Read Online Holiday Sparks by Shannon Stacey - Free Book Online Page A

to her.
    “Right now?”
    “Sure. It’s Christmas Eve Eve.”
    “There’s no such thing as Christmas Eve Eve.”
    “Sure there is. And, because the incredibly hot woman who lives here keeps dragging me away from work to have her way with me, I need to bust my ass for the rest of the afternoon. I’ll probably have to do a couple of hours in the morning, too, to finish up. But I’ll be gone before your parents get home.”
    She didn’t want to think about him being gone. “I haven’t heard any complaints about me having my way with you.”
    “That’s because you’re not around when I’m doing my timesheets, trying to remember when I was working and when I was being ravaged so I don’t have to put Master Electrician and Male Gigolo on my IRS forms this year.”
    “Ravaged?” She laughed when he nodded. “Very funny.”
    “Open it!”
    “Okay. Give Kojak his first.” When the dog finally took off for the kitchen, triumphantly waving his beef-flavored chew bone in the air, she handed Scott the other gift. “This one’s for you.”
    He grinned like a boy and tore the ribbons and paper off with the same kind of enthusiasm. Inside the box was a set of magnetic signs bearing the Quinn Electric logo. “Wow. These are awesome.”
    “I noticed the ones on your truck are fading and you seem to be missing one. And, no offense, but whoever designed them missed the point of being able to read them from a distance. You can barely read the phone number, even if somebody was behind you at a red light. And…” She stopped, blushing. “Sorry, it’s a design thing.”
    “They’re perfect,” he said. He kissed her, a quick brushing of his lips against hers, and then he tapped her box. “Open yours now.”
    He’d given her the thickest, softest flannel pajamas she’d ever seen, in a rich cornflower blue. And, stitched over the left breast pocket, was a little embroidered dandelion.
    “You’re always cold,” he said. “When I saw those, I thought of you, and the blue reminded me of your eyes. A friend of Freddy’s stitched the dandelion on for me.”
    It was a perfect gift, she mused, running her thumb over the little yellow and green stitches. Thoughtful and personal, from a guy who obviously knew her better than she’d though. And maybe better than he’d intended to. “I love them. Thank you.”
    “Merry Christmas Eve Eve.” He cupped her face and kissed her very thoroughly for a couple of minutes. “What do you say I help you try those pajamas on?”
    “I don’t know. I’d hate to screw up your taxes.”
    He laughed and pulled her onto his lap. “Let’s call this a Christmas bonus. Off the books.”

Chapter Seven
    “I guess that’s it.”
    Chloe’s stomach tightened as Scott’s words sank in. The rewiring was done, which was good. But that was it for their holiday fling too. He’d go have Christmas with his family and she’d have Christmas with hers before heading back to Boston. Time to go their separate ways.
    She’d known it was coming. He’d said he’d finish up the last of the wiring today—hopefully before her parents got home—and she’d felt the goodbye in their lovemaking last night.
    But, like all good things, a fling had to end, so she kept her voice deliberately light. “I don’t know if my parents will be thrilled or not, but I’ll sleep better knowing their house won’t burn down if Dad tries to make toast while Mom’s watching TV.”
    Since he’d known how many hours it would take to finish up and given her the amount, she’d already written the final check. She handed it to him and watched him fold it and slip it into his back pocket.
    “So…” He hesitated a moment, then shrugged. “I guess I’ll carry my tool bucket out to the truck and then get out of your way before John and Anna come home.”
    She wanted to call him back, but she didn’t know what to say. She could ask him to hold her one more time—maybe make a joke about one for the road—but that