as she started down the porch steps. “That was then,” he said. “We discussed this and I told you I—”
“It doesn’t make a difference. I think it would be best if I left. I’ve called my assistant, Meghan O’Malley. She’ll be arriving here tomorrow to tie up any loose ends.”
“But Eric wants you,” Alex said, placing his hand on her elbow. “You’re his Christmas angel.” He drew a long breath, then sighed. “This isn’t because I kissed you, is it?”
Holly laughed dryly, ignoring the tiny tremor that raced through her body as his fingers clutched her arm. “Don’t flatter yourself,” she lied. She pulled out of his grasp, but as soon as her foot hit the walk, it skidded out from under her. She bumped down onto the icy walk, rebruising her already bruised backside.
What was it with this place? When Alex wasn’t sweeping her off her feet and kissing her, she managed to sweep herself off her own feet at every turn! Intent on putting some distance between them, she struggled to stand. “I don’t want to be anyone’s angel,” she said.
Alex reached out to help her up, but she slapped his hand away, knowing precisely what his touch could do to her. She brushed the snow off the back of her coat, then hoisted up her bag again and set off at a quicker pace. This time he didn’t bother to follow her. “Eric will like Meg. She’s really much better with children than I am.”
“You’re pretty damn good with kids yourself.”
Holly stopped, stunned by the unsolicited compliment. She slowly turned to find him staring at her, his gaze fierce, unwavering. “Do you really think so?” she asked.
His expression softened. “Don’t go. Eric will miss you. I don’t want him to pay for my mistakes.”
“Then you admit kissing me was a mistake?” Holly asked, not really ready to hear his answer.
“No. That’s not what I meant.”
“What is it you want from me?”
Alex’s jaw tightened and he shook his head, his mood darkening in the blink of an eye. “Am I supposed to know? I don’t know how I feel about you, Holly. Or what I want. I don’t think you do, either. But we’re never going to find out if you run back to New York like some scared little rabbit.”
“I came here to do a job,” she said. “But I can’t do my job if you’re trying to kiss me at every turn.”
“And you feel like you’re betraying your fiancé?”
Holly frowned. “My fian—oh, yes. My fiancé. That’s exactly how I feel,” she murmured, nearly forgetting the lie she’d told him the night before.
“An engaged woman doesn’t just go around kissing other men,” he said.
Holly gasped. “I—I don’t kiss at all! You’re the one who kissed me. And you don’t kiss like a gentleman!”
A sardonic grin touched his lips. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Exactly my point. You are no gentleman.” She spun on her heel and started back down the walk, this time avoiding the icy patches. But her progress was stopped when his hand grasped her arm. To fend him off, she swung her suitcase at him. But in her haste to pack, she’d neglected to secure the latches firmly and it flew open, sending her clothes flying over the snow.
Lacy black panties fell at his feet and he bent down to pick them up. He held them out, hooked on one finger and when she reached for them, he snatched them away. “You accuse me of being no gentleman. I’d say these prove you’re not the lady you claim to be.”
Holly glared at him, her anger bubbling inside. But beneath the anger, there was something else, something more powerful. An impulse, an urge to walk right up to him and kiss him again, to prove what he already knew. To make him feel exactly the way he made her feel. She took a step toward him, grabbed his face between her hands and gave him a punishing kiss, her tongue invading his mouth, her teeth grazing his lower lip. When she was quite positive she’d gotten the desired reaction, she stepped back and shrugged nonchalantly. “Keep the panties then. You can use them to decorate the other Christmas tree.”
With that, she turned on her heel, leaving her possessions scattered in the snow. Her heart threatened to pound right out of her chest, and for a moment, she felt a little dizzy. Though it wasn’t the most dignified of exits, it would have to do. Because Holly Bennett was through feeling anything at all—including uncontrollable desire—for Alex Marrin. And that kiss proved it!
THE FIRST TRAIN BACK to New York that day was scheduled to leave Schuyler Falls at three o’clock in the afternoon. Since Kenny hung around the train station a lot, he knew all the schedules by heart, even all the stops between home and New York City. Eric had rushed from the bus stop a half block away, hoping and praying that his watch was a few minutes slow. He paused outside the doors with Kenny to catch his breath, just as the speaker above their heads crackled.
“Ladies and gentlemen, passengers with tickets for the three o’clock train to New York City’s Penn Station, with stops in Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Albany, Hudson, Poughkeepsie, and Yonkers, may begin boarding on track one.”
“We’re too late!” he cried.
“Naw,” Kenny replied. “They always board fifteen minutes before the train leaves.”
Eric yanked the door open, clutching the special gifts he was carrying, then raced inside. But a quick search of the waiting area found no sign of his Christmas angel. He caught sight of the conductor standing at the door to the tracks. He’d come to meet his mom at the train a few times when she visited, so he knew he could get out on the platform to look for Holly. But what if she’d already boarded?
“Just be cool,” Kenny said. “Act casual, like we’re going to get on the train.” They pulled their hoods up, like the guys in the spy movies did, then strolled outside to the platform.
“I can’t see anything! The windows are all dark!” Eric cried.
Kenny shrugged. “Then you’re just going to have to go on board. You won’t need a ticket. Just tell ’em your mom already got on while you were in the can.”
Eric’s heart beat at a lickety-split speed and he felt as if he might lose the lunch he’d eaten at Kenny’s house. He slowly gathered his courage. This was his angel and he’d do anything to keep her! When he got close enough to the car’s steps, he nearly turned back. But the conductor spoke first, startling Eric.
“Are your folks on the train already, boys?” the conductor asked.
“No!” Eric said at the same time Kenny said, “Yes!”
“His mom is,” Kenny said. “I’m just here to say goodbye.”
Eric gave Kenny the elbow. Though he was a good liar, he was a real chicken when it came to the hard stuff, like getting on a train without a ticket. Eric nodded in agreement. Though he usually tried not to lie, this was important. If he didn’t say yes out loud, maybe it wouldn’t be such a big lie.
“Go on, then. Hop aboard.”
He couldn’t believe his luck! The guy was just letting him walk onto the train! Without
