Rule #4_You Can't Misinterpret a Mistletoe Kiss_The Rules of Love by Anne-Marie Meyer

Author:Anne-Marie Meyer [Meyer, Anne-Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sweet Heart Books
Published: 2018-11-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The gingerbread house pieces were out of the oven and resting on cooling racks when Jacob finally came back upstairs. He was carrying Max over his shoulder. Max was squealing and wiggling, stating that this was not the way you played cops and robbers and he was going to report Jacob to the authorities.

Jacob just laughed, lowered his brother down, and ruffled Max’s hair.

I tried not to stare as I shifted uncomfortably on the kitchen chair that I had been forced to sit on. After I burned a few batches, Mrs. Stephenson banished me from touching the food and set me on cookie-watching duty. Apparently, if anyone came in and tried to steal a gingerbread piece, I was to swat their hand away.

Max protested to Jacob’s show of affection. He slipped away from Jacob and sprinted to the basement door, slamming it behind him.

Now alone, I tried to look inconspicuous as I focused on the book in front of me. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to happen. Did I want Jacob to talk to me or just leave me alone?

The chair beside me scraped against the floor. And the butterflies in my stomach answered my question. Jacob was going to hang out with me. I forced myself to relax.

When I saw Jacob reach out to grab a bit of the gingerbread, instinct kicked in, and I reached up and swatted his hand. He laughed as he pulled it back.

“What was that for?” he asked.

I shrugged as I folded the corner of the page I’d been reading and turned to look at him. “Just following your mom’s directions.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and studied me. “My mom told you to hurt people?”

I nodded. “Something like that.”

He shook his head. “That doesn’t seem like her,” he said with sarcasm coating his words.

I fiddled with the jacket cover of the book. I wasn’t sure where to go next. We’d spent a lot of our time together here. In these back-and-forth, flirty conversations.

Every time I tried to bring up something deeper, he’d either shut me down or change the subject.

Before I could speak, Andrew walked in. His gaze landed on me and Jacob, and I saw his expression tighten. I half-expected him to leave from the way he was glaring at Jacob, and I about fell out of my chair when he took the seat next to me.

I gave him a smile. Besides our conversation earlier, Andrew and I hadn’t really talked at all today. Despite his feelings about Jacob, I wasn’t going to turn my back on my brother. He was family, after all.

“Whatcha doing?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Trying to find something to do.”

I snorted. “So you came down here? All I’m doing is watching these cookies so Mrs. Stephenson doesn’t have my head if they get stolen.”

“Oh, you mean these—” He started to reach out, and with catlike reflexes, I swatted his hand away.

He shook his hand in mock pain. “Geez. So much for being family.”

I shrugged. “I value my life over your stomach.

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