The Christmas Wager, page 19
I hesitated, rolled my eyes. “Catching snowflakes on my tongue. Told you it was daft. I used to do it with my parents when I was little.”
Jesse leaned forward, whispered, “Same. That’s actually my real favorite, too.”
As we continued talking about growing up in tiny towns, I tried telling myself it was the wine, the games, and the altitude making me feel so relaxed. After finishing dinner, I started clearing the table so we could settle in to watch one of the movies he’d suggested. When Jesse reached for my plate, I told him to not forget my rule.
“No, ma’am. Whoever cooks the most clears up the least.”
“You listened? Great, now stay put.”
With a hand on his shoulder, I gently pushed him back into his seat. Before I could move away, his fingers landed on top of mine, making my heart race so fast, I could feel it tap-tapping in my throat. Could he hear it, too?
Neither of us moved. Jesse seemed to contemplate what he was doing for a long time before speaking, and when he did, it was low and gentle. “I listen to everything you say, Bella. Every single word.”
When our eyes met, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I bent over and brushed my lips against his, every part of me tingling at first before bursting into flames. Once again, sirens exploded in my head, warning me about the implications of what I was doing. This time, I shoved them away, burying them so deep and so far, they disappeared completely.
I pressed my lips harder against Jesse’s and he put his hands around my waist, pulling me against him. Without breaking contact, I climbed into his lap, straddling him. As I arched my back and his mouth slid down my neck, hands traveling underneath my shirt and up my spine, I could sense our mutual need to get as close to each other as fast as we possibly could.
“Should we go upstairs?” he whispered, his words raspy, full of desire.
“Too far.” My turn to work on his shirt. I lifted it over his head, admiring his chest, the acute definition of his flat stomach. “Why don’t we stay right here instead?”
Wednesday,
December 22
Chapter 22
Jesse
Sunlight hadn’t yet kissed the skies when I woke up. My alarm clock showed a little after 5:00 a.m. and as my eyes adjusted to the thick darkness surrounding me, I looked at Bella. Her hair had fallen around her face as she lay on her side, mouth slightly parted, one hand under her pillow, the other resting by her cheek.
Winter solstice meant yesterday had been the shortest day of the year. Lucky for me, also the longest night, and I’d tried to ensure Bella enjoyed every second even more than I had. I wanted to start all over again, slowly trail my mouth across her skin, take my time as I covered every square inch of her. Teasing, pleasing. Hear her call out my name.
She seemed so peaceful, so I convinced myself not to disturb her because I also needed time to think. I rolled onto my back, remembering how surprised, how turned on I’d been when Bella kissed me after dinner last night. How I’d willed her touch to lead us to a million more.
Bella had been a hundred percent correct when she’d said upstairs was too far. My bedroom may as well have been a few dozen miles away. Neither of us could’ve waited that long the first time. Or the second, when I’d carried her to the sofa with her legs wrapped around my waist. The sex had been incredible. Incredible. I couldn’t stop the smile hijacking my face, as I recalled every last detail, but it all faded around me far too quickly.
We’d made things complicated. Really complicated.
It was only the early hours of the morning, yet after what had happened between us, I could already imagine a future with Bella. If the circumstances were different, I reminded myself. However, that wasn’t our reality, no matter how much I wanted it to be. She’d come for Pops’s property, we were adversaries, and what had transpired last night could only be fleeting. Picturing us having any kind of future together was pointless, and I told myself I’d best get used to the idea. For all I knew, Bella would be gone in a few hours. Stay at the Windmill because she was embarrassed by what had happened. She might wake up and say it was another lapse of judgment. Brush it off as a one-night stand.
“Hey,” she whispered, her voice drowsy, full of sleep. “Are you awake?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
Her hands slid down my chest, and we didn’t talk for quite some time after that.
* * *
• • •
When I opened my eyes again a few hours later, daybreak had arrived. I flipped over to find the other side of the bed empty. I got up and poked my head out the bedroom door, heard hushed voices floating up the stairwell. After brushing my teeth, I pulled on pants and a clean shirt, and headed for the kitchen.
Pops and Bella sat at the table, mugs of coffee in their hands and a half-full box of Freddy’s sesame cream cheese bagels between them. In comparison to me, with the dark circles I’d spotted under my eyes, Bella didn’t look as if she’d just rolled out of bed. Even without much sleep her skin still glowed, and she’d tied her hair into a loose ponytail, a few stray wisps falling to her shoulders.
Perhaps Pops’s arrival had surprised her, because it seemed she wore the same pants as yesterday along with my olive-green shirt we’d hastily discarded last night. I glanced around, hoped the rest of our clothes wouldn’t be littered around the room, and stifled a laugh when I saw one of my socks peeking out from underneath the sofa.
“Hello, Jesse,” Pops said. “How are you doing this fine morning?”
Jeez, I was in my thirties, this was my home, yet because of the knowing smile on his face, I still felt the urge to explain. “Bella didn’t want to stay at the lodge after what happened with Caroline yesterday,” I said. “I suggested she sleep here. In the spare room.”
Pops nodded, taking a sip of coffee, and I couldn’t quite tell if he was hiding another grin. “I already told Bella I think it’s an excellent idea.”
As silence settled around us, I wasn’t sure what to do. Walk over and kiss her? If so, on the lips, the cheek, the top of her head . . . ? Would it be weird if I did? Or even more odd if I didn’t? I had no desire to be pushy or dismissive, so I bought myself some time by retrieving a snowman mug from the cupboard, which reminded me of building Melty and triggered another rush of affection for Bella.
“Refill?” I asked, turning around after I’d poured myself a coffee.
“Not for me, thanks.” Pops set a hand over his cup.
“Me neither,” Bella said. “I’ve had two already.”
“What time did you get up?” I asked.
“About an hour ago. I came downstairs for a glass of water and then Clarence arrived.”
“We had a good talk while we waited for you to wake up.”
“Oh?”
“Yes,” Pops continued. “I told her more about the Maple Falls history, and how one of my ancestors was a founding member of the town nearly two hundred years ago.”
“It’s been fascinating,” Bella said. “Thank you, Clarence.”
“For these, too,” I said, grabbing a bagel and taking a bite. “I’m starving.”
“Well,” Pops said. “I thought it best to deliver bad news with some Muffin Man treats.”
“What do you mean, bad news?” I said. “What else has happened?”
“Caroline stopped by the store yesterday evening,” he said, sitting back in his chair. “To warn us about Bella.”
“What did she say?” I asked, my tone a little harsh. “Warn us about what?”
“She thinks Bella’s snooping around town on behalf of Dillon & Prescott.” Pops sighed as he shook his head. “I insisted she has nothing to worry about, Bella, that we’ve known you for years. Alas, as Jesse will tell you, Caroline isn’t one to give up easily.”
“That’s for sure,” I said.
“What should we do?” Bella asked. “Get ahead of this and tell everyone the truth?”
My grandfather fell silent. There’d be relief in coming clean, but would everyone understand why we’d agreed to the wager in the first place? It really wasn’t any of their business, but Bella was right, tiny towns had a way of making people think they could weigh in on everything that was going on within the community.
Pops finally spoke. “The three of us agreed on our wager, and what I do with the store is none of anybody else’s concern. The bet’s still on, our deal hasn’t been concluded, and once it is, I doubt my selling will come as a surprise to anyone.”
“I agree,” I said. “There’s really nothing to tell at this point. Even after it’s sold, the place will look the same, on the outside at least.”
A flicker flashed across Bella’s face but it disappeared all too quickly for me to guess what it was. Maybe I was projecting my own feelings onto her. I let it go.
“Let’s stick to what we agreed and not share anything with anyone,” Pops said, pushing back his chair as he stood. “I’ll leave you kids alone. I’m playing bridge with Gladys and need to prepare myself. Honestly, she’s as ruthless at cards as she is with the Holiday Games.”
“You and Gladys, huh?” I said, eyebrows raised. “Anything going on I should know about?” When Pops looked from me to Bella and back again, I muttered, “Point taken.”
“I’ll see you both later. Try to increase your two-point lead to a more substantial one, please, Jesse,” Pops said before turning to Bella, giving her a wink. “No offense, of course.”
“None taken,” she replied with a grin. “I’m sure you won’t be offended when I do anything and everything I possibly can to stop him.”
Pops gave her a salute. “Wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Ms. Ross.”
The three of us walked to the front door together, Pops and Bella still trading lighthearted jabs, as if they’d known each other forever. They immediately stopped when I pulled the door open, and we found Caroline on the front step, fingers hovering midair as if she were about to knock.
“Hi, Clarence,” she said as her face broke into a wide smile before she looked at me, turning a little more serious. “I was hoping to speak to you after what happened at the lake yesterday, Jesse. I tried calling last night, but you didn’t answer and . . .” Her voice trailed off as she glanced over my shoulder. “Bella,” she said, her face falling.
The atmosphere around us became thick as a blizzard. I imagined what could be going through my ex’s head as she looked at Bella standing in my hallway, wearing my shirt. She didn’t need to be a detective to know what was going on and I felt terrible for being the cause of her discomfort. Making things that little bit worse, Buddy, who’d been asleep in the living room all this time, got up and gave himself a shake before padding over. As soon as he saw Caroline, he let out a bark.
“I’d best get going,” Pops said, breaking the silence between us. “Catch you all at the games later. Five o’clock at Town Square.”
Once he was gone, Bella made her excuses and headed upstairs, saying she had a call to take. I was about to tell her to stay when Caroline turned to me, a look of confusion and deep hurt in her eyes. I didn’t like upsetting her, hadn’t expected her or Pops to find out about Bella spending the night with me. Definitely not when I didn’t yet know what, if anything, it all meant.
“You’re making a huge mistake,” Caroline said, her voice shaky. “You shouldn’t be—”
“Wait, listen—”
“No. You listen. Whatever’s going on between you and her, you’ll regret it.”
“How can you say that? You barely know Bella.”
“Ditto. She can’t be trusted. She—”
“Stop,” I said softly. “Caroline, please. This has been hard for me to come to terms with, too, but . . . I’m sorry, I can’t see a future for us anymore. Actually, I don’t think I have for a while. I haven’t felt that way about you since you went with someone else.”
“Even after everything I’ve done to show you how sorry I am?” she said. “Please don’t throw away what we had. Not for Bella. Jesse, I’m worried you’ll get hurt.”
“You don’t need to worry about me.”
“I do. Don’t you see? I actually care about you. A lot.” She paused, bit her bottom lip. “This thing with Bella? Do you honestly see it going anywhere?”
I didn’t want to lie, but was unable to admit the truth that no, I couldn’t imagine it lasting because Christmas was three days away and Bella would be gone before then. I wasn’t sure what might happen after, couldn’t yet bring myself to think about it. However, it didn’t seem that my silence covered up anything at all, because Caroline must’ve read the hesitation in my eyes.
“No, I didn’t think so,” she said. “Neither do I.”
Chapter 23
Bella
I pressed my ear against the bedroom door until Caroline left. The expression on her face when she saw me here wearing Jesse’s shirt had been a mix of surprise and dismay with an undercurrent of pain. As much as she’d infuriated me yesterday, I didn’t take any pleasure in seeing her like that. It was why I’d disappeared upstairs, but the swift exit didn’t mean I wasn’t curious about what she and Jesse would say.
Although I wished I hadn’t heard his last confession, or lack thereof. When Caroline asked if he thought what was happening between us had any kind of future, I realized he must’ve shaken his head or said a quiet no because of Caroline’s immediate and devastating reply.
Neither do I.
I stood there, hurt and confused, trying to absorb the weight of her words. I wanted Jesse—had wanted him since the day we’d met at Always Noelle and I hadn’t realized who he was. Could anything come of it? Maybe, if I got the Denver promotion. The geographical distance between us would be greatly reduced, but what about the rest? Especially with the new designs for Always Noelle, which Jesse still had no clue about.
Maybe I was overthinking it, and I should focus on keeping things light. Except part of me, a large part of me, wanted more. Way more. The connection with Jesse was unlike anything I’d experienced in a relationship before, and it wasn’t just on a physical level either. It was hard to explain, but we seemed to fit. Clearly Jesse didn’t see it that way, and it was something I’d have to deal with, and fast, particularly considering I’d be staying here for another two nights. Wouldn’t I? What if he asked me to leave?
After a quick shower, I put on some makeup and changed my shirt. I shouldn’t have worn Jesse’s clothes, but the lingering scent of him had been too difficult to ignore when I’d got up this morning and headed downstairs because I couldn’t sleep, my entire body still tingling from his touch. Strangely, when Clarence arrived, he hadn’t seemed surprised to find me here. In fact, he’d smiled and said hello as if this was another regular morning. As though I’d been part of his grandson’s life for a while.
Another few minutes and I decided I couldn’t hide in the bedroom any longer. When I got downstairs, Jesse looked up at me from the sofa, his face serious.
“Bella,” he said, but I decided to get ahead of things first.
“What happened last night—”
“Was incredible.”
“Wasn’t supposed to happen,” I said at the same time.
He went quiet for a few beats, shook his head. “No, I have to disagree.”
“How can you? I heard what you said to Caroline.” I gestured to him and me. “You said that you don’t see whatever this is going anywhere.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Well, you didn’t tell her otherwise.”
“I’m not sure what you expected me to say.” Jesse let out a sigh. “Honestly, this whole situation is as confusing for you as it is for me. She’s my ex, and—”
“Do you still have feelings for her? I don’t want to get in the way if—”
“No. I mean, I care about her as a person, of course. Look, what happened between you and me was—”
“A fling?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Is that what you want it to be?”
I shrugged, not sure what I wanted from this conversation, but instinctively trying to protect my heart. “It’s probably for the best. I’m leaving the day after tomorrow.”
Jesse stared at me, finally muttered, “Fine. I’m going to be late for work.”
I wanted to stop him. To tell him how amazing last night had been and that I cared about him more than I wanted to admit. Instead, I let him go. I needed to think about our situation and what was possible, so the first thing I did after Jesse left was phone Luisa. I explained everything—the passionate night we’d spent, how we’d bickered after Caroline showed up. How confused I was feeling now.
“We basically agreed it’s a fling,” I said. “It’s what makes the most sense.”
“Is it what you want?” Luisa said. “Because it certainly doesn’t sound like it.”
I fell silent as I tried to clear the fog swirling through my brain but couldn’t quite get there. “Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, I kept telling myself I couldn’t have Jesse. Now I can but only a little. It’s Christmas Eve in two days. I’m supposed to beat him at the games and get on a plane. What then?”
“Don’t overthink things so much,” Luisa said. “It doesn’t have to be complicated if you don’t want it to be. Why not enjoy it while it lasts?” She paused before adding, “How are you feeling about the wager?”
“That’s the other thing—we’re still competitors and I wish we weren’t.”
“Have you told Jesse and Clarence about the new designs for the store?”
Letting out a groan, I flopped onto the sofa. “No. I haven’t found the right time.”
“I guess as long as Mr. Harrison signs the contract, Valerie doesn’t care.”
