A Christmas for Hope Read Online Free PDF Page A

and slid his tongue along the seam of her lips. When she opened her mouth, heat suffused her body as his breath mingled with hers. Her tongue tangled with his and he held her tighter, his hand dipping lower to cup her ass. She formed a fist at the back of his head. As his strands caught between her fingers, she slanted her head.
     
    From somewhere beyond them, someone cleared their throat.
     
    Lucas lifted his head and stared down at her. He raised a hand and pushed an errant lock of hair that had come undone from her ponytail. Then he swooped down and pressed his lips to her again.
     
    “I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time.” He rubbed his forehead against hers.
     
    “At least your breath doesn’t stink and I…umm…I still have to pee.”
     
    Lucas dropped back his head and laughed hard, making her baby jerk within her. Hope absent-mindedly rubbed in the vicinity of where she’d felt Kira’s movement.
     
    “Then we better get you to a bathroom.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her along.
     
    He towed her past the arguing group of people. The skirmish that was taking place minutes earlier in the driveway stopped as they rushed past. The surprised quintet now stared at them. She smiled as Lucas pulled her toward the house. Lucas only acknowledged the old woman staring at them with wide eyes.
     
    “Grandma, meet Hope. We’ll be back.” He kept walking.
     
    “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m so sorry but I really have to pee.” The soft soles of her flat shoes skidded as she tried to slow Lucas down but he kept yanking her forward.
     
    They passed the man that had been with Lucas when he’d first started therapy. She racked her mind for his name.
     
    “Dad, I think you remember Hope. No time for proper introductions. Trust me.” Lucas breezed by his father with Hope still in tow.
     
    They moved so quickly she only caught glimpses of her surroundings. He pushed a door open and she peered around the doorway. Noted it was a bathroom. She slid past him and soundly shut the door in his face. Hope quickly opened it up again to see him still standing there and blindly pecked him on the chin, giggling as she shut the door again.
     
    She took care of her business and while washing her hands, Hope ruminated on her actions; doubt gained a foothold in her psyche. You’re seven months pregnant, you caught him off guard with the kiss, and he’s just being nice. She dried her hands on a guest towel and left the tiny room.
     
    As she made her way through the house, she realized it was empty and noticed people outside through the bank of windows that made up a wall in the living room. Curious she found the front door and wrapping her fingers around the knob, she turned it and eased over threshold. Loud voices greeted her as she walked onto the covered porch. Her baby moved inside her like she was swimming in the Olympics. The brunette she’d spied earlier was ducking the cane of the woman Lucas had introduced as “Grandma”.
     
    Hope plopped down in a lawn chair and stretched her legs out before her. She shimmed in the seat to get comfortable and, locking her hands together over her stomach, watched the show.
     
    “Get the hell out of here. Can’t you see Lucas is otherwise occupied?” Grandma’s voice cracked and her cane dipped in the air. Lucas reached out and caught it while Bill, his dad, hugged the old woman from behind.
     
    The younger woman was breathless. “What I have to say to Luke has nothing to do with you.” She turned a megawatt smile onto Lucas. “Can you spare a moment?”
     
    Hope’s leg started to shake and she cocked her head. She watched as Lucas glanced over his shoulder toward the house before nodding slowly. The idea was cemented that he was being kind to her as a friend and Hope was flooded with disappointment, reinforcing the idea that their kiss had been a grave mistake. He walked a few feet away and anger replaced Hope’s disappointment as she watched the