Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
He quirks a brow. “What are we doing?” he asks cautiously. “I thought we were just spending the day together.”
I spill the beans. “Oh, we are, but we’re going shopping.”
“Shopping?” He scrunches up his nose. “Do we have to?”
“Yes, we have to. I have some more gifts to buy, and I don’t like waiting until the last minute.”
“How many people do you buy for?”
“Well, we do things a little differently since there are so many of us. We started it several years ago. Once all of us kids learned that Santa wasn’t real. The kids, meaning my generation, all draw names, and then my parents and my aunts and uncles draw names. Everyone buys for my grandparents because, let’s face it, nine boys and Ramsey later in life, they’ve earned it.” I chuckle.
“So, whose name did you get?”
“Ivy. She’s sixteen. She’s Uncle Sterling and Aunt Alyssa’s oldest.”
“Okay, so we’re shopping for Ivy. Who else is on your list?” he asks as he takes a bite of his bagel.
“I need to get my parents a little something to finish off their gifts, and I still buy for my siblings because I can and I want to. I also need to get something for Isla and my gift exchange at the office.”
“That’s… a lot of shopping.”
“Oh, come on, old man,” I tease. “It’ll be fun.”
“Shopping is not my idea of fun, Blake. Fun would be staying in and being wrapped up with you on the couch, kissing you until we’re both gasping for breath.”
Heat pools between my thighs. “We can do that after.” After shopping and after we wrap presents while we listen to Christmas music—something else he doesn’t know about yet.
“Fine.” He leans in and presses his lips to mine. “You’re hard to say no to.”
“Perfect.” I smile up at him.
“You’re really excited about this, aren’t you?”
“Yes! I love buying stuff for people. Picking out something you know they’re going to love.”
“Do you get this giddy over receiving gifts too?”
“Close, but not quite.” I grin at him.
He shoves the last bit of his bagel into his mouth. “All right, let’s get this over with. I see lots of kisses in your future, Ms. Kincaid.”
“Something to look forward to.” I wink, making him laugh.
“I’ll drive.”
“We can take my car.”
“Mine has more storage in the back. I have a feeling we might need it for all your purchases.”
My mouth falls open, and I point my index finger at him. “I like the way you think, Ollie. I need to grab my purse.”
“I’ll open the garage, and you can pull your car into the other bay. It’s supposed to snow today. That will keep it from freezing over.”
“It’s fine. I’m used to cleaning my car off.”
“Well, today you won’t have to.”
“You’re not all grump.” I smile at him before rushing outside to pull my car into his garage. We have shopping to do.
“I expected you to drag me into every store in this mall,” Oliver says as we sit in the food court having lunch.
“Oh, I’ve done that,” I assure him. “I don’t want to torture you. I want you to enjoy the day, not loathe it.”
“I’m with you.”
“What?”
“I’m with you. I’m enjoying the day… no matter what we’re doing.”
“See, there you go, hiding your grump for your sweet.”
He laughs, and the sound washes around me like a warm blanket. “Call it the Blakely effect.”
“Oh, you named your sweetness after me. I like it.” I nod.
“What’s left on your list, crazy girl?”
“The only person left on my list is Isla. We’ve made good use of our time.”
He glances down at the bags at our feet. “Yeah, I’d say we have.”
“What about you? Do you have anyone left on your list?”
“Just one, but I don’t know what I’m getting yet. I still need to think about it.”
“Okay, well, I’m down for another shopping trip. You let me know when you’re ready.”
“You’ll be my first call.”
I start piling our trash on our tray and glance over at where Santa and his elves are set up. “You want another picture with Santa?”
“Do you?”
“Wait. Are you willing?”
“Can’t say no to you, remember?”
“There’s no line. Let’s do it.”
“Really? We already have one.”
“I know, but this one will be different. This one you weren’t forced.”
“I wasn’t forced before.”
“Yeah, but this time you’re doing it for me.” I bat my eyelashes at him and jut out my bottom lip.
“I don’t like Christmas,” he reminds me.
“But you like me,” I counter.
“Yeah, I do.” He stands and grabs our tray. “Let’s go get our picture taken with Santa.”
“Yes!” I’m out of my seat, gathering our bags, and lugging them to the line. Oliver joins me, taking the majority of the load from my hands. There are now a few kids in front of us, but the line moves quickly.
When it’s our turn, we pile our bags off to the side, where someone can’t just walk by and snag them. I go to sit on Santa’s lap, but Oliver stops me, plopping his ass down on Santa’s knee and pulling me onto his.