“I’m ready to pull you out. When I flash my lights twice, that’s when I’ll start.”
“Okay,” I said. “Thank you. I really can’t believe how lucky I am.”
“I wouldn’t call this lucky,” he joked and shut the door.
If only he knew.
In the short time since I’d jumped out of the car and hugged him, my leggings had become completely drenched and the inside of my jacket had become damp from the melting snow. I couldn’t even imagine how cold and wet he was.
He flashed his lights twice, and I turned on my car and put it in reverse. The sound of his engine revving was better than any Christmas song as he pulled me out of my predicament. He jumped out of his truck and undid the chains, placing them back in his truck before walking over to me. I felt mildly guilty for watching him work so hard, but the view was incredible, and I didn’t want to do anything to disrupt it.
“Are you always this handy?” I asked, rolling down my window.
“I am.” He nodded and stuck his head inside, pulling down his fleece neck wrap. He kissed my cheek, and my entire body lit up like a Christmas tree. “Drive slowly and carefully. I’ll be right behind you. The lodge is only a few miles up the road so theoretically the odds are in your favor.”
My cheek still felt warm from where his lips touched my skin, and all I could do was nod and grip the steering wheel.
“The odds are very rarely in my favor,” I mumbled as he climbed back in his truck, and we began on our way once more. In less than ten minutes I was following the signs and pulling into the parking lot with Derek right behind me. I spotted Gabby and Jason walking along the lodge with someone I didn’t recognize. The person was pointing at the building and talking quite animatedly. I found a spot and pulled right in with Derek parking next to me.
Ever since he came to my house and I began obsessively watching his movie, I wondered if my expectations were completely out of whack and if Derek could ever live up to the person I painted him to be? Well, I’d gotten my answer, and now I couldn’t wait to thank him in all ways. Derek was a sexy individual with a flair for kindness.
I hopped out of my car and reached in to grab my bag before sauntering over to talk to Derek.
“Wow, you’re speedy,” he said, climbing out of the truck.
“Nah,” I said, holding my bag. “You’re just moving slow because you’re so cold.”
He reached into the truck and grabbed his bag and shut the door, sliding his arm around my waist.
He bent down and kissed the side of my head, but he stopped walking and stared at my car.
“Is there a reason your car is still running?”
“Oh, my gosh.” I dropped my bag and ran over to my car and got inside, not wanting to leave after I turned off the engine.
How in the world could I forget to turn off my car? I had to get a hold of myself. Somehow, I had to gain control of my faculties around this man. Who leaves a car running and forgets?
Derek had slung my bag over his shoulder and came over to where I was hiding.
“Are you coming?” he asked. I couldn’t tell if he was amused or confused.
My shoulders sunk, and I let out a deep breath.
“Yes.” I refused to look into his eyes. Those were disorienting.
“Does that happen often?” he asked, as I honked my car to lock it.
“No. Hasn’t ever happened before actually.”
“Hasn’t happened before like the holiday porn or really hasn’t happened before,” he teased.
“Hey.” I swatted at him. “I told you that was Bodie’s doing.”
“You’re here,” Gabby hollered from across the parking lot with Jason standing next to her.
“I made it but barely.” I started to jog and quickly realized that was a bad idea.
“You two came together?” Gabby asked, completely excited as we hugged each other.
“No. We came separately, but I sort of slid off the road, and he happened to be coming by.”
“And I pulled her out,” Derek finished, setting our bags on the ground before giving Jason and Gabby each a hug.
“A knight in shining armor.” Gabby’s brow arched.
“I don’t know if I could ever be Emily’s knight. She’s got pretty high expectations.”
My mouth dropped open. How did things suddenly turn so serious?
“Well, we all know that,” Gabby said. “But what in particular highlighted that fact?”
“Her taste in porn.” He picked the bags up and carried them into the lobby while I stood standing completely speechless as Jason and Gabby held each other up laughing so hard.
I was going to kill him.
Cheeks flaming, I walked past Gabby and Jason and straight into the lobby where Derek was checking in.
“How could you say something like that?” I hissed as he took back his credit card from the person checking him in.
He turned around, and his brown eyes settled on mine as he rested his hands on my shoulders.
“How could I not?” His eyes gleamed with the familiar mischief that got him so far in Hollywood.
“I’ll get you back.”
“I think it’s only fair your closest friends be advised of your Santa fetish.” He stepped away from the front desk.
I checked in quickly, praying the front desk agent hadn’t heard, and when I turned around, Derek had already strapped my bag over his shoulder.
“What room number are you in?” I asked.
“412.”
I looked down at my room key. I was in 413.
“Did you plan this?” I dangled my key in front of him as we walked to the elevator.
“Why yes…Yes, I did orchestrate the entire thing. We might even have a shared door between the rooms.”
“Is that because my taste in movies is better than yours?” I asked, stepping onto the elevator.
“I don’t know about better but certainly eye-opening.”
“Like you haven’t seen things worse than that in Hollywood,” I teased, laughing, as the doors slid shut. “But I do think I could learn a thing or two from those elves the other day. Santa looked extremely happy.”
“So you were watching it.” Derek grinned.
“I’ll never tell.”
Chapter Twelve
Sure enough. Our rooms were connected by a door—a very solid door—that opened to another very solid door. I felt like I was at summer camp and finally got to bunk next to the boys’ cabin. Those were some fun summers sneaking back and forth between cabins in the middle of the night. But now I was an adult, and I didn’t need to sneak. So why in the world did I still think hiding was in order?
I stood in the middle of the hotel room, which looked like it belonged in the French Alps or what I’d imagine a hotel room in the French Alps would look like. Everything in the room was white but not in a cold, sleek way. The space was warm and inviting. The down-filled white comforter stood inches tall on the bed, and a white bouclé sweater throw had been draped over the end. A white marble fireplace glowed in the corner and two overstuffed chairs were placed in front of the hearth. A plush white rug was rolled out in front of it, and pale antlers framed various photographs on the wall. A set of French doors with sheer curtains led onto a balcony. The hutch that housed the television had antler pulls, and the finish matched the white of everything else. I poked my head into the bathroom and spotted a soaking tub and marble shower. I was definitely looking forward to relaxing later.
If the hotel rooms were this impressive, Gabby’s wedding was going to be phenomenal. I was really excited for her and for me getting to take part.
A knock at the door interrupted my ogling, and I trundled to greet whoever had arrived. I swung open the front door to see absolutely no one in the hallway, but the knocking persisted.
It was Derek at our shared door, and the tinge of excitement I’d harbored from earlier turned to a full-blown explosion. I quickly unlocked my door and there he stood in front of
me, sexy as hell. Being sandwiched between two rooms with two very large beds was a predicament I somewhat enjoyed.
“You look awfully sexy,” I said, feeling his arms slide around my waist.
“Sexy doesn’t even touch what you’ve been doing to me,” he whispered.
“Was it all the elf talk in the elevator?” I asked, smiling.
“Maybe partially. The outfits were pretty revealing and picturing you in one...” His smile deepened as his gaze intensified.
“They were.” I ran my finger down his chest. “But I bet I have something even more revealing in my bag.”
His brow arched in surprise, and I laughed, nodding, “It’s true.”
“Are you messing with me right now because I’m not sure I can handle much more.”
“I might be. Only time will tell.” I grinned.
Derek’s hands ran up my back, and he tilted his head toward mine.
“There’s no mistletoe, and we’ve only kissed under mistletoe before,” I pointed out.
“I was hoping to push it beyond the mistletoe,” he said, bringing his mouth even closer. He was an expert at teasing me, and he held the upper hand, but I wanted to change that. I needed to change that if I was going to come out of the weekend unscathed.
“We need to set some rules,” I whispered, kissing his lips gently and taking a step back.
“Rules?” he asked, his voice low as he studied me. He slid his tongue along the crease of his lips, and my bones turned to mush as I brought my gaze back to his.
I nodded and folded my arms in front of me. “Boundaries. I never leave my car running.”
“How is that my fault, and why would that involve rules?” He took a step forward and narrowed the gap once more.
“Because you make me do things like eat partially wrapped Hershey Kisses and leave my car running while I jump out of it. You make me completely flustered.”
“I also make you afraid.”
“Which is why the rules are even more important. I could easily fall for you.” Who was I kidding? After knowing him for one week, I’d already tumbled down the slippery slope of lust and was heading face first to something else much more sinister.
“Why are you so afraid?” he asked, placing his hands on my hips.
A shiver ran down my spine as his eyes locked on mine. I’d planned on laying out a few ground rules and moving on. Now he was digging around in a past I wanted to stay buried.
“Betrayal.”
His brows furrowed.
“You said it yourself. Love is nothing but betrayal.”
“And you said it doesn’t have to be,” he countered.
My mouth turned dry, and I pushed down a lump. We were treading on ground I had no intention of unearthing this weekend.
“I watched The Fighters.”
“And what did you think of it?” he asked. I detected a hint of apprehension, which only made him even more endearing.
“I could probably recite most lines in the film.”
“You thought it was that cliché?”
I gasped completely horrified at the misunderstanding as I frantically shook my head.
“No. Not at all.” I brought my hand up to his chest and looked into his eyes. “I thought it was one of the most touching films I’ve ever seen. I can recite the lines because I watched it countless times in the last day or so.”
Relief flooded through Derek’s eyes, and my heart nearly sputtered to a stop. Not only was this man intoxicating in every sense of the word, he was humble enough to make his sexiness catapult through the roof.
“It reminded me how closely love and betrayal can be tied together. I tend to push the connection between the two out of my mind.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “And that’s what makes you want the rules for the weekend?” He shook his head. “I never should have mentioned I was a screenwriter.”
I playfully shoved him and laughed, knowing I was about to confess far too much.
“I want the rules so I don’t slip up. I knew the moment I laid eyes on you last weekend that you were trouble.” I slid my finger along the waistband of his jeans, and my entire body felt like it was on fire. I pulled him over to the French doors to a velvet bench and took a seat, pulling him next to me. “Any man who can write something like that could steal my heart.”
“You don’t know that for certain.”
“Well, then, either way, I should protect myself.” I took my hand away from his waist and watched him carefully as he debated what to say.
After several seconds teetered on the brink of a minute, he let out a deep sigh.
“I have to respect that.” The look in his eyes intensified as his gaze dipped to my lips. “I don’t want to do anything to hurt you. That’s why I kept a distance last weekend.”
“Then what made you put up the Christmas lights?”
A wistful look danced across his eyes, and he reached for my hand.
“When I got home, I realized how foolish I’d been not to spend the night with you last weekend. Neither of us knows what tomorrow holds, and I shouldn’t have just cut it off because I might develop feelings for you. I wanted to give it a second try.”
I nodded. We were both running from something. I tried to tell myself I didn’t want to give someone the power to break my heart again. Whether that was truly the reason or not, I didn’t know. But what was his reason for wanting to stay a safe distance?
“Then what changed after the Christmas lights?”
“You don’t hold back, do you?” He shook his head and grinned.
“Not anymore.”
“When I came inside your house, I saw myself right at home. I pictured hanging out on the couch with my buggs and your chiwoodle while we watched movies. That was when I knew I needed to leave.”
“You’d regret spending the night with me?” My voice cracked unexpectedly.
“Not at all.” The intensity in his gaze deepened. “I’m worried I could regret not spending my life with you.”
“If we were to give it a chance,” I finished for him. “And neither of us are good candidates for that type of commitment,” I stated matter-of-factly.
“Doesn’t appear so,” he whispered, touching his forehead to mine. My lips had already parted in anticipation for a kiss—the kiss I wanted so badly to turn into something more—and my skin tingled from the slightest touch where he laid his hand on my knee.
But there was no kiss just silence sitting between us.
Certain he could see in my eyes the kiss I’d wanted so badly, a grin unfurled on his beautiful mouth.
“We’re in quite the predicament.”
“We are.” He rested his elbow on his leg. “I’m beginning to think we’re both gluttons for punishment.”
“Textbook cases,” I agreed. “My question is how did I let someone else screw me up so severely?”
“My question is how did I let myself get screwed so badly.” He sat back.
“Your view seems like the healthier question. You’re taking full accountability and willing to accept your dilemma.”
“On the contrary, I’m not willing to accept my dilemma.”
“But at least you’re not blaming someone else like I am.” I folded my arms as I thought about my admission.
“It doesn’t seem like blame. I’d guess there’s a cause-and-effect element there.”
“True,” I acknowledged, glancing around the room. The force behind his gaze made my entire body overheat. I was completely captivated.
“I could tell you that I’m no good for you,” he said, bringing my attention back to him.
“And I could tell you the same.”
“Or we could let the ghosts of our past duke it out while we enjoy the moment.” Derek brought his hand up to my cheek and gently traced his thumb along my jawline.
“I like that option,” I whispered, feeling the control I had drift away.
Derek leaned forward, his lips colliding with mine, and
I closed my eyes letting the electricity charge through my body. He took complete control, and I threw my unspoken rules out the window. Without a second thought, I tangled my fingers in his hair as our kisses deepened, hungrily searching for something neither of us understood. My failed romances flashed through my mind. I’d never felt this level of desire with any other man. Emotions never crashed through my body like this. Not even close.
What Derek conjured inside of me was unexplainable. It was completely irrational and unlike anything. Ever. My heart rate climbed as his hands skated along my bare skin just under my sweater. His breathing changed as he circled his arms around me and pulled me onto his lap.
Feeling freer than I ever had in my life, I placed my hands on his shoulders and broke free from his kiss as my hair draped between us. He opened his eyes and smiled as I sat on my knees, straddling him as our gazes locked. He tucked my hair behind my ear and shook his head.
“You’re so damn sexy,” he whispered. “So damn sexy.”
I smiled and pulled my sweater over my head, tossing it on the floor, as his hands greedily slid along my stomach. All of my worries slid away. No more overthinking Montana or his Hollywood conquests and betrayals.
“Had I known this is where I’d end up, I would have worn something sexier than a bra with pineapples on it,” I teased.
“It’s perfection,” he murmured.
I felt so powerful sitting on his lap, staring into his hooded eyes. It had been far too long since someone desired me, since I let someone desire me. Something was changing between us, and it had nothing to do with one-night stands or nonexistent futures together. We purely existed in this moment, holding onto what little we knew of one another’s pasts; the mess of our pasts unable to mingle complicated futures. His hand ran up my spine reminding me how much I missed a man’s touch, but not just any man’s.
I brought my mouth slowly to his, tasting the sweetness along his lips as his fingers slid along my bare skin. His touch did such amazing things to me as I pressed myself deeper into him, feeling the tease of his tongue against mine. Roaring emotions cut through the clutter of my mind. I no longer cared what happened in my past. His kisses cut through all that pain, replacing it with a desire for more.
Beyond the Mistletoe: A Christmas Romance (Beyond Love Book 7) Page 10