Page 24 of Winter Break Up

“Either diamond or rainbow,” Joelle speaks up.

“Oh, rainbow, please. I think both of you should wear diamonds because you sparkle so brightly.” My voice conveys how serious of a choice this is.

The group of us stops at a tree so perfect for the little family, and the mother declares we’ve found it within seconds. I set the girls down as I go to get a saw and then return to quickly cut it down for them so their mother doesn’t have to do any work while trying to corral the girls.

“Thank you for cutting down our tree, Mr. Mercer!” Haley throws her arms around my legs after I load the saw and tree onto the four-wheeler.

“You’re so welcome. Thank you for my princess crown. Now, you guys be good for your mom so Santa can bring those presents, okay?”

Joelle nods and gives me a thumbs-up while Haley dances around in her boots, singing some made-up version of a song to a Christmas tune.

Next to me, Em is practically melting. Now, I understand that whole pickup strategy of using a baby or kid to talk to women. Clearly, this is doing something for her.

One of the other seasonal workers offers to check them out, and we bid the two girls and their mother ado as they thank us profusely.

Which leaves me standing in a clearing, out of sight, with Emily.

My face splits into a smile; how can it not when I’ve been thinking of nothing but how giddy and boyish she makes me feel. Em returns the expression, and we start to laugh because this seems delirious that we can’t stop grinning at each other.

Somewhere in the distance, Mrs. Palmer calls our names, and I turn to get back to work. The last thing I need is Em’s family finding out that we’re circling around each other like mating animals, especially on the clock. It’s not like I know what we’re doing, and lumping more people into our complicated dynamic will only end badly.

“Wait.”

All of a sudden, my arm is being pulled back toward her, and I’m moving. Only when I turn to Emily do I realize she’s already up on her toes and coming at me.

I catch her, lifting her off the ground, as her legs come around my waist and her mouth covers mine. Her nose is cold, but her lips are so warm and plush as I push past them with my tongue.

We’re hidden in the trees, our large coats and boots getting in the way of our make-out session, and it’s oh so good. It’s a callback to the sneaking off we used to do as teenagers when we were horny out of our minds. Fuck, I guess I still am when it comes to this woman.

Her mouth is fused to mine, the air we breathe passes back and forth, and a groan works its way from my throat when she bites down on my lip.

“Seeing you with those girls was … Mercer, are you trying to make my knees go weak?” She shakes her head like she’s scolding me.

“Turned you on, huh?” I raise an eyebrow cockily.

She pushes at my chest but remains close. “It shouldn’t be so attractive that you’re a natural with kids.”

“But it is. Apparently, you find me very attractive.” Again, the arrogant edge of my voice has Em rolling her eyes.

I take that opportunity to swoop back in for another kiss, our arms tangling around each other in desperation to get closer. Here, in broad daylight, I want to take her to the ground and push myself inside her. I want to watch her eyes roll back, hear her moans, and bring us to the brink of insanity because that’s how she makes me feel.

Except there is a little slice of fear at the back of my skull that has me breaking off our kiss with a gentle peck.

“We need to talk about this.” My head spins, and my cock might as well be cursing at me.

If I said so, Emily would probably follow me to the break room right now. Or my truck. Or her house just up and over the hill. We could undress each other, and I could sink inside her tight, warm folds like I’ve dreamed of doing for so many years. I want her so fucking desperately that my body protests me stopping this, but it’s necessary.

“Mercer.” Her tone is a warning.

“I’m not messing around when it comes to you.”

If she says she is messing around, it’ll gut me.

Those gorgeous hazel eyes shift to the side. “Things between us have always been complicated, huh?”

We can’t seem to keep away from each other, no matter how imminent the threat of hurting one another is. From the moment I took this job, before I even flew back to Queenwood, I knew I’d be tangled up in her by winter’s end. It was inevitable.

I just have to figure out how to stop it from breaking this time.

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