But he’s hell, Felicity. You know this! My brain reprimands me.
He smiles. It’s small and sheepish. I try not to smile back. I will not give in. “First things first. Sorry about earlier. I know I’m a crusty bastard, but that was extra, even for me.”
I stop walking, my brain too shocked by that candid confession to make my feet move. He pushes himself off my car and up to his full six feet two inches of height. Man, does he look sexy as all hell in that sweater. But he’s still a jerk. “Ok. Apology for that accepted, I guess. Have a good night, Nolan.”
I try to walk by him to get to my driver’s side door, but he steps in front of me so quickly I almost walk right into his chest. I look up, prepared to glare, but he’s smiling again and man, it just steals my breath. “I am here to give you you’re next Secret Santa gift.”
Oh.
“But you have to come with me somewhere to get it.”
Oh.
We stare at each other in complete silence. Two people from sales wander by chatting as they head to their cars and don’t even bother to look over at us. He shifts his weight a little. “Did that sound sketchy? Like serial killer sketchy or something? Because you’re not saying anything. Nothing annoyingly perky or even sarcastic, and I’m kind of worried now.”
Okay I can’t not smile at that. “I know you’re not dangerous. You’re just a dick.”
“Yeah, I got that message with your last gift,” Nolan replies, and then he lifts his sweater with one hand, and I see he’s wearing the shirt I bought him under it. I bite my cheek to keep from smiling. “Your gift is kind of time sensitive, so can you join me tonight?”
I swallow. “Okay.”
He relaxes and motions with a tip of his head. “Let’s take my ride. I promise I’ll drop you back off here.”
I nod because I don’t know what else to do when you feel like you’ve fallen into the Twilight Zone. This whole thing feels off. But in a really good way. Like I won’t be disappointed this time even though all this man has done is disappoint me. Well, and kiss me within an inch of my life and make my panties wet. But I digress...
We drive in silence, and it’s not exactly comfortable, but it’s not uncomfortable either. It’s just odd, like everything else. I can’t help but notice the cat carrier on the back seat and it reminds me of what Xavier said. “So you have a cat?”
We’re at a red light, so he glances into the back seat and back to my face. He shakes his head. “Nope. I’m just watching a cat until someone adopts it.”
“Fostering?”
“Yeah. Shelters were full when I found Max, but they said he’d likely be adopted by New Year’s at the latest. People tend to adopt more around the holidays. They do it for their kids as presents or just cause they’re lonely,” he explains with a shrug that I can tell is meant to make me think he’s non-committal. But is he?
“You named a cat you aren’t keeping?” I question.
“Yeah. It was convenient to give him a name,” he rationalizes. “But whoever adopts him can rename him. Max is chill. Totally easy-going. He won’t mind.”
Max. My brain makes a connection instantly, and I start to giggle. Nolan glances over at me again, quicker this time because he’s moving through traffic. “What’s so funny?”
“You named him Max?” I sputter. “And you’re the Grinch.”
“Yeah, the team and you call me the Grinch. So why does that make my cat’s…” his voice trails off as he figures it out. He’s smiling. It’s occupying his whole handsome face, and then he bites back a laugh. “Shit. The dog’s name in How the Grinch Stole Christmas is Max.”
“Uh-huh,” I wipe at the tears my giggles have brought. “You really didn’t do that on purpose?”
“Hell no!” He laughs. “I do everything I can to fight that nickname.”
“Except, you know, stop acting like a Grinch.”
“Except that.” He winks at me.
I grin. And then we enter the Stanley Park cosway and the sign for Aquarium pops up, and he turns. My mouth drops from a smile to a giant, gaping O. “Nolan…are you…did you manage to get me a ticket for the lights at the aquarium?”
That’s not just a sweet, thoughtful gift, it’s a sweet thoughtful gift that’s spilling over with the one thing he loathes—holiday cheer. He looks like he might crawl out of his own skin, but he nods. “Yeah. I know you love this kind of thing.”
“Oh my God! Oh my God! This is incredible!” I’m squealing with delight, and I may be humiliated about it later, but right now I just can’t contain it. “I’ve been dying to go to this. You are…this is the sweetest thing ever.”
“You might want to hold off on that praise because you have to go with me,” Nolan says as he parks the car in their lot. “And I can’t guarantee I won’t scowl or roll my eyes. I know it’s going to give me a migraine.”
