Page 54 of Bragg's Christmas

“Let her run. We can’t lose her with her blonde curly hair and bright red jacket.”

I slow my pace and enjoy the feel of Damon’s arm around me. I feel safe and secure with him and his musky scent surrounding me. But it’s only an illusion. An illusion I can’t get used to.

I shrug his arm away and increase my pace until I’m behind Skye.

“This one, Nanny Love.” She points at a scraggly tree and Damon groans behind me.

I ignore him. “It’s a lovely tree, but we won’t be able to hang many ornaments on it.”

“Ornaments? What are ornaments?”

I whip out my phone and show her a picture of a Christmas tree fully decorated.

Her eyes widen. “We’re going to make our tree look like this?”

“Yep.”

“We need a bigger tree.”

Uh oh. I’ve created a monster.

After several attempts at getting the biggest tree in the lot, Damon and Skye finally compromise on a normal sized tree. Damon pays and one of the workers helps him carry the tree to his car.

I cringe when I notice them lift the tree to the roof. “You’re going to strap the tree to the roof of your car?”

“Naturally. How else do you expect me to get the tree home? The trunk isn’t big enough.”

“I thought you’d pay someone to have it delivered.”

“I haven’t been in Winter Falls long, but even I know the townspeople would cause an uproar if I had a tree delivered.”

He’s not wrong. “But you’ll scratch your paint.”

“It’s paint. I can get the car detailed after the holidays.”

“But it’s a really expensive car. Maybe we should get an artificial tree instead. They come in boxes.”

“Love,” he calls to get my attention when I continue to stare at the tree on the roof of his pricey electric car. “It’s okay.” He squeezes my hand. “It’s just a car.”

“But it’s expensive.”

He rubs a thumb against my wrist to calm me but the move has the opposite effect. It causes my blood to heat and warmth to spread throughout my body. I wrest my hands away. I can’t catch feelings for my boss. I’m the new and improved Love Hill. I no longer sleep around.

But it wouldn’t be sleeping around, Love.

I ignore my inner voice. It usually causes me trouble. I don’t need any more trouble.

I swallow. “Okay. I’ll stop complaining. I mean. It’s your car. You can do with it whatever you want. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Damon chuckles.

“And I’ll shut up now.”

“You’re cute.” He squeezes my hand one more time before returning to the car.

I can’t help but watch him saunter away from me. I need to keep my distance from him before I land in trouble.

Except. I think I’m already in trouble. Deep trouble. The kind that ends in heartache.

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