I popped the trunk. Amanda placed hers in. Then I dropped in my set of presents.
“It’s Freezing.” Amanda stepped back, rubbing her hands together keeping warm. I didn’t care how cold it was, these presents would warm anyone’s heart. Especially mine.
“Yeah. I’ll take them home tonight, and tomorrow we’ll take them to the shelter.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Amanda smiled.
I began organizing the gifts in my trunk when I heard footsteps along the pavement. I turned around and found Carson beside me, with Trevor standing beside Carson’s car waiting for him. I had no idea why.
I looked down and noticed Carson stood holding a gift. He looked guilty or embarrassed. I wasn’t sure. He probably saw all the presents and thought he hadn’t done enough, by just buying one gift. But I was fine with that. One more kid would be happy, and that was what this was about.
“Here. I got this for the tree.” His face grew two pink patches, one on each cheek. He was hot for sure. He rubbed his neck. Surprisingly, his hand trembled as I took the gift. I guess he was embarrassed about me and the car kiss. I’m sure it wasn’t me that he wanted to kiss, but I’ve put it behind me and pretend it didn’t happen. Hopefully, he would too.
“Thank you. I really appreciate it and so do the children.” I assured him. It was the first time we spoke since the car incident. I hoped this would open up our communication and make it not so awkward.
“You’re welcome.” He gave me an awkward smile then lingered for a second longer than he should have, like he wanted something. I didn’t know if he wanted something more for the present he gave me or what. I would definitely give him something more; a hug or a kiss came to mind, but I couldn’t be so forward like he was in the car. Besides, the way he backed away made it feel like he made a mistake. So I had to restrain myself and my eyes from staring at his gorgeous body.
“Thanks again.” I smiled.
“Sure.” He turned and left.
Amanda gave me a look. She had seen the awkwardness between us.
“That was sweet, but weird,” she noted.
“I know, right? You saw it too?”
“Yeah. Sorry girl, I think that was called guilt.”
“Or remorse for kissing me.” I was deflated about Carson. I was sure now we’d never get back together or else it would have happened. He just had his chance.
“What was it like when he kissed you in the car?”
“Amazing.” I deeply sighed remembering that every inch of my body tingled from his kiss.
“Well, you are the luckiest girl in this school. Do you know how many girls dream to get a taste of him?”
“I was just helping out an old friend.” I shrugged with a smile I couldn’t hide.
“Right, I usually just let my friends borrow a pencil or a dollar, not deep throat me.”
I crunched my face at her and her big smart-ass grin. “Come on.”
I turned to place the present into the trunk, when I froze.
“Oh my god. No.”
“What?” Amanda glanced into the trunk. “What the heck?”
We whipped our heads to each other. I think we were both thinking the same thing. The presents looked wrapped exactly the same as Carson’s gift was wrapped. Did Carson do this? All of this?
My heart pounded in my chest. I sprinted after Carson. He was opening his car door, about to leave. His school jacket looked big on him, but being closer, I see he actually filled up every inch with pure muscle.
CARSON - Ending
“Carson?” I felt a familiar touch of slender fingers wrap the arm of my school jacket. I knew those fingers and that sweet feminine voice behind me. It sent a flurry of activity rushing through my body.
“Yes?” I turned my head to see those sparkling emerald eyes.
“Did you buy all these presents?” she asked softly.
I paused, not sure if I should reveal the truth.
“Yes. He did.” Trevor interrupted. Crap, that big mouth.
I stared over the hood at Trevor, not sure if I should be pissed or relieved.
“Carson. Tell me the truth. Did you buy all these presents?” Chelsea pressed.
It was time to come clean about it, no matter how she was going to take it. I would just have to deal with it. I sighed deeply.
“I did. And I had some help from my parents and sister.”
“Hey, what about me?” Trevor scolded, then shook his head in obvious disbelief that I didn’t include him. So I pointed across the roof of my car, “And Trevor.”
“Why?” She looked so confused. “Why did you help me?” Gees, did I put out that bad of an impression that I wouldn’t help people? I know I hadn’t spoken to her in years, and of course the car incident, which were reasons I was doing this. Just not the real one.
I lifted my arm and ran my fingers down her cheek. How was I going to tell her I did it because I liked her. Because I wanted to be around her every day and make her smile.
“Because I wanted to make you happy.” I blurted.
We locked eyes. My heart trembled as I waited for her response.
“You did?” She asked. She seemed surprised. I guess I didn’t drop her enough hints, not to mention I was too nervous around her to tell her how I felt. This was my opportunity, and I was going to take it.
Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Will you go out with me again?” I lifted her hands and stared into her exotic green eyes. My heart pounded wildly waiting for her answer. My heart ached for her. I prayed she would say yes. This was the moment of truth.
“Yes!” Chelsea’s face beamed.
My body filled with raw emotion, I couldn’t hold back. I leaned down and kissed her pressing my lips against her soft pink lips. They tasted like strawberry lip gloss, just like I remember. My fingers threaded her hair, and I pulled her into my chest. Savoring every moment. I felt her tender fingertips fall onto my back giving me goosebumps.
“Can I pick you up tonight?” Now that I had her, I didn’t want to miss one more second without her. I finally got up the courage to ask. This was the greatest Christmas ever.
Michelle Cortney has a lifelong love of reading and writing YA stories. She writes young adult contemporary sweet romance stories. She resides in southern New Jersey with her husband, Rob, and two children, Colby and Mackenzie.
You can check out her books and receive updates from her facebook or goodreads pages.
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Keep scrolling! Kiss Me Under the Christmas Lights by Cindy Ray Hale is up next!
A surprise kiss leads to a fake romance. Will they find love this Christmas?
When coffee shop owner Josie Sparks spots her ex boyfriend picking out a Christmas tree with a new girl, she does the unexpected. She grabs his roommate, Noah, and lays a kiss on him right in front of her ex. The new girlfriend assumes they’re dating, and Josie and Noah decide to go with it.
Firefighter Noah Stanley can’t stand his roommate’s new girlfriend. Not only does she make giant messes in the kitchen and eats all his chips, but she’s obnoxious and rude. So Noah forms a pact with Josie to get rid of her. When Josie poses as Noah’s new girlfriend, no one suspects they are planning a list of practical jokes to run the annoying girlfriend off. Before Noah and Josie know it, their fake romance begins to feel more real than what they’d bargained for.
Chapter 1
Christmas lights twinkled overhead as Josie searched for the perfect tree to put in her coffee shop. Not too short and not too tall. Being all bundled up while tiny white flakes drifted down to tickle her nose held a special kind of magic for Josie. It was her favorite time of year. Excitement raced through her as she breathed in the scent of a hundred evergreens surrounding her.
High-pitched laughter cut through her reverie. Josie stepped past a row of Christmas trees and spotted her recent breakup, Dustin. He was holding a big-haired, knockout
blonde on his arm. Jealousy sliced through her, sharp and ugly. She tried to ignore it, but it had cut too deep. She’d only broken up with him two days ago. He hadn’t wasted a moment replacing her.
She didn’t want to admit that it hurt, since the decision to end their relationship had been hers, but she couldn’t ignore the pain it caused. It was stupid for her to feel this way. She knew Dustin wasn’t right for her. They were much too different. It had only taken two months of dating for Josie to see that. Dustin was far too materialistic, while Josie preferred a more wholesome lifestyle.
He wanted brand-new everything. Josie loved her historical 1940s cottage she’d worked to fix up with her father and the old books she’d been collecting since she was a young teen. Dustin had been all too verbal with how he felt about her old, musty books.
Dustin’s new girl laughed her high-pitched giggle, and they slipped around the corner out of sight.
Noah Stanley, Dustin’s roommate and coworker from the Maple Creek Fire Department, stepped from behind a tree. The two roommates must have been picking out a tree for their place. Noah’s broad shoulders filled out his jacket in a way Josie could hardly miss. He looked too good to take in.
“Noah!” she called to him.
He turned, and his face lit up when he saw her. “Hey, Josie.” He walked over toward her.
“You guys picking out a tree for your place?”
“Yep. You doing the same?”
“Nope. I already have a tree set up at home. This one’s for the coffee shop. I woke up this morning and decided the shop needed one this year.”
“That’s a great idea. I’m sure it’ll make the place feel cozier for the holidays.”
“That’s what I was thinking!” As if she needed to make her shop cozier than it already was. She prided herself on having the coziest coffee shop in Maple Creek. But adding a Christmas tree was always a good idea.
Dustin and his new girl rounded the corner again. They must have been looking at the tree on the corner. What did she care, anyway? Dustin was old news. He was free to date whomever he wanted.
“Looks like you’re third-wheeling it tonight,” Josie said.
Noah shrugged. “I’m used to it.”
She cringed. Used to it because, until recently, he’d been third-wheeling with her and Dustin.
The blonde girl laughed again, too loud and shrill, and Noah grimaced. So he didn’t like her either. That was too bad for him because he lived with Dustin. If this girl ended up sticking around, Noah would see a lot more of her.
Dustin pulled the blonde close to him and touched noses with her like they were in one of those cheesy Christmas romance movies. Josie had had enough. On impulse, she grabbed Noah and pulled him into an embrace of her own. She stepped up onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
His lips were dreamy and soft. A warmth enfolded her amid the flurries that surrounded them. A flame lit from that warmth, and Josie pulled back in surprise. What had possessed her to do that?
“Is there mistletoe here that I didn’t notice?” Noah looked up.
Josie followed his gaze. “Nothing but the Christmas lights.”
She couldn’t help herself. She had to check to see if Dustin had noticed her impulsive kiss. She wasn’t disappointed. He was staring at them with his jaw hanging down to the ground. She took Noah’s arm and guided him away from the picturesque couple. “I need help picking out a Christmas tree. And you’re just the man to help me.”
“How did I get so lucky?”
“The right place at the right time?” Josie suggested. Was she out of her mind? Why had she kissed Noah like that? Well, she knew why, but she didn’t want to worry about that right now. She had a tree to pick out. They walked up and down a few aisles, passing Dustin and his date along the way.
“What about this one?” Noah asked, pulling Josie toward a beautiful pine.
“This is perfect!” Josie felt a glow warm up her cheeks, either from the joy of finding such a stunning tree or the kiss she’d just shared with Noah, she didn’t know.
“Josie,” Noah asked her. “Why did you kiss me?”
“That is a valid question.” Josie turned to examine the tree.
“Since it’s such a valid question, would you mind answering it for me?”
Josie harrumphed and turned back to Noah, tucking a renegade strand of red hair back into her knit hat. “It felt like a good idea.”
“Does this have anything to do with the fact that Dustin is here with someone new?”
“It might have something to do with that.”
“Because it’s hard for you to see him with someone else?”
“It’s not hard.” Why did her voice have to squeak like that? Such a betrayal.
“So you’re trying to make him jealous by convincing him you’re with me now?”
Dustin and the girl walked around the corner, and Josie grabbed Noah’s arm like they were in a committed relationship. “Isn’t this the most beautiful tree you’ve ever seen?”
Dustin passed with his lady friend, and when they were out of earshot, Noah turned back to Josie. “I’m not sure how I feel about this.”
“Just go with it,” Josie hissed.
“You’ve officially gone nuts.”
“You should know by now that I’m crazy.” It was true. Josie had been close friends with Noah since high school. She was just as crazy now as she’d been back then.
“Well, you definitely have a point there.”
But she’d never been crazy enough to kiss Noah. Before tonight anyway. That just showed how much she’d been surprised by Dustin being with this new girl. Why did he have to pick someone so pretty? And where had she even come from? Maple Creek was a tiny town. She’d never seen this girl before. As the owner of the most popular coffee shop in town, Josie knew everyone. She would have known if she’d seen this girl before. With hair that blonde, Josie never would have forgotten her.
“Hello there!” Josie called out to one of the tree lot employees. “Can I get this tree?”
“Sure thing.” The young guy grabbed the tree and threw it up over his shoulder. Josie followed him as he brought it to the checkout table. He rang her up, and she pulled out her wallet.
“So are you going to act like you’re dating me whenever Dustin is around?” Noah asked.
The tree lot employee gave them a funny look but took the money Josie handed him for the tree.
“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought it through.”
“So you just randomly kissed me?”
The employee handed Josie back her change. “Do you need help carrying this out to your car?”
Josie beamed at him. “That would be lovely.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Josie turned to Noah. “If you must know, yes. I randomly kissed you.”
“Noah,” Dustin called. “Come check out this tree Sapphire picked out.”
“Sorry, Josie. Gotta go.”
Sapphire? What kind of name was that? Josie frowned. She glanced back to see Noah looking at the tree Sapphire had found. Dustin and Sapphire looked happy together. Too happy.
How could Josie be single during the holidays when Dustin had a girl like that? Had she made a mistake in dumping him right before Christmas? Maybe she really did need Noah’s help after all.
Chapter 2
Noah helped Dustin carry the tree into the house. Pine needles fell all over the floor as they turned the corner and bumped it into the wall. Noah made a mental note to sweep the floor after they had the tree set up.
“You just got pine needles everywhere,” Sapphire said. “What a big mess.”
Noah pressed his lips together. What was he supposed to do about that right this moment? His arms were too full of his Christmas tree. Dustin chewed his gum a little too loud, and it was like nails on a chalkboard to Noah.
“Bring the tree over here,” Sapphire directed. “Good. You can stop right there.”
Noa
h was perfectly aware of where the tree needed to go. He didn’t need Sapphire to play traffic cop in his living room. He placed the tree in the stand and held it up so Dustin could tighten it into place.
Sapphire took off her coat and draped it over the couch. She turned back and faced the men, and Noah had to avert his eyes. Her shirt was so low cut it showed a good six inches of cleavage.
“We should play some Christmas music.” Sapphire pulled her phone from her purse and scrolled through what seemed to be her music collection.
“I’ll go to the garage and get the ornaments out.” Noah had them organized into clear bins on the shelves he’d installed last year.
“Don’t you think you should clean up the pine needles first?” Sapphire commanded.
“The broom is next to the fridge,” Noah said over his shoulder as he headed toward the garage. He loaded up his arms with two bins and headed back into the kitchen.
He pushed open the door, and obnoxious Christmas music played over Sapphire’s phone. The needles were still all over the floor. Sapphire had seemed so worried about them, but not enough to pitch in and clean them up herself. Instead, she was involved in a hot and heavy make-out session on the couch.
“Hey, save that for later. We have a tree to decorate.” Noah dropped the large plastic containers on the floor next to the tree. He popped open the white lid and pulled the tree skirt from the top bin.
Dustin and Sapphire peeled themselves off each other. She began snapping gum loudly. It surprised him he could hear it over her blasting Christmas music. Wait a second, wasn’t Dustin the one with the gum a few minutes ago? Noah groaned in disgust as he crouched to place the bright-red skirt around the base of the tree. He flattened his body to the floor so he could really get under the tree and tie the skirt properly.
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