be taught. You are who you are.”
“Fine, just a few pointers then. Please, Hunter. I need you and your man-whore ways to help me get my Christmas wish.”
He rubs the back of his neck as he chuckles. “What is this, a Hallmark movie?”
“Yes,” I declare. “Come on. It could be fun for you. Make me a holiday harlot!”
“You need to know I like you just as you are.”
I lift my eyes to the ceiling. “Noted.” Rising from my barstool, I stand up and turn him, so I can stand between his open thighs, squaring my shoulders and holding my arms out. “Come on. Don’t you want to have your way with me? Show me some tricks that really make your bells jingle?” I do a little dance for him.
He blows out a breath, trying not to laugh, and rubs his thighs. “Holiday harlot, huh?”
“A mistletoe mistress.” I tilt my shoulders in a sexy way.
“You know, your talent for alliteration is quite amusing.”
“Then, I shall stop.” I make a zip my lip motion and toss away the figurative key.
With a hard laugh, he grabs my hand and pulls me fully into him. My waist lines up with his groin, and I gasp at the closeness—and the hardness.
Hunter places a hand around my neck and starts to pull the bobby pins from my chignon. It’s a simple motion, but with each tug, I feel his sturdy hand, warm on my skin, grasping the pins gently yet with purpose. It causes me to lift my chest with a deep gasp.
“While you have the graceful neck of a dancer, you should let your hair down,” he breathes.
“Thank you for the compliment, but wouldn’t that mean I should show it off, like I am now?”
With each delicate pull of a pin, the tendrils fall onto my shoulders, leaving a whisper of a tickle against my skin. When they’re all out, he laces his fingers through my hair, letting it tumble in loose waves down my back.
My scalp tingles, and the sensation runs through my body, into my toes. He sweeps it to the side, making it cascade across one shoulder. He runs a finger along my skin, pushing my hair to the front.
“Hide that beautiful flesh behind the veil. Make him want to find out what’s buried beneath,” he says with purpose.
“What’s next?” I ask with a swallow.
“To touch is to flirt.” He moves his thumb in a slow circle on my neck, causing a shiver to run down my chest. “A hand on the shoulder is friendly. A hand on the chest shows attraction.”
I raise my hand and lay it on his chest. The heat of his body pours through his shirt and into my palm. His heart is pounding, mimicking my own.
“What do I do with my other hand?” I ask.
“Where does it feel like it wants to be?” he asks provocatively.
I place it on his bicep. “Is this too forward?”
“If he doesn’t want it there, he’ll tell you. Compliments are always welcome. Men are constantly telling girls things about them, so switch the role and surprise him.”
My hands shake mildly. “Okay, let me think. I’ve never role-played with anyone before.”
“It’s not role-playing. It’s honesty. If it’s a line, he’ll know. If it’s the God’s honest truth, then he’ll feel that.”
I lick my lips and nod my head, trying to narrow down his most attractive quality. He has many. His full lips, broad shoulders, tousled hair …
“Your eyes,” I say, and he starts to roll them, so I add, “they remind me of caramel candies. But it’s not just the honey-colored streaks or your long lashes, which are ridiculous for a man. It’s the way you look at people. They’re really inviting. When we talk, I feel like I’m the most important person in the room.”
I laugh at how crazy this scenario is and shake my head, tilting it down to the ground to avoid the exact contact I was just explaining so I can gain my composure.
I inhale and look back up to him, my shoulders sagging. “That sounded stupid, right?”
His gaze clings to me, analyzing my reaction, staring at me with so much interest that I’m starting to feel uncomfortable.
“Never mind.” I cross my hands in front of me, like I’m waving a white flag. “Your turn. I need help with the flattery, obviously. What would you say?”
“Your lips,” he answers easily. “You have the most beautiful bowed mouth. When you smile, it’s so bright, you light up, even when you’re