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“Are you sure?” she asks, her eyes meeting mine as I adjust the coat around her. There’s something in her gaze that sends a jolt of electricity through me, and suddenly the air feels charged with anticipation. “Won’t you get cold?”
“Don’t worry about me,” I reply softly, my voice barely more than a whisper. Our faces are only inches apart now, and I can feel the heat radiating from her body. Her lips are so close, and I’m overcome with the desire to taste them, to claim them as my own.
“Harper…” I breathe, seeking permission in her eyes. She looks up at me, her pupils dilated with desire, and that’s all the confirmation I need.
Closing the gap between us, I capture her lips in a searing kiss. I hold her waist, pulling her closer, our bodies pressed together as if trying to merge into one.
Her hands slide up my chest, wrapping around my neck, fingers tangling in my hair. Our tongues dance together, exploring and teasing, as the world around us fades away.
Our surroundings blur as we lose ourselves in each other’s embrace, our lips locked in a passionate dance. The chill of the air is forgotten, replaced by the fire that burns between us.
As I guide her toward a tree, my foot catches on a root hidden beneath the fallen pine needles, and I stumble, dragging Harper down with me and making sure that she lands on my chest.
“Oof!” she exclaims, but laughter quickly bubbles up from within her, filling the chilly air with warmth. My heart swells with joy as I join in, our laughter mingling together like the sweetest melody.
“Okay,” Harper gasps, trying to catch her breath. “Maybe that wasn’t the smoothest move, but look at this tree. It’s perfect. I think we just found our Christmas tree.”
I glance over at the evergreen beside us, its branches full and lush, reaching out like open arms. There’s something about it that feels right, as if fate intervened to bring us to this very spot.
“You’re absolutely right, Harper,” I agree, still chuckling. “This tree was meant for us.”
I pull her closer, our laughter fading into the crisp winter air. Her eyes, bright with mischief and desire, lock onto mine, and it’s as if the world around us ceases to exist.
Her fingers trace a trail of fire along my jawline. Our lips meet again, each passionate kiss deepening.
“Harper, you’re driving me crazy,” I murmur against her lips, feeling her smile in response.
“Good,” she teases. “Because you’re doing the exact same thing to me.”
I pause for a second, thinking I feel a raindrop. Then a torrent of freezing-cold droplets falls upon us. The sudden downpour drenches us in seconds.
“Oh my gosh!” Harper exclaims, getting to her feet. “It’s so cold!”
“No kidding!” I stand up. “Come on!” I shout over the roar of the rain, grabbing Harper’s hand and pulling her toward the car. Our laughter mixes with the sound of the storm as we race through the tree lot, water splashing beneath our feet.
“What about our tree?” she asks, looking back for a second.
“I’ll let him know, I promise.”
“You’d better,” she laughs. “That’s the start of our tradition.”
“How about the start of our tradition be getting out of this rain?”
“Deal!”
8
HARPER
The rain outside beats a soft rhythm against the car windows, but my focus is solely on Hudson as he pulls me into his embrace in the back seat of his car. His lips find mine again with a need that both surprises and thrills me. The tension from earlier dissipates like mist under the sun as our hands roam each other’s bodies.
“Harper,” Hudson groans against my mouth.
Every touch sends electricity coursing through my veins, making it impossible to think about anything beyond this moment.
“God, you’re incredible,” he murmurs, his warm breath ghosting over my neck. His hand boldly slides up my thigh, taking hold of my waist and pulling me even closer. There’s no space left between us; every inch of our bodies is pressed together, as if we’re trying to merge into one. “Looks like it was worth it to play the waiting game.”
“Maybe so,” I admit, laughing.
