Page 75 of The Naughty List Agreement

She wasn’t envious of his upbringing, she’d made peace with her own long ago. But it did make her wonder how she was going to ever have anything permanent with Nick. He was used to showing his emotions. He had bowls that had been made for him by his deceased sister. He had friends who had been with him for most if not all of his life.

She had … herself.

Was she trying to carve a place for herself in his world? Was that even possible? Ugh. Tonight she just wanted to forget all of this and just enjoy her time with the hot toymaker. When the bowl was empty, she set it on the coffee table.

This time, when she settled back next to him, she curved her body toward him. She reached for the bottom of his shirt and tugged it out so she could touch her fingers to his skin.

She drew circles over his belly and sides, eventually letting the back of her hand brush his growing erection as she undid the buttons of his flannel shirt. He didn’t have a six-pack but his stomach was taut. She came up onto her knees so she could push his shirt down his arms. Resting on her heels, she lifted his left arm up, leaning down to study his tattoos. The workmanship was similar to what she’d seen on the carved banisters on the way up.

She traced the design motifs on his arm as well as the words and phrases, coming to a stop when she arrived at a sleigh and reindeer along with a dark figure.

“What’s this?”

Nick paused the movie. “That’s Krampus.”

“Not your cousin, obviously. Do you mean the mythical figure?”

“Hm-mmm.”

“I get that your family is, like, really into Christmas but how does Krampus fit in? I thought he scared kids.”

“Krampus is the other side of Santa. They both function to keep the world in balance, rewarding anyone on the Nice List and punishing those on the Naughty List with the goal of making the world a better place and getting everyone onto the Nice List eventually. One can’t exist without the other.”

“That’s a big ask in the modern world. I think most people exist in a gray area. Not totally good all the time but certainly not bad,” she said.

“You don’t have to be perfect to get on the Nice List, just broadly better than not,” he said. She placed his hand on her thigh and his fingers spread wide, squeezing it as she lifted his other arm. This one had the phrase Traditions and Time and an hourglass with sand falling through it.

“This one?”

“Just a reminder that what I do isn’t only for myself but for the future of all mankind,” he said.

“Modest much?”

He shrugged. She liked the play of muscles in his body. He was so ripped and hot. How had she ever dismissed him as simply a grumpy toymaker. “Do you have any tattoos?”

She shivered. She’d almost gotten a tattoo once, had even gone into the shop and talked to an artist and designed one. But she couldn’t deal with the needle. “Nope. I don’t like needles.”

“Really?”

“Truly. I’ve fainted more times than I should admit when I’ve been to the doctor’s.”

“Interesting. You know what else is interesting?”

She loved it when he teased her like this. It made her feel … well cared for. That, though, immediately made her want to scoot off his lap and run back to Pine Falls. “What?”

“Me half-clothed and you fully dressed.”

Ah, that’s more like it. The physical chemistry between them was going to be her saving grace. She could fool herself into thinking everything was okay when he flirted with her. “I don’t think it’s odd,” she said with a big grin.

“Care to even things up?” he asked her.

“It’s chilly in here,” she said.

“I’ll keep you warm. I promise.”

“Show me,” she said, her voice had turned husky. He drew her onto his lap and ran his hands up and under the shirt and sweater she wore. One large hand sprawled over her back, urging her toward him.

His pecs were firm under her hands and she licked her lips, hungry for his kiss but also needing to take this slow. The last two times they’d been together had gone by in a flash. She wanted this one to last.