“Anyone ask for a pony yet?” she teases with a grin.
“I never should have told you that.”
She leans in and kisses my nose. “But you did and now I know that you’re a cinnamon roll.”
“I’m a what?”
She laughs. “A cinnamon roll. You know.”
“Because I ate one today.”
“No, that’s what we call tough heroes who are soft inside, in romance books.”
“You’re strange, Jay.”
“What did you say the pony’s name was?”
I shift, the room growing warmer. “I didn’t.”
She stares at me, and I go to work on the letters under her scrutinizing gaze. “Oh my God,” she finally bursts out.
“What?”
I seal the letter, and plunge the personalized Santa stamp in the ink before I press it to the envelope.
“It’s something cute isn’t it, like Muffin?”
I shiver at that name. “No.”
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Did you name it, or was it already named?”
“I named it,” I grouch ready to give up because this is Jay and she’s not going to stop until I spill.
“Tell me.”
“Fine. Her name is Strawberry.”
“Strawberry. Why?”
“Because…the little girl. She had strawberry blonde hair and I thought she’d like it. I told her she could change it, but she loved it, so see. I was right.”
Jay puts her hand on her stomach and leans forward.
“What are you doing?”
“Holding on to my ovaries, because I think they’re going to explode.”
I shake my head. “This is why I never wanted to tell you.”
As she laughs, I take in the firelight dancing in her eyes. Jesus, she’s beautiful. Catching me off guard, she sits up, throws her arms around me, and despite the bustle of people around us, presses her lips to mine.
It’s a slow, easy kiss, the kind that makes the noise of the inn fade to a soft hum. When she pulls back, she licks her bottom lip like she’s savoring the taste of me, and I fight the urge to lean in again. Instead, I grab my hot cocoa, taking a long sip, trying to distract myself from the very real possibility of a lap dance later.
She goes quiet, staring at her screen, but I can tell she’s somewhere else. I tilt my head. “Something on your mind? You know I’m a pretty good listener.”