Cross Country Christmas by Tiffany King Page A

he asked incredulously.
    "When you were talking about Amanda getting married," I answered, amazed at how dense he was being.
    "I said she wanted things from me I wasn't willing to give."
    "Exactly. Considering she got married to someone else, I'm guessing what she wanted was marriage."
    "Right," he answered, looking at me like I was the one talking in circles and not him.
    "Which would mean you were unable to commit," I said through gritted teeth, plopping back on my pillows. He was so infuriating at times. I couldn't tell if he was messing with me.
    "Commit to her being the point."
    "Ooooh, you didn't want to marry her," I said, finally understanding. I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, mulling his words over. He wasn't the commitment-phobe I had portrayed him to be. He just hadn't found his "someone." I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. It shouldn't matter to me. But it did.
    "Ding ding ding. I don't remember you being that dense in school. Have these highlights messed with your brain?" he teased, tugging on a lock of my hair.
    "Funny. I thought you were deliberately trying to be obtuse."
    "Why do you care so much?" he asked, scooting the tray to the foot of the bed and moving closer to me.
    My body reacted to his close proximity. "What makes you think I care?" I said breathlessly as he inched closer.
    "I think you care a lot," he said, dropping his eyes to my mouth.
    I swallowed hard as his mouth hovered close to mine. "Tell me you haven't been thinking about this," he said, stroking a thumb over my bottom lip.
    "Have you?" I whispered.
    "Jams, I've been thinking about this longer than I can remember," he said, crushing his lips to mine. His words rang through my head, but there was no way I could make sense of them when his lips felt so good. I responded with a small moan when his tongue trailed across the same spot where his thumb had been. My pleasure filled acceptance affected him and he dragged me into his arms, deepening the kiss. A shiver rippled down my body as our tongues found each other. I gripped the hem of his shirt, wanting him closer. Hearing my unspoken plea, he settled the upper half of his body on top of mine. I gasped with pleasure, running my fingers up under his shirt. I could feel the firmness of his muscles and smoothness of his skin. It was almost my undoing when I felt him tugging at my shirt moments before his hand glided over the sensitive skin of my ribcage. My blood roared through me. His hand moved farther up to my breasts and I bowed my body, whimpering against his lips. I wanted his touch everywhere on my body.
    "Jams, you're seriously killing me," he said raggedly against my lips. He pulled back slightly.
    "Is that good or bad?" I asked, running my hands up his torso. My fingers trailed to the small patch of hair that disappeared down his jeans. Ever since I'd seen him in nothing but his jockey shorts the other night, I've fantasized about that small trail of hair.
    "So good it almost hurts," he said, leaning in for another kiss. Before his lips could reach their destination, a beeping noise from downstairs followed by the sound of voices in the hallway interrupted us. "Really?" he asked incredulously, climbing off the bed. I couldn't help giggling. Of course something was going on. With our luck lately, I could have almost set my watch by it.

Chapter 10
     
     
    Grant helped me put my boot on my one good foot and slid his feet into his own before he reached for me. His eyes were amused as he scooped me up into his arms yet again. "Nice timing," he joked. "I better think about baseball and hope it works quickly."
    "What?" I asked, not getting what he meant.
    "You kno w— we were just doing some stuff that may have caused something," he said, nodding his head downward.
    I burst out laughing after finally realizing his problem. "So, I shouldn't tell you how hot you were making me?" I said, adding fuel to the fire.
    "Please no," he pleaded as I reached out to open the