AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Once she’d spread out the roll of cotton wool, she had to arrange the pine trees, snow-lined road, bridge, and stream pieces. Then she had to set out the thirty buildings, including an array of shops, an elf toy factory, an elf workshop, reindeer grooming cottage, reindeer flying school, a cottage for Santa and Mrs. Claus, a countdown clock tower, Mrs. Claus kitchen, North Pole observatory, and the Santa’s Workshop that had been her very first Lemax Christmas Village piece. Then there were the trains, campfires, cocoa bars, North Pole mailbox, signs, candy cane swings, lampposts, ponds for ice skating, sleighs, sleds, winter animals, reindeer, elves, Christmas trees, and people.
“Just how many Christmas trees do you have?” Brian asked as he unpacked another from the boxes.
She scanned the table. “I have ten, and that one is the last.”
“Finally.” He sighed dramatically.
Hayley playfully punched him in the shoulder. They were such good friends it was hard to think of doing anything that might ruin that. And yet whenever they were together like this, enjoying one another’s company, it was hard not to want more. If they were a couple, they could spend the rest of their lives like this, laughing, teasing each other, and having fun.
Some days she almost felt like it was wrong to want more than she had. After everything she had been through and how her life could have turned out, having parents she adored, a little sister she loved, friends and extended family who she knew would do anything for her, it seemed greedy to ask for anything else.
And yet …
She couldn’t help it.
She did want more.
She wanted Brian.
“So, uh, where do you think it should go?” she asked, suddenly self-conscious.
“I think there’s a little space left between the Silent Night Stable and the Snow Day scene, just behind the Snowdad and Snowbaby on the bench.”
“I think you’re right,” she agreed. “If I move the costumed canines and the carolers over a tiny bit this last tree should fit.”
“Here you go.” He handed her the tree.
As she reached to take the Christmas tree her fingers brushed against Brian’s. Her heart fluttered in her chest, her stomach flip-flopped, and of their own accord her lips parted, her tongue darting out to wet them.
Quickly, she grabbed the tree and set it in place, then stood back to admire the village. It was a lot more crowded than usual, but it still looked beautiful and Christmassy. It wasn't just the fact that the Christmas village was pretty and got her in the Christmas spirit that made her love it. It was that every single piece had been a gift from someone she loved. Every year her parents gave her a new piece, starting with the Santa’s Workshop they’d given her the first Christmas she spent with them. Other family and friends had joined in when she started seriously collecting them around the age of ten, and it had quickly become her own special Christmas tradition.
“So, how do you think it looks?” Hayley asked, admiring their handiwork.
“Adorable.”
“It’s more crowded than I usually do it. Usually, I have Santa’s Wonderland altogether on the top layer of the table and the village together on the bottom. But I think you can still see everything.” She stepped back up to the table and slightly rearranged a kissing Santa and Mrs. Claus.
“It looks great, Hales,” Brian assured her, slipping an arm around her shoulders and drawing her close.
She stiffened as her body touched his.
Being this close was sweet torture. She found herself wishing that there weren’t clothes between them. His naked body against hers and their hands exploring each other’s bodies. Hayley couldn’t help but shiver, she didn't usually think things like this, but then again, she and Brian weren't usually alone together like this. Usually when they hung out it was with their families.
Brian cleared his throat and shifted his body, angling it slightly away from her, and she wondered whether it was to try to hide that he was thinking about the two of them together just like she was.
“Thanks for helping me,” she said, trying to break the tension that was starting to fill the room.
“Anytime.” Brian’s voice had gone husky, and even though she wasn't looking at him she knew that he was staring at her the same way he had in her house yesterday when he came to check on her.
Why did he keep looking at her like he wanted to kiss her?
She wished he would just tell her if that was what he was thinking. Or that she could find enough courage to tell him how she felt.
“Hayley,” Brian started, but was interrupted when the doorbell rang. He sighed, then said, “I better get that.”
She watched him cross the room, wondering what he had been about to say to her. Turning back to the village, she wanted to believe that he’d been going to say that he had feelings for her, and to ask her out on a date, but she was pretty sure that was only wishful thinking.
“It’s Sophie,” Brian announced, coming back to join her.
