Lost in the moment, my heels clatter to the floor, breaking the spell between us.
Parker tears his mouth away and takes a step back.
Stunned, I reach up to touch my swollen and thoroughly kissed lips. I can’t believe that just happened.
“You know what, Quinn?” Parker says, closing the space he just put between us. “I bet you, right here, right now, that if you give me these seven days you’re home, I can make you fall in love with Christmas all over again.”
His words take me back to when we were kids, when everything between us was an adventure, full of fun and games that we loved to play and never got old.
“Really Parker?” I say incredulously.
His shoulder rises in a shrug. “I know you, Quinn Scott, and I know that somewhere in there is the girl that used to wake up with me in the middle of the night, just to see if we could catch Santa. I know that your old Christmas spirit is there, and if you give me a week, just the seven days that you’re home, I can make you love those things all over again. Love being home again. And if I can’t, then I’ll take your spot in the Christmas musical your mom has told the entire town you're performing in.”
What? Christ on a cracker.
“Hmm. What’s the catch?”
Parker shakes his head. “There isn’t one. You can hand over the elf costume. Tights and all. That is…if I lose.”
Now this…is a bet that I’m willing to take. God, not having to dress up in that stupid costume and prance around a stage? I’d do anything.
Well, practically anything. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and this is, for sure, a desperate measure.
Or… is it? Maybe I’m only saying yes because I want to climb Parker like a tree and deal with the consequences later, but either way…
“Deal. Because I know there is absolutely no way that I will ever love this stupid holiday again or love being home…so, you’re on. Anything not to put on that stupid costume and be in that horrible play. I’m pretty sure Derick Michaels has worn it four years in a row, and I doubt it’s been washed since.”
Now this will be entertaining, because there’s no possible way I can lose. The odds are fully-stacked against Parker, and I can’t wait to revel in my win when I see him on that stage.
“What about you? What if you win, what do you get?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
“If I win, then you’re putting on the costume, and that’s enough for me, Little Scott.”
He grins and adds, “And no cheating. Anything’s fair game and you have to give it a real shot. I know when you’re bullshitting, so no funny business.”
“Deal.”
“A week from now, we’ll meet under the mistletoe at your dad’s annual Christmas party, and then we’ll see.”
There’s absolutely no way that Parker Grant and his ridiculous Christmas cheer will be rubbing off or on me. Ever. Which means that I can kiss the ridiculous elf costume and that stupid play goodbye.
Thank God.
“Game on, Dr. Grant.”