Page 9 of Christmas Wish

"Izzy!" I needed to change the topic. This was so awkward.

Tucker laughed. "You don't have to be embarrassed." His other hand had gravitated back to my thigh. "You know I had a crush on you too. We were both just too silly to do anything about it."

"You're the silly one," I said and I tapped my index finger against the tip of his nose. "Boop!" What the hell did I just do? I'm so bad at flirting!

"Did you just boop me on the nose?" Tucker was smiling down at me like that was the funniest thing he had ever seen. "You know how I feel about that." He winked at me.

"You guys are so cute," Izzy said.

Tucker's phone started buzzing in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked down at the screen. "Sorry, I'll be right back." He stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

My back felt cold where his warm hand had once been. I pulled down my sweater. My whole family seemed to be staring at me.

"I can't even believe it," my mom finally said.

"Mom. We only just started dating. It's not that big of a deal."

"You should see the way he looks at you," she said.

"He doesn't..."

"He does," Izzy said. "He's so in love with you. He couldn't even keep his hands off you."

"No, he's not." Is he?

"When you know, you know," my mom said and smiled at me.

"You're all being silly. I'm going to go check on him." I got up and went toward the kitchen.

Tucker smiled at me when I walked into the room. "Mhm," he said into the phone. "I'll be home soon. I love you too." He hung up and slid his cell phone back into his pocket.

I had this brief moment of jealousy. I thought he wasn't dating anyone. I shook away the thought. What did it matter? It's not like he was actually my boyfriend. But I wanted him to be. This night was seeming more and more real.

"My mom finally realized I was missing," he said before I let my imagination run wild.

"So you need to get back?" I was disappointed that he was leaving. I liked having him. I liked the way he kept looking at me and how he couldn't keep his hands off me. Even if it was just pretend.

"I guess I probably should. Unless you want me to stay?" He smiled down at me.

"Oh." I shrugged. "You already sold it really well. My whole family thinks that you're in love with me."

"And what do you think?"

"I think that it was really nice of you to go out of your way to help out a relative stranger. It was the best Christmas gift I could have possibly asked for. I think my family is going to be heartbroken when they find out."

He frowned. "When they find out? Julia, I meant everything that I..."

"Come on you two," Izzy said and poked her head into the kitchen. "Mom wants a picture of you guys by the tree."

"I can just tell them you need to get back," I said when Izzy disappeared.

"I don't mind. I'm having a good time." He grabbed my hand and led me back out of the kitchen.

"Oh, wait," my mom said, with her camera already facing us. "Stay right there."

Tucker and I froze before entering the family room.

My mom pointed up. Tucker and I both looked up at the mistletoe hanging above us in the archway.

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