Page 19 of Mistletoe Kisses

I dropped my face into my hands and groaned. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“Happens to the best of us. Well, maybe notexactlythat.”

I laughed into my hands. Keaton was the only person in the world who could’ve gotten me to laugh about that. Lucas felt safe like Keaton but inspired many other things I’d never felt toward my best friend.

I let my hands drop. Lucas’s teasing smile and the fire burning in his eyes ensnared me. He looked at me like he wanted me. The prospect of even an ounce of my attraction to him being returned was a heady feeling. The opportunity to spend more time with Lucas made the prospect of facing my familya littleless scary.

Chapter8

Lucas

I strummedmy pick against the guitar strings and hummed a few notes of Colbie Caillat’s “Fallin’ For You” while sitting on my couch with my feet on my coffee table. Unfortunately, I’d woken up well before my alarm.

I glanced around my compact one-bedroom apartment and looked for something to fill my time with, but the place was already tidy. I didn’t have much in the way of clutter, and I’d even dusted my bookshelf a couple of weeks ago. I settled deeper into my fluffy couch.

Arlo had been the first thing on my mind as soon as my brain went online this morning. I was grateful he was letting me support him tonight, though I was surprised I was so invested. He sparked something in me that made me want to spend time with him and ensure he was okay. I was honored he’d trusted me enough to share so much yesterday. My gut said he didn’t do that easily.

As Dahlia Springs had turned into more of a tourist destination, I’d met my fair share of intriguing men passing through while exploring the beer and wine country. I always enjoyed the conversations or the hookups—if things got that far—but I rarely found myself going out of my way to spend more time with them. Likewise, others I met didn’t call me up for dates either. But with Arlo? I’d fought the urge to call in sick all week to find excuses to spend more time together. In two short days, Arlo had burrowed his way into my brain. God, I was singing about the man, and I hadn’t been inspired like that since college.

The lock on my front door turned and Warren came through with one coffee in his hand and another tucked between his elbow and body.

“Risky move coming by this early. I could still be sleeping.”

Warren set our drinks on the coffee table, then pulled off his coat and draped it over the arm of the couch before sitting. “I got a notification that you liked the photo of Prancer and Vixen sleeping under each of Reed’s arms, so I knew you were awake.”

“Damn social media.” I put the guitar on the ground and leaned it against the end of the couch.

“I bring you coffee, and that’s your response?”

“Thank you for using your creepiness to bring me coffee?”

He grinned. “Much better. It was such a cute picture though, right? Your niece and nephew are the cutest.”

If anyone had asked me a year ago if I would’ve agreed to be called uncle to a pair of wiener dogs, I would’ve laughed. But now I fully embraced my role as dog guncle.

“They are. Get their stockings done?”

Warren beamed. “Finished adding the glitter last night. I’ll send you a pic. By the way, did I hear you singing a love song before I came in?”

“Were you eavesdropping outside my door?” My apartment was too damn small if that was the case.

He smiled innocently. “I was admiring the music coming from the other side of the door while I searched for your key. In the love song mood?”

I grabbed the coffee and tried to absorb the caffeine through scent. “Merely an earworm I had to exorcise out of my brain.”

“Interesting.”

“There’s nothing interesting about it.”

He snorted. “Sure, because you regularly ditch me in the middle of hanging out for a dude in distress. Nothing noteworthy at all. How was your time with Arlo yesterday?”

I opened my mouth to say something, but I wasn’t sure what. I couldn’t betray Arlo’s confidence, even though I knew Warren would never say anything if I asked him not to.

Warren’s features shifted to concern. “Is he okay?”

“He will be.” I was confident of that. Of all the families I knew in town, Arlo was related to one of the best. They were always friendly, were involved in the community, and they treated people with respect.

“You seem smitten.”

---