Page 12 of Christmas Replay
“Oh, shit!” I said with a laugh as I pulled my phone out of my pocket. “I set it for the cinnamon rolls. I didn’t realize it was on that setting, though.” I exhaled sharply. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine,” he said with his own shaky chuckle. “I’m glad I was already awake.”
“I should make the icing.” I stepped around him, hoping I didn’t look as flushed as I felt.
My heart pounded, and I wasn’t sure if I was glad that the timer had stopped us or if I was sad for the missed opportunity of taking another step forward with Cliff.
Eight
Cliff
The woman could bake, she made me laugh, and she got me hard in a split-second merely by being near.
Without any discussion, we gravitated back to the living room to eat our cinnamon rolls beside the tree, only the twinkle lights on. I started the electric fireplace. Though it was daylight outside, the room was warm and cozy, the ambiance romantic.
I think we spent as much time staring at each other as we did eating the delicious food she’d made. Desire simmered inside me, and it was only a matter of time before I gave in to it. I knew Alissa wanted me, too. I felt it in every touch and saw it in all her glances.
“What do you think of snowmobiling?” I asked.
“I’ve never been. I like the outdoors though, so I wouldn’t mind trying it.” She gathered our plates, and I groaned my protest. “Hush,” she admonished. “You can wait on me later…or rub my feet warm after they’re frozen from our outing.”
I followed her into the kitchen. “What kind of outerwear did you bring? I don’t want you to freeze your…assetsoff.”
“My assets will be fine. Though…isn’t there special gear?” She set the plates in the sink and started putting away the extracinnamon rolls. I grabbed out the plastic wrap. Then rinsed our things for the dishwasher. These tasks were simple, but we worked well together. Another plus.
“My mom is about the same size as you. Her gear is in the garage. You’ll just need to worry about the bottom two layers. And boots.”
She nodded, her dark-blonde hair playing along her shoulders…shoulders I wanted to bare and kiss and—
Jesus, I was a disaster.
“I wasn’t wearing them yesterday, because I hate driving in anything but shoes, but my boots are in the car. They’re super fashionable—not—and sub-zero rated. This is Upstate New York. My grandma always taught me to be prepared to get stranded. I tossed some Under Armor in my suitcase, too, ‘cause I wasn’t sure how cold it would be up here.”
“How are you possibly this amazing?”
She shrugged. “Life just taught me to always be prepared. You never know what’s headed your way. And packing warm clothes just seems basic, not amazing.”
I shook my head. “I’m quickly coming to see that you’re not just wonderful, like I discovered last year, but you’re the whole package.”
Her chuckle hit me in the heart. “Not all packages are great.”
“I think this one is exactly what I’ve wanted for my entire life.”
Alissa looked at me through her lashes, and I got the feeling she wasn’t used to compliments. “I think you’re pretty wonderful,too,” she said. “So far. I mean…I’ll see if I get back safely from this snowmobiling trip without you burying me in the woods.”
I scoffed. “The ground is frozen. I’d leave you beside the trail for hikers to find. And for the record…just how much true crime do you consume?”
She held up her crossed fingers. “Lifetime and I are like this. And I also watch videos from this girl who does makeup and talks about murder. And…there are a couple podcasts.”
Truthfully, I wasn’t so sure how to take that. It was the sort of stuff I dealt with regularly. “Good to know. Well, crime-girl, let’s get geared up and go.”
“Did I scare you off?”
“Not a chance.”
We headed our separate ways to get ready for our outing. I dressed quickly then headed out to the big garage to check out the gear. The three snowmobiles and four-wheelers took up most of the space. None had been fueled because of them being stored for nearly a year, but I’d had one of my neighbors get two of them prepped for my trip up here.
My mom’s stuff was good to go for Alissa, and I carried it into the house, thinking I’d have to get Alissa her own things soon. Then I geared up in my own snow pants and jacket and got the vehicles ready for us. Once she rejoined me, and she was suited up in all her outerwear, including a balaclava, helmet and goggles, I took her through the basics. We moved slowly around the yard before I directed her toward the paths.
