Free Her Wish Before Christmas (Holiday Hearts) by Kimberly Quinton

the creaky old house made a noise, thinking she might try to make a getaway. By the time the third book was read and a story told, Jake curled on his side, tucked in, and ready to sleep. Connor prayed she wasn’t asleep on his couch. Though waking her held its own kind of appeal. He had to stop himself from running down the stairs.

 
     
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    What the hell am I doing, barging into their evening?
    Genny’s feet ached from walking around town all afternoon arguing with herself about whether to come or not. Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve . The day her grandmother predicted she would meet her true love, and he would open her wishing amulet.
    Did he even have it? She had to find out.
    Everything her grandmother had told her couldn’t be dismissed so easily. “What if” had always been a problem for her. She’d left Laurel Cove needing space to get over Connor and find herself and her passion. Seeing him again showed her what was missing. The one true love that meant more than anything else. Connor was supposed to have been that one. Leaving her sheltered life to pursue a daring career abroad taught her how to take care of herself and live a life of her own making. In a way, her mother and Connor were right. But it hadn’t been their decision to make. She never got over loving him and dammit, she needed to hear him say if he felt the same.
    “You stayed.”
    She jumped when his voice interrupted her thoughts. He was silent in bare feet. Sexy bare feet, jeans, and an untucked button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing muscled forearms.
    A runner and swimmer in college, he obviously kept up with his physical conditioning. Her mind wandered in the wrong direction for the talk she needed to have with him.
    “You sound surprised.” Knowing they needed to get out everything that was buried, she quieted the riot of nervous energy bouncing from belly to mind and back.
    He opened his mouth as if to say something and then closed it again and raked a hand through his hair in a gesture that was becoming familiar. “Look, Genny—”
    “So what are these requirements?” She responded to his discomfort by deflecting the conversation, afraid of what he might say. Way to stay brave .
    His smile almost sent her out the door as if she were Little Red and he the Big Bad Wolf. But she needed an answer. He turned the stereo on low and returned to the couch with two glasses and a bottle of wine from a bar set along the wall. This time the Christmas music was slow and melodic.
    “Requirements. Right…. Wine?”
    She inclined her head. Not sure she could get a word out. He set the mood fast. A fire, some wine, and music. How cliché. But it worked. The tension from earlier lessened, and a new feeling of closure started to set in.
    Her resolve crumbled. Her heart ached with the fullness of unsaid words, but she wanted to forget all that and just enjoy a man’s company. One she knew for a fact could kiss her socks off and who was trying to seduce her. Old feelings needed to be put to rest to make room for a new start. Easier said than done .
    She accepted a full glass of red, the firelight sparking into flames in the reflection on the crystal. How far was she willing to go? It had been so long since she’d let a man this close. Let a man work to be with her. If she liked him, she was all in. If she didn’t, she never gave him a chance. More often than not, she never gave them a chance.
    “Merry Christmas.” He clinked the edge of his glass with hers and smiled at the toast. She took a sip, aware of him watching her.
    “That was fast.”
    “Always prepared. You know I was an Eagle Scout.”
    Courage required another larger swallow. Trying to relax, she tucked her legs under her. Another gulp of wine and her light-headedness subsided, the blood rushing in her ears calmed, and she could focus.
    “I remember you sneaking out of your pack meetings to meet me behind the bleachers at school. Always the