Chapter Six
Letty had noidea how to respond to Riley’s comment.Luckily, Val, Liam, and Vivian arrived before she had to.Vivian was in her father’s arms, bundled up to where all she could see were her eyes, mouth, and chubby cheeks.
“Hey, baby girl.”Riley immediately grabbed her out of Liam’s arms and placed a smacking kiss on her cheek, having her instantly giggling.Vivian adored her uncle as Letty had noticed on more than one occasion.
It always surprised her a little to see how natural Riley looked with a baby in his arms.Vivian had him wrapped around her baby fingers, but then all the adults in Vivian’s life were besotted with her.Herself included.
Riley was talking to Val and Liam as if he hadn’t just shocked the hell out of her.Letty knew she wasn’t ugly, but she believed the word ‘cute’ described her best.But damn, Riley had sounded sincere when he said she was beautiful.
She was making too big a deal out of it.Obviously, it had been a casual, flirtatious remark.She’d had other men say similar things, but by now she was skeptical about whether they believed it or were just trying to get in her pants.But Riley?If this went on any longer, she was going to have a heart-to-heart with him and find out his true motives.Maybe it would become apparent later that evening when they took in the Stroll.
“Letty, are you okay?”Val asked.
“Of course.”It dawned on her that she hadn’t said a word to them, being too caught up in trying to figure Riley out.“I wanted to make sure everything was going well with Santa.Aren’t you supposed to be in charge of the food trucks?”
“I am.”She held up her cell phone.“I’ve been fielding calls for the last hour since I left the area.I’m due to check in again in person soon.”
Letty turned to Riley and said, “My turn.”She held out her arms and he deposited Vivian in them.
She was busy playing with Vivian and not paying attention to the adults when she heard Riley say, “Letty and I need to get going.She’s determined to see everything the Stroll has to offer.”
“That sounds fun.Want some company?”Val asked.
“Nope.”He took Vivian from Letty and gave her to her mother.“See you later.”He took Letty’s hand and began walking away.
Letty looked back.“I’ll talk to you later, Val.”
“You sure will,” her friend said.
She scolded Riley.“That was rude.You not only blew them off, you also didn’t even let me say goodbye.”
“They’ll survive.”
“Why did you do that?”
“Because I didn’t want my sister tagging along with us.”
“What are you doing, Riley?”
They’d reached one of the shops Letty had talked about wanting to see.“I thought that was pretty clear.”
“Not to me.”
He put his hands on her shoulders, leaned down and kissed her.It was no peck on the lips, but an honest-to-God, full-fledged, panty-melting kiss.And she couldn’t help responding.His tongue swept inside and tangled with hers before claiming every part of her mouth.When he finally let her up for air, she could only stare at him.
He grinned and pointed upward.“Mistletoe.”
She looked up.Sure enough, he was right.
Then he opened the shop door and ushered her inside.
They entered nearly every store on Main Street, drinking hot chocolate or hot apple cider and sampling the goodies.When she wasn’t looking at the displays, she spent the rest of the time trying to figure out Riley’s motives.Did he really want to date her?If he did, did he want the two of them to get involved?
There were so many reasons they shouldn’t get involved.If they did and then broke up she could lose his friendship, and it was important to her.Not to mention, that would make things awkward with his family, who were the only family she had.
Riley had never acted toward her with anything more than friendship.Or if he had, she sure hadn’t noticed.
As for her, she’d thought she’d gotten over him a long time ago.But had she really?She’d certainly gone on with her life but a part of her had always wondered what it would be like to be with Riley.She didn’t think it would ever happen, so when Riley seemed to be showing interest she wasn’t sure she trusted it.
