Page 34 of A Game-Changing Christmas

“We should cool off.”

Bri stuck her spoon back inside the ice cream for another dip, then flipped the handle, causing the frozen food to splatter against his face.

Bri gasped and shrieked with laughter.

“Oh, so this is how you want to play it?”

“No, no, no, no!” She held her hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Hmmm, don’t try to give up so easily now.”

Bri’s cheeks were heavy as she held in a laugh.

“I’ll clean it up!”

She grabbed a napkin and stood over him, dabbing the spot she’d splattered. The heat from his body drew her into his compelling gaze, and she was rooted there for the longest moment.

“There,” she said, “I think I’ve got it all.”

“Hmmm.”

She felt the vibration of his voice as her nerves danced every time he spoke.

“Thank you for the meal and dessert,” she said.

“You’re welcome. It was a pleasure.

“We should do it again sometime,” she added. “Minus the hospital visit.”

They both laughed while keeping one another trapped in a smoking gaze.

“Consider it a date,” he said.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, Raphael seemed to pull back.

“Excuse me while I use the restroom,” he’d said, disappearing.

For the next few hours, Bri had barely made eye contact with him, but to his defense, he’d been pulled into another conversation. Then another, before Hunter came out and finally, Raphael was gone.

Feeling exhausted and ready for bed, Bri said her goodbyes to Allison and Lance as they waited their turn to enter, then hailed a Lyft to take her home.

The coffee boiled over on the counter.

“Shit,” she cursed jumping out of her reverie.

“Focus, Bri.”

But she couldn’t. Bri wanted to see Raphael again, but they were so into their easy repartee that they didn’t take the chance and exchange numbers.

And maybe, she thought, it was for the best.

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