Page 35 of Tempt

“Yes. For my girlfriend.” I grin. That sounds good. “Do you have any gift tags?”

She hands one over, then turns away to wrap the small, square box.

I look at the blank tag. What would capture this moment where we’re at, between old desire and new discoveries?

After some thought, I scrawl a quick message, then attach it to the ribbon.

When I arrive in the dining room, Hazel has ordered us a bottle of wine. She stops mid-pour when I set the present in front of her. Her eyes linger there for a moment before she lifts her gaze to my face. “What is this?”

“A little something to mark what is the best Christmas of my life,” I say gruffly.

“Aww, Sam.” She makes a scrunchy face, her eyes bright again, and this time not from the cold. “I have something for you, too. Do you want to order for us, and I’ll dash up and get it? Or do you want to save this for later and we can open them both in our room?”

I look at the smooth curve of her neck, the bare space above her tank top. The necklace would look perfect with her sweater. “You can open it now.”

She shakes her head. “Then I’m getting yours, too, because it’s only fair. Be right back.” She stands, then stops beside me. “Thank you,” she whispers, leaning in to brush her mouth against mine.

Warmth floods my chest.

It barely takes her any time at all to return, a small paper-wrapped package in her hand. Not Christmas paper, I realize. She’s wrapped it roughly in newspaper from our room.

“I didn’t know you were going to give me something, so I was just going to shove this at you tomorrow.” She sits down across from me and holds it out. “Merry Christmas, Sam.”

I take it, and from the weight and feel of it, I know it’s a book.

My pulse jacks back up as I peel back the newsprint.

It’s hers, I know it is, and when the cover is revealed, a black and white photo of a couple in an embrace, I’m speechless.Entwinedis the title.

She’s trusted me with this, and I know the value of that.

I trace the name on the cover. Aibhlin Moon. “So that’s your pen name.”

She nods. “Yep.”

“This is amazing.” I turn it over and read her biography on the back.

Aibhlin Moon lives by herself in a small house in a small town, where she scribbles down big ideas.

“How many books do you have out?”

“A bunch.”

“I’m buying them all. I want them signed.”

“I’ll give them to you.”

I shake my head. “I’m ordering them as soon as I get home. I’ve got a bookstore connection.”

“Sam…” She trails off, then nods. “Okay. Cool. I’ll happily sign them for you.”

“Naked.”

Her cheeks turn pink and she looks around the dining room. “Yes,” she whispers when she looks back. “Naked.”

“Good. Now, your turn.”

She picks up the box and looks at the card first. I like the way she bites her lip as she reads what I wrote.

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