Page 29 of The CEO's Christmas Wife

“Who’s turn is it to pick?” Kayn asked.

“Yours, actually.”

“All right. Let’s doPolar Express.”

“Not again,” Myra groaned.

“It’s better thanHome Alonefor the gazillionth time,” Kayn retorted.

She shoved him on the shoulder, and he shoved her back, but they laughed and headed into the theater room. I got up and followed behind them as everyone had already gone into the theater room. I looked around for a spot to sit when I arrived in the theater room.

Kayn was at the front of the room messing with the sound system for the TV. I grabbed some of the snacks Frances had made for movie night, which included peppermint cookies, sugar cookies, and peppermint and chocolate drizzled popcorn, and then grabbed a seat for the two of us. Everyone got settled in, but when Kayn took a seat, he went to the opposite end of the couch from me.

I frowned, wondering why he was distancing himself from me and if I had done anything wrong again. He’d been acting distant lately since our kiss, and I didn’t know how to get through to him. I saw Frances and JR glance at us a couple of times before I got up and sat beside him.

“Are we good?” I whispered, setting the bowl of popcorn on his lap.

“Mhm. Why?”

“You’ve been avoiding me,” I whispered.

He turned his lips down, shook his head, and remained silent.

I took his hand in mine and leaned a little closer, but it seemed to unnerve him. “Your aunt and uncle are watching us. Get back into character,” I warned before I rested my head on his shoulder.

Kayn sighed and kissed my forehead before he turned his attention back to the TV. I kept staring up at him until he finally looked down at me.

“What?” he whispered.

“Kiss me,” I whispered back.

Kayn stared deeply into my eyes, and I saw all the possibilities resting in his. I wanted more than this next few days with him, more than this holiday season. Deep inside, I knew that I wanted a lifetime with him. When he winked, I felt myself tumble over even more. I had genuinely fallen for this man.

Kayn lowered his head and brushed my lips sweetly before he pulled back and stared into my eyes again.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

Hope bloomed in my heart, and I prayed that this wasn’t a part of the act. He dipped his head and kissed me thoroughly, and I was gone. Either he was a damn good actor, or he was catching feelings too. But a little elf kept telling me that when the holidays were over, I would be returning to work heartbroken.

15

VISIONS OF KANDI & PILLOW FIGHTS

Kayn

“You surprised me down there.”

“How?”

“You act as if you cannot stand the holidays, but you’re a big Christmas movie buff.The Polar Express, Jack Frost, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, andA Christmas Carol. . . If we had more time, I am sure you would have come up with some other great movies.”

“I’m just a movie buff. Besides, I like a good Jim Carrey movie or two.”

She yawned. I had just finished my shower and expected her to be asleep by now. It was a little after three in the morning, and we had watched movies all evening and through the night.

“Are you sleeping on the floor again?” she asked as I gathered the covers that I used to create a pallet.

There was something in her voice that made me turn around and look at her. I couldn’t decipher her look.

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