Page 33 of Merry Mischief List

I check the clock. 11:05 p.m.

“They closed half an hour ago.”

“What?” she groans. “That’s the worst news I’ve heard all day.”

“Well, lucky for you, I’m buying dinner,” I say, grabbing my keys off the counter. “And I know the perfect place.”

“To the batmobile!” Andi shouts, almost startling me.

“I thinkI’vecreated a monster.”

* * *

A bell above the door chimes as we walk into the small diner. This place is about as close to the North Pole as we can get in Tampa.

“What in the holy holiday heaven?” Andi says, looking around at the decorations floor to ceiling. “You,the coach who avoids Christmas, comeshere?”

“Just because I don’t decorate doesn’t mean I’m anti-Christmas.”

“I suppose so.” Her eyes sparkle, taking in the scene, and I know I’ve made the right choice. “Guess you get your fill from this Santa sanctuary.”

“They go all out for every holiday,” I tell her.

“Everyholiday?”

“Yep. You should’ve seen the display they had for President’s Day. The servers dressed up with wigs and all. It was spectacular.” A deep laugh escapes me as I stop us at an open booth. We sit across from each other, and within seconds, my favorite waitress places menus in front of us.

“James,” she says, smiling down at me. “I thought you were gonna be gone the whole holiday.”

“Hi, Paula.” I smile up at her. “Change of plans.”

Her eyes flick to Andi before returning to mine. “Real pretty change of plans.”

“If only I could accept the credit,” Andi says. “I’m just theconsolationto the change of plans. Someone had to get this guy out of his boring bachelor pad and into the holiday spirit.”

“Something tells me you’re no one’s consolation prize,” Paula replies, and Andi grins bashfully. Paula winks at me before taking our drink order and leaving us to ourselves.

Andi slaps her menu down on the table and grins at me. “Are you into age gap romances?”

“Care to be more specific, young lady?”

“I think Paula has the hots for you, Coach.”

I roll my lips together to fight a smile. “That so?”

“Mm-hmm.” She brushes a strand of hair off her shoulder, and my eyes drop to her exposed collarbone. My brain screams at me to stop examining the way her throat bobs as she swallows. Instead, they wander to the column of her neck, and I consider what it would feel like under my tongue. Marking her pretty skin up before I venture to places I haven’t yet seen.

“So are you?” she asks, pulling my attention back to her eyes.

“Am I what?” My brain is mush. This girl is turning me into an idiot.

“Into age gap romances?”

It seems I could be convinced.

“Paula’s not really my type,” I say with a cocked brow. “And her husband of forty years might have something to say about me making the moves on his wife.”

Andi tilts her head with a teasing pout. “Guess you’ll never know what it’s like makin’ love to a cougar.”

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