Page 28 of A Christmas Road Trip

We linger for a minute, finishing our cider before we go back out into the cold. I sneak a few looks over to Chase, trying to see his expression.

“How do you think it went?” he asks when he catches one of my looks.

“Pretty good. Do you think...? It almost seems like she might have been...”

“Jealous. Yes. That’s what it looked like to me too.”

“People aren’t normally jealous of me.”

“That’s not true.”

“I think it is. People tend to like me fine, but no one really wants to be me. So it’s a new feeling. Someone being jealous.” I sigh. “I shouldn’t like it so much.”

“Liking it is natural. Don’t expect yourself to be perfect.”

“I don’t expect to be perfect, but I do expect to be mature and sensible.”

He laughs and gives me a little hug. “You are mature and sensible. Most of the time. You can have occasional trips into silliness like everyone else.”

“I guess.” I relax in his arms, wondering why it feels so good, so safe.

So filling.

“She’s watching us. You want to really drive home our pretend relationship?”

I pull away enough to blink up at him. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about this,” he murmurs thickly. Then he takes my face in one of his hands and leans into another kiss.

This one isn’t quick and light and tame like the first one. His mouth lingers on mine, brushing against me with a questioning eagerness that shoots straight to my heart. And also down lower.

He strokes my hair. Teases my lips with his tongue very lightly. Then presses a couple of small kisses around my mouth before he pulls away.

My knees are weak again. My heart is galloping, and my breath is coming out in ragged pants. I stare up at him.

No kiss in my entire life has felt as good as that one did. I have no idea what’s happening here.

“Too much?” he asks, twitching his eyebrows at me. His expression is teasing, but his voice is slightly cracked.

I’m not sure what comes over me. I grab for his head with both hands and pull it back down into another kiss. Harder and deeper this time.

He responds immediately, sliding one hand down my back until it’s settled right where my ass starts to curve outward. His tongue is actually in my mouth now, and I try to cling to it with my lips, cling to his body with my hands.

I can’t seem to let him go. I’m rocked with pleasure and excitement and deep, deep entitlement.

He’s mine, and I’m making him so.

He pulls away before I do, gasping raggedly as he straightens up. His face is flushed. His eyes are on fire. He’s peering down at me like he’s trying to read my mind.

There’s nothing to read in my mind at the moment except a rush of confused, passionate feelings.

I can barely stand up straight.

“Whoa,” he says at last.

I give a breathy, helpless laugh—unsure of what else to do or feel. “Yeah.”

“That was unexpected.”

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