Page 18 of Tinsel and Teasing

Naked, wrapped in a blanket, snuggled into Knox’s chest while I twirl my fingers in his beard, I’m already agonizing over having to leave.

“Number one-twenty-three.” Dryly, Clyde scrolls through his phone, skipping out on the normal banter. He looks toward the camera and Luke, who’s standing behind it, motions as if excited.

Clyde regroups.

“Hey, hey, hey, ladies!” Clyde taps into his normal excitement. He grabs the piece of wood from the stump, making a show of partially wrapping his sizeable hand around the log.

“I’ve got a thick one for a lucky lady. This hard piece of wood is for you, Keaton.”

He glances my way then pulls the marker from his shirt pocket, uncaps it with his teeth, and writes her name on the end of the log. When he holds it up, Knox is waiting with his cell phone to snap a picture that Clyde will use to send an autographed photo to the winner.

Returning the marker to his pocket, and his attention to the streaming camera, he keeps up the show. “Ready for a pounding?”

I imagine this Keaton chick is squealing with excitement that he said her name in a stream and that he’ll send her an autographed photo. It doesn’t matter that it’s just his job, or that I’m getting something much more precious than an autographed picture.

Placing a hand on my belly, I wonder if biology will be on my side—and what that means. Do I want Grandma’s lessons about the fertile and infertile times of the month to be correct? That outcome weighs heavily on my mind. That outcome would mean I can walk away from this and get back to my normally scheduled life.

Against all of my better judgment, I allow a niggling of hope that Grandma’s teachings were wrong in a lot more ways than biology. Maybe there are trustworthy guys out there.

Clyde’s icy glare catches me daydreaming.

The blanket and Knox’s body heat are no longer enough to combat the chill.

Twelve

Luke

Myheartiscrushedwhen Isadora reveals she’s one of Clyde’s fans. I suspected it. Why didn’t I trust my gut? Is anything that happened since the auction real?

I help Clyde make the video. It’s how he pays the bills. But today, there’s an edge to his tone no matter how much he attempts lighthearted jokes. He cuts it short too.

Do I stand any chance with Isadora or is she just a Hardwood fan who snuck her way into his life? Everything about last night felt real to me.

Set on winning her over, I say, “Why don’t we go inside where it’s warmer?”

I kiss her forehead while she’s snuggled in Knox’s arms. She leans her head into me instead of returning the kiss.

Will an explanation help? “Now that we got Clyde’s job out of the way, ready to have more fun? I don’t have to work today. I made sure to clear my schedule in case you agreed to stay.”

I want to show her that I thought about this, that she means something to me.

“I should get dressed. My dog sitter leaves town this afternoon. I texted her last night, and she said she could stay till noon, but I have to get back.”

“Your dog can’t be alone?” I ask.

“I have two small, very high-strung dogs, and they’ll bark incessantly if I don’t get back. They stay with my neighbor when I’m at school or work, so they don’t make the other neighbors grumbly.”

“Could we pick your dogs up and bring them here?”

“I have to study and...”

“You have to study over Christmas break?” I glare at Knox when he opens his mouth to comment. He may be holding her, but this is my conversation.

“I have to study for work. I have this amazing internship, and I’m always signing up to help with projects. Sometimes I don’t have all the knowledge I need, but I work like mad to learn. There’s this big project—”

I put my finger to her lips. “Shh. We’ll take you home if that’s what you want.”

I’m telling myself she needs time to process this amazing bond between us. My fear is that if she keeps talking, she’ll end up revealing that she got what she wanted, and she’s done with us. I’m not ready to hear that.

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