“Then I’m glad you have me.”
I looked down at the snowflake ornament, too unsettled by his words, only for him to recapture my attention when he said, “Liz, look up.”
“Why?” But I did.
“Mistletoe,” he murmured.
Then he kissed me. His soft lips pressed against mine in a gentle kiss that lasted only a second. I barely had a chance to let my eyes flutter closed before he stepped back again.
I blinked up, but there was nothing there. The only thing that hung from the vaulted ceiling was a ceiling fan.
No mistletoe.
My cheeks burned and my stomach flipped. He’d kissed me. Ben had just kissed me.
How could he? I was still married!
No, that was wrong.
Technically, I was now single, but not the kind of single girl looking to be kissed.
Still, it wasn’t an open-mouthed kiss or even that intimate. A friend could give a kiss like that.Right?
I pressed my lips together, trying to sort out all of the sensations that had erupted inside of me. Nerves tingled beneath my skin and I heated all over.
I wanted to forget that ever happened, but I couldn’t stop replaying the nearness of his body or the smell of his cologne. I still felt his lips against mine and my heart still raced with the thrill of his boldness.
“I should go,” I croaked.
He looked at me affectionately, as if those words were the most adorable thing he’d ever heard, and said, “I figured.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“That you have a family that needs you. I figured you had to get back to them.”
I narrowed my eyes on him. I didn’t believe that was what he meant at all.
“Thank you again for the gift.” I settled it back into the box and replaced the lid. “I can’t wait to hang it up on the tree.”
“If you need to get away from your parents, you can always come back.”
The desire to take him up on his offer seared through me without my permission. I wasn’t supposed to want to come back to his house. I shouldn’t want to spend more time with him.
I shouldn’t still be thinking about his kiss.
“I probably won’t see you until after they leave.”
His smile faltered, “I forget not everyone dreads spending time with their parents.”
“You love your parents,” I reminded him.
“They’re growing on me.”
“One day I’d like to meet them.”
His eyes darkened and he spoke in a low rumble, “You should probably let me take you out on a date first.”
“Excuse me?” I practically choked on the words.
