Page 51 of Their Christmas Miracle

He straightened, his eyes almost on a level with hers despite her heels. Not that she was freakishly tall or anything, but Sam had always preferred she wear flats when she went out with him. She’d never even stood up earlier… he’d never even known that small defiance she’d shown — arriving with heels. So many small defiances over the past few months… they didn’t matter now.

Elle opened her mouth, but the guy spoke right over her. “Let me try putting this in terms you’ll understand…”

Another step, his body now brushing hers. Heat came off him — maybe he just ran a few degrees hotter than most, or maybe she’d pissed him off. Either way, it made her skin begin to itch.

And not in a bad way.

“You’re not getting your car without paying me. And I’m not taking your ass as payment. Kind of hard to settle payments with a one-night stand, you catch my drift? Now get out of here, before I throw you out.” His voice shook slightly, as did the grip around her wrists.

If it hadn’t been for that, that slight wavering, then she’d have left. If she hadn’t caught a flicker of the man steeling himself, she’d have left.

Instead, she arched her back a little — just enough so that her hips brushed his.

Blake flinched as if she’d slapped him across the face.

“You know what I think?” Elle hesitated, and then pressed into him hard enough to feel his muscles stiffen as he resisted that pressure. “I don’t think you want me to go.”

Where the hell was this coming from? Why the hell wasn’t she halfway out the door like he’d already told her to be?

Because she didn’t want to leave, either.

Somehow… for some indefinable reason that she knew would keep her awake at night for weeks, she wanted this gruff man with his stained shirt to grab her. Hold her. Kiss her. Do… well, whatever the hell he wanted with her.

If Sam was going to divorce her for screwing around, then she might as well do the damn crime she was being prosecuted for.

Her heart slammed into her chest. If he pushed her away again, now, after what she’d said? She would leave crying, for one. For another… she didn’t know if she’d ever have the mental fortitude to drag back the last remnants of her dignity. She’d have to leave them here, scattered on the floor in this tiny office.

“I don’t—” Blake’s brown eyes widened, confused. “You can’t—”

She looked from eye to eye, searching for the first telltale sign of rejection. Hell, she was a Goddamn expert at it by now. She could teach lessons in rejections.

Blake tightened his grip around her wrists. Slowly, his gazed fixing on her as if he was the one watching for rejection, he leaned into her.

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