“I’m fine,” she whispered, but her voice cracked. “Why wouldn't I be?”
“No reason,” I murmured, moving closer as I tugged the pajama top over my head. “Just checking.”
We stood there, fully dressed, pretending not to look at each other. Except we totally were. Every shift, every breath, was an excuse to steal a glance.
“We should…” she said.
I took another step closer. “Should what?”
Her eyes flicked up, meeting mine with a wild, desperate edge I hadn't seen before.
“Go back down,” she finished weakly.
“Should we?” I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and my fingertips barely grazed her skin, but she shivered anyway.
“Yeah,” she breathed, but she didn't move.
Neither did I.
“Before I do something stupid,” I murmured, my thumb tracing her jawline.
Her gaze dropped to my mouth then flicked back up. “Like what?”
“You really want to know?”
She nodded, barely a movement.
I leaned in until my lips almost brushed her ear. “Like kiss you until you forget your own name.”
Her breath hitched. “That would be stupid?”
“The stupidest thing I could do.”
“Uncle Sawyer!” Gracie’s war cry rang through the house.
I stepped back and dragged a hair through my hand. Ellie sighed and, without another word, we walked back downstairs.
Gracie bolted toward the front door, already decked out in a puffy green coat and snow boots that lit up. “You’re on my team!” she said to me, handing me a green armband.
“Go team green!” I shouted.
“Wait, what are we doing?” Ellie asked, trailing behind me.
“Snowball fight,” Dotty said, tossing her a thick red coat with tiny reindeer antlers sewn onto the hood. “You’re team red with me, Colt, and Trent.”
Ellie stared at the coat and slowly looked up. “Why does it have…ears?”
“Because we’re a festive family,” Dotty said flatly. “Now, put it on.”
“I get both kids and the detective?” I grinned as I zipped up my own coat. “Hell yeah.”
Lilah arched a brow. “You do realize your brother is a detective too, right?”
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “But you’re more badass.”
Lilah smirked.
“My mom’s badass!” Caleb echoed proudly.
