Season of Second Chances by Brighton Walsh Read Free Book Online Page B

had come to stand next to her. His voice rumbled through her as he said his goodbyes, then slid his phone in his pocket.
    “Sophie good?”
    “Yeah.” He laughed. “Poor Brooke. Nine months pregnant, up at 5 a.m. for presents, and chasing a kid who’s acting like she’s inhaled fifty Pixy Stix.” Turning to look at her, he leaned against the glass door. “So...Sophie has informed me I need to dig out the Christmas decorations, and we have to put the tree up because it’s not fair for you to be here on Christmas day without one.”
    Her mouth turned up. “She sure is bossy. Must get that from Brooke.”
    Logan’s smile was as slow as molasses, until it crept over his whole face, his eyes brightening. “Something like that. So what do you say? Up for some Christmas decorating?”
    She shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
    If nothing else, it would take her mind off exactly how else she’d like to spend the time. And she needed to think about something other than what Logan’s naked body would feel like under hers.
    * * *
    His tree was the most pitiful thing she’d ever seen. It was artificial and about two feet tall and as gangly as a pre-teen growing into their limbs. Hours later, after he’d dug through storage to find the Christmas decorations Sophie had made him purchase last year, they were in full decorating mode.
    “This is the ugliest tree I’ve ever seen.”
    The sound of his laugh, loud and carefree, still warmed her insides. It never failed to bring a smile to her face. “Hey, don’t hate on the tree. It can’t help how it was made.”
    “Seriously, putting these ornaments on it isn’t going to do anything. It’s like putting lipstick on a pig.”
    It wasn’t really that bad, but she needed to deflect before she did something ill-advised. Once again, memories had taken her captive. All she could think about was their first Christmas together after he’d asked her to move in with him. They’d picked out a real tree because that was the kind she’d always had growing up. Logan didn’t care one way or another, so he went along with whatever she wanted. After finding one and hauling it to his place, they’d decorated it with twinkling lights and brand new ornaments, and it had been the most perfect tree she’d ever seen because she shared it with the man she loved.
    She shivered as she recalled what he’d leaned in to whisper in her ear after the last ornament had been hung. How sad was it that three years later she recalled every detail, down to the brush of his fingers against the back of her neck as he’d pushed her hair aside, then the soft cadence of his voice as he’d whispered that he wanted to fuck her right then, right there, under the lights of the tree.
    The sudden illumination of the lights brought her back to the present. When she lifted her eyes to his, he was staring intently at her, and she knew he was recalling the same thing. And though she knew she should, she couldn’t look away. His pale eyes were always so entrancing, but combined with the hungry way he was looking at her, she was a goner.
    “If you’re serious about backing off, you need to stop looking at me like that.”
    She swallowed, attempting to impart some moisture in her too-dry mouth. “Like what?”
    He stepped toward her until he was mere inches away. Her nose came to his chest, and she wanted to press her face to it and inhale deeply. She wanted to slide her arms around his waist and hold him to her, and then she wanted to let him take her right there on the floor under the lights like they had that night so many years ago.
    His finger pressed lightly under her chin, tipping her face to his. He slipped his hands around to cup her face, his thumbs sliding on her jaw. Without conscious thought, she reached up and gripped his forearms, closing her eyes. His lips fluttered barely-there kisses along her cheekbones, her eyelids, her forehead. His hands slipped down to her neck and his lips took a path to her