Page 23 of Christmas with Hope

“Why are you so nice to me, Colton?”

“What?” he asked almost as though he was shocked. “Why wouldn’t I be nice to you?”

“You almost got killed cutting a tree down for me. And now, you danced withJack Frostjust so we can decorate said tree.”

“Hope,” Colton whispered, bringing his hand up to my cheek. His hand was slightly cold. I held back a shiver because I didn’t want to lose his touch.

“You’re worth this and so much more, sweetheart,” he smiled then leaned forward and captured my lips with his.

My arms wrapped around his neck. His arms wrapped around my waist. He pulled me closer to him. With our heated kiss, the coldness of his clothes barely phased me.

“Colton,” I moaned into his mouth.

“Hope,” he replied huskily against my lips. “You’re so beautiful.”

Colton’s hand slipped underneath my shit. I froze from the touch, both literally and figuratively.

“Sorry,” he whispered but didn’t move his hand. Instead, he worked his hand up my side towards–

Hoo, like a virgin

Touched for the very first time

Like a virgin

When your heart beats

Next to mine

“Are you fucking serious?” Colton groaned between kisses. I pulled away and laughed.

“Answer your phone. It’s your mom right?”

“Yes,” he sighed. His phone continued ringing. “She’s such a blocker.”

“Just answer your phone,” I laughed and moved off the bench so he’d be more apt to answer his phone.

“Yes, mom?” His words were coated in annoyance.

“Be nice to your mom,” I whispered, waving my finger at him. He rolled his eyes then laughed.

“That would be Hope.”

“She heard me?” I gasped in horror. Colton grinned as he nodded.

“She is Tim’s sister-in-law…”

With that, I scurried out of the room. One, it wasn’t nice to eavesdrop; despite me doing it yesterday while he was talking to Tim. But that’s just Tim. This was different. Colton was talking to his mom. He didn’t need me sitting around listening.

The other reason why I left the room in a hurry was that I didn’t want to hear what he was going to tell his mom or what she was going to say to him. Nerves filled me at just the thoughts of what they would talk about.

“You scared her off.” I heard him say as I headed for the bedroom, where we had stayed.

The minute the door was closed, I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding.

“What is wrong with you, Hope?” I groaned, leaning my forehead against the door. “Just a few more days and then you go back to your life.”

If there had been a fly on the wall, it would have thought I was off my rocker talking to myself. However, I had no choice. I couldn’t message Stefanie or anyone else for that matter. No matter who I talked to they would think I had lost my mind for falling for Colton in a few short hours.

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