December 5

DECEMBER 5

Honesty was the best way to go.

What are you doing? What are you wearing? :D I can’t stop thinking about you! :P

I might’ve told him that boundaries were boring, but there was more to it than that. I simply sucked at setting up structure and following social cues. Most of them were lame. Like, there were rules for how and when to text someone new you were seeing. God forbid you came off too eager. Well, screw that. I was eager.

We’d been cut off way too early yesterday because he had a family thing in freaking San Francisco, of all places, and I’d had practice with my dance squad. All in all, best make-out session of my life, followed by a simple line that’d settled things for me.

“I have to see you again soon.”

I’d nodded in a complete daze, and we’d made out until we had to part ways shortly after.

This could become something, couldn’t it? I hadn’t felt the slightest indication that this would be something he called a mistake on Monday.

In the meantime, I was distracting myself by baking Christmas treats for him.

My little kitchen had exploded.

I bobbed my head to the Christmas music playing and licked some green frosting off my fingers, then placed the cupcakes I’d just decorated on a chair. The work surfaces were all full.

So far, I’d made two batches of fudge, six cupcakes, one batch of sugar cookies that still needed to be decorated, peppermint bark, and one bottle of syrup that Mr. Abrams could add to his coffee. It tasted of roasted hazelnuts and caramel.

I’d even gone to Michael’s to buy cellophane bags and gift boxes, ’cause I was going all out.

Oh, and Christmas stickers.

When my phone dinged with a message, my pulse went through the roof, and I hurried over to see if he’d replied.

He had!

I just got back to my hotel after a dreadfully long brunch with my sister’s family. Thus, I’m wearing a suit. And thinking about you, as I have since you left yesterday. What are you up to? More importantly, what are you wearing?

Oh, I didn’t know he had a sister. I thought it was all cousins.

I grinned and figured I could show him what I was doing instead, so I held up my phone and took a selfie from a high angle. That way, he could see my Santa-red PJ bottoms with little snowmen on them.

Oops, looked like I was wearing a fair bit of frosting on my cheek too. Oh well.

I sent the photo along with a quick response.

I’m making treats for my super sexy boss! :D :D :D

His reply popped up pretty fast.

I cannot describe what you do to me, Parker.

I let out a breath as a million Rudolphs flew around in my stomach.