Page 37 of Sold on You

“You bet your butt,” she said, and he laughed.

Charlee put some Christmas music on, and she hummed to it as they cleaned up the kitchen. Afterward, they folded up the blankets and put them and the pillows away in the bedrooms. They returned the couches and recliners to their original positions and then carried the dining room chairs back to the table.

“I’m missing going out on the trails and running.” Charlee did a few stretches in the living room, feeling it in her muscles before she shook her arms and legs out. “As much snow as we’re getting, it’ll probably be a while before I can do more than jog at the park.”

Ace watched her, a sexy grin on his features.

She did a lunge stretch for her thighs and calves. “What are you grinning about?”

He folded his arms and leaned his hip against the couch. “Just enjoying the view.”

She rolled her eyes and came out of the stretch. “What do you want to do now?”

Ace looked at the game closet. “I saw Trivial Pursuit.” He met her gaze. “Are you any good at trivia?”

“Not really.” Charlee pushed a strand of hair from her eyes. “If I get the easy questions, I do okay. I hate the entertainment ones. I don’t keep track of that industry.”

“Let’s play and see how we both do.” He retrieved the game and they set up the game table, chairs, and game. “New bet. I win and it’s dinner at my place.”

“I’m running out of things to bet on that you won’twantto lose to.” She scrunched her face. “You clean the bathrooms with just an apron on.”

Ace burst out with laughter. “Honey, you don’t need to win a game to get me out of my clothes.”

Her face burned. “That’s the bet. I have a flouncy, frilly little apron that you haven’t seen, and that’s what you’ll wear.”

He grinned. “You’re on.” He gave her a mischievous look. “I think I’ll come up with something a little more adventurous next time. Like hiking in the buff.”

“I’m not into getting arrested.” She sniffed as she picked out the blue token holder. Ace took the yellow one.

They played best out of three games of Trivial Pursuit, and Ace won.

“Hot damn,” he said. “Dinner at my place on New Year’s Eve.”

“Humph.” She had a hard time holding back a grin. She sure didn’t feel too bad about losing. “We didn’t say a specific date.”

He shrugged. “Got any other plans that night?”

She pretended to think. “I’ll have to check my calendar.”

“Uh-huh.” He grasped her hand across the table. “Don’t be thinking you’re going to get off that easy.”

She looked out the window. “Looks like it’s stopped snowing, but it’s getting darker, so it’s hard to tell.”

“I think you’re right.” Ace gave her a teasing look as he started putting the game pieces away. “But then I’m hoping it’ll snow for days.”

He made her want to smile so much, it was crazy. “You’re silly.”

“But honest.”

After they got everything back into the box, Charlee carried the game box to the closet, and pushed it onto a shelf, and they put away the game table and folding chairs, too.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played so many games in such a short period of time.” She patted her belly. “Or eaten so much.”

“I’ve never been big on cooking.” He walked up to her and took her hands in his. “But I have to admit, with you everything’s fun.”

CHAPTER10

Asense of peace and happiness settled over Charlee as she and Ace walked into the living room. They had kept dinner relatively simple, no big Christmas feast that took hours to prepare.

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