Page 44 of Second Chance Christmas

“You have to promise one thing.”

Nope. She’d managed just fine on her own. She wouldn’t change her plan. No dates, no men, no way. The minute hand slid into place on the large clock over the kitchen door. Already half past two.

She cringed. Time. She didn’t have nearly enough of it lately. She turned in her chair and leveled her gaze on his, her fingers playing with the fringes of her scarf. “Okay, Chief. I’m desperate and you know it. So out with it, what is it?”

“Chief, huh? Okay.” The dirtiest fucking grin she’d ever seen on a man had his lips pulled into a deep smile. “Mm… you blushing and anxious gives me ideas,” he purred. “Tell you what. That’s for me to know. For now.” He added the last little bit as if that explained everything.

That sly, playful grin of his was probably meant to soften her up and make her heart do funny things in her chest. Well, it did and it also had her core tightening and hot liquid spilling to wet the strip of silk between her thighs.

She narrowed her eyes, but it didn’t sway him into fessing up whatever devious plans he had in the works. Instead, he popped another chocolate cherry, that smug--gorgeous--but definitely smug look on his face never slipping.

She shook her head and caused a few strands of hair to snag on her scarf. The motion pulled a portion of hair loose from her braid. She ran her fingers along the edge of her empty plate. “I can’t decide if I want to play your game or not.”

“I can’t decide which is sexier. You biting your lip deciding or the blush along your cheeks because you already know your answer.”

She bit at the inside of her mouth trying to will the heat away, but no dice.

Ivy stilled her fingers. “Are you inviting yourself over to my house, Chief?” There was no hiding the spark of interest in his deep brown eyes. And she couldn’t hide it from herself how much it made her want to reach out and see if the same tingling feeling happened if she touched him again.

“My conditions for my help. Take it or leave it.” He shrugged and held up both hands in a draw then slowly reached between them and tucked the unruly locks behind her ear stopping to stroke a thumb over the plump bottom lip.

Torn between wanting to take him on his offer and the fear of not hitting her deadline pushed her over the last threshold. “Aspen Kennedy, you don’t play fair.”

He crossed his arms over his wide chest and the effect wasn’t lost on her the way the cotton of his shirt pulled across his broad shoulders. His choice of profession had definitely been good for his health. And good for the eyes.

She took in the cozy surroundings of the firehouse kitchen, thinking over his proposition.

“One condition. No dinner dates, no wine, candles or deliciously prepared meals on a table for two. Deal?” That ought to keep her out of trouble.

“That’s five.”

Ivy stared at him for a split second caught off guard. “Five what?”

“Conditions.” He took her outstretched hand before she could work up a sizable comeback to his teasing. Her hand slipped into his, warm callused in places and wholly comforting.

Why did she feel like that one simple move would be her downfall? Because now there was no turning back, she answered herself.

Aspen smiled that infuriating smile that had her wetting her panties with hot liquid every damn time. “You, baby, have a deal and an extra set of hands. By the way, I don’t need any of those things to get you naked and under me.”

Her brows furrowed.Fuck.

Her heart thundered and shot a blast of lust through her veins.

Her mouth fell open and he took full advantage of her surprise with a kiss. Hard and deep like he wanted her to get a taste of what he would do to her pussy when he had her bare to him.

And something told her she wouldn’t be waiting long.

CHAPTER TEN

The next morning Ivy woke to the smell of coffee and donuts. Hardt’s donuts to be exact. Like an electric jolt to the system, she bolted upright in bed, her planner toppling from the bed to land on the hardwood floor with a loud thud.

“Oh no.” She overslept. She covered her face with her hands and groaned. Aspen said he would swing by at seven and…she snatched her phone up and squinted her eyes at the time.

Darn. Darn. Darn. Fifteen till eight. How could she have slept for so long! She caught her reflection in the mirror and sank onto the edge of the bed. Disheveled and tired didn’t begin to describe the messy lopsided ponytail she forgot to take out last night or the dark circles. She’d spent long hours after returning scraping paint, peeling back carpet and getting just the right tint of mint green for the dining room. Before that, she secured another time for her call with Mr. Langley for the following morning.

Somewhere between midnight and three she vaguely remembered climbing the stairs and finding her warm bed.

Sheets tangled around her ankles as she scrambled to the bathroom while Max barked and danced around her feet with excitement. “What’s got you so happy, boy? It’s half your fault we overslept, you know. Why didn’t you wake me?”

---