Caroselli's Christmas Baby. Michelle Celmer

opportunity to gather together, overeat and drink too much.

      “Exactly,” he said.

      “So, how big are you thinking?”

      “Immediate family only, maybe a few people from work.”

      “Two weeks would be the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I can guarantee most places will be booked.”

      Nick considered that for a moment, then his face lit up. “Hey, how about Nonno’s house? It would definitely be big enough. We could have the ceremony in the great room, in front of the fireplace.”

      “He wouldn’t mind?”

      “Are you kidding? He would be thrilled. The whole point of this is to get the three of us married off and making babies as soon as possible.”

      It seemed like a logical choice to her, too. “Call him and make sure it’s okay. On such short notice, I’m thinking we should keep it as simple as possible. Drinks and appetizers will be the best way to go.”

      “My cousin Joe on my mom’s side can get us a good deal on the liquor. Make a list of what you think we’ll need, then remember that it’s my family and whatever you plan to order, double it. And we should call the caterer we use for business events. The food is great, and their prices are reasonable.”

      “Email me the number and I’ll call them.” There was so much to do, and so little time. But she was sure they could pull it off. She knew that as soon as his mom and his sisters heard the news, they would be gunning to help.

      “You understand that my family has to believe this marriage is real, that we have to look like two people madly in love?”

      “I know.”

      “That means we’ll have to appear comfortable kissing and touching each other.”

      The thought of kissing and touching Nick, especially in front of his family, made her heart skip a beat.

      “Can you do that?” he asked.

      Did she have a choice? “I can do it.”

      “Are you sure? Last night when I touched you, you jumped a mile.”

      “I was just nervous. And confused.”

      “And you aren’t now?”

      “I’m trying to look at it logically. Like we’re just two people … conducting a science experiment.”

      Nick laughed. “That sounds fun. And correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you almost blow up the science lab in middle school?”

      Which had taught her the invaluable lesson that when a teacher said chemicals aren’t to be mixed, she actually meant it. That, plus a week of suspension, and a month of summer school to make up the failing grade she’d more than earned in the class, drove the message home.

      But what Nick seemed to be forgetting was she’d only done it because he’d dared her.

      “I didn’t think it was supposed to be fun,” she said.

      He frowned. “You don’t think sex should be fun?”

      “Not all sex. I guess I just thought, because we’re friends, we would just sort of … go through the motions.”

      “There’s no reason why we can’t enjoy it,” Nick said.

      “What if we’re not compatible?”

      “As far as I’m aware, we both have the right parts,” he said with a grin. “Unless there’s something you haven’t told me.”

      She rolled her eyes. “I don’t mean biologically compatible. What if we get started and we don’t get, you know … turned-on?”

      “Are you saying you find me unattractive?”

      “No, but in twenty years, I’ve never looked at you and had the uncontrollable urge to jump your bones. I just don’t think of you that way.”

      “Come here,” he said, summoning her around the island with a crooked finger.

      “Why?”

      “I’m going to kiss you.”

      Her heart skipped a beat. “Now?”

      “Why not now? Before we go through the trouble of getting married, shouldn’t we know for sure? Besides, what if we wait until our wedding day, and it all goes horribly wrong? Suppose we bump noses, or we both tilt our head the same way. And what about our honeymoon? Are we just going to hop into bed without ever having touched each other? Doesn’t it make more sense for us to ease into it gradually?”

      He definitely had a point. The problem here was that she was trying to play by a set of rules that didn’t exist. They were making it up as they went along. “I guess that does make sense.”

      “So, what are you waiting for?” He tapped his lips with his index finger. “Lay one on me.”

      The idea that they were really going to do it, that he was going to kiss her for real, and not his usual peck on the cheek, gave her a funny feeling in her head. Her hands went all warm and tingly, as if all the blood in her body was pooling somewhere south of her heart.

      It’s just Nick. She had no reason to be nervous or scared or whatever it was she was feeling. But as her feet carried her around the island to where he stood, her heart was racing.

      “Ready?” he asked, and she nodded.

      Nick leaned in, but before their lips could meet, a giggle burst up from her chest. Nick drew back, looking exasperated.

      “Sorry, I guess I’m a little nervous.” She took a deep breath and blew it out, shaking the feeling back into her fingers. “I’m okay now. I promise not to laugh again.”

      “Good, because you’re bruising my fragile ego.”

      Somehow she doubted that. She’d never met a man more secure in his prowess with women.

      “Okay,” he said. “Are you ready?”

      “Ready.”

      “Really ready?”

      She nodded. “Really ready.”

      Nick leaned in, and she met him halfway, and their lips just barely touched.

      She couldn’t help it, she giggled again.

      Backing away, Nick sighed loudly. “This is not working.”

      “I am so sorry,” she said. “I’m really trying.”

      Maybe this wasn’t going to work. If she couldn’t feel comfortable kissing him, what would it be like trying to have sex?

      “Close your eyes,” he said.

      She narrowed them at him instead. “Why?”

      “Just close them. And keep them closed.”

      Even though she felt stupid, she did as he asked, and for what felt like a full minute he did nothing, and she started to feel impatient. “Any day now.”

      “Shush.”

      Another thirty seconds or so passed and finally she felt him move closer, felt the whisper of his breath on her cheek, then his lips brushed over hers. This time she didn’t giggle, and she wasn’t so nervous anymore. His lips were soft and his evening stubble felt rough against her chin, but in a sexy way. And though it wasn’t exactly passionate, it wasn’t merely friendly, either.

      This is nice, she thought. Nice enough that she wanted to see what came next, and when Nick started to pull away, before he could get too far, she fisted her hands in the front of his shirt and pulled him back in.

      He made a sound, somewhere between surprise and pleasure, and he must have forgotten all about their ease-into-it-gradually