OVER THE HOLIDAYS by SANDRA HARPER

Author:SANDRA HARPER
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2009-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

12

The last thing Thea expected to find in Vanessa’s kitchen was a handsome stranger.

French kissing her sister.

Vanessa heard the footsteps and, horrified, flung herself from Neil’s embrace.

“Hi,” Thea said, plunking down a stack of white pastry boxes. “I’m Vanessa’s sister. But you’re not my brother-in-law.”

Neil shrugged gamely and Vanessa gagged. “Oh! Thea—”

Her sister interrupted. “Richard just parked the car, so they’ll be here any—”

“Hello!” The front door banged open and they heard the clatter of shoes and the rustle of packages.

“Merry Christmas!” Richard’s voice ricocheted through the house.

“This is a moment,” Neil said under his breath.

“You haven’t introduced me to your guest.” Thea nudged Vanessa into consciousness.

“Uh, this is Neil Cohen.”

Richard, Patience, and Libby burst into the room and Vanessa cranked into fourth gear, babbling through a list of introductions.

Once everyone was properly known to one another, they decamped to the living room and showered the twins with presents.

Patience, who was sitting next to Vanessa on the couch, turned to her sister-in-law with concern. “How is JT doing?”

“Still in bed. He won’t be joining us for dinner,” she said. Looking up, she noticed that Neil was watching her from across the room.

She returned his gaze for a moment, then shook him off. But she kept repeating the scene, over and over again, in her mind.

With dinner under way, she’d gone back to the bedroom to check on JT, who was sleeping soundly. After a quick shower, she’d changed into a scarlet dress with a fitted bodice and sheer sleeves. With black sling backs and fresh lip gloss, she’d returned to the kitchen and found Neil back from skating and basting the turkey.

“You don’t have to do that,” she’d said, grinning.

“No. But there is something I have to do,” he’d said.

Then he’d just … kissed her.

He’d slammed the oven shut, strode across the floor, circled his arms around her, and in an instant, they were lip-locked.

“What are you doing?” Vanessa swirled in a cyclone of shock, desire, and the fear of being caught.

“I want you,” Neil said. “I’m in love with you.”

“You are not,” Vanessa whispered urgently. “Stop saying that! I have a husband … children …”

“It doesn’t change anything,” Neil said and kissed her again.

And then, in complete surprise to herself, she had kissed him back. She had opened her mouth, opened her heart, pressed herself against his chest and …

And her sister had showed up.

Damn it, Thea! Vanessa thought. Now I don’t know what possessed him! What he meant … what happened.

But she did, sort of.

And she couldn’t think about it anymore because Carol and Frank were smiling at her and holding out the veggie platter. “Carrots, dear? Ranch dip?”

And the family was gathering around the tree and some-one—Richard?—was serving wine.

The boys were staring blankly at the new sweaters from their aunt and uncle.

Patience was hugging Alex.

Ethan was jumping on Libby.

All she could think about was how desperately she wanted Neil to disappear. But there he remained, stationed firmly by the fireplace—in JT’s reading chair!—deep in conversation with Marcus about surfing in Australia.

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