Head over Heels for the Holidays
Lost Harbor, Alaska ~ Book 7
Excerpt from when the holiday parties begin!
Party number four. Mrs. Bellini’s cookie exchange.
Hand in hand, Rune and Maya squeezed their platter of brownies between some Mexican wedding cookies and a pan of creme brûlée.
“Do we have to sample everything?” he whispered, looking at the array of homemade sweets—dozens of them.
“God no. I want you to survive the night. We have the Harvest Festival coming up next.”
“You really need to send me a spreadsheet.” He chose a plain old chocolate chip cookie and took a nibble. “How was your week? It’s a good thing we’re fake boyfriend and girlfriend, or I might never see you.”
“Fall is always a busy time.” Maya was eyeing a gingerbread cookie shaped like a boot. Or maybe it was a stocking.
“I had to check the police blotter to see what you’re up to.”
“You did not.” She glanced up, cookie in hand.
“Yup.” He recited the most recent blotter item. “Police called to the scene of a break-in. The culprit was revealed to be a young black bear. He was tranquilized and the forest service was called.”
“It was quite the drama.”
“Oh, and I saw that the reward for Mrs. Holt’s yak has gone up.”
“Three hundred dollars. Boom.” She licked rock sugar from the gingerbread stocking. His groin tightened in response.
To distract himself, he recited more blotter items. “Two vehicles collided on East Mountain Road. Both drivers were found to be inebriated and were arrested. They were also both discovered to be unclothed and also married to each other. Citations were issued.”
“Relationships.” Maya shook her head sadly. “Whatcha gonna do?”
He chuckled. “And then there was the bonfire on Seafarers Beach. Kids threw jellyfish at each other? I think I would have had fun growing up here.”
“We would have had fun if you had.”
The promise in her eyes drew him in, like a magnet he couldn’t resist. He brushed a kiss onto her mouth, tasting sugar and ginger and the thrill of a sigh from her parted lips.
This kiss didn’t feel like something between old friends. It sent a charge of lust right into his bloodstream. It made him want to drag her off to a corner and take that kiss deeper. Make her burn with the same desire firing his blood.
Take it easy, fake holiday boyfriend.
He ended the kiss with a wink, as if to say, All part of the act.
Her tongue slid across her lips. Surprise? Enjoyment? He couldn’t tell. “So you think we need to kiss at every party?” she murmured.
“To be safe,” he said solemnly.
* * *
Party number dozen-or-so. The Harvest Festival.
She seemed to agree, because at the Harvest Festival, surrounded by hay bales and winter squash displays, she kissed him. He slid a hand onto the slope of her lower back and rested it there until her body swayed toward his.
“What are you doing?” she murmured against his lips.
“Making it look real.”
“Hmmm. Good thinking.” Her husky whisper seemed to travel into his brain and set up shop there. He wanted to hear that whisper in bed. When they were both naked. Maybe after he’d made her come apart.
But for now…it was progress.
“So how was your week, fake boyfriend?” she asked after they drew apart.
“Busy. Lots of sprained wrists, broken bones, torn ankle ligaments. It’s getting icy out there. I’ve been taking on some more shifts with the volunteer fire department. Feels good to get the old muscles moving again.”
Maya smiled up at him. “Darius mentioned that. He said you’re a huge asset.”
“Are you sure he didn’t say ‘huge ass’?” he joked. “Just checking.”
“No, he really appreciates the time you’re spending.”
“It helps me, too. I’ve been talking to the crew about Cara’s stalker.” He’d decided to clue the entire department into what was going on. The more eyes, the better. So far, there’d been no sign of Stalker Chad—but he knew better than to relax.
“What have you told them?”
“To keep an eye out for a stranger in his mid-thirties who’s former military. That’s about all I know. I passed around the photo. Didn’t ring a bell for anyone.”
“How’s Cara doing?”
“She got that role in the Christmas play that we helped her rehearse for. You know, back when you had time.”
Maya made a face. “I know, it’s crazy. I guess you can see why I don’t have a real boyfriend.”
“No, not really,” he said, honestly. “Why don’t you?”
She shot him a funny look. “Lots of reasons, I guess. Jerome thought I gave my job too much attention.”
“Forget about him.” He pulled her against him again, so passionately he knocked a scarecrow off its perch on a hay bale. “Jerome’s about as smart as that scarecrow. Feel like checking out the hay bale maze and pretending to make out?”
“How do you pretend to make out?”
“I’ll show you.”
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