Chapter 6 #3
“Not your fault. And don’t get me wrong, I’m glad your family could be together for the holidays.” Nick rested his head against the chair and sighed. “It just makes me feel a little weird, like I’m intruding.”
Ryan tried the power button again to no avail. “Of course you’re not. Besides, you can’t spend Christmas alone.”
Nick had a ramen noodle bowl he specifically saved for holiday use only. He could totally spend Christmas alone. He ran a hand over his jaw. Not that he was hoping Ryan would send him home. He had to ride this out, at least a while longer, and get a chance to talk with Grace and Thomas.
Which apparently meant putting up with Holly’s love ferns. Or maybe now they were love poinsettias. So much for bonding over their shared aversion.
“I just meant maybe the plan is working, and she’s feeling cheered up, you know?” Ryan took the battery cover off the remote and peered inside. “Maybe her good mood generated some extra Christmas spirit.”
Nick barely knew Holly at all, and yet he would adamantly argue that wasn’t the case. He’d been in plenty of good moods himself over the years and that had never led him to decorate cookies and jam out to Christmas playlists.
“You’re not going to cancel the date, are you?” Ryan’s hand stilled on the remote. He raised his eyebrows.
Nick shook his head. “Of course not. I told you I would be here, so I will.” It wasn’t that deep, right?
Especially in light of the progress he could be making toward his dream.
In about a week, the holidays would be over, and he and Holly would rarely see each other again.
“I’m sure I can get through a few festive moments without any lasting damage. ”
“Maybe I can talk to her. And until we figure out what she’s up to, I’ll be right here with you.” Ryan tapped Nick’s arm with the remote. “Don’t worry.”
A knock sounded against the door. Nick and Ryan turned simultaneously as it opened and a red head poked through the gap. “There you are!” Holly announced brightly.
Nick’s stomach twisted—and not for the reason it had when he’d initially met Holly in the front yard. Attraction had slowly shifted into dread.
What would she do next?
She stepped into the room, a red feather boa wrapped around her neck and dangling over her white top. She’d apparently lost the Santa hat during her sliding competition, and her red waves had gone rogue. “Lydia’s looking for you, Ryan.”
“Coming!” Ryan was on his feet and moving toward the door in roughly two seconds. So much for being right there with him.
Nick held his breath, trying to look invisible, but Holly didn’t leave with her brother. Instead, she came and perched on the arm of Nick’s chair, her red skirt splaying over the edge.
“I wondered where you ran off to.” Her body heat warmed his right arm, and he pulled it to his side, away from her. She smelled like cookies, which wouldn’t have been so off-putting if he wasn’t incredibly aware that they were Christmas cookies.
“Just giving everyone a chance to settle in.” To that point, Nick hadn’t even unpacked. That would actually make a good excuse, since Ryan abandoned—
“Forget that. We need to get you festive!” Holly reached over and draped the boa around his neck, her green eyes dancing. The feathers instantly tickled his ears.
“I’m good, thanks.” He went to free himself, but she hadn’t moved her hand away yet, and their fingers brushed. Something brief flickered in her gaze. Then that obnoxious smile that had to be fake re-formed across her face.
Had to be. Right?
She pulled on her end of the boa, tugging it from his grasp. “You’ve already got that green shirt. This will up your Christmas outfit, trust me.”
“I don’t want to wear a boa, Holly.” He dodged her attempt to adorn him a second time. “Not for Halloween, not for Easter, and definitely not for Christmas.”
“Why not?” She blinked at him, her question breathy as if his declaration was completely ridiculous. “It’s fun.” She began humming “Jingle Bells.”
Okay, maybe she really had gotten into some eggnog.
Nick opened his mouth, then shut it. Or…
maybe she was just nervous around him. Hadn’t Ryan said she’d gone through a breakup recently?
It was hard getting back in the game—or so he’d heard.
He’d been out of it quite some time himself.
But she could be feeling a lot of pressure for their block party date.
A sliver of pity worked through his irritation. Like a splinter. But it was there, and he couldn’t ignore it. “Maybe we got off on the wrong foot.” Nick took a deep breath and stood, forcing Holly to move off the arm of the chair.
She stood before him, draping the boa over his shoulders and situating the feathers just so. “Did we?”
He resisted the urge to shuck the feathers off and throw them far, far away. Or maybe dig a hole and bury them. “I thought you hated Christmas.”
Holly offered a little shrug as she smoothed a wayward feather down flat. “I guess everyone should be allowed to change their minds.” Her eyes didn’t meet his as she said it, instead focusing somewhere around his chin. Or was she looking at his lips?
Nick’s gaze automatically darted to her lips, shiny with pink gloss, pursed in concentration as she fluffed and arranged the boa, and he swallowed.
How in the world was he both attracted to and completely repelled by the same woman?
It’s like she was in there—the beautiful, genuine, slightly reserved, sarcastic woman with oceans of depth in her green eyes that he’d been immediately intrigued by a year ago—but was trapped beneath a layer of tinsel and green icing.
Which still lingered on her cheek.
He took a step back, tugging his gaze away from her daintily freckled face. “I’m happy to be your date for this block party, but maybe you could go easy on me with all the…um…” His voice trailed off as appropriate words failed him. He flicked the boa to finish his sentence. “Festiveness.”
“Go easy on you?” Her eyes met his then, gold flecks sparkling in emerald jewels. A coy smile spread slowly across her face as she closed the distance between them. “But…”
Man, she was standing close. Almost as close as they’d been in the kitchen, but this time, she was facing him, which was an entirely different situation. His throat went dry. “But?”
She took both ends of the boa in her hands, tugging him even closer. “But that would ruin everything.”
“It would?” Was that his voice, so husky? He cleared his throat. Told his feet to step back. But they didn’t obey.
Had he shuffled forward instead?
“Yeah.” She smoothed the feathers again, this time the ones right below his collarbone. The graze of her touch against his chest sent a spark shooting into his fingertips. “I thought we could make snow angels and go ice skating and eat cookie dough.”
Nick frowned. That list sounded oddly familiar. “Is that a line from a movie?”
A flash of panic lit Holly’s face and her hands froze on the feathers. “I don’t think so.”
“No. It is.” He could hear it…almost see it. He squinted.
Holly rapidly smoothed more feathers. “You don’t watch Christmas movies, so you wouldn’t know.”
“That’s it!” Nick snapped his fingers. “It’s from Elf. ” He might not watch Christmas films on purpose, but he also didn’t live under a rock.
She licked her lips. “What a coincidence.”
“Maybe.” Uh-huh, busted. She’d totally seen it. Nick narrowed his eyes as he looked down at her. “Or maybe you’re up to something.”
Holly cocked one hip to the side and peered up at him through long lashes, looking ridiculously adorable, unfortunately. She tapped one finger against his chest. “Do you want to go ice skating, or do you want to argue about movie scripts?”
He wanted to go home. He wanted to pretend like he’d never been given a ticket to this confusing, overly festive, holiday-themed roller-coaster ride.
And yet, somehow, at the exact same time, he desperately wanted to go ice skating.
With her.
With restraint he didn’t realize he possessed, Nick stepped backward, unwound the boa from around his neck, and draped it over hers. Then he lifted her hair free, a contrasting shade to the feathers, and gave the whole red mess a quick smoothing. “You know? I think I prefer arguing.”
It was much safer that way.