If You Give a Grump a Holiday Wishlist (Aspen Grove #0.5)

by Ann Einerson

“You have a thing for staring at me, don’t you?” she says softly. “Can you blame me when you’re so goddamn beautiful?” “You really shouldn’t say things like that to me.” “Why the hell not?” I challenge. “Because you’re my boss,” she reminds me with a hint of that sass I love so much.

“Because…I can’t lose you.”

“You deserve a magical kiss under the mistletoe, and I’m the one who’s going to give it to you.”

“You make me feel things I’ve never experienced before.” I keep my voice low and steady. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m insanely attracted to you, and now that I’ve felt your mouth on mine, I’m consumed with thoughts of kissing you again.”

There’s no doubt about it. Presley Stafford is my goddamn kryptonite.

“Presley, you should know that I wanted you from the moment you stepped into my office for the first time. I was tempted to throw you over my shoulder and take you to the nearest hotel. But after hearing how passionate you were about your career, I couldn’t jeopardize that. Even though it meant I couldn’t have you the way I wanted.”

“Now that I’ve had a taste of what it’s like to call you mine, I don’t ever want to let you go.”

“I couldn’t take the chance of losing you. I was concerned that I would scare you off if I said anything, especially considering there was no guarantee that you felt the same way that I did.”

“What I feel for you is real, and I refuse to act like it doesn’t mean anything when, in truth, it means everything.”