Page 60 of All I Want For Christmas

“Ah,” he cut her off. “I don’t want to hear it.”

“But you?—”

“No. Forget it. I’m parking the car.”

“Rude,” she muttered.

“Yes, I’m totally rude for wanting to make sure you’re safe,” he said calmly, swinging into a parking spot.

She made a face.

Christian laughed. He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss. “Punk.”

“Thanks.” Blue gripped the lapel of his jacket and stared into his eyes. “Seriously. Thanks.”

He knew she wasn’t talking about calling her a name. “Yeah,” he told her. “Blue .. .”

But that was enough to send her bolting. She was out of the car and standing at the trunk waiting for him to open it.

With a sigh, he popped the trunk and got out too. She was putting her purse over her body crosswise so her hands would be free and reaching in to get her suitcase out of the trunk.

“Wow, look at all these presents,” she said in amazement.

“Six nieces and nephews, six adults, it adds up.” Christian stared at all the gifts, poorly wrapped by him two days earlier. “And maybe I overdo it with the kids. Just a little.”

“Nah,” she said softly. “I think that’s great.”

“Blue, I want your number,” he told her, pulling out his phone. “I want to call you when we both get back to Cincinnati.”

“It’s not a good idea...” She bit her lip and stared down into the trunk. “I’m not the right woman for you… you have traditions, a family, a different kind of life than I do.”

He understood her feelings, but he’d be damned if he would agree with them. “Why don’t you letmedecide if you’re the right woman for me to date?”

“Christian.”

“Let me have your number. Please. That’s all I’m asking for.” God, he was sounding pretty close to begging. But he couldn’t let her walk away with no way to contact her. He just couldn’t.

Blue gave him her number, though she wasn’t looking at him, but at the concrete floor of the parking garage.

But he had it, that was what mattered. He sent her a text to give her his number, and to make sure she had given him a legit number. Her phone chimed in her purse and she pulled it out.

“You sent me a text that just says ‘Bob?’ That is very you.”

“That’s me.” Then Christian took advantage of her distraction and leaned down and kissed her, pouring all of his hope and want and attraction to her into the kiss.

She responded immediately, her hands resting on his waist, her breath soft and satisfied. But after a minute, she broke away, and he let her.

Christian reached into the trunk and rummaged around, finding the small gift he knew was here. It had been meant for his eight-year-old niece Caitlyn, but he’d also gotten her a nail polish kit, so she’d never even miss this side gift. He pressed it into Blue’s hands.

“Merry Christmas, Blue.”

“But… this is someone else’s present. I can’t take this.” Her face was stricken.

“I got my niece another present too, and this is something I want you to have.”

To his horror, tears pooled in her eyes. “Oh. Thank you. I… I…have to go.”

She grabbed the handle of her suitcase on the ground and started walking toward the airport entrance. What the hell? Was she really going to just leave like that?

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