Heating up the Holidays

show me.”

The heat that flared in his eyes stilled her hands. And damn near stopped her heart. Okay, wrong thing to say. Why, oh, why didn’t life have a rewind button? Or a judge to rule on such things. Your honor, I’d like my last statement stricken from the record.

“Oh, I definitely want to show you.”

Her mouth went dry. It simply wasn’t right how this man turned her on just standing there. Why couldn’t he be an accountant? Anything but a firefighter? She briefly wondered if Nana Rose had put some sort of Sicilian curse on her love life.

With his gaze on hers, he opened the credit-card-sized envelope and slipped out its contents. Then he looked down. And smiled. Then looked up at her. With a heated expression that threatened to melt the soles of her sneakers.

“This must be my lucky day,” he murmured. He pulled out his wallet and handed her another twenty-five bucks. “I’ll take another.”

Before she could recover from her surprise, he headed back toward the tree. Her gaze zeroed in on his ass. And what a fine ass it was. The man definitely had a great walkaway. When he crouched down to mull over the envelopes near the bottom of the tree, her head tilted to admire the view, while in her mind’s eye his jeans-along with the rest of his clothes-miraculously disappeared. When he returned a moment later holding another envelope, she realized she was still standing precisely where he’d left her, holding the twenty-five bucks, her head still tilted to one side, and the fantasy-induced image of his bare backside fried into her brain.

“Wanna see what I’ve got now?”

I just saw it. And it was fiiiine. She blinked away the image of a naked Brad and shrugged. “You can show me what’s in the envelope-since I have a feeling you will no matter what I say.”

“C’mon, you’re as curious as I am.”

True, unfortunately. Insatiably curious about what his skin would feel like beneath her fingertips. What his kiss would taste like. How his large hands would feel skimming down her body. How quickly they could bring each other to orgasm. How long they could make it last before coming together.

All things she desperately wished she wasn’t curious about.

He opened the envelope and perused its contents. “Perfect. This really is my lucky day.” He set the gift card from the first envelope he’d opened on the counter and slid it toward her.

Toni looked at it and her eyebrows shot up. “Perfect? Really? A red-and-white peppermint-striped lace Christmas thong from Mimi’s Intimate Apparel on Third Street?” She pushed the card back toward him. “Congratulations, although really, I would have pegged you for a boxer man myself.”

He pushed the card back toward her. “Glad to know you’ve been thinking about what’s under my clothes.”

“I’ve done no such thing,” she lied, ignoring the fact that she sounded like a prudish schoolmarm. A lying prudish schoolmarm. She pushed the card back toward him. “Have fun with that.”

“That’s my fondest hope.” With a single fingertip he once again pushed the card back toward her. “For you.”

Again, her brows shot upward. “Me?”

“You. Doesn’t take much of a leap of imagination to figure that that peppermint-striped thong would look a hell of a lot better on you than me.”

She slid the card back at him. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

He slid it right back to her. “C’mon. Help a guy out.” He flashed a devilish grin. “The boys at the station would razz me no end if I showed up in something from Mimi’s Intimate Apparel. You have no idea how brutal those guys can be.”

Actually she did. All too well. Never again. She pushed the card back to him, this time with a bit more force. “As much as I appreciate the thought, I have to decline. I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding someone else to give those panties to.”

“Seems I already am having trouble.” Once again he pushed the card toward her, this time setting the red envelope next to it. “Since you don’t want it, why don’t you just put the card back on the tree? And instead, I’ll offer you this one.” He set the second card on the counter and nudged it toward her.

She looked down at the gift card for dinner for two at Sea Shells, Santa Rey’s most popular beachside restaurant.

“Have dinner with me,” he said softly.

Her insides threatened to melt into goo and she gritted her teeth against the appalling affect he had on her. She turned the card around so it faced him then pushed both it and the other one back toward him. And stiffened her rapidly weakening spine. “Thanks, but we already had this conversation. I told you I was involved.”

“I know. But I heard that you aren’t.”

“You heard wrong.”

“You have a boyfriend?”

She hesitated, cursing the fact that she wasn’t a better liar. That brief hesitation clanged out like a choir of church bells that she didn’t have a boyfriend. A triumphant gleam entered his eyes. “You don’t.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m looking for one,” she said.

“So I won’t be your boyfriend. I’ll just be the guy you go out to dinner with. What’s the harm in one little date?”

“I’m trying to get my business off the ground. I’m too busy right now to date.”

“Then what’s the harm in one little dinner? Or are you going to tell me you’re too busy to eat?”

Toni tucked a wayward curl behind her ear and drew a deep breath. “Look, I might as well tell you, Brad… you’re just not my type.”

“Because I’m a firefighter.”

It wasn’t a question. So clearly he’d heard something from someone. Well, good. It saved her from making explanations she wasn’t inclined to give. “That’s right.”

“Care to tell me what you have against my occupation?”

“No. And I can’t see how it matters. Listen, you seem like a nice guy-”

“I am. Ask my mom. She’ll tell you.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice, as if imparting a great secret. “Don’t ask my older brother, though. He’ll tell you I’m a pain in the ass.”

She had to force herself not to grin. “I appreciate you buying the gift cards, but I won’t go out to dinner with you.”

“Because I’m a firefighter.”

“Yes.”

“So, if I were say, an accountant, you’d go to dinner with me?”

“You’re not an accountant.”

“But if I were?” he insisted.

She desperately wanted to tell him no, but knew she’d never make it sound convincing given that every hormone in her body was shouting yes! “Fine. Yes, if you were an accountant, or a cowboy, or even a circus clown, I’d go to dinner with you. But you’re not, so I won’t.” She nodded toward the dozen centerpieces. “And now, unless there’s something else you’d like to purchase, I really need to get back to work.”

He studied her for several long seconds and she forced herself to hold his gaze so he could see she meant it and wasn’t being coy. Finally he gave a tight nod. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.” He scooped up the two gift cards and slipped them in his back pocket. “See ya, Toni,” he said softly, then turned and walked toward the door. The bell tinkled as he departed and Toni stared at the now-empty doorway. He was gone. Good. And undoubtedly wouldn’t be back. Even better. She’d probably never see him again. Excellent. She was glad. Really, really glad.

She returned her attention to her centerpieces. And ignored her little inner voice that told her she was a big fat liar.