Spying Under the Mistletoe (Love Undercover #2) - Stina Lindenblatt Page 0,69

willpower, and then some, not to toss her onto the bed and make love to her again.

Downstairs, Chloe heats the hot chocolate and curls up against me on the couch as we start watching the movie. The bowl of popcorn sits perched on my lap.

The movie really is as sappy as I was expecting. But since it makes Chloe happy, I don’t complain.

Or at least I assume she’s happy. She rubs her fingers under her eyes.

“Are you okay?” I ask, looking between her and the TV screen.

“I always cry at this part.”

That has me even more confused. It’s not like anyone died or anything. Just the opposite.

Seeing the confusion stamped on my face, she clarifies, “I’m a sucker for happy endings.”

I’ve never really understood why women cry at sappy endings. My mother and sisters were the same. They always had a box of tissues on hand whenever they watched what they called tearjerkers.

The corner of my mouth twitches up. “That seriously made you cry?”

“Sure, he finally got the girl. She realized she couldn’t live without him.”

“I’m betting the prince is just relieved he’s finally getting laid.”

Chloe smirks at me through a tear-stained face. “I’m sure that’s exactly what he was thinking when he got down on one knee to propose.” She snatches up the reindeer pillow next to her and hits me on the arm.

I grab my biceps, pretending to be gravely wounded. Cautiously, she lowers the cushion, and I pull her onto my lap, taking advantage of the movement.

Her eyes shine at me, and for a moment, we just stare at each other. The only sounds in the room are the faint snores from the direction of Whiskey’s bed and the closing credits.

Her gaze drops to my lips.

I stroke my thumb against her cheek. There’s no doubt about it, I’m falling for Chloe.

And I’m falling hard.

24

Chloe

The final bell rings. “Don’t forget to take your hats and gloves with you,” I remind the kids. It never fails that someone forgets something in their rush to go home. As it is, they’ve been bouncing off the walls for the past hour, ready for the weekend to begin.

Once the last of the kids trails out the door to the hallway, Landon strolls through the one connecting our classrooms. It’s been four days since I decorated his town house.

Four days since I felt something shift inside me during the contest to make each other climax first.

He flashes me a wicked smile and gives me a very thorough kiss.

My heart and breath respond, picking up speed. The same way they always behave every time he kisses me after the final bell. The kisses are now a daily occurrence, ever since we opened up about his old girlfriend and about my father, stepfather, and Mark.

Things have also shifted between us, but I can’t put my finger on why exactly that is. I’m nothing more than a mission to him, a notch in the old proverbial belt.

My heart does a little flutter kick as if that’s the only answer I need. But it might also be because he’s still kissing me.

It’s not a naughty, let’s-get-down-and-dirty kiss. This kiss stirs something deep in my soul.

And I suddenly know why.

I’m falling for him. Even though I know better due to my past, my heart apparently isn’t all that wise.

That, or it’s just a glutton for punishment.

Yep, definitely the latter.

He pulls away. “You know what we still need?”

I glance around the classroom, trying to puzzle it out. “No, what?”

“To get a Christmas tree. We decorated the one at the seniors’ home last night, but I don’t have one in my town house.”

“I thought you didn’t do Christmas decorating.”

“I didn’t. But since you’ve already turned my living room and kitchen into a Hallmark Christmas card, we might as well go all-out and get a tree.”

I grin, one step from clapping my hands like a little kid and doing a happy dance.

“Do you have any decorations for it?” I ask, instead. I didn’t bring many tree ornaments with me when I raided my storage unit.

“We can get some after we get the tree.”

Still grinning, I remove my coat from the hook on the wall. “Let’s go get that tree.”

At the tree lot, we wander the aisles, holding hands. The place is quaint, with crafts set up to entertain the kids, a booth selling hot chocolate, upbeat Christmas music piped through the speakers, and employees dressed as elves.

Just add snow, and the setting would be a scene right out of a romantic