I giggle nervously. “There’s not much to tell.”
“Oh, I don’t buy that. What do you like to do for fun?”
I tap the tip of my index finger on my lower lip. “Probably spending time with Joy. She and Callie tend to make me laugh and smile enough to forget about any stress in my life.”
Jason rolls on his side to face me. “I can see that. In the brief time I spent with her, she had the same effect on me.” I avoid eye contact with him, hoping he’ll move on from any further inquiries about her. It doesn’t feel like the right moment for that. As if he can sense the need for a lighter topic, he asks, “What’s your favorite cold weather drink? Are you a coffee or tea girl?”
I laugh. “Both actually. I drink coffee every morning, occasionally tea in the afternoon. I save apple cider and hot cocoa for when it’s cooler. Which in Magnolia Point doesn’t happen too often. How about you?”
“Don’t know why, but I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker. I think it’s because my mother made hot cocoa for me when everyone else was drinking coffee or tea.” He chuckles. “She knew I only drank it as an excuse to eat the marshmallows.”
I laugh, picturing him as a precocious child with a chocolate mustache fishing marshmallows out of his mug.
“It was the same with cupcakes. I’d hold the wrapped cake portion like it was a handle so I could lick off the icing.” He demonstrates with his tongue.
This visual has my lower belly doing flips.
“Favorite Christmas movie?”
I clear my throat. “Easy.It’s a Wonderful Life. You?”
“Die Hard.” I can’t help but roll my eyes in response. “What? Itisa Christmas movie.”
Turning my head, I look at him. If it’s possible, he’s even more handsome in the moonlight. The air seems to crackle between us as my eyes hold his. I can practically see the stars reflected back at me in his mesmerizing blue irises.
“Is there someone special in your life?”
“Yes,” I blurt before I think better of it. His face seems to morph from playful to pensive, a deep V developing between his brows before he turns away.
How can he not see it’s him?
Unsure where this sudden jolt of confidence is coming from, I turn on my side facing him and ask, “How about you?” As the silence permeates the air between us, my confidence wanes and the familiar quaking of my limbs from earlier returns.
“No.” He turns to me as my face falls. Reaching over, he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “Why the long face, short stuff?”
Be brave, Quinn.You’re not a kid anymore. No regrets. “I thought you could feel it, too.”
A stunned expression takes over his face. But unlike in my fantasies, he doesn’t move. He doesn’t pounce and take me in his arms. There’s no passionate kiss.
Have I read this all wrong? An internal battle starts to war within me. He’s leaving soon, just go for it. You’ll never know unless you try.
So, I do.
Pushing aside rational thought, I lunge for him, covering his mouth with mine. Straddling his hips, I feel my body shake, overtaken with nervousness. I dig my fingers into his hair to anchor myself. It takes a moment before I realize he’s kissing me back.
All of a sudden, I’m on my back, and he’s leaning over me. “I thought you were… that you had a…” Of course, this man, of all men, would never make a move if he thought I was involved with someone.
“Only you.”
With that, he cups my cheek with one hand and dips down to kiss the corners of my mouth before diving back in for a long, languid kiss. It’s the type of kiss dreams are made of where teeth clash as tongues dance. He pulls back, nibbling on my lower lip before dropping his lips to my throat.
I arch my back as he trails open mouth kisses down my collarbone and between my breasts. The temperature has dropped, but it’s barely noticeable as his mouth on my skin has set my body aflame.
“Is this okay?” he murmurs as he teases the top button of my blouse. He’s being so sweet and gentle when all I want is to rip every piece of clothing to shreds until there’s nothing between us.
I nod, considering it’s probably the more mature way to handle this.
One by one, he painstakingly unbuttons my top and opens it to reveal my red lacy bra. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Quinn.”
