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CHAPTER 21
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2021-12-10 05:37:25Everybody in town had to be in the steakhouse, and Sparkle thought it was a good thing. She knew a lot of people in town and she made sure to introduce Kaleb to most of them.
Sure, it didn’t make for a relaxing dinner… She could actually see him tightening up. Still, it felt good to watch people greet him. To tell him how much they loved the woodworking he did.
And the more uncomfortable Kaleb got with the praise, the more Sparkle relished it. He’d been too long in his comfort zone of solitude. He’d made himself an island, and swimming to the mainland would be exhausting. But it would so be worth the trip.
“I’ve never owned anything as beautiful as that bowl you made,” Charlotte Hobbs gushed, laying one hand on Kaleb’s shoulder.
&nbs
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Her fingers scraped through his hair, held his head to hers. Every breath came strangled, harsh but Sparkle didn’t care. All she wanted, all she needed, was the taste of him filling her. The feel of his hands holding her. Then, when she became light-headed, Sparkle broke the kiss, letting her head drop back as she gasped for breath. Staring up at the dimly lit ceiling, she concentrated solely on the feel of Kaleb’s mouth at her throat, latching on to the pulse point at the base of her neck. He tasted, he nibbled, he licked, and she sighed heavily.“Oh, Kaleb… That feels really...” She gasped again.“Good.” With his mouth against her throat, he smiled.“I’ve wanted my hand
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Kaleb watched her as, for a second or two, she just stared at him as if she were trying to make sense of a foreign language. And since he was staring into those clear blue eyes of hers, he saw the shift of emotions when what he’d said finally sunk in. And even then, the uppermost thought in his mind was her scent and how it clung to her skin and seeped into his bones. Every breath he drew pulled her inside him until summer flowers filled every corner of his heart, his soul. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d led them both into a risky situation, and he had to keep his mind on what could, potentially, be facing them. It had been a long time since he’d been with anyone, sure. But it was Sparkle herself who had blown all thought, all reason, right out of his head with that one surprise ki
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The house phone rang and Sparkle answered without looking at the caller ID.“Brantley residence.”“Sparkle? Oh, it’s so nice to finally talk to you!” A female voice… A very happy voice that she didn’t know.“Thank you very much… I guess…” she replied, carrying the phone back to the window so she could look outside. “I’m sorry, but who is this?”“Oh, God, you’re right! I didn’t introduce myself… How stupid of me,” the woman said with a delighted laugh. “I’m Catherine Brantley, Kaleb’s mother.” Whoa! A wave of embarrassment swept over her. Sparkle was standing in Kaleb’s bedroom, beside the bed where they&rsq
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He carried Hayzel and followed behind Sparkle as she walked into the house and then turned for the great room.“I’ve got a couple of surprises for you two.”“For Christmas?” Hayzel gave him a squeeze, then as she saw what was waiting for her, she squealed.“Oh, my goodness!” That quick gasp was followed by another squeal, this one higher than the one before. She squirmed to get out of Kaleb’s arms, then raced across the room to the oversize fairy castle dollhouse sitting in front of the tree. Beside him, Kaleb heard Sparkle give a soft sigh. When he looked at her, there were tears in her eyes and a beautiful smile on her amazing mouth. His heart gave another hard lurch, and he welc
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Her fingers scraped through his hair, held his head to hers. Every breath came strangled, harsh but Sparkle didn’t care. All she wanted, all she needed, was the taste of him filling her. The feel of his hands holding her. Then, when she became light-headed, Sparkle broke the kiss, letting her head drop back as she gasped for breath. Staring up at the dimly lit ceiling, she concentrated solely on the feel of Kaleb’s mouth at her throat, latching on to the pulse point at the base of her neck. He tasted, he nibbled, he licked, and she sighed heavily.“Oh, Kaleb… That feels really...” She gasped again.“Good.” With his mouth against her throat, he smiled.“I’ve wanted my hand
FALL IN LOVE AT CHRISTMAS CHAPTER 21
Everybody in town had to be in the steakhouse, and Sparkle thought it was a good thing. She knew a lot of people in town and she made sure to introduce Kaleb to most of them. Sure, it didn’t make for a relaxing dinner… She could actually see him tightening up. Still, it felt good to watch people greet him. To tell him how much they loved the woodworking he did. And the more uncomfortable Kaleb got with the praise, the more Sparkle relished it. He’d been too long in his comfort zone of solitude. He’d made himself an island, and swimming to the mainland would be exhausting. But it would so be worth the trip.“I’ve never owned anything as beautiful as that bowl you made,” Charlotte Hobbs gushed, laying one hand on Kaleb’s shoulder.&nbs
FALL IN LOVE AT CHRISTMAS CHAPTER 20
Once it started snowing, it just kept coming. As if an invisible hand had pulled a zipper on the gray, threatening clouds, they spilled down heavy white flakes for days. The woods looked magical, and every day, Hayzel insisted on checking the fairy houses. There were now two… Every time she was near them, she squinted inside the tiny houses, trying to see if she could catch a glimpse of the tiny people living in them. Every day there was disappointment, but her faith never wavered. Kaleb had to admire that even as his once-cold heart warmed with affection for the girl. Hayzel was getting to him every bit as much as her mother was. In different ways, of course, but the result was the same. He was opening up and damned if it wasn’t pai
