Page 57 of Holiday Crush
“No, on Christmas Eve. He’s got a cousin nearby he’s supposed to visit first. Vinnie thinks he’ll sign me on the spot ’cause there’s an opening in LA.”
“That’s amazing,” I choked out.
Court shrugged. “We’ll see. McD seems like an okay guy, but agents tend to promise the moon and a few stars. But I practically begged Vinnie to set this up, so I’ll see what he has in mind.”
I swallowed hard and looped my arm through his. “I’m happy for you. Your wish has come true again.”
“Maybe. I don’t know anymore. Wishes change,” he replied vaguely, shifting to face me so we stood chest to chest, our breath mingling like twin dragons in the crisp evening air. “What about you?”
“Whataboutme?”
He tilted my chin skyward and kissed my nose, my cheeks, my lips. “Pick a star and make a wish. Don’t tell me what it is, but make sure it’s a good one.”
“Okay. You do the same.”
“Deal. Ready?”
I nodded. “One, two, three…”
I closed my eyes tightly and sent up a wish and a prayer, using every fiber in my being in the hopes of transmitting my message to the highest power on duty. No second-rate angels trying to earn wings here. No, I needed the big guns.
When I opened my eyes a moment later, Court was staring at me wistfully. “Was it a good one?”
“My very best,” I assured him.
He brushed his thumb along my bottom lip and slanted his mouth over mine, cradling my head as if I were something…or someone precious to him.
We stood entwined under the stars with our lips fused until some wise guy rolled down his window and told us to get a room.
He rested his forehead on mine and chuckled, then picked up his bag, reached for my hand and strode toward Main Street.
We came togetherthat night with a desperate intensity I couldn’t read. It felt as if he were trying to communicate with strong thrusts and gentle caresses. Court pinned me to the mattress, folded my knees to my chest, and moved like thunder. His beard tickled my neck and sweat dripped onto my brow. I loved it.
I loved being under him, cared for by him. I loved that he held nothing back. He was rough yet tender, unyielding and yet so…giving. He knew what I needed before I did. He trailed his fingers along my sides and cupped my ass, his tongue gliding and twisting with mine, breaking the connection with a gasp when his rhythm faltered. I hooked my legs around him and stroked myself, marveling at our timing as our orgasms hit at once.
He pulled me to my side, brushing my hair from my forehead in that sweet way he always did and stared deep into my eyes. He didn’t say a word, but he didn’t have to. It was all there. Affection, admiration, trust, desire…I felt all those things for him, and one more.
Love.
Yep, I was desperately in love with Court Henderson.
* * *
The thingno one told me about love was that it low-key kind of sucked. My heart was either racing a mile a minute or stopping on a dime, my blood pressure skyrocketed at the mention of Court’s name, and I couldn’t seem to focus for five minutes without peeking at my cell, hoping he’d call. In short, I was a wreck.
But Christmas Eve was not the time for a nervous breakdown.
Rise and Grind was busier than ever with schools closed, college kids home for the holidays, and a lot of folks off work till after the new year. Hiring Mazie’s friend Josh was the smartest move I’d made in a long time. The pair worked well together, which gave me some free time to schmooze with customers or pop out to do a little shopping. I could even go home and finish wrapping or—
Buzz buzz
“What happened?” I answered, flattening my palm over my heart to keep it in my chest.
“Nothing, but…you okay, Ive?”
I blew out a ragged breath and smiled into my phone. “Sorry, Stace. I didn’t check my caller ID. What’s up?”
“Well…I wanted to talk to you.”