Page 18 of Brewing Up Christmas

Eli frowned slightly, his heart racing as her words settled over him. “What do you mean?”

She stepped closer, her gaze locked on his, her voice dropping to almost a whisper. “I didn’t expect to fall for you.”

The confession hit him like a punch to the gut, his heart skipping a beat. Angelina wasn’t the kind of person to admit something like that lightly. And the way she was looking at him now, her eyes dark and filled with something deeper than just attraction, told him this wasn’t some casual flirtation anymore.

Eli swallowed hard, his voice low and rough. “You... fell for me?”

Angelina gave a small, almost nervous laugh, a sound he wasn’t used to hearing from her. “Yeah,” she said, her eyes searching his face. “I did.”

He stared at her, his mind racing. He’d felt the connection between them for weeks, the pull, the heat, but hearing her say it out loud made it real. More real than anything he’d expected. His chest tightened with the realization that he felt the same.

“I didn’t expect this either,” Eli admitted, stepping closer until they were nearly touching. “But I think I’ve fallen for you too.”

The tension between them snapped like a rubber band, and before Eli could think, he closed the distance between them, his lips crashing into hers in a heated kiss. Angelina responded immediately, her hands fisting into his shirt, pulling him closer as she melted into him. Her mouth was hot and demanding, her body pressing against his with a need that matched his own.

Eli groaned into the kiss, his hands roaming her waist, feeling the curve of her hips under his palms. She was all softness and fire, her lips parting as she deepened the kiss, her breath coming in short, heated bursts. The heat between them was undeniable, like a fire that had been waiting to ignite.

“Lock the door,” Angelina whispered against his lips, her voice breathless.

Eli’s pulse raced at her words, and without breaking the kiss, he reached behind him, fumbling for the lock on the door. As soon as the bolt clicked into place, Angelina’s hands were on him again, tugging at his shirt, her fingers skimming over the bare skin of his chest.

He backed her up against the bar, his mouth never leaving hers as his hands slipped under her coat, pushing it off her shoulders. The coat hit the floor, and Eli’s hands found the hem of her sweater, lifting it up and over her head in one swift motion.

Angelina gasped, her breath hitching as his hands found her bare skin, his touch rough and urgent. She pulled at his shirt, dragging it over his head, their bodies crashing together in a heated frenzy of lips, teeth, and hands. Every touch was electric, every kiss a spark that fueled the fire burning between them.

“Eli,” she whispered, her voice low and throaty, her fingers digging into his back as she arched against him. “I need you.”

Her words sent a shock of heat straight through him, and Eli growled softly, his mouth trailing down her neck, biting gently at the soft skin there. He pressed her harderagainst the bar, his hands slipping under the waistband of her pants, his fingers teasing the edge of her underwear.

Angelina gasped, her hands tugging at his belt, her breath coming in short, desperate bursts as her need for him grew more urgent. Eli helped her, his hands working quickly to unbuckle his belt and shove his jeans down. The moment his pants hit the floor, Angelina’s hands were on him, her touch sending sparks of heat through his body.

He groaned, his mouth crashing into hers again as he lifted her onto the bar, her legs wrapping around his waist, pulling him closer. The intensity of the moment overwhelmed him, the feel of her skin, her breath, her soft moans driving him wild.

Eli paused for a moment, his breath ragged, his forehead resting against hers. “Are you sure?”

Angelina smiled, her eyes dark with desire. “I’ve never been more sure.”

With that, Eli surged forward, his body meeting hers in a way that felt like they’d been waiting for this moment forever. The heat between them exploded, their movements frantic and raw as they came together with an intensity that bordered on primal. Angelina’s nails dug into his back, her breathless gasps filling the air as Eli’s body moved with hers in perfect sync.

Their moans echoed through the empty bar, the sounds of their bodies colliding filling the space. Every touch, every kiss, every thrust felt like a release of all the tension that had been building between them for weeks. It was fast, desperate, and absolutely electric.

“Eli,” Angelina gasped, her voice rough and breathless as she clung to him, her legs tightening around his waist.

He growled, his pace quickening as he pushed her further, his body pressing her against the bar with a force that made her head fall back in ecstasy. Her name left his lips like a prayer, his body responding to hers in a way that felt inevitable, like they were made for this.

It wasn’t long before the heat between them peaked, their bodies trembling with the intensity of the moment. Angelina’s cries filled the bar as she shattered around him, and Eli followed her moments later, his body collapsing against hers as they both gasped for breath.

For a long time, they stayed there, tangled together in the aftermath, their bodies still buzzing from the intensity of it all. Eli pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, his heart still racing as he tried to catch his breath.

A New Years Beginning

The snow fell gently outside the large windows of Harbor Craft Brewing & Books, casting a soft, wintry glow over the town. Inside, the warmth from the crackling fireplace wrapped around the small group gathered for a quiet New Year’s Eve celebration. The shop was closed to the public, but for Eli, it felt more alive than ever. He sat surrounded by the people who had become his family—Nolan, Margot, Kayla, and a few other close friends, all toasting to the year ahead. The low hum of laughter and conversation filled the space, mixing with the soft clinks of glasses and the soothing hiss of the fire.

Eli leaned back in his chair, letting it all wash over him, and for the first time in a long while, he felt an overwhelming sense of peace. This—right here—was the life he’d been searching for without even knowing it. The quiet moments filled with warmth, laughter, and a sense of belonging. He hadn’t realized how empty his lifehad felt until he was surrounded by everything he hadn’t known he needed.

His heart felt full, fuller than it had ever been. There was no restlessness, no sense of wandering or searching for more. He had found it—all of it—here in this cozy little shop, in this small town he had once taken for granted. The ache for something deeper, for a connection he couldn’t name, had finally been soothed. And it wasn’t just the town, or the bar, or even the friendships. It was her.

Next to him, Angelina was laughing at something Margot had said, her eyes sparkling in the soft light. There was a radiance to her that never failed to captivate him, but it was more than just her beauty that held him in place now. It was the quiet, unspoken connection between them that had grown over the last week. It was the way she effortlessly became a part of his world—her laugh blending into the fabric of his life, her presence grounding him in a way he hadn’t realized he needed.

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