Page 99 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

Even if he hadn’t asked for it.

“Thanks.” He drained the last of his coffee and tossed the cup. “Well, we should go clean up, right?”

It was a test. Leaving the decision in her hands. Now that they were tucked away and out of sight, desire hummed through his veins, even amid the confusion and irritation. He wanted to touch the silk of her hair again, feel the warm curves of her flesh beneath his fingertips. He wanted to bury himself so deep inside her she made that noise that was part woman, part animal.

His cock twitched in his pants. Mara lifted a brow.

“What else would we do?” she asked, voice turning slightly husky.

“Oh, I don’t know.” He took a step closer, his gaze on her lips. They were the perfect mix of plump and soft. He could kiss them for the rest of his life and still want just one more taste. When they’d first broken up, he’d thought that he might be scarred by her kisses, that he’d never find anyone he shared so much chemistry with. But then as he whiled away his twenties in New York and found success and found even more women to distract him, he eventually forgot about these lips.

But now? He realized that shehadscarred him.

Nobody else’s kisses came close.

Mara smirked, and Chris knew this was his chance. He leaned forward, cupping the sides of her face in his hands as he coaxed a soft kiss from her that made his cock go from half-mast to rock hard.

She whimpered, clutching at his hands on her face as they kissed.

A movement behind her made him jolt. Through the viewing pane of the swinging lounge door, he saw a crew member approach.

“Someone’s coming,” he whispered, and then snagged one last quick kiss. “One for the road.”

She giggled, pushing at his chest before heading out of the lounge. Chris waited a moment for her to make it down the hallway, smiling at the crew member who came into the lounge after her.

He wasn’t sure what was going on and knew even less if he could trust her.

All he knew was that the chemistry between them was alive and well.

And it was damn-near impossible to say no to that.

8

MARA

By the end of the first week of filming, Mara had the majority of her gingerbread base complete. Her secret plan, which was becoming more obvious the more she completed, was an entire gingerbread village. Roughly thirty-five individual gingerbread cottages, set in an idyllic scene that looked a helluva lot like the wooded areas of Glenford.

It was sure to be a hit, because this was all about supporting Glenford. That, paired with her expert skill as a baker, would make sure she won this competition.

Thankfully, Chris’s work area had been cleaned and the oven and one countertop replaced. She was sure it probably could have happened much sooner and the eight of them wouldn’t have been bumping into each other for four days, but she suspected the network was enjoying the sparks that came with so many people working in a confined space.

Looking over at Chris’s assembly area, his vision remained unclear, and it didn’t seem to be very far along. Something that looked like a gingerbread skyscraper was slowly growing on his prep table, but she couldn’t tell if he was making a building or an elevator shaft. Time would tell.

What his gingerbread design would become wasn’t the only thing time would tell. Each day, Mara wondered if they’d steal another kiss or have another furtive meetup in the hallway or, God forbid, on a work surface. Chris hadn’t made a move, so she decided that she wouldn’t either.

She knew better than to follow that path. Especially during such a cutthroat competition.

Yet his kisses still lingered in the back of her mind, and each night alone in her bed, she replayed the images from their lovemaking while her hand worked overtime down the front of her panties.

Filming wrapped around seven on Friday, and they had the weekend off. Good thing, too, because Mara needed some downtime. A chance tonotstare at Chris’s perfect face and hands each day, so that she could remember what her life had been like before he’d returned to Glenford like some sort of prodigal son.

She grabbed her coat and purse before leaving and then remembered she’d left her phone on her work station. As she swept into the multipurpose room to get it, she decided to take one last glance at her gingerbread village before leaving. It was already her pride and joy, and one of the most intricate projects she’d ever undertaken. If she didn’t win, then the competition was rigged.

“Staying late?” Chris asked as he slid off his apron.

“I’m in a rush to go, actually. Just wanted to make sure everything looks good.” She offered him a tight smile, still unsure of what the rules were for whatever they had going on. Rivals but also lovers. Long-lost sweethearts but also strangers.

“Where you heading?” Chris asked as he slid on his winter coat.

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