Page 117 of The Duke Who Saved Christmas
“You’re speaking as though you’re shopping with a child.”
“You’d have a better argument if you hadn’t just subliminally coerced me into buying you a LEGO set.”
Thomas grinned. “You said that was for your cousin.”
“I guess you’re my cousin, then.”
“Do you often drunkenly kiss your cousin, Sylvie?”
“No, but I didn’t kiss you either, so...” I sniffed. “Finish your shopping. I haven’t had my fill of Christmas lights yet, and I didn’t let you drag me all over so you could go ahead and use me as your personal shopper.”
Thomas motioned for a store clerk to come over and looked at me over his shoulder. “There’s a mulled wine stall on the green.”
I gave him a thumb up. “Let me buy Nana’s slippers, and I’ll meet you outside.”
“You’re so easily bribed.”
“Well, I have been considering that this might be the wedding that makes me an alcoholic, so I’ve decided to embrace the inevitability of it.” I shrugged. “It’ll give me something to look forward to during the next disagreement with the bride.”
“I’m not sure if alcoholism is something to aspire to, Sylvie.”
“It’s alcoholism or sororicide. Wine suits me. Jumpsuits do not.” I smiled blithely at him. “And I was hoping to one day live without roommates, not corner myself into a situation where I’d have to share a six-by-eight space with another woman for the next twenty-five years.”
“That’s oddly specific.”
“Sometimes, the only difference between me and a serial killer is my ability to talk myself out of breaking the law. Are you scared yet?”
“Uncomfortably attracted to you, actually.”
I smacked his arm and finally put distance between us. “Just buy what you need to, and I’ll meet you outside.”
I ducked my chin and darted behind a large display before he had a chance to see the heat rising up my cheeks. How the hell could he say that so openly without a hint of shame?
I mean, I’d already acknowledged that he was a shameless flirt, and it wasn’t as if he’d made a great deal of effort to hide the fact that he was attracted to me, either.
And that was the problem.
Iwas making an effort to hide my attraction to him, but the more open he was about it, the harder it was for me to maintain my composure.
Stupid, considerate, handsome, flirty man.
Honestly, the longer this went on and the more he touched me, the weaker my resolve grew. It didn’t matter how many times I repeated it like a mantra inside my head or how many times I denied it.
A part of me really wanted to give in to his gentle advances.
After all, there really was no ignoring the way my heart fluttered whenever he touched me. I’d have to be inhuman not to feel anything, especially after how much time we’d spent together.
Even if our history was a bit on the chaotic side.
I bought Nana’s slippers and headed outside to wait for Thomas. Our relationship since I’d come back to Castleton was somewhat of a revelation, and somewhere between the bickering and bitching, I’d seen sides of him I’d never known existed.
If this wasn’t Castleton, if he weren’t who he was, and if my time here wasn’t limited, what would I do then? Would I accept my growing feelings for what they were and throw caution to the wind? Would I be more honest with both myself and him?
Because in truth, this was ridiculous. I’d been back here for just over two weeks. I had no business feeling such intense emotions for him in such a short time, especially when I’d felt so differently about him the first time I’d seen him again.
Was it because this place was so small that our continuous running into each other had me thinking we’d spent more time together? Was it because he always seemed to see me at myworst and never judged me for it? Was it because we had such a long history that my teenage crush was rearing its head again?
Or was it because the jealousy that I worked so hard to keep buried inside me was finally bursting forth uncontrollably?
