Page 26 of Blame it on the Mistletoe
“See where old-fashioned courting can get you?” he said, and she laughed.
Finished with her first batch, she walked the trays over to the oven. She had three trays, which meant he got to watch while she bent over, three times, causing her sweatshirt to slide up, giving him a mighty fine view of her backside and making his Christmas wish come true.
Again, he wondered if she was commando under those pajama bottoms.
He thought on that for a moment, perhaps a moment too long, because when he lifted his gaze, she was giving him a disapproving look.
Great, he’d been caught peeking under the Christmas tree of a woman who’d been disrespected her entire life.
Wanting to clarify his intentions, Noah tipped her chin up so she could see the honesty in his eyes. “And to make it clear, angel. I am courting you. And part of courting is getting to know each other. And while I can’t wait to get toknowyou, I want to make sure we get to what matters first.”
She held his gaze, her lips a breath away. Then she squeezed her eyes shut and said, “How much do you already know about me?”
Chapter Eight
Faith blamed Noah for her momentary insanity.
How was a woman to think straight when surrounded by 200 pounds of muscle and alpha-man pheromones? Insanity was the only reason someone with her background would ask an officer of the law—a very hot, very male, very serious officer of the law—what he knew about her law-breaking family.
It was as if she were inviting him to look through the pile of dirty underwear in the corner of her room before leaving for their first date. No one would swipe right on that.
To be fair, he’d said he wanted to get to know her, wanted to court her—as if that wasn’t the most romantic thing in the world. And to know her, he’d have to know where she came from.
Whoshe came from.
And wasn’t that enough to make her stomach churn? But if she was really going to try this, the key word beingtry—because the last time she’d tried with a man, he’d asked her if there was another relative Pax could live with—then she wanted complete transparency. None of this bait and switch men did once they thought they had both feet in the door.
Besides, Noah wasn’t like the other guys she’d dated. From what she’d read about him online, he was a rising star in the department. He couldn’t have people whispering about who he was dating if he wanted to stay on the fast track.
Faith turned to face him, and since he didn’t move they were pressed together with barely a breath between them.
She tilted her head up, way up so she could see his face. And what a handsome and kiss-worthy face it was. Those bright blue eyes, always calm and aware, locked on hers. Tingles sizzled all the way through her, melting away every chill left over from their time in the rain.
Stupid tingles, she thought, knowing they were the ones behind this mess. A mess she would eventually have to clean up.
“Before you say things like you want to court me—” did she just giggle?—“you might want to do that background check. Not just on me, but on my entire family.”
His big hands went to her hips, his fingers splayed across her lower back, and—hello?—tingles turned to tension, sexual and intense. She knew the honorable Texas Ranger felt it, too, because he had to clear his throat before speaking.
Good to know she wasn’t alone in this. Right?
“I don’t need a file. A file isn’t going to tell me that you’re smart and beautiful and have such a big heart that when your mama left town, you gave up a scholarship in L.A. to move back home and raise your kid brother. Which you’re doing a damn fine job of,” he whispered. “A file is nothing but details of the worst moments of someone’s life. And angel, you’re worth a hell of a lot more than a quick glance at a screen.”
“Oh,” was all she said, unable to pull her focus from his lips. She couldn’t help it. Noah had the most mesmerizing lips. And the words he’d spoken stole her breath.
“Now, from what I gather, you’re a private person. Whether by nature or necessity, I don’t know, but I’d like to find out,” he said, and dread filled her chest.
Was there time to change her mind? Tell him, “Now that I’ve had time to think, maybe you should read my file, in the privacy of your own office, hundreds of miles away. That would be way less embarrassing than me recounting every awful, tragic, and mortifying detail while you look at me with horror.”
But that was a Hope move. Draw them in, then disappear when things fell apart.
“I’m not sure where to start. All of it’s pretty bad.” She’d never admitted that to anyone. Most people knew bits and pieces, but no one knew the whole story. And Faith took comfort in that. “What do you want to know?” she asked, wondering why she was going down this path.
Because you can’t carry it all alone anymore.
He peeked over her shoulder at the mess on her counter. “How about we start with something you enjoy? Walk me through what you’re baking.”
“Baking?” She blinked. “You can ask me any question and you want to know what I’m baking?”
