Page 48 of A Very Titan Christmas
He held up his hands. “That wasn’t me.”
Rachel laughed, and so did he. For a second, this was everything she wanted in life. She hadn’t thought to take photographs or get a quote for her article. She was just having fun with a man who made her world spin. Then she sobered. All of this would go away soon. Even though they clicked, even though they still had chemistry and sexual tension, they would both leave Silverberry Ridge. If she weren’t careful, she would miss him more this time than when he’d broken her heart.
“You’re still trouble, Bryce Richmond,” she said softly.
“And you still like trouble, Rachel Porter.”
Yeah, she did. Their laughter died down, replaced by something slower, more electric. It reminded her of the lead-up to that kiss. She should’ve looked away. Should’ve reminded herself this was pretend and would come to an end. But instead, she studied the flecks of powdered sugar spread over his faint freckles and in his blondish-brown hair, those warm hazel eyes flecked with gold, and the way his jaw flexed like he was holding back something he wanted to say.
“I missed you,” he said, almost too low to hear. “It had been manageable when I saw you at school, but when we left Vermont… I missed you in a way that cut deep.”
She sucked in a breath.
“I didn’t remember how much it hurt until I dropped you off after dinner the other night.”
Her heart stuttered. She opened her mouth, searching for a quip, something to deflect attention from what he’d said. But the words got stuck somewhere behind the lump in her throat.
“Rachel!” Eloise’s voice sliced through the tension like sleigh bells at midnight. She wheeled up to their table. “You’re wearing the matching aprons I gave you? I didn’t think you would.”
Both of them looked down at their aprons. Rachel noticed the gingerbread men and peppermints embroidered on the red aprons but hadn’t bothered to read the lettering. Hers said Santa’s Favorite Baker. His was embroidered with a Santa Claus face and read Will Work for Kisses.
Rachel cringed. “Eloise.”
Her mom laughed.
“How long have you had these? Actually, I don’t want to know.” How much work had Eloise put into buttering up Rachel and a potential suitor?
“I just got them this morning. Don’t be silly.”
Bryce grinned, clearly not embarrassed in the least. “Well, I have been working hard.” He pointed to their ridiculous cookies. “I think I’ve earned a kiss.”
“Oh, come on—”
But before she could escape, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. Stars exploded. The rush of her blood heated, and the white noise of lust drowned away the rest of the room. Except this was a show for Eloise. It wasn’t a genuine kiss. It couldn’t be.
Then again, her knees were ready to give out.
Eloise left them with a sigh loud enough for the entire room to hear.
All eyes were on them. A blush rose on her cheeks. Across the room, his bemused teammates watched as if they were on a reality television show. He’d put their fake relationship on display, which was what she’d asked him to do. But right then, she wanted to curl up and hide.
“That was quite the display,” she whispered.
Bryce leaned closer again, his breath warm against her ear. “Just trying to sell it. You know, for the cause.”
“You might be overselling it.”
He shrugged. “Your mother caught us passing second base in your backyard once upon a time. I think we’re good.”
She hated how much she was smiling. “You’re distracting me. I need to get back to work.”
“Because more time will help that cookie—”
She smacked his arm, and Bryce’s laughter rolled through her like happy little shivers.
“Time’s up!” Mayor Fowler called. “Turn in your ugliest Christmas sweater cookies!”
Rachel stepped back to inspect her final creation: an ugly sweater cookie that looked like it had been decorated during a nor’easter by a muskrat on a sugar high. It had marshmallowbuttons and at least three kinds of sprinkles that didn’t belong together. What started as plaid had evolved into brown with hints of red, green, and gold.
