Page 9 of Christmas Kisses (Majestic Falls: Christmas Spice #2)

Micha

Unaccustomed heaviness and uncertainty dogged me through the morning.

When I’d taken Jessica to Hollister’s for our winter picnic, I hadn’t been sure where the night would go.

I’d had hopes, but things had detoured sharply.

Now, I wasn’t sure where I stood with her.

Had I scared her away, sent her running?

Actually…that wasn’t quite right. She had feelings for me. I knew that now. However, it didn’t mean anything if she still planned to leave for Colorado right after Christmas.

My hands fisted in frustration and the need to grab her and make her stay. Not standard behavior on my part, but the thought of losing Jessica made me a little crazy. I drew in a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. No need to count the cookies before they were baked.

My steps slowed as I walked down the street toward Hard Candy Kisses. I hadn’t told Jessica I was coming to the shop, and I wasn’t sure how she’d react when I showed up. Especially if she wasn’t ready to see me.

Though it was early, many of the shopkeepers had their window displays on timers so the lights stayed on late and came on early to attract evening shoppers and morning commuters.

But, this morning, I found it hard to feel my normal Christmas joy, all of it a bit dulled due to my unsettled mood.

What would it be like to leave here? To leave my home in Majestic Falls and follow Jessica to Colorado?

Like hers, my job was portable. But would she think I was a weirdo stalker if I followed her?

Would she welcome my presence, so we could have more time to amply explore these feelings between us?

I knew what I felt. I needed her to be sure.

Whether it was here in Majestic Falls or there in Colorado.

So where did that leave me? Bobbing around like a boat without a rudder.

I figured Maple would set me straight. My grandma had no problems sharing her life experience. I couldn’t count the number of times I’d rolled my eyes—mentally of course—then realized what she’d told me had been exactly what I’d needed to hear.

What I found when I entered the shop shocked me, though.

When I slipped in the back door, Maple and Jessica were in the kitchen.

Maple had tears in her eyes, a hand over her mouth while she faced Jessica, whose back was to me.

Something told me not to rush forward, even though it was my first instinct.

The next second, I saw the cookie bar in my grandma’s other hand and realized she was choked with emotion but not upset.

“Everything okay?” I asked slowly.

Grandma nodded, and Jessica turned toward me, a smile on her face.

“I made maple bars for your grandma. Doris’ recipe.”

Maple sniffled and shook her head with a watery smile. “I never thought I’d taste these again. I didn’t know she had the recipe written down, nor dreamed you’d make them.”

“It was my pleasure. Crazy as it might sound, it was one of the best experiences of my life—except for the part where I screwed up the first batch. I never imagined baking could bring me clarity or help me sort out my thoughts.”

She glanced at me, her teeth sinking into her lip, and a bolt of hope lit up inside my chest, burning bright at the intimacy in her gaze. What did it mean?

“What thoughts are those, dear?”

I could have kissed Maple for asking my question. God, I wanted to know, too.

“What to do with the shop…and my life.” Jessica shrugged, not revealing as much as I wanted to know. “Things like that.”

“And?” My anxiousness seeped into my tone while my heart pounded faster. This moment was do or die. Stay here or pack for a new life. I wished it were private, between only us, but I couldn’t wait.

“I think I’m going to stay in Majestic Falls. If everyone’s cool with that, I mean.” She looked at my grandmother, who nodded with a warm smile on her face. “I still think the shop should be yours, though.”

“No way,” Maple protested. “What would an old lady like me want with it?”

“You’re not that old,” I said, moving closer to Jessica and sliding my arm around her waist. She was mine. I knew it. No doubts, no reservations.

“You would do the same thing with it that you do now,” Jessica added. Her arm went around my waist, uniting us in a comfortable way. Her head leaned against my shoulder. “Except you’d have all the benefits of ownership.”

“Pfft,” Maple scoffed. “No. There’s a reason I don’t want it. Yes, I do a lot here and you think I run the place—”

“You do.”

“But there’s plenty of bull crap I don’t have to deal with because I’m not the owner, ” she continued as if Jessica hadn’t spoken.

“And I want to retire soon. Really retire. And spend time knitting or playing with grandbabies.” She raised an eyebrow at me.

“When that time comes, I don’t want to be responsible for this store and all the headaches that come with it. ”

“Gran, don’t ever go into marketing. Your hard sell will have Jessica running for the hills.”

Or to the Colorado Rockies.

“Pfft,” she repeated. “She’s not running anywhere. That girl loves you. That’s why she’s staying.”

“Maple,” Jessica chided quietly through clenched teeth.

“What? Are you saying it’s not true? That you’re not all hot for my grandson?”

Oh…my…God.

“Grandma,” I groaned. Jessica stared at Maple with the kind of look that said I’d kill you if you weren’t an old lady. I can’t believe you!

Maybe, she wasn’t as sure of me as I’d thought? Damn it.

“Grandma, maybe, Jessica—”

“Maybe,” Jessica interrupted, grasping my hand and squeezing, “I’d like to talk to Micha privately about that, just the two of us, before discussing it with the world.”

“You’re so like Doris,” Maple said, shaking her head and turning to leave us. “Everything doesn’t have to be so complicated, dear.”

No, it really didn’t.

“Grandma, I’m stealing Jessica away for the rest of the day.”

She waved a hand over her shoulder in acknowledgement as she disappeared through the doorway. A knowing laugh trailed behind her.

I turned to Jessica, everything inside me singing a symphony, proclaiming she was mine. “You’re staying?”

Her lips quirked as she fought a smile. “I like the mountains.”

My brow raised. “Just the mountains?”

“And the town. I like Majestic Falls.”

My arms wrapped around her, and I pulled her to me.

“And your grandma,” she added. “She’s pretty great. So is her shop, even if she won’t claim it.”

My lips brushed across Jessica’s, stopping her nonsense.

“It is pretty great,” I breathed between kisses. “All those things are.”

“And I like your house and stuff…” Her fingers knotted in my shirt as she went to her toes to get closer to me. “And I really like your kisses.”

“Yeah?”

“Take me home?”

I nodded. “In a second. First…”

My lips sealed over hers, and I kissed her with all the love welling up inside me. With all the passion that surprised me. All the relief that she really was mine.

I hadn’t been looking for my future, but here she was.

* * * *

We drove Jessica’s car to my place since I’d walked to her shop. Soon, we stood in the driveway facing each other. Anxious for our next step, I swept her up into my arms. Carrying her inside and into our future just seemed right. I wanted the moment to be perfect.

“You have a little tree up here, too,” she gasped, leaning up on her elbows when I’d placed her on the bed in my room.

“Christmas is special. I try to show it all over the house. Now, it’s going to be even more special.”

“Our special time,” she agreed.

“Do you want something to drink? Breakfast?” I asked, realizing I was rushing.

“Later. I just want you.”

“You are all I want, too,” I said, yanking off my shirt now that she’d given me a green light.

Her eyes darkened as she watched me. Her tongue slid over her lips, her gaze heavy with desire. Quickly, I toed off my shoes and socks then shucked off my jeans before I knelt over her in my boxer-briefs.

“How do you have this body?” she breathed, running her fingers along the ridges of muscle in my abdomen, making me super glad for my morning workouts. I shivered as she traced the cut of my obliques before she drew a path down my hip to my waistband.

“You’re overdressed,” I rasped.

I tugged up the hem of her shirt. She helped me skim it off then popped the button on her jeans.

Pushing aside her hands, I slowly drew down her zipper then grasped her waistband and pulled the pants down her shapely thighs.

I paused at her feet, after I’d tossed aside her pants and socks, and stared at her pale body clad in lacy, hot-pink panties and bra.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”

Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. I watched color bloom up her chest and into her face. But she didn’t try to cover herself or look away.

“So are you. I had no idea you hid all that.” She waved at my body. “I can’t believe I didn’t know you had all those muscles hidden under your clothes. I knew your arms were strong, I knew you were hard against me when we hugged. But my gosh, Micha, you’re ripped. And I’m—”

“Perfect.”

My hands skimmed up her shins to her thighs, my mouth kissing along the same path.

I pushed her knees wider and felt her shiver beneath my palms. Quickly, I glanced up to make sure we were on the same page.

She parted her legs a bit more for me. Inhaling deeply of her sweet, intoxicating scent, I leaned forward and pressed my open mouth to her, right over her panties.

I could taste her, a sugary yet slightly salty flavor that dragged a hungry groan from me.

Dear God. Heaven. More delectable than anything at Hard Candy Kisses.

“Micha,” she breathed. Her hands speared into my hair as she tried to pull me closer.

“I’ve got you, baby.” My fingers traced the edge of her panties, from her hip to her center. My lips pressed against her inner thigh as I dropped opened-mouthed kisses, occasionally nipping the sensitive flesh there.