AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I didn’t need Blaze to point out the shop to me because I could spot it as soon as we rounded a corner. Besides being the only open place on the street, it was covered with decorations. Garlands with glittery red balls strung across the edge of the roof. Multi-colored lights around the big glass window and the door. Wreaths on both. I even saw a Christmas tree through the window before we went inside.
The moment we stepped through the threshold, a warm wave of cinnamon and spice flooded my senses, mingling with the strains of Christmas carols that swirled through the air, wrapping the cozy space in an embrace of festive cheer. The intimate dining area, with its smattering of patrons, seemed to pause, their attention momentarily drawn to us as a chorus of bells chimed above the door and announced our entrance. Brimming with jovial energy, a robust voice boomed from the counter, “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas,” Blaze said in return as he led the way to the counter. “Can we get two hot chocolates and a box of a dozen mixed cookies?”
“You’re one of the McCraes, aren’t you?” The frail-looking woman behind the counter said as she slid a box over to him.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, not bothering to correct her on his last name.
That must’ve been weird, I realized suddenly. For the Carideos, it might’ve been a little strange, but their mom had taken the McCrae name, and having a stepfamily was fairly normal. The three Gracens, however, must’ve had difficulty explaining who they were and how they fit into the family dynamic.
“Here.” She set another box on the counter. “This one is on the house. You tell your dad it’s a thank you for helping us decorate.”
After paying for our hot chocolate and cookies,Blaze motioned for me to go to a corner booth where we could have our drinks. When we sat down, I reached out and put my hand on his, giving it a squeeze before I turned my attention to my drink.
“Who were you talking to before?” Blaze asked. When I gave him a confused look, he clarified. “You were on the phone earlier. Your dad?”
“Yeah, I wanted to wish him a Merry Christmas and find out if the weather there had finally cleared.” I thought I saw a shadow cross his face, but it was gone before I could really analyze it.
I sipped the hot chocolate, its sweetness a sharp contrast to the bittersweet tang of knowing our time together was drawing to a close. Blaze watched me over the rim of his cup, his eyes a study in hidden depths.
“Kind of ironic, isn’t it?” he said with a smile. “Here we are in San Ramon, enjoying hot chocolate in a café that’s toasty enough to be a beach in summer while the rest of the country is buried under snow.”
I laughed, appreciating his light-heartedness. “It’s like we’re in a tropical bubble while the rest of the world is in a snow globe,” I replied, joining in the playful banter.
He grinned, setting his cup down. “That’s the perfect way to put it.”
Leaning back, Blaze’s gaze lingered on me, and I felt a familiar flutter in my stomach—not from the warmth of the café but from the connection that seemed to crackle between us.
We stayed in the café longer than necessary, reluctant to face the goodbye that awaited us. Each laugh and glance we shared was bittersweet, a reminder that our time in this warm, sunlit haven was drawing to a close.
Neither of us spoke as we made to leave, but just as we reached the door, someone called out behind us.
“You have to kiss!”
We stopped, both of us confused, as we looked back to find a middle-aged woman with purple hair grinning at us.
“What?” I asked.
She pointed. “Mistletoe. Kiss already.”
Blaze and I looked up to see mistletoe hanging above the door.
“Kiss her, buddy. Or I will,” a man bellowed from one table.
Everyone laughed, but there wasn’t even a hint of malice in the sound. In fact, I was laughing along with them.
At least, I was until Blaze’s mouth covered mine. It was a slow, sweet kiss, made all the sweeter by the taste of chocolate and nutmeg from our treats. Slow, but not deep, still appropriate for our public surroundings.
However, the thoughts going through my head were definitelynotpublic-friendly. Thoughts about wrapping my legs around his waist and asking him to take me against a wall. Thoughts of dragging him to the closest hotel and locking us inside a room so we could fuck until we rang in the new year.
Shit.
I took a step back, well aware of how flushed my face was and how ragged my breathing had become despite the relative innocence of the kiss.
His eyes met mine, and I saw all the heat and the desire I felt reflected at me.
“Let’s head back to the house,” he breathed. “Can you stay for an hour longer? One hour more with my family?”
