Christmas at Evergreen Inn Read Online Free PDF Page A

someone else, getting married would have been a disaster. It’s just that in the middle of all the Christmas joy and happiness, I was canceling wedding plans. We were having a Christmas wedding, you know. Everything had been bought. Dresses, flowers, decorations. Place cards had been printed, centerpieces made up, a wedding-night suite booked. And everything had been green and red. Ugh. Anyway, every time I see all the decorations and hear the carols and all that, it brings me down.”
    â€œThen we need to bring you back up.” He stood back and crossed his arms. “You can’t let one person ruin the most magical time of the year. You’ve got to come out swinging.” It was a declaration, and one that sounded like he was about to do something about her scrooginess.
    Please, no. She just wanted to get through the holidays in peace.
    â€œHey, I tried. A girl can only eat so many cupcakes before her pants get a little too tight.” She sighed. “You know what the worst part is, Todd?” She didn’t quite know why she was confiding in him so much, except that maybe she’d had a little too much whiskey and the fact that she no longer felt like she could vent to her girlfriends, who’d been so supportive in the early days. She knew they all expected her to be fine now and had probably gotten sick of her being such a downer. “The worst is that for the longest time I kept asking myself what she had that I didn’t. Was she prettier? Smarter? Funnier? Sexier?” She shook her head. “Man, I sound so stupid saying that.”
    He took a step toward her, uncrossing his arms and relaxing his posture as he turned his back to the fireplace. “Not stupid. Human. You are pretty, and smart, and funny.”
    â€œYeah, my door’s being beaten down daily by men looking for the perfect woman.”
    â€œI didn’t say perfect.” He smiled while the fire crackled and popped. “Know what else you are?”
    She looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
    â€œSexy. Sexy as hell.”
    It wasn’t fair how he said those words and her whole body seemed to respond. Darts of arousal shot through her body, centering in her core at the sound of his low, smooth voice. Something was definitely simmering between them.
    â€œI wasn’t fishing for compliments, you know.” Her voice sounded a little hoarse. She hated that he could have this kind of an effect on her … and loved it at the same time. She’d needed the boost so badly.
    â€œI know that. I thought it needed saying anyway.”
    He took another step and was really close now, so close she could reach out and press her hand against the breadth of his chest if she wanted. She did want, but fear of making the first move held her back. Her breath was shallow, her body taut with anticipation as he lifted his hand and put it along the side of her face.
    â€œTodd,” she warned, and made the mistake of looking up into his eyes. They were dark and seductive and oh God oh God oh God.
    â€œShh,” he responded. “Let me show you. Don’t move.”
    She didn’t fight it, even though she knew she should. His lips touched hers, gently at first, soft and tasting like warm whiskey. They teased and nipped at her mouth until her lips opened on a glorious, surrendering sigh.
    As soon as she melted just a little, he slid his other arm around her back and pulled her close. At the same time he deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers.
    Lainey didn’t think. Instead she disobeyed his order to remain still and slid her hands inside the hoodie, up over the warm, smooth skin of his back. Her fingers played over the firm muscles and she felt them shift as he tightened his embrace. His mouth slid away from hers and swept along the curve of her jaw, right to the sensitive point on her neck, just below her ear. A sound came from her throat, half moan, half gasp, and she felt him