The Christmas He Loved Her (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 2)

“The roads are open, so I’m going start chipping away at the ice out there. It’s going to take a bit to get the vehicles clear.”

He put on his shirt and yanked his boots over his feet. Gibson nipped at his hands, and after a tussle with the puppy—which basically meant Gibson rolled onto his back and Jake scratched his belly real good—he rose and crossed the room to stand by the sofa.

Suddenly everything about their situation seemed awkward, and Raine couldn’t help the blush that stained her cheeks. In the harsh light of day, she felt like she was doing the walk of shame, and that was ridiculous.

“I’ll let you know when your car is done so you can go home.”

She nodded but didn’t answer. She didn’t trust the lump in her throat.

I don’t want to go home.

His hand caressed her cheek, lingering near her mouth. “You look beautiful, like this.”

She cleared her throat. “Like this? You mean all crazy hair and no makeup and in bad need of a shower?”

“No,” he said softly. “Like a woman who’s been loved. A woman with swollen lips”—his finger slid inside and he cocked his head to the side—“and a hickey on her neck.”

“What?” She wriggled away. “Are you serious? I have to help out the youth meeting on Wednesday night. Oh my God, I don’t even know if I own a freaking turtleneck. I—”

His grin told her he was bullshitting, and she punched him in the arm, then settled back to watch him head for the door, calling for Gibson to follow him out. He’d just yanked the door open when panic hit and she grabbed the blanket around her and flew over the wooden floor, her bare feet making no sound.

“Jake!”

He turned and she shivered at the gust of cold air that slipped into the cottage.

“You planning on helping me in that?” he asked, a hint of a smile on his face.

“Are we going to be all right?”

The light in his eyes dimmed a bit, and her teeth chattered as her

body began to shiver uncontrollably. Whether it was from the cold was anyone’s guess, but she stood there like an idiot as Jake hiked the comforter up just under her chin.

He kissed her forehead and stepped out into the brightly lit morning without saying another word.

Raine didn’t know how long she stood there, staring at the door. But it was long enough that her vision began to blur, and angrily she wiped the wetness from the corners and set about getting dressed.

Luckily, she’d brought an overnight bag, and even though her overnight had turned into a few extra days, always the practical girl, she had clean undies and socks. Once she was dressed in a plain gray sweatshirt and matching yoga pants, she threw her hair up into a clip—she didn’t need to look in a mirror to know how awful it was—and tidied up the living area.

A steady stream of yipping sounded from outside—good to know Gibson was having a blast—and once she was satisfied with the way things looked, she grabbed her coat and bag, slipped into her boots, and headed out into the sunlight.

Her car was running, and Jake was just finishing up chipping the ice off the back window. She tossed her bag into the back, grateful to feel the heat, because even though the sun was shining at about a thousand watts, it was freaking cold.

“So,” she said, her breath floating in the air, small puffs that evaporated instantly.

“So,” Jake answered.

Gibson jumped at her and she scooped him into her arms, laughing as the puppy tried in vain to lick her entire face. In the end she was forced to throw him into the backseat, and even then he pushed his nose against the window, yelping happily, searching for a way back out.

So many thoughts whirled in her head, but one stood out.

“Am I going to see you later?” she asked, watching him closely.

Jake hesitated, and the disappointment and hurt that rolled through her was instant.

“Not that I expect you to, you know, spend all your time with me or come over, or…”

“Hey,” he said softly, taking a step toward her until his tall frame blocked all the sunlight. “You need to know that these last few days have been amazing.” His lips swept across hers and he pulled her into his embrace, resting his head on top of hers.