Page 44 of A Christmas Bargain

I pulled into my drive from dropping off Naomi, and headlights shone behind me.

“Right on time,” I murmured, smiling at her punctuality. “No competing with a job right now…”

I parked but stayed in my SUV as she stopped her car on the other side of the wide paved area. Her long coat covered most of her, as it should with the snow on the ground and the cool temperatures. The slight glimpse of the black dress that I saw as her coat flapped open was a tease. I wanted to see it all, curious how she dressed when she wasn’t working, even remotely.

She waved, all smiles as she approached, and I leaned on the steering wheel to watch her come. After she opened the door, she climbed in. “Hi!”

“Hey there.” I waited for her to buckle in. “How was your day?”

“Like you don’t know already,” she teased. “We only texted all day.”

I smiled as I drove. We had. And I enjoyed it.

“I’m looking forward to this.” She sighed happily, settling into her seat. “I looked up the menu beforehand.”

“You don’t want to be surprised?”

“Nah. Well, I guess it’s just habit. I always looked up the menus ahead of time in the city so I wouldn’t have to guess and wait to order what I wanted.”

“That makes sense.” I smiled at her, hating that reminder that Stacymightbe right, that Claire and I were too different to ever actually make sense as a pair. “But I don’t want you to feel like you have to rush anything tonight.”

She huffed. “Says the most patient man on earth.” She winked, and it wasn’t cheesy or weird. “Trust me, I’ll savor every second. So. This is where you live.” She looked out the windows as I finished reversing in a three-point turn and drove back down the long drive. Darkness had already fallen, but she’d stillbe able to see a fair stretch of the land. “It’s just so open out here.”

“Yeah.”And I sort of want to keep it that way…

She launched into asking me all kinds of realty questions, and while I wanted to be defensive, the guilt didn’t win. I didn’t blurt that I’d lied about selling anything. Instead, I reveled in her pure enthusiasm about real estate. She stopped talking about the land around us and gave me stories about memorable deals, either because they worked out so well or had gone so badly.

I parked in town and was pleased when she took my hand to walk inside Gregario’s.

“You really enjoy your career, huh?”

“I do.” She beamed up at me.

We were seated and still maintaining this easy conversation. The second that I settled into my side of the corner booth, though, I spotted my sister seated at the bar with Mackenzie next to her.

Dammit.I couldn’t believe she was here! To spy on me. As I made eye contact with my sibling, she and her nosy friend lifted their drinks to their lips to cover their mouths. I didn’t need to try to see what they were saying to know that they were discussing the fact that I was here with Claire.

“Hang on,” I said, gesturing for Claire to scoot closer to me. “You’re so far away.”

She smiled, acquiescing as she slid to my side. As soon as she did, treating me to a closeup of her silky black dress, I lifted my arm to welcome her closer. I moved too quickly, though, almost knocking my elbow into her face.

“Whoa. Sorry.” I chuckled as she laughed, leaning forward to dodge my elbow. Our clumsiness had her slanting toward my face, with her hand slapped out onto my thigh so she could stop her overcorrection.

I didn’t think. I didn’t rationalize.

One look into her trusting brown eyes, and I saw the delighted surprise shining back. She was just as surprised by the near-collision. Delighted and amused—nothing else.

And just under the surface, the bold inking of desire that I suspected she was tired of tamping down.

I cupped her cheek and lowered until I kissed her.

15

CLAIRE

Iclosed my eyes at the touch of his lips on mine. Hard yet smooth. Gentle yet needy.

A total surprise.

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