Page 52 of Christmas Bubble

“You’ve been overfeeding me on purpose,” I shout. He’s at least thirty yards away.

“It was all part of my master plan.”

The door to the other cabin opens, and the two kids run out.

“Are you having a snowball fight? Can we join?” George asks.

His dad comes up behind him, shaking his head. “What did I say?”

George sighs and turns to Curtis. “Please?”

Curtis laughs. “I think I’ve already won the battle, troops. The old man over there won’t take another one.” I snort and watch as he leans to the kids’ level. “But we could use your help with something else.”

Both kids look like their days have been made. “We can help,” they say in unison.

“Do you know how to build a snowman?” he asks.

“Yes!” Both kids scream excitedly, but Curtis’s face of delight hits me unexpectedly in the one place of my heart I’ve been trying to keep buried.

“Hey, Riley, want a hot cocoa?” Harrison asks.

“Sure.”

I walk up to Curtis. His smile is so genuine and carefree. At this moment in time, all he’s thinking about is ticking off his list of things he’s never done at Christmas. He has no idea of the turmoil he’s just caused inside me.

“What’s up?” he asks.

“Nothing. Go make the most Bubblelicious snowman this place has ever seen.” I give him a quick peck on the lips and walk up the steps to Harrison's porch.

20

BUBBLE

I try notto look at Riley’s ass as he walks away, but it’s impossible. I may as well just give up right now. I’ll never not watch his ass when he’s walking away from me.

My head, my heart, and my belly are full of emotions, and I don’t know what to do with them.

Waking up to Riley? Best thing ever. Hands down.

The only thing that would have topped that is if he’d topped me so we could start the day with a bone-melting orgasm. But somehow, not doing anything felt more intimate. Like there will be plenty more mornings of waking up together, so there’s no need to rush.

The way he keeps looking at me is disconcerting. On one hand, it feels like he’s stripping me naked every time his eyes so much as look in my direction. On the other, I feel his fear like it’s a living, breathing thing.

I’m scared too. I’m scared I’ll fall in love with him and be left to nurse my broken heart all alone, again. I love living in Windsor, my two jobs, and all the kids I work with. Moving again because of a broken heart would just restart the cycle.

Two little coughs pull me out of my head. I know Megan and Gigi aren’t siblings, but in some ways, they’re so alike. It’s adorable.

“Yes?”

“You said we were going to build a snowman.”

I chuckle. “I absolutely did. There’s only one problem.” I bend over a little to match their height. “I don’t know how to build a snowman.”

Megan frowns and elbows Gigi.

“What? Just because he can’t build a snowman doesn’t mean he’s not a real elf. Elves are busy making toys. They don’t have time to build snowmen,” Gigi says matter-of-factly.

“I guess.”