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Kay was startled into letting out a little giggle "You es "It happens Occasionally"

She could hardly believe it It had to be the holiday spirit because she’d never seen Eli like this Her eyes drifted up and she saw the sprig of aze and his smile disappeared Then his eyes dropped to herinside her softened She wasn’t sure if it ishful thinking or if thesome effect, but in that moment, she closed her eyes and made a wish Kiss me She wanted it more than her next breath

A second later, there was the soft brush of skin on skin as his lips whispered against hers

Her eyes popped open and she sucked in a desperate breath before his ain His lips arm and soft and perfect Instinct, or perhaps it was just pure shock, was the only thing that allowed her to kiss hiht ainst his cheek When he pulled her closer, she htly, she probably would have melted into a puddle at his feet

It ay too soon when he pulled back and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead

"Merry Christ to the doorjamb for support

ELI HAD ALMOSThis na his coat on over his sweater

"Hey, hold up" Jackson nodded at the barn where Eli was headed "Are you going to getlow" His shoulders sagged As long as it wasn’t Kay, he could deal with it It had taken all he had to leave her with just a kiss But he would never want to eht you alone I wanted to talk to you"

They fell into step walking toward the barn, the newly fallen snow crunching under their boots

"About?" Eli proed, but he looked so uncomfortable that Eli suddenly knew the answer He wasn’t naive enough to think that no one in his fa Kay under the mistletoe In a fa without attracting attention

"It’s about Kay, isn’t it?"

Jackson turned to hi to sound weird, but I wanted to ask what your intentions are"

Eli let out a guffaw "My intentions? Who are you, her daddy?"

Jackson chuckled along with hie, but she doesn’t have a lot of friends Ridley and I have both grown really fond of her over the last year She’s a nice girl I just don’t want to see her get hurt Even unintentionally Or get pushed into anything she can’t handle" Jackson narrowed his eyes