Forgive me Santa.
With that thought I should call my family to wish them a happy Christmas Eve.
When my mom doesn’t answer I call Ella.
“Amy? What’s up?” She sounds out of breath.
“What have you been doing? Working out?”
“Alex and I were just—”
“Stop. I don’t need to know.”
“Get your mind out of the gutter. We’re sledding and having a snowball fight with Ronan and Holliday and their kids.”
“Ronan and Holliday came for Christmas?”
Ronan is Ella’s brother and a famous movie star. When Ella moved to New York Ronan hired Alex to be Ella’s bodyguard. And the rest as they say is history.
“Yep. They celebrated Christmas with Holliday’s family last weekend. And my parents are in Bora Bora, so they decided to come here for Christmas Day celebrations. We’re going to London for New Year’s Eve.”
“New Year’s Eve in London sounds amazing. Be sure to wish Holliday and Ronan a Merry Christmas for me.”
“I will. How’s it going with your man? Have you banged him yet?”
“No. But things are getting a little hotter.”
“Oh really?” Her voice perks up.
I clear my throat and step into the hallway. “Yeah. He’s got a hot tub and I don’t have a swimsuit so he—”
“Suggested that you go skinny dipping.”
“Uhm, not quite. But maybe,” I say that a little too quickly and with more enthusiasm than I meant.
“I knew it. Girl, you are snowed in with your hottie crush, all alone in his penthouse, which I’m sure is super cozy.”
I hold the phone away from my ear when Ella starts chanting, “Do him. Do him.”
“I feel sorry for the therapist that your children will talk to in the future.”
“Relax they’re sledding. Honestly, you need to make your move—we’ll call it the Sexmas Blitz.”
I can’t help the booming laugh that comes out of my mouth. “Nice use of football terminology. I’m impressed.”
“It’s all Alex’s fault. He made me start watching the Lions. They’re seriously tragic. But honestly Amy, you can’t let this moment slip away. Show him what’s in your playbook.”
“Ella please, it’s kind of complicated. And that makes no sense.”
“It makes total sense! You told Alex that it was fate that the two of us met and now look where we are—married with a family. There’s a reason Spencer walked into your gate at the airport.”
Shit. I did tell Alex that. But it was different. Ella was planning to stay in New York. I have no plans to move. I can’t move for a guy. Can I?
Unless...
No.
“Amy make a touchdown with your quarterback. Move those chains, baby!”
“Oh my gawd. Will you calm down. When did you become such a pervy punny perve?”
“I’ve always been a dirty bird. And I will not calm down. You are snowed in with your dream guy. So if you’re not skinny dipping then what is happening?”
“Let’s just say I have my choice of designer swimwear to choose from. A couple of bikinis and a single-shoulder one-piece. He’s making dinner and I don’t know—I mean this is Spencer Ward. He can have any woman he wants.” I walk back down the hallway towards the kitchen.
“Amy listen to me—you’re a beautiful woman. He’d be stupid not to have eyes for you. Now, you go get yourself some holiday cheer with that man.” Ella’s voice is firm, with a hint of laughter.
“Fine. I’m hanging up now.”
“Love you. We’re done here and the kids want hot chocolate.”
A big smile crosses my face as I hit the end call button and toss my phone onto the counter. My eyes roam around the living room. This place needs a tree and some decorations.
Right.
I wander along the hallway, stopping outside Spencer’s home office. The door is open just a crack. The low hum of holiday music pipes around the room. The next thing I hear is Spencer singing along with the song.
When Spencer stands, I get a glimpse of him wearing a blue Santa hat. The kids’ voices begin to drown Spencer out. He’s laughing and I fall in love with the sound.
I step back making my way to the guest room and pull out my laptop and charger. When I get back to the kitchen, I set up a makeshift workspace.
A glass of wine and thirty minutes later, I’ve called every tree lot within walking distance and then some. No luck with any being open.
There’s a tree lot across from the organic food market.
“Hi. Wow. I didn’t expect anyone to answer. The whole city seems to be shut down.”
A gruff voices drifts into the phone. “We’re like the Post Office. Nothing can keep us shut down. Not even a little snow.”
That makes me chuckle. “I’m looking for a tree. Do you have any left?”
“Yep. We’ve got a good bunch left.”
“How are the roads?”
“Some of the side streets are a little messy. But the city plows are doing a great job. Hurry down.”
“Thanks. I will.”
After I end the call, I punch the address into my phone and then pour another glass of wine. The food market should have decorations. I start to browse their website on my laptop.
Disappointment winds through my veins at the limited selection. With a snap of my wrist I check out the same day delivery websites.
Due to the winter storm we’re experiencing delays on most deliveries.
Dammit. I’m not going to be able to make good on my promise to Spencer. I close my laptop and settle back on the sofa in the living room.
When Spencer wraps up the call, the sun is shining and the snow has long stopped. My fingers hover over my phone’s screen, but I decide not to check the flights.
“Hey, so, the tree lot by the organic market has trees and they’re open. Do you want to give me a lift to get a Christmas tree?”
He laughs. “Of course. Let’s do this.”
I grab my puffer coat, toss on my black J. Crew beanie, and prepare to embrace the frosty afternoon air.
Spencer maneuvers through the snowy streets and I’m charmed by his neighborhood. It’s very festive. All the light poles are decorated with beautiful white wreaths adorned with green and red ribbons. There’s a banner draped across the town square that says: Happy Merry Everything.
“I guess a few businesses managed to open.” He points out a few of his favorite places as we drive towards our destination.
Even though I’ve been here a few times, I’ve never been able to explore the city. I’m usually tied up in meetings and the occasional corporate event. And then I’m back on a plane headed home or to another city.
The sun tucks itself behind a throng of clouds and once again the city is blanketed in gray and white. We pull up to the Christmas tree lot and there are a few trees left. And from the looks of it, they all have a Charlie Brown vibe.
Strands of twinkle lights flicker above us, and lengths of evergreen garland decorate the tiny white tent. There’s even a hot cocoa station.
“Hiya folks.” A petite woman wearing a fuzzy red coat underneath a green apron approaches. “We’ve got some Douglas Firs, and maybe a handful of Scotch Pines. I’m all sold out of my Concolor but take a look around. If you need anything just holler at me. I’m Frannie.”
“Thank you.” Smiling, I shove my hands into the pockets of my coat.
Spencer smiles at me and leads me towards the side of the lot that has a few wreaths. “Do you see any trees that you like?”
“Not yet. Maybe we’ll find a hidden gem.”
As we walk down the rows of tiny, half-brown trees, I hear Spencer singing along with the Christmas music that filters around us.
I can’t stop the giant smile that covers my face. “What’s your favorite Christmas song?”
“That’s easy, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer. But it has to be sung by Burl Ives. What’s yours?”
<
br /> “Holly Jolly Christmas sung by Burl Ives.”
He laughs. “Gotta love Burl.”
“For sure. Christmas doesn’t feel like Christmas unless I’m watching Rudolf and the misfits try to escape the evil Abominable. I watch Rudolf and make peanut butter balls. It’s kind of my tradition.” I stop in front of a sad little tree with dozens of broken branches.
“You mean Buckeyes?”
“Well, yeah. I guess so, but being from Michigan, I didn’t think we were allowed to say that word.”
Spencer chuckles.
“I add Rice Crispies to mine and top them with sprinkles,” I continue.
“Everything’s better with sprinkles. We should make a batch.”
My brows rise. “Really?”
He steps closer and takes my hand in his. “Yeah. We’ll go to the grocery store and pick up all the supplies.”
I hold his gaze for a beat and a light wind whips up my coat. “The two of us will be in the kitchen for the rest of the afternoon.”
Spencer laughs and the sound warms me all over. “I hope not. We’ve got a date with a hot tub.”
There’s a brief moment where I think he’s going to continue holding my hand, but when he looks down at our joined hands he just squeezes and releases the hold he has on me.
“Come on.” He nods towards a few trees next to the tent. A smile tugs his perfect lips. “I think there’s a tree here for us.”
A tree for us.
We spend the next fifteen minutes trying to find the right one. But I can’t decide. And I’m sure that I’ve given Spencer whiplash dragging him from one tree and then back to ten previous Douglas Firs and one tiny Blue Spruce.
“Okay. How about we save this one from going to the woodchipper,” Spencer leans in to whisper the words, his breath fans over my ear and a shiver runs down my spine. My skin prickles beneath my coat.
Just as we’re checking out, the sound of an airplane passing overhead draws our attention upward.
“Looks like the airport is back in action. Do you want to see if we can get you home to your family?”
Our fingers brush and that brief touch is enough to send my heart skipping inside my ribcage. My nerves kick into overdrive, but somehow, I find my voice.
“If I’m being honest, I don’t really want to leave.”
Spencer takes a step towards me. “As long as we’re being honest, I don’t want you to go.”
Just when I think this man is going to kiss me, he reaches past me and hauls the scrawny Spruce over his shoulder. Needles fall onto the snow and scatter.
“Be sure and give it plenty of water,” Frannie instructs. “It’s sure to come back to life. Here, take these twinkling lights too. I don’t need them anymore.” She hands me a brown bag.
“Thanks Frannie. Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. It’s my pleasure and Merry Christmas. There’s some extra rope in the bag too. Hurry home. Looks like there’s more snow on the way.”
“More snow? Really?”
“It’s getting dark towards the northwest,” Spencer mentions.
“Merry Christmas, Frannie.”
We exit the lot and make our way back to Spencer’s SUV. He manages to get the tree tied to the rack with minimal damage to the needles and branches. We have our work cut out for us. I feel like this tree is DOA.
“Next up, the grocery store. Do you have your list?”
“It’s all up here.” I tap the side of my head.
Spencer pulls his beanie down a little lower. “Think anyone will recognize me?”
I lift a shoulder. “Probably. But I’ll protect you.”
“I’m counting on it, Robertsen. I’m really glad you’re here. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”
I search his eyes, so full of sincerity. Just like when we were in prep school.
Just like the day when we kissed.
We cross the street, and my heart beats a strange rhythm. I feel the pressure tighten but I swallow down my anxiety.
Be brave.
“Hey, uhm. Can I ask you a weird question?”
“Sure thing.”
“Remember the day we kissed, uh, at the mall?”
A brief smile passes over his lips. “I do. I think about it a lot, especially during this time of year.”
“You do?” I pull a cart from the corral and Spencer hands me a sanitizing wipe.
He nods. “I was crazy about you.”
Was? Just my luck.
“Happy Christmas Eve,” a lady greets us with a tray of hot cocoa. “Here’s a warm cup of hot cocoa.”
We each pull one red cup from her tray.
“Thank you so much.”
Spencer blows the steam away and downs the whole thing in one gulp. I take a few sips and decided it’s too watery for my liking. When she’s not looking Spencer tosses both cups into the trash can.
We sail past the customer service desk and I push the cart towards the baking aisle. I turn and see that Spencer’s two steps ahead of me.
When I stop in front of the powdered sugar, I turn to look at Spencer. “I was crazy about you too, you know.”
He grabs the front of the cart with both hands. “If we were both so crazy about one another, then why didn’t we do anything about it?”
I blow out a deep breath. “Uhm because, you kissed me and then got all weird.”
He points to his chest. “Me? Weird? No sweetheart. Your friend, uh...what was her name? Oh yeah, Macy. She told me that you were super embarrassed that I kissed you in public.”
My brows rise. “What? I never said that. Macy knew how much I liked you.”
He stares at me. “So I didn’t embarrass you?”
“No way. That kiss was everything to me.”
He cocks a brow. “Is that so?”
My breath catches as he moves a step closer, pinning me between the condensed milk and the chocolate chips. His head tilts over mine like he’s going to kiss me.
The moment stretches on and on for what feels like an eternity. His blue eyes smolder with heat, as his lips hover inches from mine.
He’s going to kiss me.
And...I want him to kiss me.
This slow descent to my lips drives me mad. Maybe I should kiss him?
A needy ache winds through my body. I need to remember what kissing Spencer Ward feels like.
He closes the gap between us, and the needy ache turns to heat. He smiles, the slightest tug of his lips, when I press my body against his.
Spencer wets his bottom lip with his tongue and my knees threaten to give out.
“How do you feel right now?” he whispers, and his big hand comes up to cup my cheek.
“A lot like a girl who’s about to be kissed.” My voice is needy. Breathy even.
He smiles a wide grin, and then finally, his lips land on mine. Spencer kisses me and the deep low rumbling in his chest sends me over the edge, right into the abyss.
Kissing Spencer Ward sets a fire within my bones. It’s the kind of kiss that makes you melt.
I don’t care if that sounds cheesy because I’m hurled right back to our first kiss again, this time with the taste of hot cocoa, as the solid muscled weight of Spencer wraps around me.
Our mouths collide over and over, and I barely register when my head knocks against the metal shelf and a can drops to the floor.
I groan feeling the ridge of his cock between my legs. “Spencer,” I murmur.
“Hmm, Amy.” He captures my bottom lip between his teeth and desire swims in my chest.
His lips coax mine apart as he sucks gently at my bottom lip and I think I might actually pass out. My heart thunders in my chest. I whimper low in my throat when his tongue slides against mine.
It’s so good.
It’s totally perfect.
Spencer Ward knows how to kiss me. It drives me wild with need. Every nerve ending in my body is on high alert and wanting more.
“God, you feel so good.” His free hand
pushes beneath my coat, slipping under my shirt just enough so his thumb presses against my hip, just above the waistband of my jeans.
Holy hell. Is this really happening? Am I really making out with Spencer Ward? In a grocery store?
His tongue finds mine again lapping with purpose. He deepens our kiss which I don’t think is possible. Our breathing rapid. He’s hard against my thigh.
Holy moly…he’s big. Thank you, genetics.
Fine tremors of pleasure build in my core—low in my core.
I hum into his mouth and flex my hips against his legs. A moment later his hand is on my ass.
Oh God. I’m making out with the star of the New York Renegades in a grocery store.
No.
I’m dry humping Spencer Ward in the baking aisle.
I pull back and blink back the lust, trying to clear my thoughts. Spencer dips his head to the side, kissing his way up my neck. He loosens his hold on me making sure I’m standing upright before stepping back.
“Amy.”
The sound of my name comes out in a half growl, half plea. There’s an aching there—primal and hungry. Maybe desperate.
“Wow.” I’m breathing hard and leaning against the shelves for support. Hot and bothered doesn’t cover my current state. I am desperately horny.
“Yeah.” He runs a hand over his mouth and down to his chin.
It’s so hot and it’s all I can do not to pull him back to me. But we’re in a grocery store so I have to maintain some sense of decency.
“Uhm. We should get the supplies and then take this—”
“Back to my bedroom. I’m all for it.” He dips his head towards me once more, but I put a hand on his chest stopping him.
“Spencer, is this something you do a lot?”
“Kiss women in grocery stores?”
I laugh. “No, I mean...uhm. I don’t want to be a one-night stand. Not with you.”
Oh shit! But I’m not looking for a relationship either.
Spencer smiles, his lips brush against mine in a whisper. “As if one night with you would ever be enough.”
There’s something about the hover of his lips over mine and the words that makes my heart stop. Could there be more than just sexual tension between Spencer and me?
“Attention shoppers, we’ve received an urgent weather bulletin. A winter storm warning is in effect until two a.m. Expect heavy snowfall. Up to eight inches in some areas.”
Snowed In with the Quarterback Page 4
