An Officer and a Rebel: An Accidentally in Love Novella (Entangled Bliss) by Cindi Madsen Page A

flashed to her in the towel again, remembering how soft her skin felt underneath his fingertips. He cleared his throat. “Even found needle and thread. Black and blue are all I had, though.”
    Kelsey sat next to him on the couch. “I’ve never done this before. I’m usually an icicle kind of gal. I like to throw all the stringy silver things everywhere and let them lie where they fall. Mom hated them because they’d tangle the vacuum cleaner, but every year I’d get them out and she’d let me go crazy.”
    Nate reached into the bowl and tossed a handful of popcorn into his mouth.
    “Hey, no eating the decorations,” she said with a mock scowl, smacking his hand. Then she threw some into her mouth and grinned. She threaded the needle with blue thread and started poking it through the popcorn. About every other kernel crumbled and fell in pieces onto her lap. “I don’t think this is working.” She thrust the needle at him. “You try.”
    He took the needle and thread from her, but he didn’t fare any better. “They’re all buttery. How do people do this?” He held up the strand they’d managed to put together. It was big enough to circle the tree once, maybe, and a few of the kernels were in danger of slipping off. Bits of popcorn covered his lap, hers, and the couch.
    “That’s seriously pathetic.” Kelsey laughed, then leaned forward and took a bite from their sad string, her tongue wrapping around a piece in a way that made him want to be popcorn. “Okay, so that was a fail. Who needs a garland anyway?”
    He wiped his hands on his jeans and then moved to the tree. It was much simpler than the popcorn, just put a few pieces together and twist the branches into place. The lights seemed to be connected everywhere they needed to be, though without the power on, he couldn’t really tell. Kelsey used the thread to string nuts and bolts onto the tree, and even managed to find a large piece of scrap metal she’d brought inside for the top.
    “It’s kind of a demented star, but it’ll have to do.” She stepped back and clasped her hands like it was some kind of masterpiece. “So beautiful,” she said with a laugh.
    He stared at her smile, the slight indention in her cheek, and how the candlelight glowed in her eyes. “Do you take back calling me Scrooge now?”
    She turned her face to him, her grin widening. “Nope.”
    He grabbed their pathetic string of popcorn and draped it across the branch. One of the “ornaments” fell down and Kelsey moved to put it back. She glanced out the window next to them and sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, this was lots of fun, but…” Her fingers went to the back of her neck, where the little blue flower tattoo was. “I miss my mom. I like Chris, and I like that he makes her happy, but they’re so busy lately that it’s getting harder and harder to even squeeze in a phone call.”
    Nate stepped closer to her and massaged her shoulders, trying to take the tension away.
    “Anyway, I just feel bad our Christmas break didn’t work out exactly like she and I planned, though I’m not sure I’m ready to leave here either.”
    Nate’s hands froze. Was she saying she wanted to stay? Was it just that she liked Marion, or was it being with him? Using his grip on her, he pulled her closer, so that her back was against his chest.
    Her eyes went to the window again. “What if it kept on snowing forever? What would you do?”
    “I’d take care of you,” he said.
    She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Forever?”
    He nodded.
    “You’d take care of me forever, but you won’t kiss me?”
    He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She tilted her head, making it clear she had different kissing in mind.
    “But you’re not staying here forever, Kelsey. I’ve got a day, maybe two with you. Then you’ll be gone.” He even surprised himself with that. Yes, he was holding back to try to do the honorable thing, but the fact that she was leaving was weighing on his