Free McDonald_MM_GEN_Dec2013 by Donna McDonald Page A

enough for you to be enacting my naked guy fantasy yet.”
    “Don’t be a skeptic. Just put the hat on,” he ordered.
    To be a good sport, she complied. She flopped the white fuzzy ball to the side of her head, snickering when it bounced off her ear. Sam nodded when she was done and reached behind him again to pull out a gold foil box. He handed that to her as well.
    “When in the world did you have time to buy me a present?” she demanded.
    “It’s nothing major. I bought this when I bought the rose and the decorations for your sound booth at work,” he said.
    Eve smiled. “The decorations were amazing. Tell me the truth. You’re really an elf, aren’t you?”
    “If you mean elf as in a tiny guy with small extremities, then no—I’m definitely not an elf,” Sam said.
    Eve chuckled. “More bragging?”
    “Not even,” Sam said.
    “How can I open this present? I feel completely guilty. I didn’t get you anything,” Eve protested.
    “You slept with me last night, which was very nice by the way. Then you spent Christmas day with me, at my in-law’s house no less. Those acts are more significant to me than anything you could have bought in a store.”
    “You’ve got to stop saying things that make my heart flutter in my chest. What am I going to do with you and your constant compliments?” Eve demanded.
    Sam laughed at her consternation. “Are you taking suggestions?”
    Eve flushed at the wickedness lighting his eyes and couldn’t help wondering what Sam might actually have the nerve to ask of her. “On second thought, I’m not sure I’m ready to take suggestions yet.”
    “Fine. Then open the gift I got you instead,” he ordered.
    Sighing in resignation, Eve undid the store wrapping and carefully lifted the lid. Inside was a necklace with a gold mistletoe charm dangling from a beautiful chain. She looked at Sam and suddenly knew why he’d bought it for her. “Is this a keepsake? A test? Or a combination of both?”
    “You have always been both beautiful and smart,” Sam said. “What it means depends on you. If things work out like I hope, next Christmas you’ll be saying that we got together because of a kiss under the mistletoe. You can wear the necklace when you want to remember that.”
    “And if we crash and burn instead?” Eve asked.
    Sam shrugged. “You’ll give it away to a friend, or to Megan, I suppose. But I’m going to try like hell not to let that happen. I’m willing to take a chance and see if it will work. Are you?”
    Eve held the gold necklace up and watched it sparkle in the firelight. “You’re not a bathrobe buying kind of guy at all, are you?”
    “I’ve been known to buy some lingerie now and again. Maybe I just have a different idea about how to keep a woman warm during winter,” Sam said, leaning over and kissing her cheek. When Eve laughed nervously, he reluctantly pulled back. “Was that funny? I was going for sexy. I must be more out of practice than I thought.”
    “Not at all. It’s just that I feel like we’ve speed dated a year’s worth in a couple days this week. You’re moving awfully fast for me, even though I admit you have successfully woke up all my girly parts out of hibernation,” Eve said.
    “Tell me the truth, Eve. Am I really moving too fast?” Sam asked, his voice a husky whisper.
    Eve sucked in a deep breath as she tried to explain. “I don’t know. I am so confused right now that I couldn’t even begin to answer that question. Or any question about how I feel about the changes between us.”
    Sam sighed and leaned away. “So I am rushing you. You can tell me so, Eve. I’m a big boy.”
    Eve sighed back. “You’re a big boy who obviously pouts when his romantic gestures aren’t instantly returned. Get that defeated look off your face right now, Sam. I said I was confused. I didn’t say I wasn’t turned on. You already know that I am.”
    She put the necklace carefully back in the box. Then she crawled over the short