

“Okay,” I say, looking around the room for someone to save me. “Thanks for the tip.”

Willow sees me stuck in the corner with this crazy lady and hurries over. “Sorry, Madeline, I’m just going to borrow Jemma for a minute.” She wraps her arm around mine and pulls me away.

“Thank you,” I gasp when we’re out of earshot.

“That’s my mom’s childhood friend,” she says, rolling her eyes. “She’s so annoying. Some friends deserve to be left in the past, you know what I’m saying?”

“Definitely. Speaking of the past… How’s it going with your ex?”

I don’t think they’re exes anymore. Chris showed up for Christmas dinner and they haven’t stopped looking at each other all night.

“It’s incredible,” she says, looking across the room at him with hearts in her eyes. He’s chatting with her dad. “It’s like… We were never quite there, you know? I guess we both had some maturing to do or growing or something. But now…”

“It fits?”

“Yes,” she says, squeezing my arm. “It fits. So well.”

“But you live in Hawaii…”

She takes a deep breath and grins. “For now. I’ve been thinking of moving back.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she says with her shoulders slumping. “Ever since the fire, I’ve been feeling like I’m just taking space from the locals. And I miss the seasons here. Vermont is so beautiful in the fall. I miss the colorful leaves.”

“I hope it all works out for you,” I tell her.

She smiles at me. “And I hope it all works out for you.”

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