Page 50 of A Newport Christmess

I smiled at him. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m actually using you.”

“Really?”

“You are literally twice my size, which logically means, with your extra surface area, you’ll be putting off twice the body heat that I can to fill our little cocoon of warmth here.”

“But you’re already warm. I still have to warm up before I can be of any use to you.” He placed his ice-cold hand over mine where I grasped the edge of the blanket, but it didn’t have the effect he was probably going for. Instead, my body did that strange thing where I felt oddly in tune with every internal sensation.

“You’re freezing,” I whispered, staring into his shadowed face. “Here.” I guided his hand under the blanket and clasped it in mine, convincing myself this was me being helpful and nothing more. “Let me have your other one, too.”

In the quiet, I could hear him swallow, but his other hand found mine.

Trying to ignore the buzzing in my chest and the pleasure of his skin against mine, I rubbed my fingers over his, starting at his palm and moving outward along each finger. For several minutes, neither of us spoke.

“Is that better?” I asked, when I realized his fingers were no longer cold to the touch.

His gaze was fixed on me. “Yes. Thank you.”

I’d just convinced myself to release his hands when his thumb caressed the top of my hand so gently I thought I imagined it. The second time, my breath caught. Then, his fingers intertwined with mine.

My heart trembled out a faster beat, and I stilled.

The air between us was electric, like the first time our hands had accidentally touched. I couldn’t see him clearly in the dark, but he was only a breath away. I willed him to close the space between our lips. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d wanted anything this much.

Landon exhaled. “We should get you to bed.”

My pounding heart plummeted, and I retracted my hands from his. “Yeah, of course.” I stood, allowing the blanket to fall from my lap. An overwhelming feeling of rejection chased away the flitting, invigorating sensation of anticipation from moments before.

“As long as it’s okay with you, I’ll sleep on the couch tonight.” Landon’s voice had an extra rasp to it. “That way, you’ll know you’re safe.”

“If you’re sure.” I took a step backward. “I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”

Landon climbed to his feet next to me. “Quinn, I feel like I need to—”

I lifted my hands. “No, it’s fine. Really. You don’t need to explain anything or apologize ... or say whatever you were going to say. It’s late and dark, and neither of us are thinking clearly. Well, you apparently are, seeing that you stopped us from doing anything we might regret. Not that we would have actually done anything to regret. I mean, more like ... complicating things.” I cleared my throat. “So I totally get it.”

“Quinn.”

“I’m fine. Honestly. I’m just going to head up.” I started walking toward the kitchen with careful steps. “Siri? Hey, Siri?” I gave a high-pitched giggle that sounded false even to my ears. “She never hears me at first. Hey, Siri,” I said again, louder this time. Finally, a quiet chime sounded, and a flicker of light drew my attention to the counter. “There she is.” I snatched up my phone and turned on the flashlight. “Night, Landon.”

He gave a long exhale. “Night.”

When I reached the room, I slipped into bed without getting ready. The darkness hardly troubled me compared to the way my mind looped through what had just happened. Again and again. The slight caress of Landon’s thumb and his fingers intertwining with mine. Now that I saw it playing in front of me, I realized his gesture had been a way of letting me down gently after my whole awkward, hand-warming display. What an idiot I was. I definitely needed to swear off relationships for the rest of forever.

THIRTEEN

LANDON

My phone buzzed on the coffee table, and I rolled over, trying to get my bleary eyes to focus at the name on the screen. Nikki’s name clarified.

“Hey.” I picked up the phone and put it to my ear, too tired to sit up. I’d hardly slept all night due to a wicked combination of cold and guilt. “You’re up early.”

“Do you even know what time it is?” Nikki asked, sounding concerned.

My gaze slid to the corner of the screen. “Yeah. It’s seven-forty-five. And being that I’m on forced vacation, my point remains valid.”

“You’re still planning on visiting Grandma with us at eight, aren’t you?”

Crap. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “You bet.”