Page 50 of My Rival for Christmas

Not to mention, wildly uncomfortable. A fact that Paige knows, if only by the way she keeps subtly rubbing her lower back. She only sat on it for half a movie before she joined me on the floor and she wants me to sleep there all night?

I’m a delicate boy.

“Fine. Sleep in the bathtub. Or on the floor, for all I care. You are just not sleeping in this bed with me.”

My brows shoot up, then pinch together. “Who said you got the bed? It’s my house.”

“Which makes you the host, and as any good host knows, you give your guest the only bed in the house during a blizzard.”

It’s technically not a blizzard, and there’s a lot less snow falling than the weatherman predicted, but I don’t correct her. She looks awfully proud of herself in this moment.

“Hmm.” I rub a hand over my beard to try and contain my amusement. “I must’ve missed that chapter in Emily Post’s etiquette book.”

“Don’t worry,” Paige states matter of factly. “I read it twice.”

I swipe my thumb along my bottom lip. “I bet you did.”

I’m not even sure she heard me. Just like earlier, Paige hones in on the movement, focusing on my mouth. I do it again, one slow long stroke tracing the edge of my lip, and watch as her nose flares with a heavy breath. Eyes following my thumb with rapt attention.

Until she catches herself. Then her glare slips back into place. “Be a gentleman.”

“I have never claimed to be a gentleman a day in my life.”

“You know what they say, Nate.” Paige picks up one of the pillows and slams it into my gut. I barely feel it. “There is no better time to start than the present.”

Her green-dominate eyes pierce right through my chest. “Because there is no way you are sleeping in this bed with me.”

I’m sleeping in the bed with her. And I can’t stop the amused grin on my face as I watch Paige march into the room with another armful of blankets.

“Do not say a word to me right now,” she orders, dropping the blankets on the mattress between our designated sides.

“Wasn’t planning on it.” My eyes widen. “Oops.”

Paige fists the sheets in front of her, giving me her best withering stare. “I only agreed to this if you promised not to make a peep. That is more than a peep.”

For the second time tonight, I raise my hand like I’m back in class.

Paige rolls her eyes. “Yes?”

“I’m just wondering if you’re collecting every pillow and blanket and jacket you can find for our fort.” She already has the cushions and blanket from the couch, the jackets we hung on the hooks by the door, and now even more blankets. I didn’t even know we had this many in the house.

“It’s not a fort, Nathan. It’s our sleep divider.” Paige starts to carefully stack her latest bushel of blankets on the already existing pile. Any taller and I’m afraid it’s going to topple over.

“Is this really necessary?”

“After you refused to stick to your side on the lake without a clear indicator? Yes.” She lays another blanket on top. “We need a physical barrier to keep us apart. There is no telling what you’d do unconscious.”

“Afraid you’ll cuddle me, Paige?” I lean back against the headboard and raise an arm to rub the back of my neck with a grin.

She stops her stacking and gives me a serious look. Or tries to. Her blue-but-more-green-today eyes don’t quite make it to my face.

They stall on my broad, shirtless chest. And my grin deepens in heady satisfaction as I watch her gaze roll over my meticulously defined pecs, pausing over a tattoo she hasn’t seen of three black and gray roses. She looks at it so intensely,I practically feel her touch tracing the petals with careful attention.

“See something you like?” I ask innocently, watching as she turns her attention on my abs.

I sound normal. Unaffected, when I’ve never been more tense in my life. Keeping still. Letting her have her fill while enjoying the way her cheeks heat and nostrils flare. How her breaths become more drawn out.

Attraction has never been the issue between us. There’s just always been a greater barrier keeping us apart.

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