a Christmas bonus and honestly that was all that really mattered here.
So I unlocked my front door and while he was asking for my phone number I dragged him inside.
Like, literally. I grabbed a fistful of his jacket and tugged him right over the threshold.
Which leads us to right now.
“You really are the most unexpected surprise, Noel.” Teddy is smiling as he’s kissing me. Or maybe I’m kissing him. Whatever, I’m not going to second-guess this. It’s mutual kissing. He’s as into it as I am.
“Don’t tell your sister about this,” I say, pulling my lips away long enough to put in the request as I shrug off my jacket and toe off my boots.
“Okay,” he replies slowly. He seems almost confused by the request and I’m starting to wonder if this was some kind of tricky setup. Jillian knows how tired I am of people trying to set me up, so maybe she told me this wasn’t a setup as some kind of reverse psychology trick? Telling me Teddy was unsuitable so I’d drop my guard?
You know what? I don’t want to know.
“Don’t ruin this for yourself, Teddy,” I interrupt when he starts to say more. I roll my eyes but I’m in the process of pulling my turtleneck over my head so he can’t see me. Why are men so stupid? Does he want to talk me out of this? I’ve been in a dry spell more suitable for a convent than for a single woman in her twenties. I really need this to happen. I drop my shirt on the floor.
Teddy’s eyes trail slowly over me, another grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“I really like you, Noel.” Again, like earlier he seems a bit surprised by me. As if I’m not matching up to whatever he was told about me.
“I’m sure you do,” I agree. I’m half naked, what’s not to like? But then I add, “I don’t normally do this,” not because I particularly care if he thinks I’m ho-ho-hoing it up with every guy in town. But just because I feel like mentioning it. That’s all. Not at all because I might like him too.
“Yeah, me neither.”
I side-eye him as I toss the Santa suit in the direction of a bench in my living room I keep for the purpose of collecting things.
“I promise you, I’ve never met anyone like you. In all my life.” His eyes trail over me again in that way that he has. That way that feels like he’d still be looking at me even if there were twenty topless women to choose from.
“Take off your boots,” I tell him before I do something really stupid. Like lose all my sensibilities and allow him to walk on my carpet with wet footwear.
“Yes, ma’am.” He gives me a little wink when he says it and I very nearly consider unbuttoning his pants right in the tiny vestibule that makes up my front entryway.
When he’s got them off I take his hand and guide him over to the couch, not bothering to turn on any lights. My Christmas tree is on a timer, set to start sparkling promptly at six o’clock, so it’s already on, illuminating the room with the perfect mood lighting.
I had no idea Christmas was so sexy, but really everything about it is an aphrodisiac. Sparkly lights, snuggle weather, and mistletoe hanging all over the place encouraging kissing.
Maybe it’s not supposed to be sexy, but Teddy is bringing the sexy back to Christmas. He’s putting the X back into X-mas. He’s adding the hung into hanging the stockings. He’s about to Christmas bonus me into next week.
I laugh at my thoughts as I sit on the couch, pulling Teddy down with me. I. Am. Ridiculous.
“Something funny?” he asks, brushing a few strands of my hair away from my face. I had it up today in a topknot but I’m sure yanking a turtleneck over my head didn’t do it any favors.
“Yeah, me,” I answer, but when I don’t offer any further explanation he laughs.
His fingertips are cool against my skin, but soft as he tucks the loose hair behind my ear. The simple skim of his fingertips running along the shell of my ear is heavenly. Who knew my ear was such an erogenous zone? Not me. Then again I never had a thing for Santa before today either so I guess that old saying is true. You really do learn something new every day.
“This bossy librarian updo