It's a Wonderful Tangled Christmas Carol (Tangled, #4.5) (19)

And that’s the rub. The risk.

It’s infinitesimally small, but it’s there. She might not be ready. She may think I’m not ready. She might think things between us are fantastic—and she’d be right—so why change anything? She might say, “If it’s not broke, don’t screw with it.”

My stomach twists and turns at all the thoughts. I swallow hard and grip the steering wheel tighter, with suddenly slick palms.

Okay, I’m nervous. There, I f*cking said it. Happy now?

But I do a good job of covering it as I answer her. “Work has me tense. If you’d like to relieve my tension,” I glance at my crotch meaningfully, “I’m more than willing to pull over. Or—even more fun—keep driving while you do what you do so well.”

She chuckles. “No, don’t want any possible delays—or you crashing into a tree. I want to see my surprise.”



The second the car comes to a stop, Kate climbs out, stands between the open door and the car, hand on the roof, transfixed by the scene in the grassy valley below. Five huge hot-air balloons—each more colorful than the next. It’s an impressive sight. Vibrant, like a bowl full of candy from Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

“No way!” Kate squeals. “This is the surprise? I’ve never been on a hot-air balloon ride!”

“I know.”

Giving Kate new, memorable experiences has kind of become a fetish for me. The joy in her voice, the sparkle in her eyes, the astoundingly physical way she expresses her gratitude—it’s a rush. Like an adrenaline junkie searching for the next cliff to dive off of—I’m always looking for another fix.

My smile mirrors Kate’s expression and her exuberance withers the nervous tentacles that wind their way into my brain. I take her hand and together we walk down the lush hill to the boarding platform, toward Mark Jonas.

Mark is the owner of Tri-State Ballooning, a company that offers hot-air balloon rides and courses in ballooning certification. After my fifty-five hours of training, Mark and I are well acquainted.

Kate stares up at the massive air-filled bulbs while I shake Mark’s hand. “How ya doing, Drew?” he says.

“Good to see you, Mark.” I gesture to my dark-haired temptress. “This is Kate.”

Kate tears her eyes away from the balloons and shakes Mark’s offered hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Good to meet you, Kate. Drew’s talked so much about you, I feel like I know you already.”

Kate’s eyes narrow with confusion, until I gesture toward one of the baskets and ask Mark, “She all set to go?”

He nods. “She is. And the other arrangements are ready, too.” With a wink he wishes me good luck.

I smack Mark’s shoulder and slip him a fifty-dollar tip. I open the wicker-basket door and step aboard. Then I hold out my hand to Kate.

Her mouth is slightly ajar. “You’re going to fly this?”

With a smirk I explain. “You know how much I adore your body—and my own, for that matter. Do you honestly think I’d trust anyone else to make sure we don’t splatter all over the Hudson Valley?”

Mark passes Kate a folded jacket with his company logo. “In case it gets chilly up there.”

She accepts the jacket with a chuckle and steps into the basket with me. “Okay, then. Is there anything you can’t do, Drew?”

“No.” I tell her in all seriousness. “There isn’t.”

I peck her lips and do a safety check of the controls. Five minutes later, I give Mark the thumbs-up. He and a few of his employees untie the weighted ropes that keep the balloon anchored. The burner comes to life with a noisy whoosh as I open the propane valve, and a bright orange-blue flame surges into the envelope.

Then, gracefully, we float up into the sky.

Biting her lip, Kate looks over the edge, watching our growing distance from the earth.

“We’re flying, Drew! We’re actually flying!” Her dark eyes glitter, like a kid getting her first glimpse of Disneyland.

“Yeah, we are, baby.” Pride swells in my chest as I soak up every expression that dances across her face: exhilaration, excitement, awe. But there’s no fear—no hesitation or doubt.

Kate knows I’m capable of a lot of things—putting her in any kind of danger would never be one of them.

The sun is low, casting the autumn-hued trees and hills with a magical, golden glow, and it’s surprisingly peaceful at ten thousand feet.

“It’s breathtaking, Drew,” Kate sighs. “The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Smiling, my eyes don’t leave her face. “I couldn’t agree more.”

Like she can read my mind—and by this point in our relationship, that’s frighteningly possible—she turns to me, beaming. As I adjust the propane controls, Kate wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head against my back. Her breasts push against me in the most delicious f*cking way. Supple and sexy.

“Are you cold?” I ask.

“Nope.” I feel her press a kiss between my shoulder blades. “Thank you. This is . . . beyond amazing—even for you.”

I want to turn around and kiss her for all I’m worth. Strike that, I want to hoist her legs up around my hips, lift her very convenient dress and f*ck her into oblivion.