Page 39 of His Off-Limits Christmas Gift

“Maybe I’m hoping to… thaw her out a little bit.” I tossed on another shrug, but it felt stupid. Rachel wasn’t the grumpy, down-in-her-spirits woman who needed someone to cheer her up. But I did. When she kissed me back, when we had lunch and talked like old friends, she was alive and full of excitement. Iwasmaking her happier, and I wanted to know all the ways I could pleasure her further, too.

“You want to ‘thaw’ her out?” she asked, skepticism clear on her face.

I shrugged. “Something like that.”

“You want her to warm up to you?” she checked again.

“You’re really sticking with these hot-to-cold temperature euphemisms, aren’t you?”

She smirked. “Nate, are you hinting at what I think you’re saying?”

I pursed my lips, looking at her expectantly. I wouldnotwalk into a trap and outright admit anything. She wouldn’t trick me like that, even if I doubted she’d ever actually want to trick me at all. I trusted her completely, but I couldn’t own up to knowing what I was doing with Rachel—yet.

“Are you finally,finally, finding a woman to pursue something with?”

I opened and closed my mouth. “I, uh…”

Damn. Admitting it out loud would make it so real. Just days ago, I was operating under the assumption that I’d never find someone to make me want to fall in love again.

Rachel changed that. Like a freaking grumpy Christmas angel.

“Well…” I rubbed the back of my head, wondering how to reply without sounding locked in. Six years of no commitments was a heck of a dry spell to change out of.

After all, there was still a slight chance that Rachel would only want me for a fling. That was what she’d claimed she needed right now, as a rebound after Kyle. I was the one getting in too deep, too soon. That was my fault, not hers.

“Oh, Nate!” Julie clapped her hands together and pressed them under her chin. Her eyes turned glossy with happy tears as she stared at me with pure glee. “Finally!”

“Hey, whoa. Hold on a second.”

“Nate!” She lunged at me to hug me, and in the process, she jumped in place with me. “I’m so excited!”

“Hold on.”

“I can’t believe it. Finally, after all these years!”

“Wait—”

“And Rachel. Oh, she’s perfect for you. You two make such a wonderful couple. I thought it the second I saw you recognizing each other in your office. And I thought, nah, he’ll be a hermit and never find a woman again. But then there was something. A little something in the air, and I thought well, maybe miracles do happen and?—”

“Julie.” I set her at arm’s length and ducked to her eye level. “Slow down.”

She beamed at me and nodded.

“We’re not a couple. Rachel and I are…”

“You’re…?”

I have no clue yet.I knew what I wanted. I was warming up to the thought of pursuing her for real, no mentoring bullshit or hiding around. But I had to know how she felt first. I couldn’t let myself be vulnerable without input from her. Those torrid kisses were a good indication, but until I could talk with her and figure out where we might stand with each other, it all felt up in the air.

“Just let us figure this out,” I said instead.

She did another excited dance in place, complete with wide grins and clapping.

“And no playing matchmaker,” I warned, pointing at her.

“Me? Matchmaker?” She huffed.

“Again,” I added. She’d made the last six years interesting with failed attempts at setting me up.

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