Page 69 of Wintertime Love (Holiday 2)

He holds me close and presses a kiss to my temple, saying adoringly, “I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” My lips curve into a smile, as I come down from my high, slowly. “So you say.”

He notes the playfulness in my eyes and pushes me down on the bed, holding me hostage. Grabbing my wrists and keeping them at my sides he demands, “Say it back.”

I smirk. “No.”

There’s laughter in his eyes. “Say it!”

I sniff, derisively. “Make me.”

He immediately bunches my wrists together and one hand starts reaching towards my ribs.

My eyes widen in horror. “I give! I give! I love you! Don’t tickle me!”

He relaxes his hold then grins at me. “You should never have revealed your one weakness to me.”

I hit him on the shoulder.

Chuckling, Finn drags me into his embrace and holds me tightly. “You’re a gift to me, Clara.”

I smile against his chest and murmur in a low voice, “So are you, Finn.”

Chapter 13

My internal alarm clock has me wide awake at five in the morning and I feel my stomach rumble as I lay in bed, dazed. Finn’s heavy arm is draped over my waist, resting possessively on my breast. My lower body throbs and my scalp hurts as I cast a glare at the sleeping man.

Oh, he’s going to pay for that later, today.

Dislodging from Finn’s arms is a trick that I’ve only managed to learn recently. I slide and wiggle out, thrusting a pillow in his arm, which he snuggles against.

My lips rise as I take in the sight, smiling in spite of myself.

A wicked idea dawns on me, so I grab my phone and snap a picture of him, half drooling on the pillow now, and I snigger to myself.

I can use this later on.

Feeling the stickiness between my thighs, I hobble into the shower, knowing that there is no way I can go for a run today.

One hot shower later, and I’m feeling much better. I wrap my hair in a towel and step out to see Finn still fast asleep. I smooth the hair off his face and a strange tenderness overflows from my heart. I press my lips against his temple, savoring the moment, and whisper, “I adore you.”

A silent confession like that never hurt anybody.

As I put on some clothes and thread my fingers through my hair to dry it. After some drying with the towel, I walk out, ready to cook

up some breakfast. I need to be early to the diner if I want to clean up before it opens. To my surprise both my aunts are awake, their faces grim.

The second they see me, Aunt Helen rushes to my side. “Oh, sweetheart, are you all right? What’s this about Finn being engaged to somebody?”

Aunt Vee has her eyes narrowed. “Is the boy stringing you along? Maybe he and I need to have a little chat.”

I flinch and say hastily, “There’s no need for that.”

Aunt Vee’s version of a chat involves a lot of swearing and getting beaten up. It doesn’t matter if she is a tiny old lady, I have a feeling that she can take on Finn if she wants to.

Aunt Helen pushes a cup of tea into my hands.

I sip at it, the herbs inside making me feel a lot better, and I tell them what happened at the diner and what Finn told me.

---