Page 59 of Highland Hearts Holiday Bookshop

“I swear these are all just weird accidents. I’ve never been so clumsy in my life as I have been since I moved here.”

“That’s what they all say.” I laughed as she smacked my arm and then I held up what I’d picked up from the floor.

“What’s that?” Rosie’s lips rounded into a perfect O as she saw what I was holding.

“I think you know what it is.”

“I do.” Her eyes widened, and her throat moved as she swallowed.

“The rules of mistletoe are very clear.”

“This is probably a gray area, though, right? Since itwas on the floor.”

“I’m fairly certain they’re ironclad. Do you really want to test the rules? What with our good luck in the competition tonight?” I held the mistletoe up and Rosie considered it for a moment.

“No, best not to tempt fate, is it? I succumb to the rules of long-standing traditions.”

Succumb to me, I said silently, as I tossed the mistletoe behind me and wound a hand behind her neck, pulling her face close. Instead of her lips though, I lingered at her ear, nuzzling against her hair, before I softly kissed her neck.

“Alexander,” Rosie breathed, and I kissed her soft skin again, the scent of vanilla and cinnamon enticing me.

“Yes?”

“That’s not my lips.”

“No, I don’t think the rules say where to kiss. I want to make sure I’m thorough.”

“Oh.” Rosie’s breath was shaky, and I grinned against her throat. Trailing my lips down her neck, I nibbled at her collarbone, licking lightly and then blowing a soft breath across her skin. When she shivered, my body heated.

I looked up at her under heavy-lidded eyes and saw a face ravaged by desire before she caught me looking and schooled her expression. But I’d seen it. It was all the confirmation I’d needed. Running my hands down her sides, I hitched her up and put her on top of the worktable.

“Eeek.” Rosie gaped at me.

“Did I hurt you?” I asked, running my hands lightly along the sides of her thighs in that slippery silky skirt. I eased forward until I stood between her legs.

“No, I just…” Rosie waved a hand in front of her face. “You lifted me so easily.”

“I’ll carry you all night long, lass, so long as you let me keep touching you.”

“Oh.” Rosie’s mouth formed that perfect O of shock again and I’d held off long enough. I needed a taste. I needed to know if the feelings from the other night were an anomaly, or if I really wanted her as much as I thought that I did. Cradling her face in my hands, I angled her mouth to mine.

And then I feasted.

My senses were on overload. In this moment, she was everything. The delicious heat of her kiss drew me in, and I dropped one hand to run it along her thigh, the silk of her skirt driving me crazy. Over and over I stroked her thigh until she moaned into my mouth, widening her legs, and arched her hips against me.

“Bloody hell,” I gasped against her lips. “I need to touch you.”

“Oh, please do,” Rosie begged, doing some touching of her own as she ran her hands beneath my jumper until she found skin. I shivered at the trace of her hands against my back, and dipping my head, I took her lips again. Licking inside her mouth, I mirrored her movements and slid my hand over that enticingly soft jumper of hers and underneath the hem. Herskin was warm beneath my touch, and I trailed my hands up her side until I found her breasts.

“Yes,” Rosie breathed against my lips.

“Are you sensitive here?” She wore silk here as well, and her breasts hung heavy and lush in my hands. I brushed my hands over them, cupping and kneading, my body begging to be buried deep inside her.

“So much. This is…” Rosie threw her head back as I tweaked her, thrusting her breasts farther into my hands. “Just like that.” Tracing circles, my eyes widened as she bucked against my hips, and I captured her lips once more. Rosie moved rhythmically against me, and I continued to caress her breasts until her movements picked up frequency. Pulling away, Rosie mewled in frustration when I stopped touching her.

“Shh, darling. Just a moment then.”

Finding the hem of her skirt, I lifted it slowly up her legs, and her eyes widened as my fingers danced across her inner thigh.

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