Page 128 of Holiday Friend Zones
He takes his sweet ass time setting his mug on the porch railing.“You’re shaking.”
“Because I’m freezing and about to die.”
“That’s a little dramatic, no?You’d probably only break a bone.”
“Put the ladder back up.”My words come out through clenched teeth.
“Scared?”
“I am not?—”
He makes a chicken noise.
I groan.“We’re not eight.”
His gaze flicks over me.“Nope.Definitely not eight anymore.”
Of course, my ass is basically the only thing he can see.My cheeks heat despite the freezing air.
“Luke,” I grit out, “I’m losing my grip.”
He cocks his head.“You know, technically, putting up the lights is my job.”
“Not this year.I’m home now.”We’re not going to get into the fact that yes, Luke has been putting up the Christmas lights here since we were thirteen.
He smirks.“And you’re doing a fantastic job of it.”
I open my mouth to retort, but the gutter creaks louder.My hands slip and my body jolts downward a few inches, my heart jumping into my throat.
“Luke!”My fingers give out.
I let go with a strangled yelp, a rush of cold air hitting my face.I close my eyes waiting for the thud, but then I’m not falling anymore.I’m against a wall of heat and muscle, strong biceps tucked under my arms and legs as if we’re about to walk over the threshold after being married.
His breath fans warm against my ear.“See?You should’ve just dropped the first time I told you.”
“I hate you,” I mutter, though I’m still clutching his shoulders, and maybe leaning into him more than necessary.Which is dangerous.I know first-hand how letting myself get physically close to this man turns out.
I shuffle out of his arms, and he lowers me to the ground.
“Liar.”His grin is pure trouble.“Now… want me to help with the lights?Because I’ll admit, the view wasn’t terrible.”
I roll my eyes, but my pulse is still thudding.Not necessarily from the fall.“I told you I have it.”
His eyebrows quirk, eyes glinting under the array of colored lights.“Are we really gonna continue to play this game where you ignore me?It’s been, what… six months?”
Wind curls under the porch roof, biting at my cheeks.Maybe some unexpected snowstorm will set in right now and bury both of us, to save me from having to have this conversation.
“I’m not ignoring you.”I drop to the porch, coldness seeping through my jeans, and start fumbling with the hopelessly tangled strand of lights.
He lowers himself beside me, close enough that his shoulder brushes mine before he grabs another strand to help.“You barely look at me when I stop in the store.And your drapes are always closed, even when your bedroom lights are on.”
“I don’t think a deputy should be peeking into women’s windows,” I say dryly.
He huffs a chuckle, still focused on his strand.“I’ve been looking in your windows longer than you’d like to know.”
“Pervert.”
“You don’t make it easy to get even two seconds of your time.”
