Page 11 of Getting Wrapped Up

She nodded. “I’d like that.” Cocoa. Not spiked hot cider. She was here forcocoa.

He stepped back and offered his hand to help her off the stool. She took it and felt all of her girl parts swoon.

Crap, she was in trouble.

Maybe Phoebe didn’t realize Tucker was this potent, but he was not what Kate had been expecting. Or wanting. She wanted a nice guy. Someone who could make her laugh, someone who would hold her hand. Not someone who made her feel itchy and hot.

They stepped outside a moment later and Kate sucked in a quick breath. She was grateful for the heat he generated now. It was chilly. More than chilly. It was fricking cold. Especially compared to California.

Phoebe had left a long coat draped over one of the dining room chairs with a note that said Kate was to wear it, along with the scarf, gloves and hat in the pockets. She known that the California girl wouldn’t have any winter clothes.

Kate pulled the long white coat closed in front and buttoned it up, then looped the bright red scarf around her neck and pulled the matching hat and gloves on. She was glad the coat hung to her ankles, but it didn’t cover her feet. Her heels weren’t open-toed, thank God, but otherwise her feet weren’t covered by much.

She looked up at Tucker to find him watching her with a small smile.

“What?” she asked, matching his smile.

“Thinking there are more fun ways to warm up and then thinking I shouldn’t be thinking that.”

Kate felt the warmth rush through her and she wanted more. And not just because she felt like her nose might be freezing off.

“Cocoa, right?” she asked.

“Warm, sweet and comfortable,” he agreed.

He tucked her arm in his, which should have been all of those things but was much more.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

The simple mantra did nothing to change how she was feeling though.

They crossed the bar parking lot and followed a sidewalk that led between the city hall and another building and put them on one of the main streets around the square. She was glad he had a hold of her. Heels were not ideal for gravel parking lots or sidewalks with random patches of snow. After this, she was buying some thick fuzzy socks somewhere and not taking them off until she was back in California.

Still, walking through the crisp winter air toward the bright town square with this guy felt…not completely nice. It felt a little naughty, which was completely ridiculous. The most he’d said that was flirtatious was that he could think of better ways to warm up. That was pretty mild as far as sexual innuendos went. But pressing up against him, her body filled with a strange combination of awareness, desire and anticipation.

It was the Christmas trees. It had to be.

This side of the square, the corner south of the reindeer petting area, there was a narrow white wooden building with an open window at the front. They approached and she could see they were selling cocoa, coffee and, sure enough, cider. The non-spiked variety though, she assumed. Of course, it wouldn’t surprise her if a few people had a flask in their coat pocket and doctored their cup after it was served.

They got in line behind a few other people and Kate took her hand from Tucker’s arm and put both hands in her coat pocket. That was safer.

“This is the kissing booth in the summer,” he said.

She looked up at him. “What?” All she knew for sure was he’d said the word kissing.

He pointed toward the little wooden structure. Propped against the back wall was a wooden sign that saidKissing Boothin big red letters. The wooden sign that hung over the window now readHot Drinks.

“I guess it’s good they’re getting year-round use out of the building,” she said with a chuckle. “Though it seems kissing should be a year-round event too.”

And why had she saidthat?

He chuckled and the sound was warm and rich and made her sigh. Like a big swallow of hot cocoa.

She mentally rolled her eyes. Phoebe had said there was something in the air and water in Sapphire Falls, but Kate didn’t know that it was Christmas spirit so much as it was horniness.

“But the drinks are for a good cause,” he said.

There was also a sign propped up against the front of the wooden booth that said the proceeds from the drinks were going toward Christmas gifts at the nursing home.

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