Page 85

He gave a small shake of his head, but his expression was so full of affection, her heart flip flopped.

“Buy each other a $5 gift and swap tonight.” He read out. “Guess he knew my budget wouldn’t run to much.”

“Or maybe he knew it’s harder to buy someone a cheap gift than an expensive one.”

He shrugged. “Not hard for me. I know exactly what I’m getting you.” He checked the time on his watch. “Okay, the bus goes at 5pm, let’s meet back here around 3pm for the present exchange.”

“Aren’t we going shopping together?” She winced, immediately regretting the words because they sounded whiny, pathetic. She enjoyed his company, though, enjoyed him. And after tomorrow . . .

“Anna?” He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She pasted on a bright smile. “How could anything be wrong when I’m going to spend the day shopping, and the evening riding round in an open top bus with Santa’s elves?”

He strode up to her and tilted her head to look at him. “A shadow passed over your face just now. Don’t deny it. This last month has given me a pretty decent read on you.”

She swallowed. “It occurred to me that tomorrow is our last day together.”

“And that made you sad?”

Heat crept up her neck. “Yes. And if you make fun of me, I’m going to knee you in a place you definitely don’t want to feel my knee.”

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. The gesture spoke of fondness, of caring. She wished she was happy settling for that. Wished she didn’t ache for more. “It won’t be our last day,” he said softly.

“Promise?”

His eyes met and held hers. “I promise.” He looked back at his watch. “But this is eating into your shopping time and I’d hate for you to be embarrassed that you didn’t get me anything.”

* * *

At half past three—it had taken far longer than she’d expected to get what she’d decided on—she let herself back into the condo. Exhausted, she threw off her boots and peeled off her scarf and coat—it was icy cold out there—and went in search of Luke.

She found him on the sofa in the sitting room with a very contented Jack on his lap.

“Is that my ugly cat you’re cuddling?” She said archly, struggling to contain her laughter. “The one you don’t like?”

Luke raised his eyebrows at her. “Your cat chose to invade my personal space. What was I supposed to do, throw him off?”

It was exactly what a person who didn’t like cats would do, she thought with a smile to herself.

Jack raised his head in greeting, but then settled back down again. Traitor. Though she wouldn’t want to leave the warmth of Luke’s lap, either. The one time she’d sat on it . . . arousal hummed through her, and she turned before her face gave her away.

“Anna.” Luke’s husky voice drew her attention back to him. “Get your thoughts out of the gutter and give me your present.” He gave her one, long, heated look before pointing to the coffee table where two poorly wrapped presents sat side by side. “Yours is there.”

“You got me two?”

“No. I got you one.” His expression turned . . . sheepish. “The other is for Jack.”

Delighted with him, she giggled. “You got the cat you don’t like, a present?”

“I changed my mind. I got you two presents.”

Was it any wonder she was falling in love with this man? He was so adorably grumpy, so determined to hide his kindness behind a wall of manly bluster.

She picked up the presents and squished them. “You got us the same present?”

There was a hint of exasperation in his exhale. “Why don’t you open them and find out?”

She ripped off the wrapping from the first and grinned. “You got Jack a toy mouse.”