"You snooze, you lose." I stuck my tongue out as I hooked my last ring on the bottle.

"You are 100% cheating." Knox narrowed his eyes at me.

"How can I cheat at throwing rings?" I shot him a look, placing my hands on my hips.

"The fact that you have done this year after year means you are cheating."

"I don't...." I shook my head. Deciding to ignore him I turned to point out which stuffed animal I wanted. When the guy handed over the fairly good sized Panda I crushed it to my chest with a grin.

"Lets go find something you aren't secretly good at." With my new stuffed animal in my arms I brushed past Knox, purposely trailing my hand up his arm and leaning in more than necessary.

"I'm good at everything babe." With a smirk I continued on past him towards another booth we had yet to go to. I let myself take a quick peek over my shoulder and saw Knox still standing there staring after me. He had an almost stunned look on his face that made me stifle a giggle. The fact that I got a reaction out of him was enough for me.

I had to move around quite a bit of people until I finally reached a booth that I was pretty sure Knox would be good at. Seeing that it was empty I stepped up to the counter with a grin.

"Football." Knox slide up beside me.

"Think you can handle this one?" I taunted.

"Uh huh put your money where your mouth is." I couldn't help but grin at the determined look on his face as he handed over the little tickets my mom passed out to all of us. I gladly stepped off to the side, cuddling my panda to my chest to try and stay a bit warmer.

The outfit I had changed into after the bakery consisted of a pair of snug black jeans and a thick pale pink sweater. Even with a huge jacket on over the top I was really really cold.

"Just remember to hit the red circle." I gave some advice as Knox reached for the three footballs sitting on the counter. The goal was to hit the center of the red circle. You had three shots and if you got all three you win. All of these were fairly easy games for kids to play but sometimes the easiest ones can be the hardest.

Knox sent me a look that had me putting my hand up and nodding at him to continue. Ever since we split from the others Knox and I have been joking around and taunting each other. I wasn't sure if it was the atmosphere of the festival or not but Knox seemed...more relaxed. Like he was finally letting himself enjoy what was going on around him. And I for one was enjoying seeing this new side to him.

I stayed quiet as Knox threw the first football. It hit directly in the middle of the red circle which was not at all surprising. He said before he played in high school and I had a feeling he was actually really good.

When he threw the second one my eyes were drawn to his back. While he was wearing a coat it seemed to hug his entire upper body. I never knew coats could look so good on someone. In a very weird way it seemed to enhance his wide shoulders and made them seem larger.

I couldn't deny I was very attracted to Knox. Everything about him screamed...man. From the way he walked to the way he held himself. I had thought I had dated 'men' before. The whole 'I have testosterone and I'm a mans man' type, but next to Knox they were boys. Half of it could be because he was in the military for so many years and carried himself differently. But the other half was how he was raised. His parents raised him to be a good man and it clearly showed.

I was jerked out of my ogling by the sound of a bell ringing. Clearing my vision of Knox's back I realized he had hit all three circles.

"See I knew you could do it." I came up and bumped my hip against his. He scowled at me but there was no real bite in it.

"Which one do you want?" It took a split second for me to realize he was going to let me choose something. My grin widened as I eagerly looked around at my options. I knew I was acting like a child but that's what this festival did to you. It brought out your inner child and what was more of a perfect time for that than Christmas. And add on to the fact Knox was being very sweet by winning me something.

"I'll take Rudolph." I pointed to the kinda smaller reindeer hanging by himself. The older man working the booth handed him over with a kind smile as I held two stuffed animals in my arms.

"Are you sure you really are 26?" I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You're just jealous I have two really cute stuffed animals." All he did was raise an eyebrow. I made a scene of sighing loudly. "Fine I'll let you hold one of them if you want."

"I'd hate to tear them apart."

"Fine with me. Ain't that right." I cooed at the two in my arms.

"I really question your sanity." I narrowed my eyes at him but before I could say anything the sound of a phone ringing stopped me. I stood there quietly hopping on my feet as the cold continued to seep into my body as he answered the phone.

"Sounds good we'll be there in a minute." Once he put the phone away did I ask what was up. "Olivia and the others are waiting for us by the snowman contests."

"Sounds good. I hope they have something warm to drink though." We had been out here for well over two hours now and with the sun fully down it was starting to get freezing.

"Come on lets go find them before you turn into a popsicle." Knox extended his hand out for me to grab. I only hesitated for a split second before I shuffled the stuffed animals around in my arms and placed mine in his. Glancing up I found him smiling down at me. An actual smile that almost blew me backwards. I didn't say a single word as he laced our cold fingers together and gently tugged me after him.

I kept close to his side as we weaved in and out of the crowd. I kept a firm grip on his hand, the warmth of it slowly warming my own. I almost felt untouchable having Knox right beside me. Like in a weird way he would shield me from everything. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that but at the moment I let myself stay close to his side as he lead us towards my family.

By time we finally found my family I felt like a popsicle. I was mentally kicking myself for forgetting to bring gloves and a way thicker coat. I was practically glued to Knox's side trying to use some of his body heat to keep me warm. I still had my stuffed animals pressed into my chest.

As soon as the girls saw my arms stuffed with the panda and Rudolph they squealed and begged for one. I couldn't deny them and their big puppy eyes, plus carrying two was being a hassle. So I gladly handed over the big panda but kept Rudolph for myself. Knox won it for me and as weird as it sounded I wanted to keep it.

We were all currently walking down the street that had been closed for the festival. Christmas decorations lined the buildings and in almost every store front was a Christmas tree perfectly decorated. Christmas music was being played loud enough we could hear it.

Olivia and my mom were up ahead chatting away. Behind them were Lucas and Annie carrying two very sleepy girls. Next to them was Jackson who was carrying the big panda while texting on his phone. Then finally Knox and I brought up the rear. My hand was still clasped in his as we walked, neither of us letting go.

The road was quiet and although it was freezing it was peaceful walking besides Knox. It literally almost felt like we were in a snow globe.

"I missed judged you." Knox literally spoke from out of nowhere. Confused I tilted my head up to look at him.

"What do you mean?"

"When you came up to me in the cafe and talked about...this." He kept his voice quiet as he spoke, the two of us hanging a bit further back from the rest. "I thought you were crazy and a bitch." My mouth fell open. He thought I was a bitch when we first met. Before I could say anything he continued.

"Before I met up with you at the diner I called an old buddy of mine that is now a police officer and I...well I had him run a background check on you."

"You...you ran a background check on me?" Well this just keeps getting better and better.

"I wanted to make sure you really weren't some crazy person that's been to jail or something." He defended. "I wasn't going to allow my sister around someone like that."

I honestly wasn't even mad about any of it. Not the background check or even the fact that he thought I was a bitch. They were all valid. When a literal stranger comes up to you and offers you money to come home with them for Christmas, that doesn't exactly scream sane.

I actually was really lucky someone agreed to do this and that he wasn't some creep. Leah was right in saying this was my worst idea yet. The whole outcome of this plan could have turned out very, very bad.

"I am sorry for assuming the worst about you." I knew Knox wasn't the type to normally apologize for anything so the fact that he was meant a lot.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. If I was in your shoes I would have done the same thing. Hell I would have ran away as soon as you asked me to come home with you." I joked. "I don't think I've said this yet but....thank you for doing this; for spending Christmas with a bunch of strangers. I know this is probably the last place you want to be at right now but it really does mean a lot to me."

I met his eyes and hoped he could see how much I really meant it and how much I appreciated him and his sister being here.

Knox gently tugged us to a stop looking down at me. Those gorgeous green eyes stared down at me and being this close I could see a few flecks of brown in them.

"I don't want to be anywhere else but here for Christmas." Knox's eyes shown with so much sincerity that he also meant what he just said.

The fact that he was now happy he came here wrapped itself around my heart and squeezed. As I stood there staring up at him I felt a zing run through my body. I could literally feel the air around us intensify as our gazes never veered away.

Almost like magnets both of our heads moved, coming closer to one another. All I could think about as he neared was that he was going to really kiss me this time. There was no one around us to show off for. This was for us.

My eyes started to flutter shut as his lips neared mine. It took everything in me to not reach out and tug him down faster. Just as I felt the bare whisper of his lips the sound of my brother yelling jerked us apart.

"Yo lovebirds can you hurry up! I'm freezing my ass off out here!"

I've never wanted to kill someone more in my entire life than I did right now. Literally one more second and Knox would have kissed me. But of course my dumb ass brother had to go and ruin it. And judging by the smug look on the bastards face he knew it too.

With our moment now completely ruined I let out a loud sigh. Of course just my luck.

"I'm half tempted to make him wait and have his balls freeze." Knox commented. I let out a loud laugh, my head tilting back.

"Would serve him right." And as much as I wanted to I knew if we did Jackson would be even more annoying. "Come on lets go before he does something else."

This time it was me tugging Knox forward. Glancing over to the side I found Knox smiling over at me. The type of smile that told me he planned on finishing what just happened.

How cute is this graphic I made!? Sorry I have to pat myself on the back because I use to suck so bad at these but I've gotten better!