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He clenched his jaw and tried not to let his annoyance get the better of him. He respected her job. Hell, who wouldn’t? But they’d planned for this. He didn’t have a huge temper, but he was finding he was impatient when it came to anyone or anything cutting into his limited time with Alexa. He had to head home on Friday, in time for his sister’s daughter’s birthday party on Saturday. He had only a few days with a woman he wanted way more from—he knew it already.
Most people would call him crazy. Most, but not his mother, who’d met his father and knew immediately he was her person. They’d married quickly, stayed together and had been happy. Besides, it wasn’t like he was a kid. His sisters were younger than him, and they were all married with kids by twenty-seven.
He’d dated and lived through enough life to know he wanted to test some serious waters with her. How, with her living in New York and him in Texas, he had no idea. But for now, every minute counted.
* * *
Luke pulled into the gravel drive of the cabin and parked.
By the time he climbed out, Alexa was waiting by the truck bed for Luke to open it up and reveal his surprise. She hopped up and down, excitement filling her, wondering what he had planned for them today.
“I can only imagine what you’re like at Christmas,” Luke said.
“Christmas was never like this,” she said, more to herself than to him.
He turned, one hand propped on the tailgate, eyeing her with a serious look. “Talk.”
She sighed, knowing that once again, she’d be revealing something more about herself. “Dad didn’t have time for a tree, and his mother didn’t care. Hence . . . no tree.”
Luke stiffened. “No tree.” He sounded appalled, his expression disgusted.
“Okay, now you know. A family of Scrooges.” She ducked her head and avoided his gaze. “So if the bloom’s off this rose, you can take me back home . . . ” she said, wanting to give him an out.
“Hey.” He touched her arm. “I wouldn’t take you home just because you never had a Christmas tree! What do you take me for?”
She managed a laugh. “I was more worried about what you’d take me for. But I can assure you that I have a Christmas tree. Even if I’m not home much to enjoy it, I make sure I put one up.” She was rambling from embarrassment. “So what’s in the trunk?” she asked too brightly.
He stared at her for an uncomfortable minute. It was probably just a second or two, but it felt like a full sixty. “Something else I’m now thinking you didn’t get to experience.” He reached in and pulled out a pair of ice skates.
Brand-new shiny white skates with purple laces.
“Oh my God.” She didn’t know what got to her more, the gesture or the purple laces. “My favorite color.” The lump in her throat grew bigger.
He just laughed. “Can you skate?” he asked.
“I used to go with a friend when I was younger until my dad found out and made me stop because it was too dangerous. What happens if a blade cuts your hand? How will you ever operate? Be a doctor?” she said in a perfect imitation of her parent.
“How old were you?” Luke asked, his voice gentle.
Bigger lump. She swallowed hard. “Fourteen.”
“Son of a bitch.” He slammed a hand against the truck. “You should have been out having fun with your friends, not worrying about a future I’m sure you didn’t even think you wanted.”
“Did you know what you wanted at that age?”
“Yeah.”
Her eyes darted to his face. “You did?”
A grin took hold, and a wicked gleam lit his gaze. “Yep. I wanted to get my hands up Lucy Grander’s shirt.”
She chuckled softly at first, then harder. “You are too much!”
“I’m also deadly serious. I played but wasn’t thinking about pro football when I was fourteen. And you shouldn’t have had to think about medicine.” He held her hands in his larger ones. “Now, do you want to go ice-skating?”
“Will you hold on to me until I get the hang of it?”
His eyes darkened. “Oh yeah, darlin’. I’ll hold on to you.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “You’re still that fourteen-year-old boy at heart, aren’t you?”
“God, I hope so.”
She grasped his shoulders and pulled him close. “Me too,” she said and settled her lips on his. Sparks ignited immediately. She curled her fingers into his jacket and pressed herself into him. She might have started the kiss, but his low groan gave her fair warning that he’d be taking over.
And he did. His tongue delved deep into her mouth, possessing her, marking her in a way she’d never forget. She loved his taste—the hint of mint and the dark flavor that was all Luke. Add in the sweet part of him and the impossible was happening. She was falling hard for this man. Too bad all they had was a few days out of time. Because when all was said and done, nothing in her life had changed, her time for a relationship was zero, and Luke Thompson was a good man who lived in the state of Texas.
