Page 36 of The Bright Side of Christmas
“No, they do not.”
“You’re surely not going to value your own time, energy, or health. Who else is going to do it?” She looks like she wants to argue my point, but decides it’s not worth it.
“God, you are just so frustrating!”
I lift an eyebrow at her. “Why, because I’m the first person to challenge your idea that you have to be everything to everyone?”
She sputters before shaking her head in disagreement. “No! Because you are the absolute worst! You refuse to decorate to participate in a town tradition. You stole my freaking nutcracker?—”
“I gave that back,” I cut in, but she’s on a roll, clearly rambling on and not stopping any time soon.
“And you are stalking me, watching what time I go to sleep?—”
“Someone has to.”
“And you keep giving me shit for helping people as if I’mhurtingpeople! There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get help from people!”
“If you’re hurting yourself along the way, there is,” I say softly.
“You give me all this shit, tell me I can’t help put up lights, and manhandle me, then press me to my door and look at me like…” She pauses, trying to find the words, but shakes her head. “Like you did. And then you won’t evenkissme! You stand there all grumpy, save my life, and you tell me I have totell youto kiss me. But everyone knows that’s the man’s job! God, if a woman is staring up at you all goo-goo-eyed and parted lips and bated breaths, you fucking kiss her, Adam! You don’t make her?—”
That sounds like as much of an outright request as I’m ever going to get from her, and considering I don’t need much to convince me to kiss her once and for all, I give her exactly what she seems to be asking for.
I press my lips to hers, shifting my body and hers until her back is to the wall and my body is towering over her, shielding her from anyone who might walk past. There’s a split second when her body tightens, but just as quickly, the resistance melts away, her body going lax in my arms, her lips parting gently so that mine fit perfectly between them. My hips move, pressing her into the wall, and she gasps. I use the opportunity to slip my tongue between her lips, brushing against hers. The tiniest, sweetest sound leaves her as I taste her for the first time, and I groan, deepening the kiss.
I shouldn’t be surprised that Wren matches my energy, devouring me the same way I’m inhaling her, but I am all the same.
It’s hot.
It’s intense.
It’s so much fucking more than I ever thought a kiss could be, not just with her, but in general. I’ve kissed my fair share of women in my life, but it’s never been like this. And I know down to my gut it’s because it’sWren.
And in that moment, I decided that Wren King was mine.
FOURTEEN
The realization hits me like a train, but I can’t really say it isn’t one I didn’t see coming, even if it was subconsciously. But now that she’s staring up at me, panting with wide eyes, lips kiss-swollen from mine, it’s something I can no longer ignore.
“Is that what you wanted, Birdie? You wanted me to kiss you? All you had to do was ask,” I say, and a smile tips at the edges of my lips. She blinks up at me with dazed eyes, eyes unfortunately lined in exhausted circles, but then there’s a flash of irritation, and her hands move up to the back of my neck, pulling me down to her once more.
“You’re such an ass,” she grumbles right before she pulls my lips down to hers. I laugh into the kiss, feeling lighter than I think I ever have, but she simply pulls me closer as if she feels the same all-consuming urge to get as close as humanly possible to me. Her body is shifting, squirming, grinding as she kisses me, and I wonder…
I shift her, eager to do the same, and shift my legs so my thigh rests between hers, her sweet, uncovered thighs nearly straddling me. My hand moves to her hip, and I pull her closer, and a squeak falls from her lips, swallowed quickly by mine when it turns into a moan.
A moan as she grinds herself onto my thigh, my lips on hers.
Fuck.
Her breathing goes a bit frantic, her hips moving in a steady pattern, and my cock hardens in response.
I wonder for a moment if she could come just like this, my leg between hers, fully clothed, my kisses the only skin-on-skin contact we have.
Unfortunately, we’re both reminded ofwherewe are when a door closes not far from us, and her body goes tight again, like she’s been snapped back into her common sense. Even though I don’t want to, I break the kiss, moving to press my forehead to hers and gaze down at her. Her chest is rising and falling rapidly, little pants coming from her lips, and her eyes are hooded with fleeting desire when they finally meet mine, fire blazing there.
She’s pinned to the wall, my leg between hers, her hips still shifting against it like she desperately wants more, breaths panting from her lips.
I’m going to take her home.
