Page 52 of Stay this Christmas
They exchanged quick goodbyes, but the moment Eliza passed Sam, she turned around, eyes wide, flashing two thumbs-up. Way to be subtle. I gave her a thin smile and then she marched off to scheme up all kinds of conclusions she’d leap at head-first.
At this point, I couldn’t be sure they’d be all that wrong, despite my constant insistence Sam and I needed to stay just friends.
“If you’ve got an appointment, I won’t keep you.” Contradicting his offer to leave, Sam shuffled farther into the PT room, hands stuffed in the pockets of his gray sweatpants.
As the weather became cooler, his yoga outfit had moved from shorts to sweatpants, but the change hadn’t served to make him any less exposed. This look made him seem even more casual, as if he were just about to cuddle up with someone on a couch in those sweatpants.
I pulled my eyes away from his sweatpants and reminded myself to focus. Friends didn’t ogle each other in their workout clothes. “I’ve got a little time. What’s up?”
“I found a place to go rock climbing in Austin. Depending on your last appointment here, we could go Friday afternoon.”
I nodded, thinking the plan over. “That should work. Doesn’t leave a lot of time afterwards for decorating a tree, though.”
His mouth squeezed the tiniest fraction at the reminder of his part of our bargain. I wouldn’t have even noticed it if my eyes hadn’t been glued to his lips.
Focus.
“Are you up for cutting one down?” I asked. “I normally do, but if you think it’s too much, I can do that on my own, and we can just decorate later.”
“A tree farm, Harps? You’re really pushing your luck.”
I grinned back at him, well aware my suggestion went above and beyond simply putting ornaments on a tree, but fairly confident his teasing response meant he was okay with it.
“Don’t tell me you were never a lumberjack in all your travels.”
He put his knuckles together, flexing his arms in a bodybuilder pose. “I think I can handle it.”
Even as I laughed at his silliness, a tingly little something started up in my stomach, urging me to move closer to touch those muscles. Just run my hands all over his biceps and see for myself if he had what it takes to chop down a tree. I resisted, but barely.
“Maybe we could get the tree Saturday? I have a couple of appointments in the morning, but then I’m free.”
His grin faded, his expression suddenly uncomfortable. “I can’t do it Saturday. I’ve got a…thing.”
A thing. Right. Sure. My Christmas tree farm tingly excitement washed out, replaced by a greasy agitation squirming around in my stomach like a hungry tapeworm. Of course he had other things going on. Probably for the best—I’d needed the reminder we weren’t doing…whatever it had seemed like we were doing.
Friends, and friends only.
“Okay.” I tried to copy Eliza’s patentedNo big dealattitude, grinning wider than usual even if it had zero joy behind it. “We can decorate the tree another time.”
“Unless you want to come with me.”
I drew in a breath and held it, trying to sort out his offer. “Come with you where?”
“Georgia and I are taking Finn and Willa—our half-siblings—to see Santa on Saturday. That seems like it would be right in line with your Christmas obsession.”
I blew out the breath, shaking wisps of hair around my face. “It’s not a Christmas obsession, Samuel, it’s a normal celebration of the holiday season.”
“Sure.” His little smile proved he still considered it abnormal. Or maybe he just liked me using his full name. “Does that mean you’ll join us for the Santa glorification?”
“You think it will be okay if I go? It’s not a family-only thing?”
He jabbed a finger my direction. “You’re coming. I’m not taking no for an answer.” He paused, then dropped his hand. “Unless you don’t actually want to come, then I will absolutely accept your no.”
I fought the little smile that wanted to burst out. Shouldn’t love a confident man second-guessing his behavior, but it kind of worked for me. “I want to come.”
That grin reappeared, lighting me up like the Christmas tree in town square.
“Good. I’ll drive us Friday, if that’s okay. We don’t need to take two cars to Austin.”
