Page 37 of The Crush of Christmas Past
It’s just us now, standing on the edge of a wildfire, toeing the burn zone.
I bite my lip, trying to smother the flames licking at my imagination.
Too late. The explicit images spread fast.
Theo’s mouth. His hands.
All of him.
On me. In me.
Everywhere.
All senses flare to life at the graphic pictures that engulf my mind, and I allow myself to indulge the thought of Theotouching, tasting, taking mewith the force of all the years we’ve spent apart.
He’d be exactly what I want. What I need.
I know it on an instinctual level.
I’m dying to experience it on a cellular one.
Just as the fantasy takes flight, he pulls away. The delusion pops on impact, dousing me in ice-cold reality. His warmth vanishes, leaving me flushed and dizzy as the world tilts back into focus.
“Did you know the final challenge would be a kiss?” It’s a stupid question, but his calm demeanor and easy embrace of the situation needles my curiosity.
He doesn’t answer right away, his eyes lingering on my mouth.
After a long pause, he nods. “Yes.”
“And you still wanted to play?”
“Yes.”
“With me?”
“Fuck yes.”
His confession zips through me like a sudden bolt of lightning. But unlike electricity, it fails to ground itself. Instead, it stays crackling under my skin.
My lips tingle, catching fire under the volatility of his stare.
Pulse thundering in my ears, I steady my breath and step back to force some distance between us.
“I can’t,” I say, even though my body protests the decision. “I’m too old for games.”
His expression stays unreadable, but a spark flickers in his eyes. One I know better than to chase.
I shake my head. “Forget the hunt. Let’s get some s’mores.”
Sugar over heartbreak.
Not sticking around for his answer, I rush away from the rink. My chest is tight and my heart pounds erratically, but I refuse to look back.
If Theo wants to follow, he can. But it’ll be on my terms.
It’s safer that way.
Thespringspart of Sugarpine Springs are tucked away at the town’s edge, surrounded by towering evergreens that fill the air with a fresh, crisp scent. A rustic wooden fence, lined with icicles, borders the steaming water. The glassy points catch the fading sunlight, making the entire area sparkle so bright it might as well be draped in diamonds.
