Page 7 of Christmas in Vines

Tyler’s eyes followed every minute motion I made, and it made me feel flattered. “You’ve dated after him, right?”

“I—” I paused, “— if you count a string of scattered dates here and there dating, I suppose. They never stuck around.”

“You obviously dated the wrong ones.”

“Obviously,” I gave him a deprecating smile. “I don’t know what it is. Maybe my flirting game is subzero. I don’t even think I know how. I’m just not one of those girls who’s always acting all cutesy, hair twirling, or eyelash fluttering.”

“Good,” he gave me a crooked grin. “You’d look ditzy.”

I gasped. “You don’t dare.”

“I do,” he grinned, “You’re better off smart and cute as you are. Leave that ditzy act to the bimbos.”

“You think I’m cute?”

He chuckled. “I’d bet you’ve heard that more than once in your life.”

“Maybe twice,” I replied.

“And now you’ve heard it for the third time,” Tyler grinned.

“You say that to all the pretty girls,” I teased him.

“And you say your flirting game is weak,” he shot back while coming around the crate. “Yes, I think you’re cute, but it wouldn’t do me any good. You’re basically my boss for the next few weeks, and I’m sure you’ve got someno-fraternizationclause in your company’s books, so that wouldn’t be cool.”

“It’s true,” I replied while he moved closer; his seagrass eyes made my breath hitch. “We do have the clause.”

My back met the wall, and Tyler stopped. It didn’t even look like he was breathing. He was just…staring at me, and despite being fully clothed in a fleece-lined jacket and thick jeans, I never felt more exposed.

The look in his eyes burned right through me. How the hell was he doing that? It was exciting and nerve-racking and made my pulse hammer in my head at the same time. Tyler lifted and touched the hair at my temple before slipping it around my nape and moving in and digging one hand into the soft hair there.

“How airtight is that clause?”

“Pretty ironclad,” I whispered, even while tilting my head up. “You can sue me for it.”

“I’d rather suckle on your pretty lips instead,” he whispered.

He lowered his mouth to mine slowly, giving me every opportunity to turn away or say no, but when I didn’t, he gently rested his lips on mine, parting my lips with the precision of a surgeon. He ran his tongue over the seam delicately, and when I opened my lips to meet him, he pulled away, drawing the kiss out until he sealed his lips over mine and plundered my mouth.

The pressure of his hand on the back of my neck grew stronger as he held me fast while his other arm slid around my waist, fingers creeping under my sweater, finally touching my skin.

“You play dirty,” I gasped.

“Should I play it safe?” he asked, his thumb swiping under my bottom lip. “You get more beautiful every time I look at you.”

What was it with this guy? How did he know what to do to hit me square in the chest? My words were shuddery when they came out. “You’re trouble… aren’t you?”

Mercifully, Tyler stepped back and he shrugged. “I’ve been told so a time or two, but I don’t actively search for trouble.”

I got my grounds. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No.”

“Wife? Ex-wife? Baby mother? I can’t get into…” I waved my hand between us. “…this if you’ve got some other attachment.”

“I am as single as a slice of cheese,” he replied. “Wrapped up like one too.”

Was he trying to tell me he was…clean? Was that it? God, I hated not picking up on subtle clues. I hedged a bet. “You think this will go that far?”

---