Page 27 of A Loser by Christmas
For me.
“See what you do to me?” he mutters. “See?”
I want to. I still have my phone in my hand. I could shine a light on him, and I’m about to when another door opens outside this cupboard. Someone swears in Italian, and the scent of smouldering strengthens.
We both go still.
Both wait, which could prove fatal if there’s another fire in Penny’s kitchen.
Calum finally cracks the door open. Checks the coast is clear. Hustles me out to the hallway where mistletoe still spins, if more slowly. There’s ample light out here to see his forehead furrow again the same way Reece’s used to when making life-or-death decisions. “We shouldn’t get distracted.”
Too late.
I want to distract him right back into that cupboard.
But I also want to know what made him hesitate about giving me carte blanche with any video I capture. Something about his reaction seems panicked. Urgent. I’m so fucking curious I stop thinking with my dick long enough to ask him.
“Why?”
He huffs but doesn’t answer.
I take a guess. “You’re worried I might be so distracted that I accidentally upload something confidential?”
He shrugs, then slowly nods.
“About you? Or about hockey business?”
His snort is sudden and not too happy. “Iamhockey business.” He clears his throat. “It should all be good as long as you stay away from anything problematic. If you do, I’ll do this.” He repeats a move I last saw on a rink. Calum runs a finger over soft lips, zipping them closed. “Just don’t . . .” His eyes meet mine, and fuck ice, it’s me who melts the moment he adds, “Don’t upload anything involving my family.”
He makes a wish for other people while standing under mistletoe that Lito Dixon could only dream of having the same effect on me. I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone again more. It’s the same urge I got after seeing all his fading bruises, and striking a bargain has never been easier.
“Agreed.” A question slips out right behind it. “How are we settling this? With one last kiss?”
I’m already up on tiptoe, but Calum’s on the same page. His mouth meets mine, and it’s perfect. My lips tingle when I break off to score his performance. “Four out of ten.”
Ice-chip eyes narrow. “Dick.” He holds the hallway door open. “No way was that four out of fucking ten.” He’s still grumbling when I collect my camera from the table. “Sorry, Pen. I’ve got to go.” He scoops her into a huge hug. “Work calls.”
It doesn’t for me.
I guess he tells her that white lie to excuse me from eating any more cinders, but once we’re outside, Calum heads straight back inside.
I assume he’s forgotten something. Apparently, that was to hug Penny goodbye again even though I just watched him do so once already. My camera catches a repeat farewell through awindow that cuts me off from their conversation. All I know for sure when he joins me is that my comment makes him freeze.
“Anyone would think you’ll never see her again.”
“What?”
“You already said goodbye to her.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I did.” He turns on his heel, and I’d laugh like Penny does at Calum returning to sweep her off her feet for even longer if not for the window showing me the way his eyes close as he hugs her tight.
It’s sweet.
Unexpectedly so.
“Didn’t feel done,” he mutters when he finally tears himself away to join me. He also studies my face while London does its Christmas thing around us. I’m sure that streetlight decorations twinkle. All I notice is Calum touching his lips with the tip of a finger, as if he can still feel the same post-kiss tingle as me, and nope.
I don’t feel done yet either.
