And Nik was no different.
“What’s with all the heart emojis?” she asked, changing the subject and trying to keep her tone stern so he wouldn’t see how much he’d already affected her.
He cheeks turned red again. “I’m not allowed to like your pictures?”
She planted her hands on her hips. “Whatever you’re up to, it’s not happening. You wanna kiss again right now? Fine. You’re a great kisser. But that’s it. You shrugged me off last year, and I’m not about that ‘girl in every port’ life, buddy. If you think I’m gonna sit around waiting for your ass to show up and then drop everything when you decide you wanna play, you’ve got another thing coming.”
His gaze was intent, like he was really listening to her every word and considering what she said.
“I don’t want that either,” he said, and damn if his voice wasn’t sincere. “You deserve better than that.”
She raised an eyebrow, covering the rush of pleasure his words gave her with a sheen of always-reliable attitude. “So, whatdoyou want?”
He spread his hands. “We’re both off work for a little while. Let’s make the most of it—spend time together, get to know each other better.”
“To what end?”
The look he gave her was so intense, she almost swallowed her tongue. “As far as you’re willing to go.”
What was he saying? Would he stay in Los Angeles—for her? According to his social media posts, he’d been having a blast traveling the great wide world. She shook off the mushy feelings his words inspired. He talked a good game, but she wasn’t about to make this mistake again.
“How do I know you’re not going to run off again? Your wanderlust is alive and well, and people don’t change overnight.”
“You’re right.” He inclined his head to concede the point. “It hasn’t been overnight. It’s been over the last few months.”
Since he’d started his campaign to court her on social media, she guessed. The sudden attention had both confused and charmed her. She hadn’t known what to make of it, but she’d also looked forward to seeing his name pop up in her notifications.
Still, he’d been off on tour, so she’d simply clicked “like” on the comments and moved on.
Rather than tell him all that, she shook her head. “Listen. You’re sweet, and you’re cute as hell, but I don’t believe you.”
“What can I do to convince you I’m serious?”
She huffed out a laugh. “Dude, that would take a motherfuckin’ Christmas miracle.”
Right before her eyes, his energy shifted and his whole body perked up. Damn, he must be amazing to watch on stage. He could so clearly convey emotion with his entire being.
“A Christmas miracle?” He said it like it was a real thing within his reach.
“Yeah. And I don’t believe in those, either.”
Now, his brow furrowed. “Why not?”
Jess rolled her eyes. “Are you telling me you do?”
He shrugged. “The holidays are a special time. Everyone tries just a little bit harder to be good, to be helpful, to be compassionate. Isn’t that a miracle?”
Lord, spare her from idealists. But his optimism tugged at her, urging her to agree. She slammed a mental lid on the impulse and made her voice extra flippant.
“I don’t know. I hate the holidays.”
If she’d punched him in those rock-hard abs, he might have looked less surprised. “You what?”
She huffed. People always gave her nonsense about her stance on winter holidays. “Look, I’ve got nothing against Arbor Day. But Christmas? Not for me. I mean, I’ll go to parties, like this one, because I like my friends. But I don’t buy into the rest of it. It’s just a marketing tactic so retailers can make their bottom line before the end of the fiscal year.”
He raised a dark brow. “That’s a very cynical view of the most magical time of year.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “I can’t help it if I lost my rose-colored glasses. Or green and red, as the case may be.”
