THE BENNETTS' CHRISTMAS (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family #6) - Brenda Jackson Page 0,32

thoughts. “On Tuesdays, they host amateur night with local talent and their hot wings are the best.”

Parker smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The waitress came with their check and he reached for it. Sebrina tried pulling it from his hand and their fingers brushed in the process. In an instant, a spike of heat tore through him and from the startled look on her face, he knew she’d felt it too.

“I’ve got this,” he forced himself to say, as he stood to dig his wallet out of his back pocket.

“I’d be happy to split it with you,” she said in a voice that sounded way too throaty for his piece of mind.

“No, I’ve got it,” he said. “I just appreciate you taking the time to join me for lunch.”

She smiled and the muscles in his stomach clenched. “Thanks for asking me, Parker.” She glanced at her watch. “I’m glad I’m off work tonight. I intend to put up the Christmas tree. Usually, it was something the four of us did. We’d drink wine, listen to holiday music and share old Christmas stories. But this year, it’s just me.”

“May I help?”

He could tell his request surprised her. “That would be great. But are you sure you don’t need to rest up after driving all the way here from Boston?”

She was right. But for some reason, he was hesitant to leave her. Once he went into his bedroom and closed the door, there would be no telling when he would see Sebrina again because of her work schedule. Though it sounded insane, he wanted to spend as much time with her as he could now. He would think about the craziness of it later.

“I have all day tomorrow to rest up,” he heard himself saying. “And I would love to help you decorate the Christmas tree. I haven’t done something like that in years.”

She tilted her head and looked at him questioningly. “Did you not put up a tree every year?”

“My roommate Evan and I had a tree, but it was one of those small ones that was already decorated with lights. All you had to do was take it out of the box and plug it in.”

She covered her face in mock horror, then peeked out at him through her fingers and smiled. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

He shook his head, grinning. “Sorry, I’m not joking. I guess now is not a good time to tell you that if we hung ornaments at all, they were empty beer cans.”

She lowered her hand and laughed. “I hate to say this, but you and your roommate were pathetic. Well, Mr. Stanhope, we don’t take trees out the boxes here. I’ve already been to the tree farm earlier in the week and our tree will be delivered in an hour. I spent the morning in the attic pulling out the decorations. So I’m ready to start. Are you?”

He definitely was.

“So, what do you think?” Sebrina asked a few hours later. She’d flipped on a switch and the Christmas tree they had decorated together glowed, its soft light filling the room. The look on his face was priceless.

Parker glanced away from the tree and over at her. “It’s beautiful.”

She had to admit that yes, it was. “And we did it together.”

He grinned and nodded. “Yes, we did.”

They stood there, staring at each other until she drew in a deep breath and began moving around the tree, making adjustments here and there. Or at least, she was pretending to do so. The tree was beautiful. And she had enjoyed decorating it with him…even with all the sexual energy bouncing between them.

She had honestly thought the attraction between them had been a fluke at first. After all, he was a man, and she was a woman. There could often be some chemistry between the opposite sexes.

Only that chemistry was even stronger now. More than once, their hands would accidently touch while hanging ornaments on the tree, or they would casually bump into each other. And each time, a sizzle of desire went through her. She couldn’t recall ever being this into a guy. Unfortunately, he was the last guy she should want. He was her housemate, for heaven’s sake. And a family friend.

“So, what’s with all this other stuff?”

She glanced up and saw Parker pointing to another box of decorations. “Oh, that’s part of the North Pole.”

He lifted a brow and she thought he looked rather cute…especially when a few strands of his hair fell over his