Page 50 of A Christmas Bargain

I thanked him again for watching her and didn’t comment on Stacy showing up at Gregario’s to spy on me.

“Can you stay?” Naomi asked Claire that question after Nicky left, but she gavemethe pleading, sad, puppy dog eyes. “Please, Daddy? Can Claire stay for dinner?”

“I, uh, I…”

Claire winked at me, when Naomi couldn’t see, and that was all the answer I needed. I wanted her to stay, but I didn’t want to make her feel like she had to. Her sweet smile told me enough.

“I’d love to,” she told Naomi.

And so, the date turned into a day together, and lastly, into a night together.

After we worked together on cleaning up after dinner, we moved on to a couple of board games. It was Naomi who asked if Claire could sleep over in the guest room.

“That way, we could wake up and build snowmen together,” she explained.

“Well…” Claire glanced at me.

“You’re more than welcome to stay the night,” I told her, straining to keep my voice neutral and not smile too wide at the thought of having another chance to sleep with her.

Again.I was careful not to add that word on there.

“All right,” Claire said, smiling at both of us in turn.

After she read Naomi a bedtime story, then I tucked her in, we went to enjoy a glass of wine in the living room. Watching the snow fall outside had never been a more peaceful experience. We talked some more, learning more about each other again, and it only reaffirmed that I was feeling something growing and building between us.

The dinner we shared was such a domestic and simple experience, but that was when I’d gotten it into my head that Claire and I could be really good together. For real.

It was happening fast, but then again, it had with Jenna too. We’d met and it was a case of love at first sight, but I caught myself from attaching that four-letter word to the brunette who tempted me to smile more and laugh often.

Love?

This is just physical, right?

She’s going back to Denver after the holidays, isn’t she?

“What do you say I show you to your room?” I told her after I checked that Naomi was asleep.

“Hmm.” She sidled up closer, kneeling on the couch as I stood before her. “Is there a chance it could be the same one I saw last night?”

I held back a growl at the soft, seductive tone she used. Leaning lower, I kissed her until she was panting for air.

“There’s a high chance,” I told her as I hoisted her into my arms.

“What shall I wear?” she asked as I carried her into my room. “I feel like I’m overdressed.” While I stopped to close and lock the door, almost drugged with desire from her kisses on theway here, she leaned back and stripped out of the shirt she’d borrowed.

“You are overdressed,” I replied.

She leaned back, secure with my hands on her ass as I held her up against me. This reach away from me gave her the access she needed to unclasp her bra and let it drop to the floor. “Better?”

I lowered my mouth to her tit, sucking hard as I carried her to the bed. Hooking my fingers at the waist of the leggings and panties she had on, I tugged. “Losing these would be even better.”

“And what about you?” she asked playfully as she shimmied out of her clothes.

“Oh, I’ll catch up.” I began to unzip my jeans and push them down. “Then I’ll catch you.”

Don’t hate me if I never want to let you go.

I didn’t. All night, after we made love, I held her close in my arms and wondered if I was finally closer to being ready to risk my heart with another woman.

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