Muffins And Mistletoe (A Starlight Hills Holiday Novella) Read Online Free
Author: Debora Dennis
Tags: Holiday Romance Novella
look into Jimmy's eyes, not wanting to see the hurt she caused, but she couldn't help herself. For a second, their gazes locked, and then he quickly turned his head. She couldn't blame him, but she wasn't ready to give up.
She'd hoped for a few minutes alone with his mother to go over their plan for tonight. Catching him here now was an added bonus.
She removed her gloves, shoved them in her pockets and swallowed the nervous lump in her throat, knowing she had to say something. "Thanks for letting me in. It's freezing out there this morning." She tugged on the red and green scarf looped around her neck as she stood there, hoping he'd stay and not rush out the door.
"Supposed to be below freezing all week, I hear." He shrugged and reached to retrieve the bag off the table by the window where he'd left it before opening the door for her. "I guess you're here for the gala committee meeting."
"Yes. Perfect timing to catch a ride into town with Dalton, too."
"Speaking of your patient brother, he's waiting for me. I should go." He was eager to escape, but also too polite to grab his muffins and run. No matter how angry or upset he was with anyone, his character would never allow him to be rude. It was one of the many qualities she loved about him. She'd latch on to any opportunity that might enable her to get back into his good graces. If he wanted her to run barefoot and naked out into Triangle Park and dance around the Christmas tree proclaiming she was as idiot, she'd probably do that too.
She decided not to suggest that.
With a tentative smile, she looked up at him and hoped it would be contagious. "He's in the truck, but..." She tilted her head and tried to gauge just how long being polite would last before he raced out and away from her. "You might want to give him a few minutes alone, though. He's not in a good mood this morning. Maybe if he came in and had breakfast here—"
"No…no, that's definitely not a good idea." Jimmy quickly said with a quirky grin while looking over his shoulder at the door to the kitchen.
She followed his gaze, and while she knew he was talking about his mother, Corinne only noticed the mistletoe hanging on a small hook above the swinging door. She simply couldn't pass up the gift that little sprig of holiday magic offered, right then, right there.
"You know, your mother was right about Dalton and Melanie." She undid the top button of her coat and took a step toward him, the heels of her boots clicking on the tiled floor.
He stepped backward and watched her every move, following her fingers as they slowly undid the rest of her coat buttons. Why didn't she have the foresight to wear something more provocative? The black ankle-length skirt she wore beneath her coat would hardly tempt him. Though, from the way his eyes were focused on her, she might not be so sure.
With his hands full of coffee and the bag of muffins, he didn't have a free hand to zip up the down vest he wore over a gray flannel shirt. In fact, he didn't have a free hand to do anything but move his feet. His work boots scuffed across the floor as he tried to move away, but she blocked his path to the door. When his breath hitched slightly, she knew he might be losing his battle for control. She took advantage of his discomfort and let her gaze linger on the sensual curve of his lips before continuing down to the base of his throat, where the muscles in his neck moved when he swallowed. And he swallowed hard, spurring her on. A few dark curls peeked out from the neckline of his white undershirt, sending shock waves of warm twitches along her fingertips.
There was something so sexy about a man in jeans and a flannel shirt. No pretenses, no overblown ego, simply a hardworking man with muscles naturally honed from his trade. There was no place she'd ever felt safer, or more loved, than in the arms of Jimmy Crane.
Now wasn't the time to remind herself how stupid she'd been. She needed to focus on making
She'd hoped for a few minutes alone with his mother to go over their plan for tonight. Catching him here now was an added bonus.
She removed her gloves, shoved them in her pockets and swallowed the nervous lump in her throat, knowing she had to say something. "Thanks for letting me in. It's freezing out there this morning." She tugged on the red and green scarf looped around her neck as she stood there, hoping he'd stay and not rush out the door.
"Supposed to be below freezing all week, I hear." He shrugged and reached to retrieve the bag off the table by the window where he'd left it before opening the door for her. "I guess you're here for the gala committee meeting."
"Yes. Perfect timing to catch a ride into town with Dalton, too."
"Speaking of your patient brother, he's waiting for me. I should go." He was eager to escape, but also too polite to grab his muffins and run. No matter how angry or upset he was with anyone, his character would never allow him to be rude. It was one of the many qualities she loved about him. She'd latch on to any opportunity that might enable her to get back into his good graces. If he wanted her to run barefoot and naked out into Triangle Park and dance around the Christmas tree proclaiming she was as idiot, she'd probably do that too.
She decided not to suggest that.
With a tentative smile, she looked up at him and hoped it would be contagious. "He's in the truck, but..." She tilted her head and tried to gauge just how long being polite would last before he raced out and away from her. "You might want to give him a few minutes alone, though. He's not in a good mood this morning. Maybe if he came in and had breakfast here—"
"No…no, that's definitely not a good idea." Jimmy quickly said with a quirky grin while looking over his shoulder at the door to the kitchen.
She followed his gaze, and while she knew he was talking about his mother, Corinne only noticed the mistletoe hanging on a small hook above the swinging door. She simply couldn't pass up the gift that little sprig of holiday magic offered, right then, right there.
"You know, your mother was right about Dalton and Melanie." She undid the top button of her coat and took a step toward him, the heels of her boots clicking on the tiled floor.
He stepped backward and watched her every move, following her fingers as they slowly undid the rest of her coat buttons. Why didn't she have the foresight to wear something more provocative? The black ankle-length skirt she wore beneath her coat would hardly tempt him. Though, from the way his eyes were focused on her, she might not be so sure.
With his hands full of coffee and the bag of muffins, he didn't have a free hand to zip up the down vest he wore over a gray flannel shirt. In fact, he didn't have a free hand to do anything but move his feet. His work boots scuffed across the floor as he tried to move away, but she blocked his path to the door. When his breath hitched slightly, she knew he might be losing his battle for control. She took advantage of his discomfort and let her gaze linger on the sensual curve of his lips before continuing down to the base of his throat, where the muscles in his neck moved when he swallowed. And he swallowed hard, spurring her on. A few dark curls peeked out from the neckline of his white undershirt, sending shock waves of warm twitches along her fingertips.
There was something so sexy about a man in jeans and a flannel shirt. No pretenses, no overblown ego, simply a hardworking man with muscles naturally honed from his trade. There was no place she'd ever felt safer, or more loved, than in the arms of Jimmy Crane.
Now wasn't the time to remind herself how stupid she'd been. She needed to focus on making
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