Page 67 of A Merry Irish Christmas
‘Aw, poor baby. It must be hard being so pretty.’
‘Shut up. Gorgeous yourself!’ He took another step, so they were almost touching.
Did he just call her gorgeous? ‘Anyway, right back at you.’
‘Huh?’
‘You’ve been checking me out too. Ever since Christmas Day on the beach?—’
‘I’m not denying it.’ His gaze dropped to her mouth. Then hebent his head and kissed her, lightly and tenderly. His lips were cool and tasted of peppermint. A shiver ran down her spine as he tugged on her bottom lip.
She closed the infinitesimal gap between them, pressing her body to his, very aware that he was almost naked as she wrapped her arms around the smooth damp skin of his back. Then his lips were on hers again, soft and warm and luscious, and the hottest thing ever. It was too much and not enough at the same time, and she never wanted it to end.
She tugged at his towel and it dropped to the floor. Moisture from his chest seeped into her shirt as she pressed herself against his naked body, sliding her hands along the silken skin of his back.
‘Sorry, I’m getting you all wet,’ he breathed, pulling back a little.
‘You have no idea.’
He groaned and kissed her again. This time it was fiercer, hungrier, sending waves of tingling sensation through every part of Mary’s body.
‘I said I wasn’t going to do this,’ she said, pulling away.
‘Do what?’ His gaze didn’t move from her mouth.
‘Hop into bed with another guy who’s on the rebound, just because I think he’s super-hot and it’d be amazing. It’s my New Year’s resolution.’ Even as she said it, she leaned in closer.
‘It’s not New Year yet,’ he murmured.
‘True. And I still don’t know what happens at third base.’
‘Shit gets serious. Clothes come off.’
‘Your clothes are already off,’ she said with a laugh.
‘So we’re halfway there.’ He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards his bedroom. ‘Let’s shoot for a home run.’
23
‘You go back to New York on the twenty-ninth, right?’ Mary asked Evan hours later as they sat up side by side in bed in the afterglow.
‘Yep. But I have an early morning flight, so I’m staying overnight at the airport tomorrow.’
‘Oh.’ Mary’s face fell. That meant they only had one full day left together.
‘What about you? Any chance we’re on the same flight?’
She shook her head. ‘Same day, but my flight’s not until the afternoon.’
‘I have a car coming to pick me up tomorrow evening to drive me to Shannon. You’re welcome to join me if you don’t mind putting up with me a bit longer.’
‘Thanks. That’d be lovely.’ Mary thought longingly of spending the night with Evan in a luxury hotel room. ‘But I’m flying from Dublin.’
‘Oh, that’s a pity.’
‘Yeah.’ Mary sighed. She knew this could only be a holiday fling, but she wished it could last just a little bit longer.
‘But we should hang out when we get back to New York,’ Evan said.
