Brandon (Anderson Billionaires #3) - Melody Anne Page 0,79

the day before she walked through her front door.

This walk was even more special because Brandon was by her side. He’d stayed at the restaurant for two hours straight, and she’d gotten so much more cleaned up than she’d expected. He’d been a huge help, and now she was bringing him home. For what? She didn’t exactly know. But it was Christmas Eve, and the sun had gone down, the clouds were beginning to open, and small flakes of snow fell.

It was perfect, and for this moment she didn’t want to feel sadness or worry. She wanted to take a walk with the man who was on her mind all the time and enjoy a beautiful holiday evening. Yes, her guard was coming down, but it was to be expected.

She’d just decided she was going to have to deal with the pain of it ending no matter what at this point, so she might as well appreciate the two of them together for now. She didn’t want to be alone this holiday.

They didn’t say much as they moved through the streets, the snow falling harder as they got closer to her home. She’d have to either lend him her car or give him a ride home later if the roads weren’t too bad. That was something else she didn’t want to think about.

They stepped up to her porch, and she pulled out her keys. He took them and unlocked the door, pushing it open so she could step inside first. It was such an antiquated gesture and still one she appreciated very much.

Though it was in the low thirties temperature-wise, Chloe felt warm and tingly on the inside. She shed her coat gratefully when the front door closed behind the two of them.

“Are you hungry?” she asked. They’d eaten a bunch of pastries and downed coffee, but that had been two hours earlier, before a ton of hard work. She was definitely feeling hungry. It was dinnertime, and she had a ham in the fridge she should throw in the oven for a special meal on this beautiful night. But she was exhausted as well.

“Let’s just relax for a while. You’ve been on your feet all day,” he said as he took her arm and led her to the living room. He pulled her to the couch and tucked her in close to his side as his fingers danced on her scalp, and she leaned against his chest, feeling at home.

“Don’t you need to go to your parents’ for the holiday?” she asked. She didn’t want him to tell her he was leaving, but he had a wonderful family, and she was sure that was where he’d go. She wasn’t his family, and it would be better for her to remember that. Of course, she’d been invited to hang out with Brooke and Sarah, but as their families grew, she’d felt like a third wheel at the holidays. They’d kick her butt for even thinking that thought, so she’d never dared to say it.

“I promised to be there tomorrow,” he told her with a contented sigh.

“I hope the roads don’t get too bad tonight,” she said. “Where’s your truck?”

He laughed. “It’s still parked in front of your house. You’re so done in you didn’t see the huge thing.”

“No, I totally missed it,” she admitted. She wasn’t sure if she was ever going to move from the spot she was in right at that moment.

“Well, my truck can get through pretty much anything, so we can get around town,” he said. “We don’t need to go anywhere tonight. This is too dang comfortable.”

“I’ve always been freaked out driving in the snow. I don’t think you’d have a problem with it in that beast of a vehicle.”

Brandon chuckled before he lifted her, pulling her onto his lap and cupping her face as he looked into her eyes. She was so smitten with him.

“I plan on us having some fun winter adventures in that truck,” he said, his voice growing husky. The exhaustion Chloe had been feeling quickly faded as desire took its place.

“I try not to make too many plans in advance,” she said, forcing a smile to her lips. She didn’t want to jinx what they were having right now.

“I have to think of the future,” he said. “I’ve found that I’m growing a bit jealous of my siblings with their marriages and children. I’m beginning to realize the things I found important when I was younger aren’t the same now.