LITMIR.BIZ

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the drunken display might remind Jake of his father—one of the few things that could put Jake in a really dark mood. He was willing to drink in bars and at his house, but she’d never seen him drunk in the middle of the day. The few occasions she’d met his father, he’d been soused, regardless of the time of day. Jake was usually careful, except for last night. Looked like they were a bad influence on each other.

      Clearing her throat, she tried to lighten the moment. “Well, Merry Christmas to him, too.”

      Jake coughed, shrugging his tense shoulders in an obvious attempt to shake off the moment. He offered her a tight smile. “You know, I’ve never understood using cunt as an insult.”

      “Why not? It’s certainly derogatory.” She winced.

      His dark blond brows rose, and his grin widened to a more genuine one. “Yes, but why would I use a word that describes the happiest place on Earth as an insult? He might as well have said, ‘You stupid Disneyland.’”

      A laugh exploded out of Dayna at the incredulous look on his face. No matter how long she’d known him, it constantly amazed her what came out of Jake’s mouth. Tears welled in her eyes as her fit of giggles wouldn’t stop. She wrapped her arms around her belly, trying to contain the chuckles, but she ended up slipping in the snow. It just made her laugh harder as Jake caught her from behind to keep her on her feet. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe you said that.”

      His hands cupped her hips from behind, pulling her back against his chest. His voice lowered to that silken purr he’d used in bed. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you all day.”

      Just like that, the laughter strangled in her throat as molten heat spread through her limbs.

      “Don’t say that,” she whispered. All her regrets came crowding back in. What was she thinking to have a drunken one-night stand with her brother’s best friend? She should slap his hands down and step away from him. But she didn’t. Her insides had begun melting the moment he touched her, and her thoughts centered on the pressure of his fingers through her clothes, the memories of those big hands sliding over her naked skin. She dropped her head forward, her hair swinging into her face. “Don’t—”

      “Why? It’s true.” He nuzzled the nape of her neck, pushing her scarf out of his way. Fire exploded through her at just that light contact. Her breath caught. She’d never reacted to anyone the way she was reacting to him. How had this happened so fast? She’d never thought of Jake this way. He was Sam’s best friend, he was every shade of wicked, and he was simply not the kind of guy she ever got involved with in any way. Until last night. It was like a switch had flipped, and now there was nothing she didn’t notice about Jake. His dark, masculine scent, his deep voice, the heat of his touch whenever he brushed up against her. Which was often.

      “Last night was fun.” His breath heated her skin when he spoke. “Don’t you agree?”

      “Fun.” She huffed out a laugh, a cloud erupting in the cold air. “That’s not really my style. You’re not my style.”

      Kissing her neck lightly, he flicked his tongue over her skin. “You tried me and fun on for size last night. We seemed to fit then.”

      “Temporary insanity?” Her muscles were loosening, molding her curves against his harder planes. They fit perfectly even through the bulk of their winter clothing. He was right about that. Her body clamored with the need to try him on for size again, her sex dampening as the craving twisted tight within her.

      “Your insanity is my gift from the world. I must have been a very good boy this year. Thank you, Santa.”

      She glanced over her shoulder at him, arching an eyebrow. “Did you actually just say ‘good boy’ in reference to yourself?”

      Winking at her, he slid one hand around to her lower belly and pulled her back until her ass rubbed against his erection. “Hey, I’m a successful local business owner. I pay my taxes. What else do you want?”

      Her mouth formed a moue. “Honey, you’re a tattoo artist. That hardly makes you a choirboy. Face it, you’re a very naughty man.”

      “You know firsthand.” His hips moved subtly against hers, and her lips fell open as she sucked in a shuddering breath.

      “Yes, I do.” God, was he naughty. They were in a Christmas tree lot. There were children nearby, including her nephew. And she was ready to turn in his embrace and beg him to fuck her. No. She wouldn’t let that happen again. One night was stupid but understandable. More than that was unacceptable. She forced herself to focus on the arms wrapped around her. She pried one off her waist and spun away.

      Her fingers slipped on his arm, pushing up his sleeve enough to see the whorls of ink on the inside of his wrist—the symbol for infinity with her family’s first initials twining around it. Jake had designed the art and tattooed his own arm almost a decade before. He’d added Toby’s initial to the design and done Sam’s forearm at the same time a few years ago. Then her mother had asked him to add it to her ankle to celebrate her retirement. Dayna was the only adult in the family without the tattoo—Aunt Rainbow had had him put it at the top of her impressive cleavage on her sixtieth birthday, and she used it as an excuse to flash people whenever she wanted. A wry smile curved Dayna’s lips and shook her head. Rainbow loved causing a spectacle.

      Turning his wrist, Jake caught her hand and her attention. He pulled her around until she faced him, offering up a smile that made his handsome face flawlessly gorgeous. “What could it really hurt, Dayna? Go a little crazy for the whole week, not just the night. It doesn’t have to mean anything other than two healthy, single adults enjoying some incredible chemistry.”

      He stroked his thumb over the pulse point in her wrist, just above the edge of her glove. She swallowed, fighting a shiver. His gaze locked with hers as he brought up her captured hand, brushing his soft lips over her skin. That wasn’t where she wanted that talented mouth. Her hormones did a little tap dance at the thought of his lips against hers. He was an amazing kisser. He didn’t rush; he savored the play of their mouths together. Insidious heat wound through her, flushing her cheeks. She stared at his mouth, remembering. “Jake.”

      He was reaching for her, his features tight with lust, when Sam’s voice sounded through the trees. “Hey, you two. Toby found the one he wants. He’s standing guard so no one else claims it.”

      “I’ll bring my truck around,” Jake called back. He gave Dayna a final, heated glance before he turned toward the entrance of the tree farm.

      Her breath whooshed out, relief and regret twisting tight inside her. Turning on legs that felt too weak to hold her, she followed the sound of Toby’s high-pitched giggle until she spotted her brother and nephew next to a Scotch pine. “Oh, it’s beautiful. You’re such a good tree picker, Toby.”

      He beamed up at her, wrapping his little arms around her leg to hug her. “This is gonna be the best Christmas ever, Aunt Dayna.”

      Sam’s phone beeped, and he pulled it off the clip on his belt. “Damn.”

      “What’s up?” She looked up at him.

      He shook his head. “Just got a text message. One of the other bartenders has a pregnant wife, and she just went into labor. We knew it was coming soon, so I’m going to have to go in and cover the last half of his shift.”

      “Do you need me to take Toby?”

      “Nah, I can drop him off with Rainbow on my way.” He scooped up his son and tucked him under his arm like a football. “You stay with the tree so Jake can get the right one loaded. We’d never hear the end of it from the rugrat otherwise.”

      “No problem!” she called over her nephew’s squeals of delight.

      “Thanks, sis. I’ll pay for it on the way out.” He kissed her cheek and headed for the entrance. He waved Jake in the right direction from the main road as he passed.

      Dayna grinned and shook her head. The smile widened at the rumble of Jake’s big red

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