Page 14 of You Make It Feel like Christmas

Maisie took a deep breath that came out shuddery. “Hardly just some guy,” she said, remembering the way she’d kept trying to use her key card on the hotel room door. “You were pretty grumpy the first time I saw you.”

Did he move closer? His chin dipped down. “You were trying to break into my hotel room.”

Maisie’s head snapped up so quick that Nick reared back. “I thought it was my room.”

She’d swiped the card half a dozen times when the door swung open, an angry and extremely good-looking face greeting her. She’d actually lost her words. She’d made a few mumbled sounds but couldn’t form any coherent sentences.

“I know. I apologized.”

That night, after the first time they’d had sex, she’d confided in him something very few people knew; sometimes numbers got mixed up when she looked at them.

It was better now than when she was younger and usually happened when she wasn’t paying attention or was doing something too quickly.

It made her feel stupid but telling Nick, seeing the way his gaze softened as he stroked her hair back from her face, had made her feel seen.

He’d told her he was grateful for that since it brought her to his door.

Maisie’s throat went dry and she realized he was still looking at her while she got lost in the memory of meeting him.

“I know.”

She wasn’t supposed to fall for her one-night stand.

She definitely shouldn’t have felt like she knew him better than people who’d been in her life for longer.

But when she’d woken the next morning and he was gone, it had felt out of character.

And the way he was looking at her right now, like it was taking all of his strength not to pull her close, felt like the Nick she thought she’d known.

Argh. You’re falling for it again. And this time, you know he’s leaving. Going back to a life on the road. A life far from Seattle that had nothing to do with Maisie or how she felt.

Nick leaned in, so close she felt his breath on her cheek. “Do you also know that you’re the only person, other than my sister and Asher, who, had I not won completely fairly without cheating, I would have actually followed through and put on a set of reindeer pajamas for?”

Oh boy. Her heart liked that if its racing was any indication. “You still might, so don’t rule it out.”

Nick leaned back, making her miss the kiss he didn’t give with a lighthearted laugh. “Don’t worry, Maze. I’m not ruling anything out.”

A LL THEY NEEDED TO make this moment more comedically ridiculous was one of the walking ropes she’d seen on the school kids. Her sister took the lead, their mom behind her, followed by Maisie, then Ellie. She really hadn’t thought this all the way through.

“Should we be prancing?” Ellie asked.

“Putting this on is about the height of my good sportsmanship,” her mom replied.

“Mine is too tight,” Nat said, pulling the fabric of the onesie away from her rounded belly.

Ellie laughed. “I think they’re comfortable and cute. I can’t wait to see how you get the guys into theirs, Maisie.”

When they walked into the living room, with its high ceiling and crackling fire, Maisie felt like she was on display at a middle school talent show with her crush in the audience.

The embarrassment actually had wings. They were flapping in her chest, making her want to turn and run.

Nick stood by the fireplace, an arm resting on the wood-beam mantel, in the same jeans and T-shirt from earlier, his hair a perfect kind of messy, those eyes locking on her even as his grin widened.

He was the emotional equivalent of a nesting doll.

Every time she uncovered one thing about him, he showed another layer; another piece of himself buried down inside.

Jacob’s laugh rang out first. Colton and Kyle’s followed. Asher jumped off the couch and came running toward the four women.

“You’re reindeer!” He sprinted around them in a circle then stopped in front of Ellie. “I can play Santa and you can be the reindeers.”

Kyle pulled Natalie into a hug and said something against her ear that made her tip her head back and laugh.

Ellie crouched in front of Asher. “Maisie brought you one, if you want to be a reindeer, too.”

When she glanced down, Maisie caught the little boy’s expression and laughed. His mouth dropped open and his eyes widened like he was looking at a real reindeer. “Can I?”

Her gaze bounced up and landed on Nick’s then moved to his sexy, smirky smile and the memory of his words. I’m not ruling anything out. She bit her lower lip, saw his eyes narrow, his jaw tighten.

Maisie smiled, crouched down like Ellie, holding Nick’s gaze a few seconds longer. Lines creased Nick’s forehead like he could read her plan. Read her.

“Of course you can,” Maisie said, looking at Asher. “You know what would be the absolute coolest thing ever?”

She turned her head, looked at Ellie, and jutted her chin toward her brother.

“What?” Asher bounced excitedly in front of them.

Ellie looked at her little boy, clearly having caught on. “If you and Uncle Nicky matched. It would be the best Christmas present in the world.” Her tone was dreamy, her words drawn out like a sigh.

“Ellie.” Nick’s tone was more of a growl.

Ellie ignored him, keeping her laughter in check with more success than Maisie.

Asher ran over to his uncle and grabbed his hand, pulled him over to where Maisie now stood beside a standing Ellie.

“Can Uncle Nicky have his pajamas even though we winned?”

“Won, sweetie,” Ellie said around her giggles.

Maisie nodded, eyes locked with Nick’s. “He sure can. I’ll go get them. Maybe everyone should just wear them.” She glanced at the other guys who were now cluing in to what was happening. “I’ll leave them in your rooms. Reconvene in a half hour?”

Jacob shook his head. “You’re such a sore loser.”

Colton slipped an arm around his shoulder. “She already knows that. It runs in the family where the three of you are concerned.”

Natalie, Maisie, and Jacob said, “Hey,” at the same time, making everyone laugh.

Kyle reached for Natalie’s hand. “I know better than to try and argue my way out of it.”

Natalie kissed his cheek and led him away. “That’s right. Save that energy for something else.”

While their mom and Ellie went to the couch to sit down, Colton and Jacob left the room, whispering.

Asher clapped his hands and tugged on Nick’s arm. “Let’s go, Uncle Nick.”

Following his nephew’s lead, he slowed as he passed Maisie, making Asher go ahead. Nick leaned down, his lips grazing her ear.

“There’s easier ways to get me out of my clothes, Smart,” he whispered so low there was no way her mom or Ellie could hear him. But if they looked at her, they’d probably see the way her face went pink at his words.

“Trust me,” she whispered back, “If I were trying to get you out of your clothes, it wouldn’t be to put on reindeer pajamas.”

Nick’s bark of laughter startled her and caught her mom and Ellie’s attention.

“What’s so funny, Maisie?” her mother asked.

Maisie mumbled, “Nothing,” as she hurried out of the room.

Nick, and his laughter, followed.