The house was packed with family. Christmas Eve had turned into a full-blown gathering with aunts, uncles, cousins, and neighbors stopping by. Laughter echoed through the living room and holiday music played from the speakers. Ava moved through the crowd with a practiced smile, refilling drinks and making small talk, but her mind was elsewhere. Lucas had been watching her all evening.
Every time their eyes met across the room, heat pooled low in her belly. He looked devastating in a dark button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing tattooed forearms. Four years away had turned him into a man who commanded attention. And the worst part? No one in the family suspected a thing about the forbidden tension simmering between them.
Their parents were in high spirits, proudly showing o
