Page 61 of The Naughty List Agreement

“Like magic.”

“What is it with you and magic? It’s not something most CEOs focus on.”

“I’m not most CEOs.”

There was a feeling of peace inside of her that Cora had never experienced before. It was nice, but at the same time it unnerved her. Nick’s altruistic ways were great and all, but a part of her didn’t buy it. No one did so many things out of the goodness of their heart. Certainly not CEOs. She’d had lots of experience with them and never had any one of them stepped up the way Nick had. She was thrown when people didn’t act as she expected them to.

“No, you’re not. No one else would have jumped on the stage and led the caroling tonight. I’ve noticed you do that a lot. Just reach out with no thought of what’s in it for you.”

He flushed a little then looked over to the windows. It had stopped snowing but the moon on the snow cast a glow on the landscape outside. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“What’s really in this for you?”

“This?” he asked, gesturing to the two of them.

“This, and also stepping up with WonderHaus. Every person associated with the festival only does what they’re contracted to do. There’s never anything extra. But not with you.”

He took a deep breath and then reached for one of the gingerbread women, breaking the cookie in half and dipping it in milk. She was momentarily distracted by his mouth and remembering how it felt on hers. Were they ever going to really sleep together? And was she ever going to get to the bottom of why he had agreed to help her?

“One good deed feeds another. Me helping you out meant that all the attendees tonight got to sing songs which lifts spirits.”

“Again, that’s too ‘big picture.’ What’s in it for you?”

“Want to go outside and make snow angels?” he asked instead of answering. He needed the distraction, some perspective, and being in the snow would do just that.

“Answer the question first.”

“Make a snow angel with me and I’ll tell you.”

“Fine.”

She shifted off the bench and they both put on their boots and coats and went outside. She was aggravated with him and with herself for not just kicking him out when he wouldn’t give her the truth.

“Mistletoe,” he said, pulling her close, his head angling down to hers.

She put her hands on the sides of his face, the sable softness of his beard rubbing against her fingers. “Kissing me won’t keep me from getting answers.”

He rested his forehead against her. “You are doggedly determined. The kiss is for courage.”

Courage?

What did he have to reveal to her?

He must have guessed she was going to ask another question because his lips were on hers. Her mind hit pause as her instincts took over. Nick was the best kisser. He tasted good, his lips were warm and he always made the world drop away. To her harried mind that was always busy with anticipating the next disaster, it was a relief.

But right now, it felt like a distraction.

“You’re stalling,” she said, pushing him away.

“I am,” he admitted, moving away from her and sitting on the step that led to the path in her front yard.

“Why?”

“It’s complicated.”

“So’s life. Stop with the excuses. Just say it. There’s literally nothing you could say that would shock or surprise me.”

“I bet there is.”