Unexpected Gifts Read Online Free Page B

breathe. Any room to
develop. Now, they were running wild, and she needed to bury them
again as quickly as possible.
    He eased out of her and curled around her
back, pulling the afghan from the back of the couch over the top of
them. Urging her head onto his arm, he kissed her temple, and she
blinked back the tears that burned her eyes.

Chapter Four
     
    Dawn’s dull gray light crept through the
window, making Cassie squint. Lifting her head, she saw that the
snow still came down with a vengeance. She also noticed she was
alone on the couch. For a minute, she wondered if Sam so thoroughly
regretted what had happened between them that he’d slunk off into
the night. But, she reasoned, even if he had regretted it, he
wouldn’t have just left her without saying goodbye. He also
wouldn’t have taken off in a dangerous blizzard. Especially not
with his truck stuck like it was.
    Looking toward the dining room, she noticed
a muted glow behind her. Her ficus plant was draped with softly
shining Christmas lights, and a pile of presents sat on the floor
in front of the pot. Her brow furrowed, and she pulled the afghan
more securely around her and sat up just as Sam entered the room
wearing nothing but his worn jeans and carrying a couple of her
snowmen ornaments.
    “You’re awake,” he said as he hung them on
the plant, causing the branches to droop.
    “Yeah. What’s all this about?” she asked,
gesturing loosely at the decorations.
    He shrugged, the dim lights highlighting his
bare chest. “You love Christmas. I couldn’t stand the thought of
the douche bag taking this away from you, too…so I improvised.”
    Tears burned her eyes as she stared at the
man who’d been her friend and also the biggest pain in her ass for
the last fifteen years. Having Tyler leave her was nothing. It was
going to hurt so much more when this—whatever it was with
Sam—ended.
    She was so, so stupid. She wasn’t Sam’s
type—never had been. Besides, he was a serial monogamist—one steady
girlfriend after another. When this came crashing down around them,
not only would her life suck, but it would affect the rest of her
family, too. After all, Sam was basically her parents’ second son.
There would be nothing but years of awkwardness after this. What
the hell had she been thinking? She sank to the floor in front of
the makeshift tree and blinked back the tears that threatened.
    He sat on floor across from her and stared
at her. “What’s going on in that head of yours, Cassie-girl?”
    “Nothing.” She couldn’t meet his eyes.
Instead, she stared at the shimmering lights on the tree.
    “Now, you’re lying on Christmas Day. Your
mother would be so disappointed.”
    Yeah, well, that was nothing compared to how
the woman would feel when she eventually got wind of what had gone
down here, last night. And she would. Finding out stuff her kids
didn’t want her to know was her mother’s mutant ability.
    “Cassie?” His tone was hesitant and worried.
She’d never heard him sound like that before, and it forced her to
glance at him.
    Grabbing her hand, he laced their fingers
together. “Did I push too hard last night?” he asked. “Push you
into something you didn’t want? Or weren’t ready for?”
    The uncertainty in his expression cut at
her, and she tightened her hand on his. “No. That’s not it.” Heat
rose to her cheeks. “I wanted what happened,” she said, and a
despondent sounding laugh escaped. “I wanted it—and
you—desperately.”
    His brow furrowed. “Then, what’s wrong?”
    She scrubbed a hand over her eyes. He might
not want to face reality, but the sooner they did, the sooner they
could get past the inevitable fall out. “Last night
was…amazing.”
    “But?” he prodded when she didn’t continue
right away.
    She took a breath. “But…I think we both know
that this is just going to end ugly.”
    He pulled his hand away from hers. His
eyebrows drew together and disappointment glinted in his eyes.