And hell, I’d planned to taunt her post kiss. To say something smart-ass-y like “I guess you liked that kiss,” but I’m woozy and speechless. I can’t even stitch together words.
Blinking, she catches her breath, then says, “I suppose it’s safe to say you just hate Christmas.”
And like that, I find my bearings. Because Isla Marlowe liked our mistletoe kiss more than she wanted to.
I smile victoriously. “Yes. That’s safe to say.”
As I load the boxes into the trunk of her red car, I’m replaying that kiss. It’s on a goddamn loop in my mind. And I’ve no idea what to do with these insistent feelings growing stronger in my chest.
I close the trunk and walk her to the driver’s side door with that kiss still hanging over my head. Maybe her head too?
She turns my way, her gaze all serious. “So where do we go now, Rowan?”
She probably means with the matchmaking, but all I can think isI want to see you again. It’s like a clawing in my chest. A drumbeat in my head. “Give me another chance to make it up to you. What happened tonight.”
With a curious look in her eyes, she says, “Your sabotage? You’ll make it up to me by trying for real over the next few days?”
Maybe. Possibly. I don’t know. “Sure,” I say, since that’ll help my cause—my immediate cause.
“How? We don’t have much time left to find you a match,” she points out.
Like this is a play on the ice, I have to think fast and move faster. Evidently the kiss has knocked my brain loose, since I say, “I’ll go Christmas shopping with you. Tomorrow, in fact, if you’re free. Ideally before my game.”
But doubt is written all over her pretty face. “How does that help with matchmaking?”
I ferry the puck down the ice on fleet feet. “I’ll carry your shopping bags. And we can talk about dating as you shop. You can teach me about dating without sabotage,” Iadd, setting up the goal with my surprise offer. Hell, it’s surprised me.
She snort-laughs. “So you’ll shop with me to one, apologize? Two, help me out with heavy things? And three, learn how to not sabotage a date?”
If that gets me more time with you.I take a shot at the net, saying, “Think of it as my penance.”
She purses her lips. “It’s a working shopping trip then?”
“Sure. Let’s call it that.”
The look she lasers my way is full-strength stern. “Rowan, if you truly want to learn how to not sabotage a date that means you’ll be getting some dating 101 as I shop. No holds barred. No punches pulled.”
“Got it.”
But she’s not convinced, it seems, since she keeps going. “That means I’ll be giving you lessons straight up. And you need to shape up. Are we clear on that?”
If that’s what it takes to spend a little more time with her, then yes. “Crystal.”
“You’ll be present and engaged? Not plotting the downfall of the next few matches I make for you?”
I smirk. “Sweetheart, I’m a pro athlete. I’m always plotting.”
“Rowan,” she says with a growl, and that fierce sound only makes me want her more.
Still, I hold up my hands in surrender. I’m hearing her. “Fine, no plotting. No ploys. I’ll be good.” Well, Iamplotting more time with her, but I’ll also be present for her dating 101. I can multitask like that.
She’s not quite buying it. “Can you even be good?”
“Course I can.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I swear.”
