I clear my throat and glance down at the drink in my other hand. Maybe this thing is stronger than I thought. “Uh, yeah, Daisy’s just trying to warm up.”
Because that’s all it was. And just like the morning after the wedding, I’m certain what I felt just now was only a natural reaction to her physical contact.
“Who needs hot chocolate and a bonfire when you have a hot date?” Blake mumbles so quietly that I’m the only one who hears it.
I shoot him a dangerous glare and put a little more space between Daisy and me, and her eyes dart around nervously when she notices the distance. She crosses her arms over her middle as she continues talking to her friend, but it’s obvious that my overreaction embarrassed her.
“Want me to grab you another drink?” I lean in to ask in an attempt to smooth things over.
She lifts her empty cup and forces an uncomfortable smile. “Um, no thanks, I’m fine.”
I sigh when she purposefully turns her back to me. This must be one of those times when “I’m fine” is actually code for “I’m pissed and it’s all your fault.”
Blake coughs lightly, grabbing my attention, and his smug expression confirms my suspicions.
He tilts his head encouragingly in Daisy’s direction. I shake mine in response. He nods, I mouth a silentno. He rolls his eyes and steps forward to grab my arm and force my hand toward Daisy’s backside, and I barely manage to move it up in time to catch the small of her back instead of her ass.
Then Blake spins around and pretends to take a drink, leaving me to face Daisy on my own.
Her round eyes meet mine questioningly, and I open and close my mouth a few times before I spit out an awkward response.
“Um, sorry, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Oh, sure,” she replies carefully. And I search my mind frantically for my next move as she excuses herself from her previous conversation.
I use the hand still planted on her back to lead her toward the patio, buying my time before I have to speak again.
“So, uh, just now,” I begin, furrowing my brow when I catch my brother-in-law puckering his lips at me over Daisy’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to?—”
But I’m interrupted when the host of the party walks by and pats my arm. “Uh-oh, looks like you guys are standing under the mistletoe,” Mrs. Julie announces. “You know what that means!”
Daisy and I both glance up at the same time to find the bunch of greenery hanging from the edge of the awning above us. My stomach dips immediately.
“Guess you gotta give your date a kiss now, Doc,” Blake says, smirking.
Loren grins and sidles up to him. “He’s right,” she chimes in, her eyes glossy. “It’s tradition.”
I clear my throat uncomfortably and look down to Daisy. She’s already blushing and looking adorably shy. But I can’t come out and ask her what she’s thinking right now, so I’ll have to sort it out.
My heart rate picks up as I continue to survey her expression. I think back on our previous conversations, and my memory flickers over her saying she wants a man who isn’t afraid of a little PDA, as well as all the times she’s seemingly enjoyed our harmless flirting, especially over the past month. And I imagine she’ll be devastated if I leave her hanging in front of her coworkers, even though she’s already preparing herself for a letdown.
Maybe it’s the slight buzz that fuels me on, or maybe it’s the warmth still lingering in my chest from earlier, but I swallow hard and channel Impulsive Landry as I grab Daisy’s hand and yank her closer. “Well then, we can’t break tradition. Right?”
CHAPTER 32
landry
Daisy blinksat me before giving the slightest nod. Then I bring my left hand to her hip and slide my right around her neck, cradling the back of her head as I drag her in and press my lips to hers. She’s stiff at first, I guess because she’s in shock, but only a second passes before I feel her hands on my chest. She tilts her head to the side and parts her soft lips for me, and I immediately slip my tongue inside.
Damn, she tastes good—like hot chocolate and marshmallows and everything sweet.
My fingers twist into her silky, blonde hair as I continue kissing her, and I’m instantly aware of the different parts of me that we’re awakening. But I don’t want to stop. Allowing myself to give in to this one urge was as good as throwing the doors wide open, because all of the other compulsive ideas I’ve been struggling to keep locked away suddenly come flooding in.
Forget whooping cough. There’s no diverting my thoughts from this.
Because I like kissing Daisy. I like it alot.
I’d like to try kissing her neck, too, to move my mouth down that line of freckles …
