Hopelessly and unapologetically.
Her lips were soft, faltering, almost as if she were testing the waters. Caught somewhere between her desire to keep me locked in the box she’d put me in long ago, the one that held the key to why she’d avoided me like the plague until now, where the air was palpable, steeped in a tradition she couldn’t ignore.
Hints of peppermint burst across my lips; her taste was so outright addictive it would live on in my memory for eternity.
No one compared to Ari, and no one ever would.
My need for her was the only direction my inner compass knew.
As we stood beneath the mistletoe, she breathed life into me, intensifying my desire to claim her as mine. However, the instant my hand curled over her hips, the temptation too great to resist, she pulled back.
While our connection had been broken, the impact of our kiss was undeniable; the rosy blush dusting over her cheeks was all the confirmation I needed.
“You happy now?” she asked.
“Very.”
Truthfully, I wasn’t just happy; I was fucking ecstatic.
Over the moon.
The feeling that I was finally beginning to make real progress in getting her to lower her defenses around me filled me with colossal hope because, with each interaction we shared, I gradually peeled away layers of falsehoods that had prevented her from giving me a real chance and seeing me in a fair light.
Chapter Eleven
Arizona
“Welcome, please come in.” Lakelyn opened the door in greeting, dressed nearly identically to me in a pair of low-rise, dark jeans, ripped at the knees, and paired with a black long-sleeved fitted shirt. “I’m so glad you could join us tonight.”
“Thank you.” I stepped across the threshold into her and Boden’s home. “And congratulations on your engagement!” I handed her a bottle of champagne with a gold ribbon. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stay longer at the party.”
“Thank you, and honestly, there’s no need to apologize; it was all so last minute.”
“Still, congratulations. I’ve known Boden a long time and seeing him so happy and truly living again is an incredible thing to witness, and it’s all because of you,” I said as I followed her toward the kitchen.
“You’re so kind. Can I offer you a drink? I made a special margarita blend called Christmas mistletoe. We’ve also got red and white wine, flavored vodka coolers, beer, pop, or water.”
“The margarita sounds intriguing; I’ll try that, please.”
My eyes then widened as we entered the back section of their home. I knew that Boden was a skilled carpenter with a passionfor flipping houses in his spare time, but I was blown away by all the beautiful aesthetic details he had included in his home remodel.
“Here you go.” Lakelyn passed me a glass containing the drink that matched its unique name. “I hope you like it.”
“Oh my goodness, this is so fancy.” The glass was rimmed in crushed candy canes and had little sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs floating in the drink. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.”
Without hesitation, I took a sip. “Wow, this is incredible.” Bursts of cranberry, tequila, and lime danced across my tongue. Each sip was a delicious, vibrant clash of tart and smooth.
“I’m glad you like it,” she said over her shoulder as she fixed her own drink.
Boisterous laughter pulled my attention to the backyard where the guys were all standing, and as if he sensed my eyes on him, Jameson looked my way. I had been accustomed to his cocky bravado, but the way he looked at me through the glass patio doors revealed an unexpected gentler side. It was almost like he was timid for a beat, assessing my reaction to seeing him since we kissed under the mistletoe, likely wondering if I’d play it off like nothing happened or finally admit my feelings toward him were beginning to thaw.
I knew my resolve was starting to crumble even before the captivating way he held my gaze from a distance had me absentmindedly running my tongue across my bottom lip, recalling the taste of his mouth on mine. The way my body came alive as the sparks of desire he ignited were still too fresh in my head.
“They say love often finds you when you least expect it, not that I ever believed it until it happened to me,” Lakelyn shared as she turned around, leaned against the counter, took a sip of herChristmas mistletoe margarita and followed my sightline out the patio doors.
“Cheers to that.” I raised my drink. “I have to say I’ve never seen a kitchen like this, it?—”
