Page 101 of The Holiday Hate-Off
“Oh, aren’t you so big and tough,” I say, laughing. “Andalwaysa gentleman. Well, don’t bother, Enzo. I didn’t care. I wouldn’t want to be with someone like that. I had more important things to do.”
“Like taking care of your mom.”
“Yeah,” I say. “For years. She had Huntington’s. That’s why her husband left. He knew what was going to happen. There’s no cure. If you have the gene, you have the disorder. She had it, and he decided he couldn’t deal. It’s like he only brought me into the family to make sure she wasn’t alone when her health started to decline. So I guess at least he did one good thing for her.”
I pause, then sigh discontentedly. “Two. They stayed legally married so she could be on his health insurance, but he never visited. Never called. He said it would be too painful for him. For him, can you imagine?”
“Like I said, a real man takes care of his family.” He hesitates, a glimmer of dread in his eyes. “And you…do you have this gene?”
“I was adopted,” I say. “But he’s not my dad. Just her husband. He never wanted to be my dad.”
“Oh.” There’s a world of meaning in that sound. “That stuff about blood being important.” He rubs his nose. “I should keep my mouth shut more often.”
“Yes, youdefinitelyshould,” I agree. “But you didn’t know about that.”
“That’s why you’re taking classes now?”
“I finished college online a long time ago, but I had this idea for an app I wanted to make. For full-time caregivers like I was. I’d taught myself some programming, but I didn’t have all the skills I needed.” I yawn. “So I’ve been taking the classes, but Charlie doesn’t think I need them. She says I just need more confidence in myself. Maybe she’s right because the teachers really suck.” I grimace. “That’s not very Christmassy of me, but it’s true. Also it’s hard to do anything with the internet here, but I love this place so much.”
“I know you do,” he says softly, his voice like velvet.
“I think maybe I’m going to go to sleep now, and hopefully forget all of this happened. I really thought tonight was going to go differently, you know? I was hoping tonight would bethenight.”
His gaze sharpens. “You wanted…”
“The shirtless taffy making sealed it. I want you, Enzo. Like, really badly. I want to have sex with you.”
He swears under his breath and runs a hand through his thick, dark hair, leaving it rumpled. “Lucia, you’re destroying me right now.”
“That’s all it took?” I say, smiling at him.
“You’re the hate-off victor, no question.”
“Don’t record this part, because I’m never going to say it again, but you were right. We don’t have to like each other to have sex.”
I expect him to laugh, but instead he shakes his head and says, “That’s unfortunate, because Idolike you.”
My lips part, my brain trying to figure out how to process that. “When did you decide?”
“I’ve had a sinking suspicion for a while now,” he says, his voice soft but unwavering. His hand curls behind my ear, tucking my hair back. “And I definitely liked having my mouth on you. I’ve thought of nothing else.”
“I liked watching you pull that taffy,” I admit. “I backed you into it, but you didn’t hesitate. I admire you for that. And you looked incredibly sexy. Like a sexy candy god, and you’re a good dancer.Of courseyou’re a good dancer—” I yawn. “You’d probably even be able to dance to the ‘Jingle Bells’ doorbell.
“Ah, yes, the new atrocity at Love at First Sip.”
“It’s horrible, but Eileen’s so proud of it. I can’t bear to be the one to break the news. Charlie and I would worship anyone who saves us from it, though.”
“Would you like me to carry you to bed?” he asks, running the pads of his fingers across my cheek.
“Will you stay for a while?”
“You really want me to?” He sounds shocked, but no more than I am by my answer.
“Yes.”
CHAPTER 21
ENZO
