Whiskey Holiday

by Crystal Daniels

  I stand rooted in place as I stare numbly at Tannon. "You let yourself into my home and started a fire." I point to the living room where the wood is burning in the fireplace.

  Tannon sets the pizza and beer down on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "I did."

  "And, you fixed the furnace."

  His lip lifts in a smirk. "The furnace is new."

  I scan the room and notice new windows. "I have new windows," I point out yet another thing Tannon has taken care of while I was at work today.

  "Wouldn't do much good having a furnace if all the heat was going to escape through the broken windows, baby."

  There it is again—that word. Baby. It makes my tummy flutter whenever he says it.

  "Um, not that I'm upset, especially since you have been busy all day fixing my house, so I don't freeze to death at night, but how did you get into my house exactly. I locked up before I left this morning." I cross my arms.

  "Your locks are shitty."

  "Okay," I stare at Tannon. I'm finding this whole scene a little unreal.

  "Baby." Tannon moves across the room, and takes my purse from my shoulder then hangs it on a hook by the door. He unzips my coat and slides it over my shoulders. "Go upstairs, take a shower, change into something more comfortable, then come back down so we can eat."

  "Yeah?"

  He smiles, and I melt. "Yeah. I'll be here waiting for you."

  A few minutes later, I am standing in my bathroom as I stare at the men's body wash sitting on the shelf inside the shower. I take in the extra toothbrush in the holder next to mine. I smile at the men's razer sitting beside the sink, along with Tannon's deodorant and cologne on the counter. I also didn't miss his dirty clothes placed in the hamper with mine or the jeans, t-shirts, and flannels hanging in my closet. I didn't miss the boots sitting on the floor under the foot of the bed beside my sneakers either. All these things should be freaking me out, but they don't. I like him fixing my house and standing barefoot in my living room while giving me one of his panty-melting smiles. I like that Tannon ordered pizza and waited up for me to come home. So far, I like everything about Tannon Christmas.

  TANNON

  I watch Winter disappear up the stairs, and it takes all the restraint I can muster not to follow her. She looked dead on her feet when she came home, and the last thing she needs is me jumping her. As bad as my dick wants to be buried inside her, I tamp down the urge. I feel the moment Winter notices my shit I purposely left all over her bedroom and bathroom. We will need to discuss how things will be between us from now on. Meaning, she is mine.

  "I'm starved," Winter finally reappears, coming up behind me in the living room, her hair wet and her face fresh. She's also wearing a pair of pajamas with little reindeers on them and matching socks. Even in her oversized sleepwear covering her curves, Winter is still the sexiest woman I have laid eyes on.

  "Come here." Winter fidgets with the hem of her top as she takes a few steps in my direction. I shake my head. "All the way." Winter gives me a shy smile and takes three more steps, stopping directly in front of me.

  "Hi." Putting my arm around her waist, I lift Winter off her feet and pull her to my chest. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she lets out a small gasp. I take full advantage and waste no time plunging my tongue inside her mouth. Giving as good as she is getting, my woman threads her fingers through my hair and moans into my mouth—Winter tastes of peppermint and everything I have ever wanted.

  Breaking our kiss, I set her back down on her feet. It takes her a moment to get her bearings. "I like the way you say hello," she rasps, gazing up at me with hooded eyes.

  "Good, because I plan on greeting you like that every day." I give her one last kiss on the tip of her nose before I grab her hand, lead her over to the sofa, and pull her down between my spread legs. Winter settles back against my chest. I brush her hair aside and drag my lips along the column of her neck, causing her to shiver.

  "You want a slice of pizza, baby? I got pepperoni. I hope that's okay."

  "Please, and pepperoni is fine."

  Using a napkin, I pass Winter a slice of pizza from the box sitting on the coffee table, then hand her a beer before taking a piece for myself. "I can get you something else to drink if you like."

  She shakes her head. "Beer is perfect. No other way to eat pizza."

  The two of us sit in silence for a few minutes as we devour our food.

  "So," Winter starts after she finishes her drink and sits the empty bottle on the table. "I couldn't help but notice some of your things lying around. Is it safe to assume you will be spending the night tonight?"

  "Yes." I ball up my napkin and toss it aside. "I'll be in your bed tonight, tomorrow, the next night, and the night after that."

  Winter stares at me, her eyes blinking. Adjusting my body, I maneuver her to where she is straddling my lap. I want her eyes on mine when I speak so she can fully understand what I am about to say. "I told you, you belong to me now. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew I wanted you. The second I kissed your lips, I vowed to make you mine. When my cock slid inside your pussy for the first time, the deal was sealed. You are mine, and I belong to you. There will not be a night I'm not in your bed or you in mine. Once you have had enough time to realize you are it for me, I will give my landlord notice. In the end, the decision is solely yours. I already know what I want," I finish laying my cards out on the table and wait for Winter to say something.

  Finally, she does.

  "I think." She looks away as if she is trying to collect her thoughts.

  Placing my finger under her chin, I bring her eyes back to mine. "You think what, baby?"

  Winter visibly swallows. "As ridiculous as it sounds coming out of my mouth, I think I like everything you just said."

  Leaning forward, I brush my lips against hers. "You don't know how happy it makes me for you to say that, baby."

  Over the next couple of hours, Winter and I sit, curled up on the sofa in front of the fireplace while drinking beer and getting to know one another.

  "So, that's how you met Nash? You were in the Army together?" she asks.

  I nod. "Yep. I couldn't ask for a better friend and business partner than Nash."

  Winter nods. "I don't remember a whole lot about Nash since he was in high school when I was in elementary, but growing up in Mistletoe, we all kind of knew each other, and I remember my brother saying he was a good guy."

  "How many brothers do you have?" I ask.

  "Just the one. Thank god," Winter chuckles. "I love my big brother, but he's very protective of me. Fair warning."

  I grin. "I think I can handle your brother."

  "I think you can, too," she laughs. "What about you? Do you have any brothers or sisters? What about your parents? Are you all close?"

  I blow out a breath. "I don't have any family. I was a foster kid. And I have no siblings either that I know of anyway."

  Winter gets a sad look on her face. "That's awful, Tannon. No kid should have to grow up without a family."

  I pull Winter closer. "Don't be sad for me, baby. Things worked out eventually. I made my way in life, and I'm proud of the life choices I've made." I shift a little. "Look at it like this. If I had not grown up in the system, then I probably wouldn't have enlisted in the Army where I met Nash. I wouldn't have taken him up on the offer to move to Mistletoe and start a business, and I never would have met you." Winter gives me a sweet smile, and I melt a little inside. "I'd say life has turned out pretty fucking great."

  Cupping my cheek, Winter kisses me. "Well, I, for one, am glad you decided to move here."

  "Me too, baby." I bury my face into the crook of her neck and breathe in her sweet smell.

  "Tell me about your business. How exactly did you get started in what you do?"

  I shrug. "I've always liked working with my hands. When I was a teenager, I would go around whatever neighborhood I was living in at the time and ask the neighbors to do odds and end stuff around their h
omes for money. Sometimes it was just cutting the grass, but there were times when I would fix a broken door hinge, or this old man asked me to repair a broken step on his porch. After fixing it, he asked me if I'd stain it. I didn't know what I was doing, so I used the computer in the library at school to research do-it-yourself projects. I learned early on and loved it. I loved taking something old or plain and turning it into something beautiful. That same summer, the old man had me back to help him put down a new wood floor in his house and also new countertops in his kitchen. That was the summer I turned eighteen. A couple months later, I enlisted."

  "And when you got out of the Army, what did you do then?"

  "I had a lot of money saved up from over the years, and I used some of it to buy an old fixer-upper. It wasn't anything like this place. It was a little three-bedroom house. I lived there while I fixed it up, then flipped it. I moved on to my next project, bought another place, lived in it for a while, and then sold it when I was finished. I was in my third house when I got the call from Nash. I didn't have any roots in Washington, so I took a chance and moved to Mistletoe. Best fucking decision I ever made."

  WINTER and I ended up staying up until past three o'clock in the morning. Exhausted from her day, she dozed off while draped across my chest as the two of us lay on the sofa. Here it is, nearly five in the morning, and I'm still awake just watching her sleep. I feel like the lord dropped an angel onto my lap. If I'm dreaming, I don't want it to end.

  Soon, my body gives out, and sleep takes me. As I give in, I fall, holding the greatest gift given to me clutched in my grasp.

  WINTER

  "Baby," I feel my body shaking and it pulls me from a peaceful slumber. I moan, then prying my eyes open, I lift my head slightly off of Tannon's bare chest.

  "What's wrong?"

  From across the room, I hear someone clearing their throat. Because I've listened to the sound a million times in my life, I know who it's coming from. "Good morning, Daddy," I say, and take in Tannon's surprisingly relaxed state.

  "We tried calling first. When you didn't answer, your mother got worried." My dad says, followed quickly by my mom.

  "It wasn't only me who was worried. The big lug here was just as concerned."

  Repositioning myself, I sit up and face my parents, both bundled in thick winter coats. Dad's cowboy hat has a thin dusting of snow coating the brim. I notice his stare is solely fixed on Tannon. My mom gives me a warm smile. "We did knock first, sweetheart."

  Privacy was the number one benefit to living in a home of my own, yet here I am, in an awkward situation with my parents and a guy I just met. Maybe giving my dad a spare key to the house wasn't such a great idea after all. "Mom, Dad, this is Tannon." I attempt to stretch out the kink in my neck.

  Rising from the couch, Tannon holds out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Sir." My dad eyes him for a second before giving him a firm handshake.

  "You too." Dad clears his throat.

  "Why don't I make some coffee?" my mom says, then turns toward the kitchen.

  "I'm sorry, Dad." I stand then wrap my arms around his neck. "I didn't mean to worry anyone."

  My dad kisses the top of my head as he brings his arms around my body. I breathe him in and close my eyes as I always do. "It's going to take some time getting used to you being on your own." He sighs. "Nevertheless, I will always worry about you being out here alone."

  "I wasn't alone, Dad." My words come out as a whisper against his chest, and he chuckles.

  "I noticed."

  I pull away from him. "You mentioned you called first. Is everything okay?"

  "Well, for starters, Greg drove out yesterday to fix your furnace and stated a young man was on your property. By the looks of your friend here, I'm going to assume he was speaking of Tannon. Second, your mother wanted to make sure you are all set for the festivities tonight. She is beyond elated, you have the honor of flipping the switch at the tree lighting tonight."

  I've been so busy between the bar and this house, I nearly forgot I was nominated by the city council to light the tree. "I'm more than ready, Dad. Tannon replaced the old furnace yesterday. I can't tell you how good it felt to come home to a warm cozy house after work. He also fixed those broken window panes in the kitchen."

  "He did, now?" My father eyes Tannon. "What line of work are you in, Tannon?"

  "I'm part owner of T & N Restoration, Sir," Tannon replies, and I realize he's still wearing nothing but his grey sweatpants. My eyes roam down his defined abs, following his happy trail until my gaze lingers for a second on his package. Snap out of it Winter. Your father is standing two feet away, for Christ sake. My eyes snap up to find Tannon's panty-melting smile looking back at me, and my face heats.

  "You don't say?" my dad says, just as my mom walks into the living room carrying a tray with four mugs of piping hot coffee. "Carol, Tannon here is one of the owners of that restoration company Richard was telling us about," my dad tells her, and Mom's face lights up.

  "Is that right?" Mom passes me my cup, fixed just how I like it, sugar and lots of cream before handing Tannon and Dad theirs.

  "Yes, Ma'am." Tannon smiles at her. "Thanks for the coffee, Mrs. Holiday."

  "Call me, Carol." Mom sips from her mug. Stepping close to my side, she whispers. "He's very handsome."

  Unable to hide my smile, I agree. "Yes, he is."

  "Well, I hate to barge in and run, but your mother gave me a honey-do-list that stretches from here to Polson that needs my attention." My dad sits his coffee back on the tray. "Give this old man another hug." He looks at me, and I step into his arms. "Tannon," he says as he hugs me, "I appreciate you taking care of my daughter and this house." My dad releases me, and I embrace my mom goodbye, then move toward Tannon, who snakes his arms around my waist.

  "The pleasure is all mine, Sir," Tannon tells him.

  My dad scratches his thick greying beard after crossing his arms over his chest. "How long have the two of you been seeing each other?"

  There it is.

  I was wondering when he would get around to asking that question. I think about lying for a moment but decide against it. Lying to my dad is like moving a mountain. It doesn't work. He'll see right through me—always has.

  "Tannon and I met the other night, Dad," I tell him, and all I hear from my dad is a grunt.

  My mom lays her hand on my dad's forearm. "Come on, my love. We were young once. Let's let them be." Dad's features soften with my mom's touch, and he looks down at her. She smiles up at him, her eyes full of love.

  I've always admired the love my parents have for one another. Mom adores everything about my dad, even when he is less than perfect. My dad calls my mom his little slice of heaven.

  I could read all the romance novels the world has to offer and fantasize about the over the top love I find between each book's pages, but it would never live up to the love story I've watched unfold my entire life. Still, not one word, sentence, or phrase could ever live up to the kind of love and adoration like my parents have for each other, and I only hope to find the same for myself one day. My expectations are higher than average because I have grown up surrounded by something much more significant than a four-letter word.

  I look at Tannon, who then looks down at me, and I feel my tummy flutter.

  Could I have all of that with him?

  Is Tannon my forever?

  All I know is my connection with him is far different than anything I have experienced before, and I'm eager to explore the possibilities. Tannon presses his lips to my forehead, and I melt like snow on the first day of spring.

  The front door opens, and a cold blast of winter air flows in, and I watch my parents begin to leave. My mom turns around. "We'll see you tonight, sweetie."

  "Drive safe. I love you guys." I shiver from the cold, dancing around my bare feet.

  "We love you too. Oh, and Tannon, we hope to see you tonight as well, dear." Then my mom closes the front door.

  Tannon and I stand sile
nt for a second. "Well, that just happened." I place my coffee mug on the table.

  "You have great parents." Tannon spins me to face him with my front pressed against his. Tipping my head back, I look at him and lift my hand to his face, running my fingertips across his beard.

  "This is crazy, you know—us?"

  "Nothing crazy about knowing what you want, baby." Tannon dips his head and runs his mouth down my neck, and my skin prickles. Tannon's palms skim over my hips before reaching around and grabbing my ass cheeks. My feet leave the floor as Tannon lifts me. I wrap my legs over his hips and feel his erection pressing hard against my center.

  "We both should get ready for work." My fingers tangle in his hair as Tannon begins to move.

  "We will, but first I'm going to eat breakfast." Tannon carries me up the stairs to the bedroom.

  SEVERAL HOURS LATER, I'm behind the bar making cocktails for a large group of bikers and their old ladies, and I find myself singing along to Bing Crosby's White Christmas that's playing in the background.

  "Sweet baby Jesus. God spent a little extra time on those men—their women too." Brinkley busies herself, making a Mistletoe Martini for the older lady at the end of the bar.

  "Who?" I fill two large glass pitchers with tap beer.

  "The bikers," Brinkley says.

  "I'm making their drinks now," I tell her. "They're from Polson."

  "I need to make a trip to Polson and get me one," Brinkley swoons. I can't blame her. Those men are fine. "Speaking of fine. I couldn't help but noticed the extra pep in your step today, and I'm willing to bet Mr. Christmas is the reason for the jolly mood you're in." I smile because why hide my happiness. "Spill it." Brinkley places the Martini on a napkin and slides it to the customer.

  I continue making the cocktails the group from Polson ordered as I tell my best friend everything. After giving her the rundown, Brinkley stares at me like I've grown another head. "What?"