It's A Wonderfully Sexy Life Read Online Free PDF

didn’t have anywhere to go.
    Like Christmas tree lights, the idea, the solution, came to her in a flash as though someone had flipped on an invisible switch. Maybe she didn’t have to choose after all? Maybe she could have her holiday hunk and the holiday at the same time.
    “Why don’t you come over to my folk’s? My mom has a big open house for family and friends and neighbors starting around two.” Subjecting him to her big, rowdy Polish-American family would be a gamble, but then again he’d as good as said he didn’t have anyone to be with or anywhere to go. “No pressure,” she added quickly, not wanting to scare him off. “I’ll introduce you as a friend I met on the job. I just don’t think anyone should be alone on Christmas.”
    He stroked the side of her face, the tenderness of the gesture as much a turn-on as his passionate kisses. “You’re sweet to include me in your plans, and I really appreciate the invitation…”
    When he left the sentence unfinished, it was Mandy’s turn to interject. “But?”
    “The thing is I’m not…I’m not so good at parties.”
    That took her aback. “But you’re a bartender.”
    He hesitated, and then shrugged. “Mostly I get bookings through an event planning service like the one tonight. I have a regular gig a couple nights a week at a bar in Canton but even then most of the time bar patrons want to tell you all about themselves, not the other way around.”
    “So you’re saying you’re shy?” Prone to shyness herself, she couldn’t entirely strip the skepticism from her voice.
    He must have picked up on it because for the first time since initiating that sexy kiss, he shifted away. “Uh, I guess you could say that. But give me your number, and I’ll call you.”
    I’ll call you —otherwise known as Famous Last Words. How many times in her adult life had a guy said “I’ll call you,” only never to be heard from again? Saying “I’ll call you” was a lot like telling a retail clerk you’d “have to think about it” so you could get the hell out of the store before you were cornered into buying the vintage lava lamp or butt ugly couch. Basically, “been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.”
    To save face, she decided to play along. “Sure, that’d be great.” Fingers clumsy from the cold, she took out one of her department issue business cards and handed it to him.
    He slipped the card into his back jeans pocket, and for the first time she noticed the pager he wore at his waist. That was an odd accoutrement for a bartender. Before she could ask him about it, he looked back at her, serious expression catching at her heart.
    “Hey you, if I say I’m going to call, it means I’m going to call, okay?” He laid a broad palm on either side of her face and gently turned her to look at him. “Look, Mandy, I like you. I like you a lot, and what’s more, I’d like to put in the time to get to know you better. Is that so hard to believe?”
    It was and yet how she wanted to believe—in him, in herself, and more than anything, in magic moments that led to fairy-tale endings.
    As if in answer, a church bell chimed, striking out the hour. Twelve o’clock. No longer Christmas Eve but Christmas Day.
    Josh smiled. “Merry Christmas, Mandy.”
    She smiled back. “Merry Christmas, Josh.” And it was a merry Christmas, not to mention the hottest, sexiest holiday she’d ever had.
    He leaned in to kiss her again. This time when their mouths met it was definitely good-bye or at least goodnight, a feather-light caress that had her heart melting to the gooey consistency of a chocolate chip cookie still warm from the oven.
    Something cold and wet struck her nose. Josh must have felt it too because they stopped kissing at the same time to look up. Above them, fat, feathery snowflakes fell fast and furious. Snow on Christmas Day. If that wasn’t a positive sign, what was?
    She turned back to Josh. His shoulders wore a sprinkling of pristine white