The Hazards of Mistletoe Read Free

chocolates.”
    The line at the café on the other side of the rink was nearly out the door, but I was enjoying Glen’s company so much I didn’t mind.
    He insisted on buying my hot cocoa for me, and considering he’d already paid for my skate rental, I was starting to feel uncomfortable. Glen had all the money he could ever need, but I wasn’t used to guys buying me anything. My dating experience wasn’t extensive, and it involved boys who were all about going dutch. “I really don’t mind paying.”
    “Yeah, but I want to pay. Stop arguing and enjoy yourself.” He lightly bumped his shoulder into mine.
    “Well, thanks.”
    We walked around the village sipping our hot chocolate and not saying much. After a while we took a seat on a bench. It was underneath a tree, and the pine needles blocked some of the falling snow. I closed my eyes and listened to the chatter of people walking by mixed with the low hum of holiday music.
    “You guys need to kiss.”
    I opened my eyes and saw a girl who was probably ten staring at us. “You’re sitting under mistletoe. That’s the rules. You’re under mistletoe, you kiss.”
    I looked up. Sure enough there was mistletoe hanging over us from the tree. It wasn’t real, it was just the decorative stuff they used, but it had the same unmistakable appearance.
    Glen put an arm around me. “I think she’s right, Savy.”
    I turned to glare at him. “Don’t even start.”
    “Why not? Scared to kiss me?” he teased.
    Yes. I was scared. Terrified. This was Glen. Kissing him wasn’t something I was prepared to do casually while sitting on a bench in the snow with a bunch of onlookers. Of course I couldn’t tell him that though. “Why would I be scared?”
    “I don’t know. Just checking.” He got a twinkle in his eye. That twinkle should have given me all the warning I needed, but it didn’t. I was wholly unprepared when his lips made contact with mine. They were warm and soft, and they moved perfectly against mine. I kissed him back, desperately wanting to know what his mouth tasted like, and if his tongue felt half as good as his lips—but the giggles of the little girl brought me back to earth. I jerked away. Glen sat there staring at me.
    “Merry Christmas,” the girl said in a sing song voice before hurrying off after her parents.
    “Our first kiss. It took a few years.” Glen was back to joking. That was usually how he handled things.
    “Yup. Was it all you wanted it to be?”
    Glen shook his head. “No.”
    I tried not to let his words get to me. I looked off. “Good, I wouldn’t want you getting too attached.”
    “I mean I wish it could have been more.”
    “Oh.” That changed things. “You mean you didn’t want to make out in front of a ten-year-old?”
    He laughed. “Not on my to-do list.” He opened his mouth like he was going to say more, but then he stopped.
    “What?”
    “What are your plans for the rest of the night?”
    “Nothing really.”
    “Any interest in watching a movie or something?”
    “That depends. What type?”
    “We can watch a Christmas one. It’s too cold to hang out here much longer, but I don’t really want to turn in yet.”
    “Ok. Let me just tell my dad where I’m going.”
    “Don’t worry. I’ll do it. My parents are with your family. I think everyone went to see that show over at Vail Village tonight.”
    “Oh. Okay.”
    He stood up and offered his arm. “Our movie awaits.”
    There was something different about walking with Glen after that kiss. I knew it didn’t mean anything to him, but I’d felt something I wasn’t sure I wanted to feel.
    “You still with me?” he asked as he opened the door to the main lobby of the building both of our families had rented condos in. We’d been spending Christmas week at the same place for years.
    “Yeah, sorry.”
    We walked through the busy lobby, past the families chatting over by the fireplace. I didn’t know what was bugging Glen, but he obviously