Free Unexpected Gifts by Bronwyn Green

Chapter One
     
    “You lied! On Christmas Eve .”
    Cassie Williams stood there with her heart in her
throat as she stared at the snowflakes clinging to the eyelashes of
her visitor. Bright blue eyes had captured her gaze, and it was all
she could do to break contact. She shoved the front door, letting
it slam shut in the face of her guest.
    She should have known her mother would send someone
over to check on her. Why did it have to be Sam of all people? Sam
MacLane had been a pain in her ass since the summer she’d turned
thirteen. Her brother’s best friend for life, it seemed, and part
of the family. Hell, her mother had even knitted him his own
stocking and still hung it up every year with the rest of the
family’s.
    The door shook as he pounded on it. “C’mon, Cass.
Open up. I’m freezing my balls off out here.”
    She pressed her forehead against the cool wood.
She’d wanted to just be left alone to lick her wounds. She sighed,
the sooner she let him in to drop off whatever her mother had
insisted on sending, the sooner he’d leave her be. Twisting the
doorknob, she tugged open the door.
    A thick dusting of snow covered his hair and
shoulders, and he shook his head, spraying snowflakes everywhere.
She scowled at him, brushing the dampness off her arms. His
brilliant blue eyes met hers, and he grinned, accenting his dimples
in the dark stubble covering his face. The sight of that killer
smile aimed at her punched her in the stomach. He’d always been too
gorgeous for her own good.
    She’d developed a monster crush on him the moment he
and his family had moved in next door. Fifteen years later, and she
still hadn’t been able to shake the damn thing. Of course, now, it
was less girlish crush and more straight up lust. It didn’t matter,
though. Nothing would ever come of it.
    “So, can I come in, or are you planning to let me
freeze to death on your doorstep?”
    Ignoring the blush that heated her cheeks, she
opened the door wider and gestured for him to step inside. Glancing
beyond him, she noticed how much snow had piled up in the last
couple of hours. Good thing she’d gone grocery shopping the day
before. It was getting ugly out there.
    Turning her attention to Sam, she followed him into
the kitchen where he’d begun unpacking the huge box her mother had
sent.
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, what gave
me away?”
    “No glassy eyes, red, swollen nose or blotchy skin.”
He handed her a Tupperware bowl. “You’ve got homemade chicken soup
here,” he said, slowly scanning the length of her body before
meeting her gaze, again. “Though you clearly don’t need it.”
    She shoved the container into the fridge. “You can
stop being a jerk any time, now.”
    “I could.” He winked at her. “But, I think we both
know I probably won’t.”
    Her lips quirked, but she tried to hide the
smile.
    He was right. He wouldn’t stop being a jerk. He was
the same guy he’d always been. When they were kids, he was the guy
who’d teased her mercilessly. But, he was also the same guy who’d
made sure no one else ever picked on her. Just like another big
brother. He was also the same guy who’d convinced his parents to
let her entire family move in with them while their house was being
repaired from the fire damage that had taken out their garage and
damaged her bedroom. Not just her bedroom—pretty much every last
thing that had been in it, including her book collection. And he
was the same guy who’d offered her his collection of comic books to
read while the house was being repaired. She’d ended up being
incredibly well-versed in Marvel and DC comics. To this day, the
X-Men were still her favorite. She smiled at the memory.
    “So, what’s the real reason you bailed?” he asked,
bringing her back to the present and holding her motionless with
his gaze.
    The faints traces of her smile faded as soon as his
question hit the air. She swallowed hard and cleared her throat.
She wasn’t about to