Page 11 of Trapped in the Christmas Cabin

She’dexpected just a peck on the mouth, but it seemed that her taunting words had madeKlausfeel he had something to prove.Witha low growl, he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, sending shivers of desire running through her whole body.

Kellimoaned softly and opened her lips, inviting him in.ThebigKindredtook her invitation and soon she was tasting him—a wild, deep flavor that was tinged deliciously with a ghost of the hot chocolate they’d both been drinking earlier.

Suddenlyher heart was pounding even harder and her nipples felt tight.God, who knew that she and her grumpyProtectorwould have so much chemistry?Kellicouldn’t remember having a kiss this exciting since…well, sinceever.Herex,Mitch, hadn’t been a very good kisser at all.Andbecause she’d been married so long, she hadn’t kissed anyone else since college.

Justas she was really getting into it and threading her hands throughKlaus’sthick, black hair, which she had always fantasized about, there was an audibleclickand the cabin spoke again.

“Romantickiss detected—Iam now open for your enjoyment,” it announced.

Theypulled apart andKellitook a step back, panting.

“Oh, uh…”Shewasn’t sure what to say but when she looked up atKlaus, his golden eyes were blazing.

“Howwasthat fora kiss, sunshine?”he growled.

“Itwas good—really good,”Kelliadmitted.“I…um…”

“Comeon,” he said, cutting through her confusion.“Let’sgo have a look inside so we can get back to the ship.”

“Youpromised we’d stay unless there was anything weird,”Kelliprotested, following him into the cabin.

“Andyou don’t think kissing to get the door open counts?”Hethrew an incredulous look over one broad shoulder.

“Let’sjust look around and then we can discuss it,”Kellisuggested.

Shecouldn’t understand why he was so eager to leave.Theway he’d been kissing her, she would have thought he wanted to take her straight to bed—and she wouldn’t have tried to stop him!Whoknew her grumpyProtectorwas such an incredibly passionate kisser?

Shefollowed him into the cabin, ready to argue some more, but what she saw made her stop.

TheChristmasCabinwas adorablycozy.

Thefront door led into a living room area that had a fireplace on one wall and a big, overstuffed couch with a red and white checked throw across its back.Sittingacross from the couch was a sleek entertainment screen that was presently playing images of candy canes andChristmascandies.

Thefloor was hardwood but there were several rugs that looked hand-braided on the floor to add warmth and there was a large, realChristmastree in the corner decorated in red and green and gold with a beautiful glowing star perched at its tip.

“Justlook at this place!”Kellispun in a circle and inhaled deeply.“Andbreathe it in!”

Thescent of theChristmastree’s pine needles mixed with the scent of apples and cinnamon and possibly sugar cookies, which was drifting from the back of the cabin, was mouthwatering and nostalgic a the same time.

“It’sall just soChristmassy,”Kellisighed happily.

Klausgave her a bemused look.

“Youreally love this holiday, don’t you?”

“Whatare you talking about?OfcourseIlove it—Christmasis thebest.“Comeon—let’s go see the rest of the cabin!”

Kelligrabbed him by the hand and tugged him further into the cozy interior.Butbefore she had gone two feet, the voice of the cabin spoke again.

“Tooptimize yourChristmasCabinexperience, please fill out this checklist ofRomanticChristmasScenariosyou wish to include,” it said.“Pleasenote that all selections are final and cannot be reversed so choose carefully.”Andthen, toKelli’ssurprise, a glowing list appeared in the air right in front of her.

“Hey, what in theSevenHellsis that?”Klausasked, frowning as he looked over her shoulder.“Whatare ‘romantic scenarios anyway?”

“Youknow—like tropes you find in a romance book or a romantic movie,”Kelliexplained distractedly.Shewas too busy reading the list written in glowing letters.Aftereach line there was a box, which she assumed she could check if she wanted to include that particular scenario.

Thelist read like this:

KissingUndertheMistletoe

---