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Laura wrinkled her nose at the nickname but didn’t protest when he pulled her in for a hug. Because yeah, even annoyed, he was weak, and he liked the way she felt in his arms.
“Ty told me to take you home. You’ve been drinking,” she said in a lowered voice. “I haven’t. I’m fine to drive.”
He could see she was waiting for him to protest. So he didn’t, despite the fact he was sober. “Okay.” He chugged the rest of his drink before handing the cup to Julia, passing by. “Thanks for your lovely party.” He gave her a kiss on the top of her head and muttered, “You owe me big time.”
She narrowed her eyes at a him. “I think it’s the other way around.” She gave Laura a wide smile and a hug. “Bye, Laura. Call me later and we’ll do coffee.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Laura had his shoes and handed them over without a word.
“Thanks.” He put them on. “Did you get your Secret Santa name?”
She sighed. “Yeah. It’s Ty. I hate having to buy for him.” She paused. “Who did you get?”
“I’m not supposed to tell.” He paused then said the hell with it and lied. “Your troublemaking best friend.”
“Oh, Julia. Nice. Want to switch?”
“Nah. It’ll be easier this way. I can pepper her for hints of what to buy her while at work.”
“I plan on doing the same with Ty.”
They eyed each other before heading out. Gerald held the door open for her, and he swore she blushed while grumbling her thanks. Then she hurried out into the falling snow.
She drove him home without needing directions. But then, she’d been by with Ty before, so she knew where he lived. Close to his parents but far enough away he didn’t feel smothered by his clan. Lucky Ty lived in the middle of town, apart from the outlying neighborhoods.
Laura stopped in front of his home. They sat in silence. Gerald thought about asking her inside but decided against it. Because the more he thought about his pretend mate, the more he wondered what it be like if they mated for real.
“Thanks for the ride,” he said as he left the truck.
“Are you okay to go in?”
Annoyed, because he wasn’t a child, he turned and growled. “I’m a big boy, Laura,” he said, repeating her earlier sentiment. “Anyway, I’m not drunk. It was one cider. I’m not that much of a lightweight.” Just saying that irked him, having to constantly defend himself to larger predators.
She frowned. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine,” he snarled, not sure what was wrong with him. He typically acted with manners around women, and he’d never been into any of them the way he liked Laura.
Why am I acting like such an idiot?
Then he slipped on a patch of ice and nearly landed on his ass.
She tried to hide a smile but didn’t manage it.
He windmilled but found his balance. “It’s not funny.”
“It totally is.” She leaned toward him, her smile vanishing. “Gerald?”
“Yes?” he asked, icily polite.
“I’m sorry if I ruined your holiday.” She sounded earnest. “I was only trying to help.”
He stared into her pretty eyes, captivated by her warmth, sincerity, and damn it all, her sense of humor. Despite having to deal with mating nonsense, he now had an excuse to spend time with her while getting out of a lot of family matchmaking.
How could he not look on her interference as a win? “It’s okay. Besides, you’re going to be more help than you know.”
She narrowed her eyes. “All you need is an evil laugh and some hand-wringing and you’ll be every villain in a dime store novel.”
