The Christmas Plan

by Samantha Chase

  Like she needed to.

  With an internal groan, Aspen focused on her task and once she was pleased with the results, she stepped back and smiled. Looking over at Gabe, she asked, “So? Are we good? Ready to shoot?”

  “It all looks great. I think it’s perfect for what I want to do in the video. But it’s lunchtime. Why don’t we go and grab something to eat? Want to go to the diner?”

  “Um…your mom made a ton of homemade soup this morning that I was kind of looking forward to. Mind if we eat at home?”

  He shrugged. “Works for me.” They started to walk toward the car and Aspen felt all kinds of awkward. It had never been like this before and yet now all she could think about was how she didn’t know what to say or do or…anything! “Want me to drive?” he asked.

  “What?”

  Beside her, Gabe stopped and looked at her like she was crazy. “I asked if you wanted me to drive back to the house. It’s no big deal.”

  Without even thinking about it, she simply handed him the keys.

  One less thing for her to worry about.

  Luckily, he filled the time on the short drive talking about what he wanted to accomplish in the video and then asked for her input on maybe doing the chocolate house raffle to benefit the local animal shelter. It was something she absolutely got on board with because she had always wanted a pet and was never able to have one–her sister had allergies and then once she was on her own, her schedule didn’t allow for one. So the thought of helping animals in need seemed like the perfect thing.

  Back at the house, they worked together heating up the soup and some fresh bread his mother had also baked. No one was home and Aspen figured it was now or never.

  Quietly, she cleared her throat. “So, um…the other night…”

  She felt Gabe tense beside her, but his eyes never left the pot of soup he was stirring.

  Aspen knew he wasn’t going to say anything until she forced him to, so she let out a long breath and finished her thought. “We’re going to have to talk about it eventually, right? I mean…we kissed. It happened and…” She groaned. “Don’t you have anything to say about it?”

  He shrugged.

  Damn the man…

  “So, yeah…I guess it was bound to happen to us. I mean…you hear about things like this all the time. There’s bound to be some curiosity. It just took us a little longer, so…it happened. We did it. Twice. And um…I guess we can just move on.”

  When he still didn’t react or respond, she knew she was going to have to seriously provoke him.

  “But I promise I’ll be totally fine if you want to kiss me again.”

  “Excuse me?” he asked, the spoon in his hand loudly dropping on the stovetop, his eyes wide with disbelief.

  It was hard not to laugh, but somehow Aspen managed to keep a straight face. “You know, you kissed me that first night and it was fine. Good, even. So, if you wanted to do it again, I’d be cool with it.”

  Spinning in his seat, Gabe fully faced her. “I kissed you?”

  She nodded.

  “Nuh-uh. That was all you, Aspen. You were the one who kissed me!”

  “Not the first time,” she countered.

  His mouth worked but no words came out at first and he looked adorably flustered. “No. That’s not…it wasn’t…”

  “It was!” she argued lightly. “Your hand anchored in my hair and you kissed me!”

  “Only because you kissed me first,” he countered. “I was just reacting to what you were doing.”

  “That’s not how I remember it…”

  “Really?”

  Crossing her arms over her chest, she nodded. “Really.”

  He let out a small snort of disgust and turned his attention back to their lunch and Aspen took a minute to pull the bread from the oven.

  Hell, she knew she kissed him first–both times. Although in her defense, the first time she hadn’t intended for it to turn into what it did. But the second time? Yeah, all her.

  Now that they were talking about it, however, it kind of annoyed her that he was so defensive about it. Was kissing her so horrible? So repulsive? Did he find her that unattractive?

  Did he seriously only kiss her because she kissed him? Did he regret it? Or not like it?

  For some reason, she really wanted him to like it.

  So she did the only thing she could do.

  “Gabe?”

  “Hmm?” he asked, turning his head and looking at her.

  Throwing down the oven mitt in her hand, Aspen reached over and gently grabbed Gabe’s face and kissed him.

  What the…?

  Aspen was kissing him.

  Again.

  But definitely not one of her usual friendly pecks on the cheek or even like the one she had planted on him the other night.

  This was a kiss that was meant to make a statement and demand a response.

  And dammit, he was going to give her one.

  Just as he had the first time, Gabe reached up and anchored his hand into her hair–both hands. Nothing about this kiss was tentative or sleepy or even inquisitive. This time he wanted her to feel what he was feeling.

  It was a tall order and a lot to ask of his kissing skills, but…here they were.

  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this was crazy–and wrong–but he couldn’t seem to find the will to stop.

  And from the way Aspen was clinging to him, she wasn’t too worried about it either.

  Mentally he cursed their surroundings and the fact that they were in the middle of his parents' kitchen, but his attention didn’t stay on that for too long. Reaching behind him, he had enough sense to turn off the stove and hated how his hand had to leave her for those few precious seconds.

  She hummed and moved closer even as he was doing his best to hold on to the thin thread of control he still had.

  For years he’d fantasized about being with Aspen; she was everything he wanted in a woman. But after firmly being placed in the friend zone back in college, he thought it was never meant to be. And at the end of the day, he’d rather have her as a friend than not have her in his life at all.

  He’d never crossed that line. Hell, he was normally too cautious to even try.

  Unlike now…

  Yeah, Gabe had no idea what had gotten into either of them and he was fairly certain that he didn’t want to know. He just didn’t want the moment to end.

  But it did.

  Aspen broke the kiss first, gasping for breath. Her eyes were wide, her lips were wet and swollen and she was the sexiest woman he’d ever seen. Gabe knew he was breathing just as heavily but was too afraid to say a damn word and ruin anything.

  “Wow,” she whispered. “What was that?”

  Swallowing hard, Gabe silently shook his head.

  Her hands gently caressed his cheeks, his jaw, as her eyes scanned his face with wonder. “Why haven’t we ever done that before?”

  There was no way he could stay completely mute, so he quietly responded, “Because we’re friends, Aspen.”

  Maybe it was his imagination, but she seemed a little disappointed by his answer. Her hands slowly dropped away and she put a little space between them. “Right. Friends,” she murmured before letting out a long breath.

  This is why I shouldn’t speak…

  “Aspen, I…”

  “So it looks like lunch is ready. Hungry?” she asked, her voice going a little overly bright and cheery.

  But Gabe didn’t want to talk about lunch. His appetite was gone–for food. This…thing…that just happened needed to be dealt with because he couldn’t possibly focus on anything else.

  Reaching out, he gently touched her arm and waited for her to look at him.

  And she looked just as wary as he felt.

  Glad I’m not alone…

  Taking one of Aspen’s hands in his, Gabe gently caressed it before he spoke. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “What…” she began and then cleared her throat. �
�What do you mean?”

  “Well, I mentioned us being friends and it was obviously the wrong thing to say because you immediately changed the subject.”

  Her shoulders sagged slightly. “Okay, look…maybe this is going to sound weird, but…”

  “But…?”

  “Something’s different. I don’t know if it’s the change of scenery or what, but…I don’t know how to explain it.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’m getting too caught up in romanticizing the town and projecting the things that I want onto you…us…” Another shrug. “Crazy, right?”

  Now he wished he could just change the subject because…it was clear it only meant something more to him and it was embarrassing to say the least.

  Looking at their joined hands, he nodded solemnly and repeated her words from the other night to him. “It’s okay. I get it.”

  Aspen pulled her hand from his and sighed loudly. “Seriously? That’s all you have to say?”

  “Um…”

  She moved away and began to pace and he could tell she was building up to something. “You kiss me senseless and do that whole…you know…hands in my hair thing, which–by the way–is incredibly sexy, and then you’re able to just let this go? What the hell, Gabe?”

  Confusion held him silent for all of ten seconds before annoyance took over. “That’s what I’m wondering, Aspen! What exactly is it you wanted me to say here?” But he didn’t let her respond. “You say you just got caught up in it all, which–to me–says it didn’t mean anything. And before that, you got upset because I said we were friends. So tell me, please, what should I be saying here?”

  “I don’t know, okay?” she cried before looking utterly miserable. “I get what you’re saying. We’re friends and that’s all we’ve ever been, but…” Her shoulders sagged. “Haven’t you ever thought about or wondered…”

  And because he knew Aspen so well, he finally saw and heard the vulnerability. Unable to help himself, he walked over and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. “Of course I’ve thought about it,” he admitted lowly. “I just never thought that you did.”

  She snuggled closer, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I have, but I didn’t think you were interested.”

  They stood like that for several moments and Gabe knew they were ultimately flirting with disaster and yet he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “So what do we do about this?”

  She was quiet for so long that he started to get nervous, but finally she pulled back a little and offered him a weak smile. “I have a plan.”

  His own soft laugh was out before he could stop it. “Another one?”

  Nodding, she explained, “Everyone in town already seems to think we’re dating so…why don’t we do that?”

  It would be so easy to just say yes, but…“Aspen…this has the potential to backfire on us. If things don’t work out, then where will we be? I don’t want to lose you as a friend, but I already know I wouldn’t be able to stay…you know…friends like we’ve always been if this little plan of yours doesn’t go well.”

  “How can it not go well?”

  He stared down at her like she were crazy. “Aspen, be real here. We’re both single and we’ve both dated other people. Obviously all those other relationships didn’t work out. Most relationships don’t work out, and I think we’d be foolish to believe it doesn’t at least have the slightest chance of happening to us.”

  “Wow. Way to be negative,” she murmured.

  When she went to move out of his arms, Gabe held tight. “I’m not trying to be negative, but I am being realistic.” He took a moment to think of the right words. “You are literally the best friend I’ve ever had. I would be lost without you. And can you honestly say if we did this–if we crossed this line and things didn’t work out–that we’d be able to go back to where we are right now? Because I don’t think it’s possible.”

  “I don’t know if it is or isn’t…”

  “Aspen…”

  She looked up at him with those big beautiful eyes and he knew he was going to cave. “If I may…”

  “Go ahead,” he said with a soft laugh.

  “We’ve got a month here, Gabe. A month away from our regular lives and regular surroundings. We can totally embrace a romantic version of ourselves while we’re here in Silver Bell Falls and agree that at the end of December, when we’re ready to head back to Atlanta, that we can go back to where we are right now at this moment. Friends. Best friends.”

  “Somehow I don’t think it’s that easy.”

  “Gabe…” she whined.

  Could he really do this? Was he crazy for even considering it? Glancing down at her, Gabe knew what he wanted and that this might be the only way he’d ever get it. No doubt at the end of the month Aspen would realize he wasn’t what she was looking for and he’d have to find a way to be okay with it.

  Or did he?

  He could just as easily say no and…and…and kick himself from here to New Year’s.

  “Okay,” he forced himself to say. “One month and at the end…”

  Aspen silenced him with a kiss. And it was the perfect combination of hope and need. Her lips were incredibly soft, and her body was all warm and curvy.

  And they were still in the middle of his parents’ kitchen.

  The least sexy place on earth.

  Again, he reluctantly ended the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. “It’s not that I’m not enjoying this…”

  “But…?”

  “But I do have to go back to the lot and…you know…this kitchen isn’t exactly the kind of place I envisioned ever…”

  “Making out with someone?” she teased, and it was something so totally Aspen that all he could do was laugh and give her one last kiss.

  “Lunch,” he said as he moved away from her.

  She followed, but he knew they were going to keep talking about this. “So…should we like…go out on a date?” she asked as she ladled the soup into bowls for them.

  “Um…”

  “Because I know we’re both incredibly busy and it feels like there’s not enough hours in the day as it is…”

  “O-kay…” Gabe had a feeling she already had a plan and he was more than willing to listen to her suggestion.

  “How about we hang out in the tiny house tonight?”

  That was it?

  That was her big plan for a date?

  They walked over to the table and sat down. “Really? That’s what you want to do? We do that all the time.”

  “I know,” she admitted. “But I feel like we’ve been missing that for the last several days. So let’s plan on maybe having dinner–just the two of us–in the tiny house. We can get some takeout since we’re both kind of swamped with work stuff and I’ll make us something for dessert. What do you think?”

  Everything in him relaxed because there was no pressure–nothing to overthink.

  “I think it sounds perfect. I’ll pick up something on the way home after I’m done at the lot and be over around eight. Will that work?”

  Rather than answer, Aspen started to laugh.

  Hard.

  “Um…what’s so funny?”

  It took her a minute to calm down, but when she did, she looked at him with a big silly grin. “We’ve done this like a thousand times before and suddenly we sound so formal!” More laughter. “It just struck me as funny, that’s all.”

  And he could definitely relate because…it was.

  It was quite a few minutes before either could even begin to eat because her laughter was infectious and Gabe felt lighter than he had since they arrived in Silver Bell Falls.

  By the time they were ready to head back to the tree lot, everything felt good. Right. Normal. But Aspen stopped them before they walked out the door.

  “What’s up?”

  She surprised the hell out of him by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him senseless again. When they broke apart, she gave him a sweet yet sexy smile. “I figured we sh
ould start doing that a little more since we’re really good at it.”

  Speechless.

  Yet again she left him speechless.

  And since he couldn’t think of a thing to say, Gabe hauled her in close and returned the favor, this kiss hotter than the last.

  They were going to be late, but he just couldn’t find the will to care.

  Seven

  It was almost eight and Aspen was feeling slightly giddy. She stared down at her phone and tried to decide whether or not to hit send on the text she had just typed out to Gabe.

  It was bold.

  It was slightly naughty.

  And she was terrified of freaking him out.

  With a little scream, she hit send and tossed her phone aside and refused to think about the repercussions of what she just did.

  With that done, she looked around and was pleased with the way everything looked. All of her candy supplies were put away, everything was wiped down, and she had the tiny table set for two.

  Not that there was any other option. The table could only fit two people.

  Still, she set it with a red tablecloth, some votive candles, and a handful of tiny candy canes…just because.

  “Ugh…I’m trying too hard,” she murmured and wished someone were there to stop her. “I’m trying too hard!”

  It would have been easy to clear the table off and replace everything with paper plates, but…she forced herself to stick with her original plan. This was a date. And as such, it deserved to be dressed up a little.

  Like herself.

  Yeah, that was another big obstacle–figuring out what to wear.

  Since the two of them had been friends–buddies–for years, Gabe had seen her in everything from pajamas first thing in the morning to black-tie formal when she went to screenings or events with him. It would have been easy to just put on a pair of black leggings, an oversized sweater, and slouchy socks and be comfortable. It was what she normally would do. But tonight Aspen felt like she needed to change things up–to make sure they both knew this wasn’t two friends hanging out, but a man and woman getting together for a romantic date.