Page 58

My body isn’t just humming, it’s on fire, despite the cold. But I have to get us into warmth, so I pull her door open and turn my head slightly when I see someone in my periphery.

I hear the sharp gasp of Ainsley next to me as we both see fuckface Drake scowling over at us from where he must have just parked a few doors up.

“Oh, shit,” I hear Ainsley whisper.

“Just keep walking,” I mutter in his direction. I don’t want to cause a scene here, but lucky for him he drops his eyes to the ground, scurrying toward the Town Hall with his hands shoved in his pockets. I’m happy to see that he still has bruises on his face from that pesky broken nose. Must be a bummer being a douchebag.

“Thank God.” Ainsley palms her chest. “The last thing we need is another confrontation.”

“He got the message.” I smirk as she climbs up into my truck and I jog around to my side and climb in.

“So, we’re really not playing at this?” she asks as soon as I turn to her in the seat.

“Babe, I think after last night, we can both agree that this is real. It was never about fake dating for me.”

“You want to date for real?” she asks, like it’s still so hard to believe. And I’m willing to drill it home to her if that’s what it takes.

I lean over; the seat crunching from my weight as it shifts. My hand finds her chin, where I lift it with my fingers, tilting her head to lookup at me.

“Don’t hide that pretty face. Yes, I want to date for real. Last night was hot.You’rehot, and sweet and adorable. But it’s not just because of that. I want more, Ainsley, more than just sex. I want to know everything about you, if you want that too?”

Her eyes are big and round, her face all flushed as she gazes at me.Perfection.

I wanna rip that Christmas sweater off her and take her in my backseat, but that also wouldn’t be a good idea given where we are tonight.

“I want that, Cole. More than anything.”

Her words are like magic on my heart, and I lean in for another kiss.

CHAPTER 17

AINSLEY

Cole’s wordsboth surprise and thrill me. It still blows my mind that someone like Cole Garrison is interested in me. I consider myself pretty ordinary, sometimes even boring. I don’t get out all that much, but so what if I’m not a raging party goer, or prefer books more than I prefer people. Living in the shadows feels pretty normal to me, and I’m only just now realizing it.

Maybe we’re both a little giddy from the eggnog, but I have been humming and pining for him these past few hours, and it’s felt like a lifetime.

“You know, that’s like music to my ears hearing you say you wanna be more,” he says. “I was hoping like heck you’d say that, but I thought I’d have a snowball in Hell’s chance.”

“Snowballs? Really?” I try not to laugh.

He shrugs and it’s adorable. “Seemed fitting.”

My smile softens. “Are you sure, though?”

“I’m very sure.”

“My friends are working it out, by the way. Parker claims I’ve tamed the wild beast.”

He sputters a laugh. “Tamed the wild beast? Is that whatthey think of me?”

“I know, right.” I shake my head and can’t help the little laugh in my throat.

“I don’t know howwildyour friends really think I am. But I’m a pussycat once you get to know me.”

I can’t hold in my laughter. “You’re a cat guy, not an actual pussy cat.”

“Maybe I can be both.”