Page 69 of The Mistletoe Bluff
I rolled my eyes. “And I’ll repeat what you said to me—there weren’t supposed to be feelings involved.”
Elsie scoffed. “A little late for that.”
“He’s my archnemesis, Els. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was perfectly content to hate Oliver Lewis.”
“Was? As in…youno longerhate him?”
I ran a hand through my curls. “I don’t know what I feel.”
Elsie made atsksound. “I think you do. You just don’t want to admit it. And I think that’s why you don’t want him to know about the contest. You think he’ll walk away if he finds out you’re using him.”
“I’m not using him,” I was quick to say, even though it was a lie. “Or at least…I don’t want to be. He told me his dad has used his talent to get ahead for years. I don’t want to be like that. I don’t want to hurt him.”
A slow smile spread across her face. “Maya, it sounds like you share Oliver’s feelings.”
My tongue was heavy in my mouth, and I couldn’t muster an answer.
“You’re not the type to let anything, or anyone, get in your way, or feel bad about it. The fact that you do tells me you don’t want to lose him, which further tells me you have feelings for him.”
The thought of losing Oliver had tears burning at the back of my eyes.
Crap. Was she right?
Elsie pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tight, helping to hold me together while I tried to understand what the heck I was feeling.
“You should tell him how you feelandabout the contest,” she said, and I sniffled into her shoulder. “It’s better to tell him now than to keep it hidden and hope he doesn’t find out later. Besides, wouldn’t you rather behappy,Maya, instead of fighting against your feelings just because youthinkyou’re supposed to hate him? What if he makes you happy?”
“But what ifhewins the contest and I’m left alone and broke again? Or what if I win and he finds out that I used him, and he hates me instead?”
Elsie shook her head as she leaned back to look at me. “Based on what I’ve seen tonight, I think he would sooner drop out of the contest altogether than risk losing you. Give him a chance. Don’t expect the worst from him.” She glanced over my shoulder at the man in question. “He just might surprise you.”
The sound of Emma and Jameson’s trash talking grew louder before they burst into the kitchen. Jameson went right for Elsie, hugging her from behind. Oliver was slow to follow, leaning against the doorway. There was something strange in his gaze as our eyes locked—something that made it impossible to look away.
Oliver Lewis told me he had feelings for me.
This should have rocked me to my core, shaking the foundations that I had built our mutual hatred on. But, instead, it was a strange, peaceful acceptance that eased the jagged edges inside me.
I didn’t know if I wasin lovewith Oliver, but I had a feeling I was well on my way.
As my cousins and best friend bantered back and forth over who was a better snowman builder, I crossed the kitchen and walked straight up to Oliver.
Everything I wanted to say stalled on my tongue. I’d never felt at such a loss for words before.His blue eyes burned straight through me, lighting me up from the inside out.
Not knowing what else to do, I stepped into his embrace, my hands gripping his shirt and pulled him down for a smoldering kiss. The others went silent behind me, but I hardly noticed. Not when Oliver’s hands lit little fires on my back as he pulled me closer.
It was either two seconds or an eternity later when Emma cleared her throat, forcing Oliver to pull away.
“As great as it is watching you two make out in my brother’s kitchen, there’s still one last thing we have to do tonight,” Emma said.
My cheeks warmed as I turned to face the others. Jameson’s mouth was twisted in an amused expression, while Elsie had a smug look on her face that saidI told you so.
Emma, on the other hand, looked annoyed. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her foot tapping the floor as she gave me a sassy raise of her eyebrows.
“Is it time?” Elsie asked.
“Oh, it’s time,” Emma replied in a dramatic voice.
“Time for what?” I asked, confused. We had already done dinner and dessert and presents. What more could there be?
