Unwrap Me. Susan Lyons
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Название: Unwrap Me

Автор: Susan Lyons

Издательство: Ingram

Жанр: Эротическая литература

Серия:

isbn: 9780758236968

isbn:

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      “I do.” He cocked his head. “What’s that all about, Jude?”

      “Christmas is a ridiculous, hypocritical, crassly commercial institution.” The words popped out automatically, words she and her mom had repeated countless times over the years. Now she was back on safe ground.

      He frowned and opened his mouth to say something. Instead he turned away and went to the fridge. She got down wine-glasses while he opened a bottle of Cherry Point pinot gris.

      When he’d poured two glasses and handed her one, he said, “I’ll grab my coat and get the barbecue going.”

      Relieved that he’d abandoned the subject of Christmas, she said brightly, “Great. The rest will take only a few minutes.” She’d already cooked rice, which she planned to heat in the microwave for a couple of minutes, then serve with asparagus.

      As she bustled around the kitchen, she wondered why he’d backed off. Maybe he’d reminded himself that their different views on Christmas didn’t matter. She and Nick were about fun. Sex. Not about her sharing painful memories or him trying to convince her to opt into a stupid holiday she hadn’t celebrated in eighteen years.

      If he tried that, he’d be out on his ear, great sex or not.

      Outside, Nick welcomed the opportunity to have a few minutes alone even though the temperature was near freezing.

      He liked Jude a lot. She was smart and fun, as well as so damn beautiful and sexy. When she talked about her work as a headhunter, he saw that she cared about people and enjoyed helping them. But when it came to the subject of Christmas, she stopped being so smart and fun and caring.

      Sure, there was commercial shit happening, but at heart Christmas was about love. Jude had to know that. So what was going on?

      He flipped the salmon, thinking back to when she’d mentioned the gingerbread house. There’d been a shadow in her eyes. That shadow wasn’t about commercialism. It was some kind of hurt. A painful memory?

      The safest thing would be to leave the subject alone, the way she wanted. A firefighter knew better than to play with fire. If he pushed her, she might kick him out.

      Then he’d lose this great situation, the no-strings sex.

      He scowled down at the salmon. Yeah, okay, no-strings sex was what he’d wanted when he’d first met Jude. But now…

      He felt something different for her. Different than he’d ever felt before. He wanted to really know her, be part of her life. Help her if she was in pain.

      Karen kept saying he needed to grow up. Nick had never understood what she meant. Perhaps now he was beginning to.

      He flipped the fish onto a platter and went into the warm kitchen. “It’s cooked.”

      “Great.” She flashed him a bright smile. Too bright. Superficial. “I’ll bring in the asparagus. Everything else is on the table.”

      Her half of the house had a small dining room. Music drifted in from the living room, the upbeat rhythm of a Beyoncé song. Daffodil-yellow candles gave the only light in the room, and the sweet-smelling flowers on the table were yellow, too.

      As they ate, they talked about their days, and Jude seemed to relax. But Nick still felt unsettled. Easier to let things go—but he didn’t think he could.

      They took dessert—imported strawberries in Grand Marnier—into the living room. She filled a couple liqueur glasses with Inniskillin Riesling Icewine, saying, “The taste makes me think of summer. Or the tropics.”

      When he sipped, he tasted hints of peach, mango, and other exotic flavors he couldn’t name. “Bringing the tropics to Vancouver in December.”

      “Mmmm-hmmm.”

      He took a breath. “So it’s December—or winter—you hate? Not just Christmas?”

      Her body froze. Warily she said, “It’s Christmas.”

      Nick took her free hand and squeezed it. “There’s more to it than commercialism and hypocrisy. Did something happen at Christmas?”

      Her full lips turned into a compressed line.

      “It was that bad?”

      She huffed out a sigh. “Don’t try to psychoanalyze me.”

      Hurt, his first reaction was to snap back. But he counted to ten. “I’m not. But I thought we were friends. Seems like you’re keeping a pretty big secret.”

      “It doesn’t affect you.”

      “It does.” He fought to keep his voice level. “This is my favorite time of year. I’d love to be trimming a tree, caroling, helping Kris and Karen with that gingerbread house. But I can’t, because I’m with you, and you’re playing Grinch.”

      “Then don’t be with me.” Her eyes narrowed. “It’s your choice. Go play Christmas, if that’s what you want.”

      She sounded childish. And he was damn tempted to do as she’d suggested. Maybe this crazy girl wasn’t worth the trouble.

      But something inside him whispered she was. Yes, she sounded childish. Like a hurt little kid who dealt with her pain by striking out. “What I want is to know why,” he said gently. “Is that too much to ask?”

      She scowled, and something flickered in her eyes as if they were reflecting the tumble of thoughts in her head. Then, grudgingly, she said, “It’s no big deal. Two strikes, and that’s enough. I’ve learned my lesson. Betray me once, shame on you. Betray me twice, shame on me.”

      He laced his fingers through hers, trying to offer comfort. “Who betrayed you, Jude?”

      She took a big swallow of ice wine and stared into the glass. “When I was eight, Mama and I f—found…” Her voice wobbled, and she took a breath then started again. “Found out my father had another family. We thought he was—get this—a traveling salesman on the road a lot. Even at Christmas because he had clients who didn’t observe the Christian holiday.”

      Voice firm—grim—now, she said, “In fact, he already had a wife and three-year-old daughter when he ‘married’ Mama. Their marriage was a sham. I’m illegitimate.”

      Nick’s grip on her fingers tightened, adrenaline surging with the desire to punch out her father. “Shit. That must’ve been awful.”

      “Oh, yeah.” She squeezed her eyes shut as though remembering, sighed, and then opened her eyes again. “He got sloppy. He gave the wrong business card to someone—he had two with different phone numbers—and this man phoned our home looking for him. A week before Christmas. Mama was out buying presents. I took the call….” The grimness was gone, and her voice sounded young, tentative. Hurt.

      Nick suddenly realized what he’d asked of her. This wasn’t a story she’d told often. He’d made her relive what must’ve been the most horrible time in her life. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and protect her. But if he did, she might stop talking. And he sensed she needed to get this out, as much as he needed to hear it.

      She СКАЧАТЬ