Page 7 of The Bad Boy's Secret Santa

“Are you following me?”

“I was here first.”

“Oh.” A swift blush rushes up my neck, making me wish I’d worn a scarf. I try to hide it with my coat, but his smirk warns me I’ve failed. “Well, enjoy your pizza?—”

“Why don’t you join me, Pipes?”

Pipes. Gah, my insides turn to instant mush. Maybe I just need a good night’s sleep—and a good self-induced orgasm—to settle my rampant thoughts. It’s not my fault he waltzed into town unannounced after a decade and didn’t warn me he was coming. It’s been a jolt to my system, and my brain is misfiring.

“Unless you have a hot date?” he teases when I don’t answer, following my gaze around the restaurant.

If the Secret Santa rules didn’t mandate that I spend time with him, I’d leave now and stop by the bakery instead. Cupcakes for dinner hasneverbeen a bad decision. “You didn’t bring your girlfriend along to flaunt all over town?”

“What makes you think I don’t have a wife?”

“Eli Winchester?” I shake my head, unable to resist stealing a full up-and-down glance. An old, familiar impulse to strip him of all those layers is tugging at me.Would it be the worst thing in the world? It would be so nice to have one of those toe-curling orgasms he’s so good at giving.“You’re allergic to settling down. It would tarnish that precious bad boy image you hold so dear.”

He runs his thumb up the sweating side of his soda glass, and I suddenly flash to the way he’d run that thumb up other places. His gaze flicks back to mine. “Maybe I’ve changed.”

“You?”

“I have,” he declares.

I notice he’s missing the leather jacket. In its place is a coat some random professional might wear to a board meeting. Even his dark jeans are pressed. For some reason, this makes me a little sad. For the first time, I wonder what his life has been like since he fled Alpine Valley. Was it the adventure he hopedit would be or did something harden him? “Is that why you’re back?”

“I’m back to settle Roy’s estate.”

I instantly feel like an ass as I remember Wilma’s half-heard condolences this morning. Of course. I’d heard about Roy Winchester’s passing earlier in the fall. I’d stupidly hoped it would be enough to bring Eli home after all these years. But knowing the strained relationship he had with his uncle, I wasn’t surprised to hear he hadn’t been back for the funeral service. “I’m sorry?—”

“Don’t be,” Eli says as a server approaches with a massive stack of pizza boxes. Good grief, there must be a dozen.

“Throwing a party?”

“Why?” He winks at me, peeling a twenty off of a roll of bills and tipping the server. “You want to come?”

“No.”Yes. “There’s no way you’re throwing a party in Alpine Valley,” I add. “You don’t like enough people here. What are you doing with all that pizza?” I demand when he picks up the stack from the table and pivots away.

“Guess you’ll have to come with me to find out.”

The aroma of freshly baked pizza makes my stomach grumble. The pizzeria is nearly full tonight. I’ll have to wait at least half an hour for my own order. Maybe longer.Should’ve called ahead. “Fine. But you have to share a slice with me.”

“That’s not up to me.”

“Then who’s it up to?”

“The firefighters.”

“Firefighters?” I repeat, chasing after him. He’s out the door and headed down the block toward the fire station before I can ask, “Did you set something on fire? Is that apology pizza?”

“Pipes, I know you hate me right now, but if you could put that aside, I could really use your help with somethingimportant.” Hands full, he gives me a gentle nudge with an elbow. “Come on. It’s Christmas after all.”

“And why would I help you? You leftwithoutme. After all the plans we made, you just ditched me and never explained yourself.”

“How about, if you agree to help me with something, I promise to explain myself by Christmas?” He turns that potent whiskey-colored gaze on me, making my lady bits quiver.I guess some things never change. “You in?”

Chapter Five

ELI

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