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Then her thoughts again evaporated. He’d leaned harder into her, so she couldn’t mistake his erection for anything but carnal interest.
“Fuck,” he swore, shocking her mute. Gerald never swore, never acted as anything but a gentleman in all the years she’d known him. He kissed her again, leaving no doubt what he wanted. And then he pulled away.
They stared at each other, panting, the scent of lust perfuming the room. Frankly, Laura couldn’t believe he felt it for her. And by the look of his shock, he couldn’t believe it either.
She gaped. “Y-you kissed me.”
“You kissed me back.”
“I…did.” She didn’t know what to say to that.
Until he smirked. “You want me.”
Annoyance warred with the lust inside her. “You mean, you want me.” She glanced at the bulge straining between his legs. “It’s obvious.”
“Hey, you said it. You know, about setting the sheets on fire.”
“I may have gone a little too far.”
“Nah. You’re right on the money. I’m up for a little ho-ho-ho.”
She blinked at him. “Did you just call me a whore?”
“I…what?” To her shock, he flushed. “No. That was me trying to make a Christmas joke. You know, like Santa? Ho-ho-ho. Not great, eh?”
Laura tried to hold it in but dissolved into laughter, his embarrassment too much on top of her own flustered frustration.
Then he surprised her by laughing with her, so hard he cried.
What the hell was happening?
And why didn’t she want it to end?
Chapter Eight
An hour later, Gerald was more than ready to leave the party. How he’d allowed himself to all but lose himself in Laura Novak, a woman who spent their interactions either growling at him or ordering him around, still befuddled him. She’d made him the center of gossip. Had all but exaggerated their nonexistent relationship into a mating.
Once again on his own and circulating around the festive crowd, he tried to downplay the rumors of mating. But too many people had heard what Vanessa was gleefully retelling, and he had questions to answer about his new relationship before someone called his parents with the news.
His parents. Good God. His mother was going to skin him alive.
But there were several good things about Laura’s lie. It kept Vanessa at a distance. And at all those holiday parties he couldn’t get out of coming soon, he’d have a companion to join his misfortune. Plus, he’d be able to avoid all the matchmaking attempts by bringing his new girlfriend along. Hell, Laura being a bear would distract his clan like crazy.
But not his parents.
Unlike a lot of the clan, Doug and Colleen Winter didn’t care who he settled down with so long as he found a compatible mate. They’d already threatened to set him up with a matchmaker, as many in their clan usually did.
It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to find someone.
The Winters typically married by the age of thirty. He was nearly thirty-two. Tradition dictated he find a nice vixen and settle down. Have a passel of his own kits and start the next line of Winters down the road of law and order or world domination.
Winter and Sons had no shortage of eager employees. So there was no need to hurry and procreate. They weren’t hurting for foxes in the clan either.
But Gerald wanted to hunker down and live happily-ever-after with a special woman. He didn’t want to settle. Not after watching his friends continue to find love and get mated and married.
He’d tried. God knew he’d done his best to find a forever girl. But no one stuck. After just a few dates he’d known instinctively when they didn’t fit.
He rubbed his lips, aware he’d never had chemistry with any of his exes the way he had it with Laura. Just thinking about her kiss aroused him. Had to be the holidays reminding him of how lonely he felt, day in and day out, making him too eager for any woman who showed an interest.
