Page 47 of All I Want is You this Christmas Final

“Wrong thing to say.”

“What do you me—oof!”

Jared picked her up against him and carried her into the living room. Rip barked in circles around them until Jared sat down on the couch, Anna Beth straddling his lap.

Anna Beth giggled as Rip jumped up next to them, going for her face.

“Agh, he doesn’t like it when we’re too close,” she said.

“Rip, off.”

The lab jumped down with a whimper, still watching them. Jared’s focus returned to Anna Beth as he held her, his hands slipping under the t-shirt she wore and slid along the bare skin of her back.

She closed her eyes, her full lips parting as she breathed his name. “Jared.”

Anna Beth leaned over, wrapping her arms around his neck. He met her kiss and continued massaging her back, taking in her moans every time their lips met. Jared longed to move his hands around and cup her breasts, but he kept himself in check.

Even if it killed him.

Anna Beth’s hands on his chest slid south. When she stopped moving, he almost howled in frustration, until he heard the distant ringtone.

“Shit, that’s my phone.” She smiled apologetically. “I’ll be right back.”

Jared sat there, staring down at his tented erection and trying to get a handle on himself.

He heard Anna Beth speaking and climbed painfully to his feet. He stopped in the doorway and listened.

“Is she okay? Alright, I’ll meet you a home. No, she’s my responsibility, I should be there. Are you sure? Okay. Thanks, Sarah.”

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Not really.” Anna Beth grabbed his sweatshirt and pulled it over her head before answering. “That was Sarah. She’s took Mitten’s to the vet because she was wheezing when she breathed and Sarah thought she had a fever. The Vet said she has pneumonia, so she needs antibiotics.” Anna Beth padded over and slipped her arms around him. “I know we

were in the middle of something, but can we pick this up later?”

“Yeah, of course. Let me get my keys and jacket.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead and she released him.

“Thanks, Jared.”

“Of course. We should get your tree in some water, anyway.”

“Right. I almost forgot about that.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

Anna Beth laughed. “You should.”

Jared headed upstairs to grab his jacket and two pairs of socks for him and Anna Beth. He hated to cut his time with her short, but maybe it was better. A few more minutes of her straddling him, and he’d have forgotten all about going slow.

When he reached into his sock drawer, his hand closed around the letter at the bottom. He didn’t want to think about Ian Crawford right now. Making out on his couch with Anna Beth probably wasn’t what Ian had in mind by helping her.

He put the letter back, covering it with his folded socks once more.

“Jared? What are you doing?”

“Just grabbing socks. Be right there.”

Jared closed the door and took the stairs two at a time. He’d give Anna Beth her letter when she finished her list and hopefully, whatever was inside didn’t destroy whatever they were feeling.