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  There was only so much one man could take and Jeremy had completely reached his limit. He’d been patient while she undressed him—purposely taking her time to torture him, he was certain. But he let her do it while she herself remained completely clothed. Hell, her winter parka was still zipped up. He’d given her her moment. He’d let her feel as though she were perfectly in charge. Just the way she had been when they were kids. But dammit, by the time she’d stripped him almost completely naked without so much as removing one article herself, he’d reached his breaking point.

  “Screw this, Bella.”

  The half-smile she’d worn on her sexy red lips as she’d taken in her fill of him disappeared as he took two steps toward her and picked her up around the waist, tossing her easily over his shoulder. She squealed in protest, but Jeremy cupped one hand over her ass to hold her in place as he walked across his small apartment to his bedroom.

  He flicked on the bedside lamp, giving him just enough light to see the beautiful body he knew she was hiding under all her layers, and tossed her gently onto the bed.

  When she looked up at him, the look on her face was one of shock mixed with an overwhelming desire. It took all of his strength not to jump on the bed and rip her clothes off right then.

  But no. He wanted to take it slow. He needed to.

  Having Bella on his bed, even fully dressed, was quite literally a dream come true. Sure, he hadn’t actively fantasized about this moment since he was fourteen—at least, not until lately—but still. It wasn’t a moment he was going to rush through.

  Hell no.

  “You have entirely too many clothes on.”

  Bella leaned back on her arms. “You didn’t really give me a chance to take them off, now did you?”

  “Oh, I gave you plenty of time.” Jeremy stalked toward the bed and stood at the end, looking down on her. He couldn’t touch her. Not yet. “Take off your coat.”

  She froze, his bossiness catching her off guard.

  “Now, Bella.”

  She hesitated, and for a moment Jeremy wondered whether he’d gone too far. But then a small smile played across her lips; her tongue darted out between them and disappeared just as quickly, leaving him quaking with need but determined to let things play out. With a torturously slow speed, Bella moved her fingers to her zipper and slid it down until she could shimmy out of her parka.

  The tight sweater she wore underneath stretched across her breasts as they heaved with the breath she couldn’t seem to fully catch.

  But he needed more. “And the sweater.” Jeremy did his best to look unaffected by her slow motion striptease. But despite his best efforts, he was also aware that his throbbing, incredibly hard erection totally gave him away.

  He didn’t care.

  He swallowed hard as she pulled the sweater up and over her head to reveal full, luscious breasts wrapped in the tiniest slip of lace. Bella’s hard, pink nipples stood at attention, begging him to suckle them between his lips.

  But not yet.

  Bella’s breath came in quick bursts as she once more leaned back against her forearms, thrusting her breasts up toward him.

  He nodded toward her leggings, but she shook her head in response. “I think I’ll need a little help.” Her voice was thick with need. “Would you mind?”

  As much as Jeremy was enjoying their game, he didn’t need to be asked twice. He moved to kneel on the bed and slowly crawled up so he was directly over top of her. He kissed her, pulling her bottom lip between his teeth until she let out a low moan.

  Jeremy moved his attentions down her neck, nipping and sucking until he was between her breasts. He inhaled the sweet scent of her, letting it fill him, and then he finally did what every fiber in his body had been yearning for: he moved his mouth over one perfectly plump mound and, through the scrap of lace, sucked her nipple into his mouth.

  Bella’s body vibrated beneath him. She tilted her neck back and moaned, long and low. Jeremy almost completely lost control at her erotic response. He stilled himself for a moment before turning his attention to her other breast, cupping and massaging the full globes as he went.

  Damn.

  After a few moments, Jeremy forced himself to keep moving. He trailed kisses down her body until he hit the waistband of her leggings. He slipped his hands past the elastic and moved them down her firm, toned legs, taking the fabric with him, leaving her completely bare. When she was shed of her leggings and boots, Bella reached around her back and unclasped her bra.

  She moved backward on the bed, leaned back on her arms and bent her knees, welcoming him to join her.

  “God damn, you’re beautiful, Bella.”

  Wanting to keep the situation fair, Jeremy tugged his underwear down and when he stood up again, Bella was licking her lips like a cat about to get her reward.

  “You’re not too bad yourself, handsome.” She crooked her finger, beckoning him to her. “Now get over here and kiss me.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Chapter 8

  It was late when Bella finally pulled herself from Jeremy’s bed. Her body ached all over in the most delicious way as she made her way to the bathroom. Their lovemaking had been…explosive. Bella could have laughed at herself for even thinking it, but there was no other word to describe it. Their coming together had been thirteen years in the making, since those first few fumbling kisses they’d shared when they were kids. And it had been worth every single minute of those years.

  Bella took a moment to examine her naked body in the mirror. She’d always been confident about her appearance and her sexuality, but now, as she took in her reflection, it was different. Being with Jeremy had brought out something different in her. She couldn’t even begin to explain it, especially because she knew it would sound ridiculous even to her own ears, but she felt as though something had shifted.

  Never before had she been with a man who’d worshiped every inch of her body the way Jeremy had. Every touch, every kiss—it was full of...feeling and desire on a level she’d never before experienced.

  Bella finished up in the bathroom and crept back into the bedroom. Jeremy was asleep, but she was too wired to sleep. Not yet. She needed a glass of water, and she should probably check her phone in case her grandfather had tried to call. She hadn’t intended to stay out so late. She glanced at Jeremy again. He was sprawled on his stomach, one arm tucked under the pillow, the other outstretched to her side of the bed, where she’d been lying wrapped up in it, only a few moments ago. Her body warmed at the memory. It had been nice to fall asleep with his arm around her, tucked in and protected. Loved.

  She watched him for another moment before finding her coat on the floor and fishing out her cell phone. Before she left the room, she grabbed a flannel shirt off a nearby chair and as quietly as she could, padded out to the kitchen.

  The shirt smelled of Jeremy and it was almost as good as having his arms around her.

  Almost.

  She helped herself to a glass of water and powered up her phone. The screen lit up almost instantly with dozens of missed texts and calls. But they weren’t from Papa.

  They were almost all from Kyle. The band leader of her…well, her former band.

  Where are you?

  Gig opportunity of a lifetime.

  We need you.

  This is everything. The gig. The record deal. Everything. Call me.

  Bella scanned the rest of the messages. They were more of the same, increasing in urgency. She dialed into her voicemail. She knew she shouldn’t be excited. She shouldn’t let Kyle get her hopes up in this way. After all, it was less than a month ago that he’d all but ripped everything away from her.

  Well, that wasn’t entirely true.

  She’d sealed her own fate and had mostly burned that bridge all on her own by freaking out when she’d discovered that he was sleeping with—well, everyone as well as her. Apparently they had different moral and ethical standards. It was true that Kyle had no intention of kicking her ou
t of the band, but it didn’t feel right to stay. Not when she’d been played for a fool. At least, that’s how it had felt at the time.

  Was it worth giving up the increasingly prestigious gigs and the forthcoming record that Kyle kept promising?

  Maybe not.

  But apparently she hadn’t burned the bridge all the way down with Kyle the way she’d been so sure she had.

  As she punched in the code for her voicemail, his voice came over the line.

  “Bella, baby! You need to call me back right away.” He didn’t sound upset with her, despite the fact that she’d left him in the lurch for two paid gigs right before running to Glacier Falls. By all rights, he should be livid. But he sounded downright giddy. “I just got a call from Hector Graham.” Hector Graham? Why did that name sound familiar? “That name should sound pretty familiar to you, right?” Kyle clearly knew her better than she would have liked. “He’s the head of Starshine Records and before you get too excited…” Bella leaned forward in the chair, her stomach twisted in tight knots as she realized exactly who Hector Graham was. “He’s not signing us,” Kyle continued. Bella sat back. “Not yet.” She jumped up from her seat as Kyle’s recorded laugh filled her ear. “But he’s giving us the chance of a lifetime, baby. A private concert at his house. Just us. We’re the opening act and the headliner and if it goes well…” Bella held her breath. “That’s when we’ll get the deal.”

  Bella wanted to scream. It literally was what she’d been dreaming of her entire life. A deal with Starshine Records was huge. Everyone knew that. She held the phone in front of her, did a silent squeal and danced her bare feet on the tile—careful not to wake Jeremy up, but also way too excited to contain herself. After she got it out, she put the phone back to her ear in time to hear Kyle’s recorded voice say, “I hope I can count on you, Bella. It’s a group deal. We need you. Just shoot me a text to let me know you’re in. We’re counting on you.”

  The call disconnected.

  She didn’t even have to think about it. Immediately, Bella switched over to her text messaging app and answered Kyle’s message.

  I’m totally in! OMG!

  Unable to contain her excitement for one more moment, she dropped her phone on the table, her water forgotten, and went to wake Jeremy up for a private celebration.

  Jeremy yawned. His mouth stretched awkwardly wide, with no hope for covering it. He was on his third coffee of the morning, but it wasn’t doing much for his exhaustion.

  Not that he was complaining. Not even a little.

  Next to him, Natalie gave him a sidelong glance. “Stay up a little too late, did you, Jer?”

  “Something like that.” He covered his grin with his coffee cup.

  “Right.” Natalie laughed, the sound filling the cab of the truck. “Your late night wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain dark-haired singer who’s new to town, would it?”

  He didn’t bother to deny it.

  Jeremy wouldn’t trade all the sleep in the world for the night he’d shared with Bella. It had been beyond even his hottest fantasies, and he’d definitely had his share of them. Everything about being with her just…fit. Never before had he felt the way he’d felt with Bella.

  Not. Even. Close.

  The last thing he’d wanted to do was drop her off at her grandfather’s house so he could go to work. But there wasn’t much help for it. It’s not as if he could call in sick—as much as he wanted to. Christmas Eve was less than twenty-four hours away, which meant there was way too much to do to prepare for Glacier Falls’ annual dinner. It had been a tradition started by Ed Walker when he’d first taken over the job as fire chief many years ago. Now, he was getting set to retire, but still the tradition carried on. And as far as Jeremy was concerned, he’d do his best to make sure it did. Even if he didn’t get the chief job, which was his ultimate goal.

  “We have work to do.” Jeremy changed the subject. “We have to pick up the plates and cutlery from the hardware store. They’re donating all of it, plus the napkins and some tablecloths. Then we’ll get back to the hall and start setting up tables. Last year, there were about eighty for dinner, so we should be prepared for at least a hundred.”

  “A hundred?”

  Jeremy shrugged. “It’s not like we’re going to turn anyone away and for some reason, it just gets busier and busier.”

  It was true. What had started out as an event to feed the lonely, disadvantaged, or just those who didn’t want to be by themselves for the holidays had bloomed into a potluck of townspeople who simply wanted to share the seasonal spirit with one another. It hadn’t been too much of a problem as everyone always brought more than their share of food, and with the local ranchers and farmers donating turkeys and roasts, it didn’t cost the department anything except manpower to set it all up. A job Jeremy was happy to take on.

  Especially this year. Spending time with Bella had been beyond anything he could have expected. But spending Christmas with her…serving turkey to his friends and neighbors…watching her grandfather play Santa for the children…cuddling up in front of the tree…having his Christmas wish come true…he couldn’t think of a better way to spend the next few days.

  “There it is again.” Natalie interrupted his daydream.

  “What?”

  “That smile.” Natalie shook her head with a laugh. “She’s really got you in a twist, doesn’t she?”

  He didn’t bother to deny it. “As long as Bella Burton is the one doing the twisting, I’m completely at her mercy.”

  Natalie groaned. “You’re ridiculous. Just don’t let her twist too much, if you know what I mean?”

  He didn’t.

  “Don’t get screwed over, Jer,” Natalie explained further. “Women like that…well…”

  Jeremy bristled and sat up straight behind the steering wheel. “Women like what exactly?”

  “Calm down.” She shook her head. “All I was going to say is that women like her, who have a career and a life somewhere else, aren’t necessarily the best choice to uproot their whole world and move to the middle of the mountains. That’s all I was going to say. And weren’t you the one telling me that she has a blooming career in music?”

  He nodded as what his partner said started to sink in.

  “Exactly.” Natalie crossed her arms and nodded, her point made. “Glacier Falls isn’t really known for its bustling musical scene, is it?” Her lips pressed into a thin line and she shook her head before looking at Jeremy again. She must have seen something in his face, because her approach changed instantly. “I’m not saying that’s the case or anything, Jer. It’s just I don’t want to see you get hurt. You obviously really—”

  “It’s fine.” He held up a hand to stop her. Jeremy didn’t know much about Natalie’s life before she came to Glacier Falls, but it had been clear early on that she didn’t think very highly of relationships or, oddly enough, other women. “I appreciate your concern, but it’s not like that. Don’t worry.”

  She gave him a strange look, but thankfully didn’t press him further. A fact he was especially appreciative of because he had no idea what he’d even meant by what he said. It wasn’t like what?

  That he was falling for Bella a little more every day?

  That he couldn’t stop thinking about her? And despite the fact that they hardly even knew each other after ten years, he was very quickly having trouble imagining a life without her in it and that scared the hell out of him?

  That as excited as he’d been for her when she’d told him the news about Starshine Records and the gig that was going to make them, he was nervous as hell about what that would mean to them, and Natalie’s comments had hit a little too close to home?

  Because maybe he could lie to Natalie about it, but Jeremy was fairly certain he wasn’t going to be able to lie to himself for too much longer.

  “Bella, come help me with these presents.”

  She wiped her hands on the tea towel and dropped it next to the sink where she
’d just finished the washing up from lunch, and went to find Papa on his hands and knees under the Christmas tree.

  “What are you doing, Papa?” Bella laughed and knelt next to him. “Here, let me get that.” She reached past him, flattening herself under the low bough to grab the present he’d been trying to reach.

  “What does it look like I’m doing?” With an aching slowness, Papa pushed himself up to standing and promptly sat back on the sofa. “I was trying to get that present.”

  She went to hand it to him, but he shook his head. “It’s for you.”

  Bella looked from the small package back to her grandfather, a question in her eyes. “It’s not Christmas yet.”

  “I know. But given the exciting news you told me this morning, I thought it was fitting I give it to you now.”

  Unable to contain herself, as soon as Bella got home that morning, finding her grandfather already up and sitting at the breakfast table with only a raised eyebrow to let her know that he knew exactly where she’d been, she’d told him the exciting news about Velvet Heart and Kyle’s voicemail. She’d left a voicemail with Kyle in search of more details about the gig, but so far she’d only received a few vague text messages in return and a promise to give her a call in a bit.

  “I can wait until—”

  “Nonsense,” Papa interrupted her. “Open it now. I’m just so proud of you. You’ve been working hard and now you’re going to see your dreams come true. That’s a very big deal, Bella. Very big.”

  There was no way Bella could argue with Papa when he was saying things like that. She turned the package over in her hand and pulled at the tape fastening the shiny paper.

  “Just rip it open, kiddo.”

  Bella laughed and did as she was told. With the paper crumpled and at her feet, she slowly lifted the lid of the box to reveal a delicate, handcrafted silver star-shaped snowflake ornament nestled in the tissue paper.

  “Papa. It’s gorgeous.” Bella gently lifted the ornament by the satin ribbon and held it up. The intricate details of the snowflake sparkled in the light as it twisted from her finger. “I don’t know what to say. It’s absolutely beautiful.”