“Not a thing. Why?” Looking up at him, it’s all I can do not to swoon. I’m certain it’s just the endorphins from watching him shirtless, his tatted, sinewy pecs and abs on display, all covered in oil.God, I need a cold shower.
“Meet me at Mug Life. Say, seven? Thought I should at least take you out for coffee after giving you such a hard time about doing this.” He reaches behind his neck, his biceps up close and personal, an uneasy expression lighting up his beautiful face. “I should be embarrassed by the whole thing.” He chuckles nervously. “Don’t let anyone at my station back home find out. But I actually had fun.”
Back home.
The days seem to be flying by way too fast. Having him here. “Sure.” I might as well get my fix while I can. “Why not?”
Jason
Still keyed up from the day’s events, I pace in front of Mug Life as I await Quinn’s arrival. Hell, I feel like an awkward teen with a crush.What has this girl done to me?
“Hi.”
Turning, I find Quinn standing behind me on the sidewalk wearing curve-hugging jeans, cute little brown boots, and a gray hoodie that brings out the color of her eyes. Her brown hair is down around her shoulders and it’s all I can do not to lean in and kiss her.
“Hi.” I extend my arm toward the front door. “After you.” I follow her in, and we make our way to the counter. I order a hot chocolate, extra marshmallows, and she smiles and asks for the same. It doesn’t take long as we wait silently at the end of the counter for our orders, but long enough that my anxiety starts to get the better of me. My concern grows that I won’t be able to keep from staring if I’m sitting across from her. “You okay if we walk while we sip?”
“Of course.”
As we head down the sidewalk further into town, we make small talk about the big festival, watching the rubber ducks float down the May River, and about Quinn’s hopes for a great turnout. She’s so passionate about her work, I can’t help but hang on her every word.
“Who knew short stuff would turn out to be such a badass?”
She giggles before taking another sip.
“No, really. You’ve worked so hard on this, Quinn. It’s impressive what you’ve been able to do in such a short amount of time.”
“Thank you. It’s exhausting. Hopefully, as my business grows, I can bring in some help. This one man show is a lot.” She stops walking and turns to face me. “I get so tired. I just want to play hooky, drink hot cocoa, and watch Christmas movies surrounded by lights and decorations. But there’s still so much left to do.”
“Well, the guys at the station are all impressed with your work ethic. And, hell, we have a ton of downtime. If there’s any busywork, let us help. There’s no need to be a one man show with us around.” Unable to hold back, I drop my hand to her lower back as we walk. The need to touch her is almost magnetic. “We’ve got you.”
She beams up at me, little flecks of blue creating a ring around those hypnotic gray irises. “Thanks, Mr. December,” she teases. “I might take you up on that.” She takes a sip from her cup. “Can I sign you up for next year?”
“Uh, no.”
Chapter 18
Quinn
Oh. My. God.
I’m so excited, I’m shaking. It’s nothing short of a miracle I made it to the printers and back without receiving a ticket. I knew I’d get emotional finally having this calendar in my hot little hands, so I delayed opening the box until returning home. Shelby, at the print shop, was disappointed. Yet, my gut tells me she’s already seen the completed product and simply wanted to witness my reaction.
Carefully lifting the top with shaky hands, I separate the protective paper. This calendar could make or break the success of these fundraising efforts. Grasping the one on top, I lift it out, biting my lower lip to contain my excitement. My eyes fill with tears at the glossy group photo of the members of station 803. You’d never know this was amateur hour for these guys.
“It looks so professional,” I squeal. Carefully turning from one page to the next, I take in every detail. Each of the shots is so vibrant atop it’s assigned month. Holly has such a gift, capturing such candid moments.
When I reach December, my mouth drops open. I may or may not have to purchase multiple calendars, so I can hang this shot in every room of my apartment. Jason is shirtless, his head thrown back mid laugh. His beautiful blue eyes jump off the page. But it’s not the firm build, the smoking hot tattoos, the chiseled jaw, or the hypnotic eyes that take my breath away. It’s the pure joy emanating from him.
Reaching out, I run my fingertip over his cheek. It reminds me of the boy I knew so long ago, before the world taught him to disconnect, protecting himself from anyone and anything that could harm him. Pushing my melancholy aside, I refocus on Mr. December, and my face nearly splits in two from my smile. Unable to keep this exhilaration to myself, I search for my phone to call Dad.
“Well, hello there.”
“Dad. I just picked up the calendars from the printer. Eeek! They’re even better than I hoped. Can I come over and show you? Pleeeeease?” I’m dancing in place, champing at the bit to show someone.
“Come on over. But I’m at Calvin’s place. If you’re okay sharing with both of us, I’d love to see it.”
“Of course. I’m on the way.”
