Page 44 of Wrapped with a Beau

Each word is repugnant in its own way. “You really know how to flatter a man,” he drawls.

Her cheeks turn pink. She fidgets with her glass and looks down at her Dr. Martens lace-ups, mumbling a barely coherent “You know what I mean.”

It’s cute how she gets nervous around him. And gratifying, considering how he feels right now. The room is excruciatingly hot or maybe it’s just his proximity to her that makes him want to rip off his scarf and jacket. Not even hang them up properly. Just throw them to the floor before he takes her hand and leads her past the trees and into a corner where nobody will find them for hours.

“Oh, you need a drink,” says Elisha. Her hand lands on his for a quick touch that isn’t even close to enough. “I’ll go grab us some. I’ll be right back.” She darts through the crowd before he can stop her.

“Excuse me.” Someone lightly taps at his shoulder. “You’re Maeve’s nephew, right?”

He turns to see the redhead from before. She tosses her big, bouncy curls in a flirtatious manner, smiling with glossy red lips.

“Her great-nephew.” He tilts his head. “I’m sorry, you look so familiar, but I can’t quite place you.”

She laughs. “I’m Charity. You probably recognize me from trivia night. Dork Academia? The name was my idea. I teach English at the high school. I used to teach middle school, and your books were always a favorite in my class. The next one’s coming out soon, right?”

“Mm-hmm,” he says with the same rigid smile that only emerges when he’s uncomfortable—like now, when this inevitable question about what’s next comes up. “It’s nice to meet a fan,” he offers when the silence lingers.

Charity laughs again, but this time she couples it with a hand on his forearm. Applies a little pressure so he knows it’s not just a casual touch. “The kids are your fans. Never said I was.” When Ves’s smile falls, stung, hers goes from sharp to sultry as her fingers walk up his sleeve. “But I can always be... persuaded.”

A hand unceremoniously shoves a drink between him and Charity. The first thing he sees are nude, polished nails with a Santa hat across the tip. There’s only one person they could belong to. Relief surges through him with embarrassing speed. The next thing in his vision is a diamond tennis bracelet on a slim wrist. And finally, the beautiful—and clearly irked—woman it belongs to.

“Your drink, Ves,” Elisha grinds out, perhaps unintentionally loud, because the very next thing she does is scowl like it’s all his fault. Her surprising jealousy coaxes a small smile to his lips.

He takes the opportunity to detach from Charity. “Thanks, Elisha.” Their fingertips graze as he accepts the goblet. The tiniest frisson of electricity zaps him, and he feels the shiver reverberate up his whole arm. Elisha looks somewhat mollified.

“It was nice to meet you, Charity,” he says politely, but with finality. “Have a nice night.” And with that, he holds out his hand to Elisha, palm up.

She takes it, looking pleased. “Enjoy the party!” The second they’re out of earshot, she says, “You’re lucky Riley’s too busy flirting to see you fraternizing with the enemy.”

“Enemy?” God, she’s adorable.

“Member of the opposing team. Whatever.” Elisha guzzles the punch. “Jeez, it’s hot in here.”

Ves takes a tentative sip of his own drink. There’s a definite burn under all the sweetness. Crisp cider, tart cranberry juice, and enough rum to please a pirate—or a whole crew of them. “And the punch is strong.”

Her smile is impish. “It usually is when Grandpa makes it.”

That tracks. “Uh, this is for you.” He peels the handles off his wrist and holds the bag out to her pinched between two fingers. “Your mom, actually. To say thank you for dinner the other night. I don’t know what she looks like, so I thought I’d just...”

“Like me, but more tan and way too chic to be caught in an elf hat.” Elisha takes the bag and peeks inside. “The annual holiday party has always been more Grandpa’s thing, so Mom and Dad are having a much-needed date night at home. Good choice on the chocolate, though! These are her favorites.”

Relief pools in his belly. And suddenly, as their gazes lock, it’s not relief anymore, but hot lava and insistent desire to kiss the small talk right out of Elisha Rowe, put both their mouths to far better use. He wets the seam of his lips, heartbeat quickening.

“What?” She touches her face, as though worried about her makeup. “Do I have something...?”

Ves is robbed of breath. Her eyes are multidimensional with the fairy lights playing across her irises, bouncing off the highlight artfully placed on her cheekbones, the dip of her Cupid’s bow. His eyes are drawn to her lips, where they linger long enough that Elisha notices.

She swallows. “Ves? You’re staring at my mouth. Not that I have a problem with that, but, um, why?”

“You’re beautiful,” he says honestly. He can’t remember the last time he’s said that to a woman. If ever. Or if he has, if he’s meant it the way he does right now, with the force of his whole heart.

There’s a light smattering of freckles across her nose, a couple on her cheeks, left over from summer, possibly. His heart aches that he won’t be here long enough to see her in strappy summer dresses that cover even less of her than her winter ones do now. Missing out on seeing her run around in flip-flops, wondering if she’s equally vigilant about her toenail art. He can imagine her painting white-and-yellow daisies and perfect pink tulips.

He visualizes those nails tugging at his hair, bringing him closer for a kiss. Maybe skating down his back to make him shiver. Wrapped around his cock as she looks up at him, thick black lashes fluttering over her cheeks as her mouth closes around him.

If he were smart, he wouldn’t feel so victorious that Elisha was jealous over a woman he didn’t even fancy. He wouldn’t have wanted to shove that damn mistletoe in Richard’s throat and watch it scratch all the way down.

And when she looks at him like she is right now, he wouldn’t want to reach behind her, cup her neck, squeeze it lightly as he brings his mouth down to hers. Press her into a corner somewhere to steal that kiss and then a thousand more, just to be safe. Nibbles down her neck, across her collarbone.

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