Page 16 of Naughty-ish

My fingers curl tighter into Nick’s firm arms, holding onto him, holding onto this kiss.

“I don’t know. Damn kids,” another answers.

For a second, I smile against Nick’s mouth, pleased to be considered a kid.

Only, Nick doesn’t stop kissing me, treating me like the woman I am as he hungrily swipes his tongue against mine, swirling and twirling, like the looping lights we raced through.

Eventually, he presses a final kiss to my mouth and pulls back. Our eyes meet. The spark in his is like cool blue flames.

Nick lowers his forehead to mine as heavy footfalls rush beside us once more. My thoughts rumble as well.

That kiss. Talk about a light show.

Nick slowly lifts his head and looks over mine. “I think we’re in the clear now.” Twisting, he glances over his shoulder before shifting his entire body. He takes my hand in his again, and without a second look at me, we walk forward.

The magic of the kiss gradually dissipates as I realize Nick might have only kissed me to disguise us from our pursuers, while that kiss just took me to a new stratosphere.

Moving forward beneath the illuminated tunnel like we’re about to enter a different dimension, my heart still flutters, colliding with a hint of melancholy.

He didn’t mean to kiss me.

However, Nick lit the match of possibility. The belief in something magical. The spectacular sensation of attraction. The probability that second chances exist.

Be the light.

Suddenly, hope is shining brighter than I’d known it could.

Chapter 4

The trip through the light show doesn’t take as long as I anticipated to complete, and after our toe-curling kiss I’m having trouble concentrating on the final illuminated displays anyway. Eventually, we reach the end of the spectacle, and Nick leads me back to his truck.

We don’t say much. Everything in me itches to fill the silence with idle chatter, like asking him what his favorite display was or if he had a favorite Christmas song. Instead, I keep my mouth closed, my lips still burning with the imprint of his kiss.

When we finally get back to our neighborhood, Nick pulls into his driveway. As he hops out of his truck, I climb out of the passenger side, uncertain how I’d react if he touched me again like he did when we parked at the gardens. The flame he ignited might turn into an uncontrollable blaze, and that’s dangerous when the kiss was only a disguise.

With my feet firmly planted on the drive, Nick scowls at me. He opens his mouth but quickly closes it and we stand in the driveway a minute staring at one another. The mystique of the brilliant light show has dimmed.

“I had a great time tonight.” I pause a beat. “You were right earlier tonight. I needed a night out, so thank you.”

The corner of his lip curves. “I had a good time, too.”

Nick waves out his arm toward my house, and I lead the way, mentally wishing he’d invite me to his place, knowing I won’t invite him into mine.

On the front stoop of my home, I open the front door and then turn to face Nick. The Christmas lights that he installed on my house are on, outlining my home in white lights. Glittering lit icicles hang from the eaves. Nick is highlighted by the bulbs around the column he wrapped with additional lights.

“Would you like to—”

“I should probably get—” he says at the same time.

We both awkwardly laugh, but sadness strikes again. I was only a substitute date, and he kissed me as a cover from being pursued.

I take a step backward, setting my foot inside the entryway. “Thanks again for tonight.”

“It was my pleasure.” The twinkle in his eye is like the star atop a Christmas tree and I wish the spark was for me, but I’m starting to think the gleam is something ever-present in his sharp blue eyes.

Like the elf on my shelf, pretending to watch everything but not really seeing anything.

I weakly wave as I step further into my house. Nick waits on the stoop while I close and lock the front door. As I spin and slump against the wood, I catch a glimpse of that damn flimsy elf on top of the china cabinet.