Read It's Not Christmas Without You (The Holloway Series) for Free Online

That was a woman trick. A smart man let himself get caught. He waved as he walked but dropped his hand when she didn’t return the greeting.
    Oh, boy.
    Despite yesterday’s big kiss, he kept the greeting professional. “Are you looking for a tree?”
    “I better since you’ll be sold out soon.”
    He glanced at the mound of trees stacked around the lot. “How do you figure that?”
    “You have nonstop interest around here.”
    “Apparently the residents of D.C. like nice trees.” He didn’t even know what they were talking about anymore. She seemed a bit on edge for a discussion about future firewood.
    “Like her?” Carrie’s attention focused over his shoulder.
    He turned and saw the handsy customer standing at the edge of the tree display and staring him down. “I’m not sure she’s here for a tree.”
    Carrie shot him a men-are-so-dumb look. “Gee, really?”
    That flat tone usually meant he’d done something stupid and male and he had about ten minutes to figure it out before she went all Medusa on him. “Why do I think I’m in trouble?”
    “She gave you her number.” Carrie nodded at his closed hand.
    He opened it, palm up, and showed her the paper ball inside. “It’s for the sales receipt.”
    The excuse was lame but no way was he going down for this. He hadn’t done anything wrong except separate from the woman without shoving her away and hurting her, which hadn’t been that easy since she all but wrapped her legs around him.
    Carrie fingered the ball of paper but didn’t say anything. He flipped her hand over and dropped the paper in her palm. To keep her from giving it back, he wrapped her fingers around it. “You can’t possibly believe I’m interested in anyone else.”
    Yesterday’s kiss burned through him. Holding Carrie broke through his control and had him wanting more. He’d used Mitch’s emergency key last night after the lot closed to get in her apartment building but stopped short of knocking on her door. He could hear Spence’s voice in his head and realized just showing up might actually cross the line to stalking. Austin wanted to be invited in this time. Into her apartment, her life and her bed. That required the right balance of pushing and letting her lead.
    Here he was figuring out his timing and the perfect touch and she thought he was making the moves on someone else. Man, for a smart woman she didn’t always look at the clues and come to the obvious conclusion.
    “Is this the plan?” The wind whipped up, taking Carrie’s hair. She tucked it behind her ear before he could do it for her.
    He wasn’t sure how to answer or even what the question was, so he went with his usual response to rough conversations. “Excuse me?”
    “Do you want to make me jealous?”
    A breath held in his chest, scraping his insides raw. “Are you saying I still can?”
    “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” She spun around, sliding as she went and marched away from him.
    “Wait up.” He’d about reached his end with her running. There had to be another way for her to deal with her issues. “Man, you get all prickly then run faster than any woman I’ve ever met.”
    “Good thing you’re so popular. You can find another woman in no time.” She started out shouting but lowered her voice when he pulled even with her.
    He stopped her with a hand on her elbow. “To be clear, I’ve never flirted to make you jealous. Ever. I’m not dead. I can appreciate a pretty woman, and I might look now and then, but my hands don’t wander, and you know that. Blame my dad for the example if you want, but fidelity is a big thing with me.”
    “We’re not dating.” The words stayed sharp but her voice lacked punch.
    Still, they slashed through him with the brutal rip of a knife. “I disagree.”
    “You can see anyone you want.”
    Permission. That was just great. “I only want you.”
    “I don’t…are you…?” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “You’re saying you haven’t seen