Page 46 of Take Me Home for Christmas

“I’ve never baked a cookie in my life.” Confession seemed to be my word of the day. But I wanted to make sure she knew exactly what she was getting herself into.

She winked and scurried to pull the cinnamon rolls out of the oven. “Well, you’re a smart one, and I’m sure you’ll catch on fast.” She gave a giant grin. “And you’re gonna love it.” On the way to the oven, she opened a drawer and tossed me something red-and-white striped. “Put that on.”

It landed in a heap on the table. As I untangled it, I saw that it was an apron. It said in big green letters across the front,Let’s Get Elfed Up.

I raised a brow. “It was from a gift exchange,” she said. “It’ll do just fine, right?”

“Sure. Of course.” Right. As I placed it over my neck and tied it behind my back, I heard footsteps on the wooden stairs.

Mia stepped into the room wearing her glasses, an oversized sweatshirt, flannel pants, and fuzzy socks, her hair wildly doing what curly hair does. Seeing her made me fumble tying my apron. How could she be, hands down, the sexiest woman I’d ever seen, even rolling straight out of bed? Even if her sweatshirt said Packers, and I was all about the Eagles.

I read her look as wary. A combo ofWhere did you go last night/can I trust you/why are you baking with my mom?

Wanting to reassure her without words, I poured her a coffee and brought it to her.

“Good morning,” I said, handing her the steaming cup. Beth had managed to vanish at just the right time, a move I felt certain was strategic.

“Hi,” Mia said, eyeing the coffee. “You’re up early.”

“Your little dog apparently has an equally tiny bladder.”

That made her laugh. “Please don’t blame Cooper for you not showing up,” she said.

I held up my hands. “Caleb wanted to talk. And when I checked on you, you were fast asleep.” I paused. “Maybe even snoring.”

Her brows lifted. “I do not snore.”

“Okay, maybe not. But I…I just—” I thought about what I really wanted, which was her. I’d spent a long time last night wondering if I could be a man who could be there for her. A man capable of taking the leap.

She made me want to try. That meant being honest.

I dropped my voice. “I just want to do this right. No rushing, no feeling like I’m sneaking around in your parents’ house.”

“Youaresneaking around in my parents’ house.” She looked at me over the coffee. “Thank you—for this.”

I got tangled up in her eyes. And I swear, if we were anywhere else, I wouldn’t have given her time to finish that coffee. I’d behauling her upstairs to finish what we’d started last night. “I, um—I wondered if you’d take me to the Kris Kringle market today?”

Her eyes widened. “You want to go to the Kris Kringle market?”

I put an arm on the staircase woodwork behind her head and leaned in, hoping this would show her how much I wanted her until I got the chance to tell her with words. “Yeah. With you—after I finish helping your mom make cookies, that is.”

She looked into my eyes and smiled, and I swear my heartbeat went from eighty to two fifty. “You are so elfed up,” she said. But she was breathing a little fast. Her lips were a little open, and now she was staring at mine. She looked a little dazed. “But I like it.”

“And you’re beautiful.” I leaned over, set her coffee cup on the edge of one of the stairs behind her, and kissed her, firmly and quickly. She sucked in a surprised breath, her eyes widening, then drew her hands up to my shoulders. One kiss just wasn’t enough. So I took the time to taste her lips, placing a few soft kisses there before cupping her neck with my hand, pulling her in, and really kissing her.

I was surprised that she melted into me, kissing me back with the exact same enthusiasm. I curled my arms around her, placing my hands on her hips. She made a little sound, barely audible, the softest sigh, that made me feel like she probably wasn’t holding a grudge about last night anymore.

The sound of Beth first opening the door and talking to the dog, then the soft clattering of baking sheets being set on the island brought us both back to reality. “Then it’s settled?” I said as I pulled back, my voice a little raspy, my balance a little off.

I couldn’t help thinking that I reallywaspretty elfed up. Because the longer I stayed, the more I fell in love with Mia—and her family.

Mia

I could hear my mom around the corner dragging out cookie cutters and flour and vanilla and baking sheets, but I was in a haze of weak-kneed, heart-pounding discombobulation from those kisses.

I admit, I slept really badly, wondering if Brax had changed his mind, if our conversation had really happened, if he’d really said he wanted me.

But when he greeted me with fresh coffee and told me he wanted to do things right—and told me I was beautiful and kissed me—okay, all was forgiven.

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