Beautiful Temptation (So This is Christmas Book 2)

by Christina Lee

  And just as I had the thought, the guy of my teenage wet dreams walked out of the house, wearing a flannel shirt hanging open over a gray Henley and snug jeans. He adjusted the beanie he wore over all that cinnamon-colored hair. Like some lumberjack, he was sure to still tower over me, which only served to refuel my fantasies about getting manhandled by him. Because despite him mortifying the shit out of me at the party that night, what happened afterward was what I remembered most.

  Fuck me. The man was still gorgeous, and time had done nothing to dull that swooping sensation in my stomach that felt like I was bungee jumping off a bridge.

  I pushed the unruly bangs out of my eyes and concentrated on my task of emptying the trunk. But it was impossible to look away after not laying eyes on him for so long, so my gaze sprang up to track him again.

  After Rory swept past his brother to head inside the house, Finn looked momentarily stricken as he gawked in my direction. I wished I could read his mind as he furrowed his brow. Cursing inwardly, I hoped it wasn’t going to be tense between us all week.

  I swung a tote bag over my shoulder and lowered another suitcase to the ground just as he reached for the piece of luggage. “Let me help,” he said in a low register as his fingers fumbled over mine on the handle.

  “Oh, um, thanks,” I replied, trying to act as cool as possible without staring too hard at his hazel eyes or light scruff. “You can grab the last one.”

  “Cool.” Once Finn took out the remaining suitcase, I pushed the button to close the trunk.

  I could feel his scrutiny without even meeting his gaze, and I supposed it was natural. I was no longer the teen he once knew. “How long has it been?” he asked.

  “Erm, not sure,” I replied, playing it off, even though I could probably count it down to the minute. “Maybe six years?”

  “Where does the time go?” he muttered, and we turned in the direction of the house.

  “Tell me about it,” I said, trying to act as unaffected by him as I could, except my pulse was skittering in my veins.

  As he trailed behind me up the porch steps, I looked down at myself to double check what I was wearing. Jeans, sweater, ski jacket. Christ, what the hell did it matter? It was as if I had transformed into that lanky adolescent all over again. I needed to chill the fuck out.

  “Good to see you, Gar,” Finn remarked as I reached for the door handle. It was the name he’d sometimes called me as a kid. It made warmth travel through me at a rapid pace, heating my cheeks in the process.

  “You too,” I said over my shoulder, briefly catching his eye. Maybe that was our icebreaker and all would be okay.

  And just as I breathed a sigh of relief, an unfamiliar voice drifted from the foyer as a very attractive man came into view. “There you are. How can I help?”

  “I think we’re all set,” Finn answered, an edge to his voice. “Garrett, this is Blair. He’s, uh, with me.”

  “This week, at least,” Rory grumbled as he grabbed one of the cases to set near the stairs leading to the second floor. Vaguely, I caught Finn throwing his brother a sharp look, but I was too busy concentrating on my breathing. Besides, they were always bickering about something.

  And of course Finn Sweeney had brought someone with him. He never seemed to hurt for willing partners. Still the same charismatic dickwad who had everything at his fingertips. I drew in a breath and locked my emotions down. I would not allow this trip to turn into a clusterfuck.