Heartstrings

(6) Kelly

Kelly

I take in the impressively tall alignment of Christmas trees in front me. We've been browsing longer than I anticipated. I stopped at the perfectly symmetrical evergreen – the one maybe a tad too tall for our living room. "Mitchell," I spun in my boots, jerking back when I find him so close behind.

He stepped back too.

No contact whatsoever happened.

"You like this one?"

"Yeah. I think Annie will like this one. Don't you think it's a little too tall for the living room though?"

"No. That's not what I was asking."

"Huh?"

He pointed at the tree with the saw. "Do you like it?"

"Does it matter?"

"Does it not?"

I lifted a shoulder. "I don't think so. As long as Annie likes it, then I'm off the hook."

Mitchell tilted his head to one side.

This was probably the first time that I felt less ashamed to look him over in broad daylight. The thing is, I knew Mitchell Foy has gotten better-looking over the years. He had put on lots of toned muscles underneath that wool coat. His blue eyes are even more charismatic with the way they were always seemed so guarded. His jawline is attractively more defined. His dark hair, although stayed the same, are unrulier given the occasion gusts we get.

"Let's have a deal."

I blink. "Okay."

"How about you choose what you like? If they don't like it, we'll say I chose it."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just a little bored."

It struck a nerve. "Well, I apologize for not making this fun. Maybe you shouldn't have come here with the dull twin."

"That's not what I meant."

I turn away. "Let's just cut this down."

"Kelly—"

"If you don't, I'll do it myself. Give me the tree saw."

"Kelly."

I clicked my tongue and took the distance between us, aiming for the saw.

He lifted it up, out of my reach. "You never cut a tree in your life. Besides, you can't do it. Not in those jeans. And those boots."

"There's nothing wrong with my boots."

He raised a brow. "They have a five inch-heel."

"Firstly, I can learn how to cut a tree. Just tell me what to do. Secondly, I can manage with these jeans. Thirdly, I can walk in these boots, can't I?"

His eyes narrowed. "Are you sure you want to get all dirty?"

The fact that he didn't bother to take back what he said about being bored, struck another nerve. And then I found myself lowering to the ground next to the tree.

He stared in surprise.

"Saw." I held out my hand, ignoring the cold ground covered in frost. "Just walk me through it, will you?"

Slowly, he hands over the tree saw. "You're gonna have to lie on the ground."

"Okay."

"Scoot as much as you can beneath the branches. And careful not to get crushed."

I gave him a look.

"Relax. I still make jokes these days."

"Oh. You still do? Haven't noticed?" I murmured, doing as instructed.

"Take off your gloves. You need to hold the saw as firmly as you can."

I tugged them off and secured them in my pockets. I position the edge of the saw against the trunk. Mitchell is now crouched down on the ground. "Lower. You're not holding it right."

I sighed frustratedly. "How else do you hold a saw?" I glared up the branches above me, my teeth gritting impatiently. I'm still salty about his comment moments ago.

To my utter surprise, a hard chest pressed against my back and I realized it was Mitchell helping me out. His arms brush my side as his hands reaches around me to get a hold of the saw himself. "Base of the trunk, Kelly," he murmurs, placing the saw to where he said it should be.

I shuddered.

His breath was warm against my cheek. And he... well, he was so warm against me. His hands closed around mine and, Good lord, I wasn't feeling cold anymore.

"There," he says, "Now we have to do it slow and steady, Kelly."

He shifted his weight, maybe to get a better hold of the saw.

I gulped. What were we doing again?

Because the way my body is responding, it has nothing to do with getting my family a perfect Christmas Tree.

"Kelly?"

"Yep. Slow and steady," I replied quickly.

I gripped the saw.

Oh, God. Get it together.

This is Mitchell Foy.

My ex.

Also, the sweet boy next door.

My firsts on everything.

I lost my virginity to him.

And even though, we didn't make it to the end, I wouldn't change a thing.

Mitchell started dragging the saw over the trunk which I'm thankful for because it distracted me from my wayward thoughts. He was kind enough to make it look like it was both our efforts because I'm hardly even thinking at all.

I bit down a groan of protest when his hands slipped from mine when we were halfway through. He took the saw from me and rolled out from underneath the branches. "Kelly?"

"What now?"

"Now? The easiest part of the process." He offers me his hand.

I took it and he lifted me off the ground.

"I need you to lightly push on the tree while I saw through the rest and make sure it falls away from me."

"Oh, okay. I can do that." I tamped down the remaining flush on my cheeks.

His hand reaches over my cheek. For a moment, I thought he's seen the blush. His thumb brushed over cheek. "You got a little dirt."

My face burned. I swipe my hand over said cheek. "Where else?"

"Don't worry. Just this one," he murmurs. "You ready?"

I nodded. I retrieve my gloves from my pocket and slip them on. Anything to distract me from remembering the feel of his body. Anything to distract from glancing up his face that suddenly looked too handsome to resist.

"Don't crush me, okay?"

A giggle bubbled in my throat. It startled me. I cleared my throat. "Sorry. I won't."

There was a glint in his eyes that I couldn't put a finger on. And before I could, he returns to the task at hand.