One Little Chance (Sweet River)

Chapter 19

DECEMBER 1ST, 2023

Me

Jordan, send me your Christmas wishlist?

Jordan

Literally I’m so stupidly happy lately, I can’t think of a single thing

just more of what I have now

which means I really just want all the Sophie I can get

Me

that can be arranged

T o kick off December, my classroom made gingerbread houses. The kids were giggling and ecstatic which made it seem like a great idea, but they were also messy and hyper, which left me coming back home bone tired. My back was achy. My feet were sore.

The sun set earlier now, so the sky was black outside my window as I watched Jordan’s truck roll up outside my house.

“How was gingerbread house day?” Jordan asked as he kissed me hello on the cheek while I checked on my crockpot chili, the spicy tomato scent filling the kitchen.

“Logan said it was the best day ever.” I grinned. Logan was quiet and reserved, and it felt good to see him so giddy about something. “So it feels like a success.”

Jordan walked over to my dining room table, eyeing the remaining gingerbread kit. “What’ve we got here?”

“We had one kit left over,” I said, placing a wooden spoon on the spoon rest. “Wanna make it?”

Jordan leaned against the oak table, arms crossed over his chest. “Is it flammable?”

“Flammable?” I asked, confused.

Jordan chuckled, and I realized what he was getting at.

“It’s not going in the oven because the gingerbread is prebaked.” I narrowed my eyes. “You don’t have to worry about any kitchen fires.”

“Hey, hey, you can never be too safe!” Jordan smiled at me, pleased with himself.

“After all the houses I made today, I’m pretty much a pro.” I popped my shoulders proudly.

Jordan broke into the cardboard box, pulling out the pieces of gingerbread and bags of gumdrops, candy canes, and frosting, laying them out on the table. I put on a Nat King Cole Christmas album, and the two of us got to work.

“I learned that frosting makes the best glue,” I explained as I leaned over the table smearing frosting on the edges of the gingerbread.

Jordan watched me as he kicked back in a dining room chair, a smile tugging at his lips. He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.

I stood up and purveyed the walls of the gingerbread house. Jordan was just watching me. Had been the whole time.

“Jordan Silk, you are no help.”

“Rogers, I’m building houses all day, looking at walls. When I come home, all I want to look at is you.”

“These walls are gingerbread,” I said, mindlessly licking frosting off my fingers, his eyes tracking the movement. My heart race quickened .

He placed his hands on either side of my waist. “Gingerbread walls. And a distractingly gorgeous contractor.” He tugged me into his lap.

“A handsy assistant,” I said.

He weaved his arms around my waist, tucking my back against his chest, his breath against my neck sending goosebumps across my skin.

I attempted to concentrate, placing messy dollops of frosting on the gingerbread roof. I knew I was better than the work I was doing, but Jordan was kissing the back of my neck, leaving a trail of kisses on my shoulder.

“I like the red gumdrops best, you know,” he said, his warm breath behind my ear, and I barely understood a word. He reached over and grabbed a red gumdrop I’d stuck to a frosting dollop on the gingerbread door and popped it in his mouth.

My jaw dropped. “Actively working against my efforts now?”

He shrugged sheepishly as he chewed.

I shook my head at him. “I should fire my assistant. He’s no help, then eats my doorknob.”

“Eh, those doorknobs weren’t up to code, anyway,” Jordan said, twisting me around in his lap until we were nose to nose. Our breath mingled between us. I pressed into him, his warmth encompassing me. I wanted to live right here, in this spot, forever.

His lips met mine, and it tasted like sugary frosting and felt like home.