by Lauren Runow
He walks over to his mother and places a kiss on her cheek while taking the plates from her. “And I refuse to let you clean one more thing tonight.”
Nancy gives Hunter the side-eye as she playfully pushes him away. “Fine. Then, I’m going to set your places.”
She opens a drawer, retrieving two red placemats. She puts them on the island along with gold chargers and sterling silverware are set on the side. A water goblet as well as a wineglass is placed on the other.
“Your mom is better than Martha Stewart,” I whisper in Hunter’s ear.
He lets out a chuckle. “Tell her she’s like Ina Garten, and she’ll love you for the rest of her life.”
Last, Nancy whips out paper napkins with the snowmen covering them, setting them off to the side. I pick one up, smiling at the cuteness among the fanciness of our surroundings.
Hunter laughs. “Mom says there’s no need to be too serious all the time. She’ll always have something like that to keep us grounded.”
“Wait until you see the ones for tomorrow!” Nancy says with glee as she reaches across the island, placing a plate in front of me. This close, I can see it’s fine china with a gold filigree pattern.
“This is very beautiful. The presentation and the food. It looks like something I’d see on an episode of Barefoot Contessa,” I say.
Nancy’s hand flies to her chest as she looks at me with a beaming smile. “I like this girl, Hunter. You picked a good one!”
Hunter leans toward me, his breath tickling my ear. “Nice job, kid.”
“Can I pour you some wine?” Randy asks. I didn’t hear him come in.
I nod. “Yes, please.”
He holds up a bottle that reads Napa Valley, and I wonder just how expensive the wine is. Just like my whiskey, I tend to stick to the bottom shelf when it comes to wine and have never tried one from Napa. Now, I know where Hunter gets his expensive taste for liquor.
Hunter holds up his glass to me. “Merry Christmas, Katie.”
“Merry Christmas, Hunty.” My comment makes Ella giggle behind us.
We clink glasses, and he lets out a hard laugh. “Watch it. Only my niece can call me that.”
“Yes, God forbid someone else use the name everyone tried to call him his entire life, but suddenly, he was totally okay with it when it came out of her mouth,” a woman says as she enters the room. “Hi, I’m Melissa, Hunter’s sister.”
She reaches her arm across the counter to me, and I match her greeting, trying to hide my trepidation. After hearing what her daughter said, I’m not sure how welcoming she’s going to be with me.
“Sorry, I’ve been upstairs, putting my little one to bed,” she says as she grabs a chocolate from a candy dish on the counter and sticks it in her mouth.
“Yes, he’s finally out. Everyone said, Have another one. It’ll be fine,” a man about our age says, entering the room. “No one warned us the second one would be a handful.” Everyone laughs as he reaches his hand out to me. “I’m Tyler, Melissa’s husband.”
I cover my mouth with my other hand, nodding and meeting his greeting.
“So, how’d you nail this one down?” Melissa asks, leaning back against the counter and crossing her arms.
“Oh, stop, Melissa. Leave the poor girl alone,” Nancy says, lightly swatting Melissa’s arm.
I turn to Hunter with raised brows. How do I answer that one? I ask with my eyes.
He raises his brows back at me and tilts his head with a grin. Any way you’d like, I think he’s saying.
I shake my head. “I’ve known Hunter for a couple of years now. And I wouldn’t say I’ve nailed him down. He’s the one who demanded he be my boyfriend. I finally gave in.”
I smile in his direction, and his eyes crinkle at the sides.
“Demanded, huh?”
“Well, yeah. I was just minding my own business at work when he came in and declared that we were dating. It was terribly embarrassing actually,” I try to say with a straight face. “My boss was watching and everything.”
Hunter’s eyes narrow at the mere mention of Branson. “Is that right, Christmas vixen?”
My mouth pinches as I kick him under the island.
He seems to find this amusing. “Katie here wanted to go—what was it, honey? Jingle his balls?”
“That’s enough, Hunty,” I say sweetly yet sternly.
“Rock his sleigh bed,” he says, and I have to put my hand over his mouth to quiet him. I feel his smile against my palm.
I hear Melissa snicker under her breath as she pushes off the counter and opens the freezer. “Let’s get Ella’s dessert going, so we can get her in bed sometime tonight—and away from their lewdness.”
I release my hand from Hunter, and he lets out a deep, laugh. I close my eyes and shake my head as I stab a potato and pop it into my mouth.
Hunter rubs my back and whispers into my ear, “Man, am I happy I brought you home.”
I stare at him quizzically as his mother looks back at us with an expression that’s half-surprised, half-contented. I really can’t decipher what it is.
While Hunter and I eat our dinner, Nancy and Melissa get dessert ready, and the three men talk football. We eat quickly, enjoying all the food, and top it off with three pies—pecan, cherry, and coconut cream. I’ve never enjoyed a meal so much. Of course, as soon as we’re done and Hunter tries to clean up, Nancy stops him.
“No, I’m putting my foot down on this one. I can clean up!” Nancy shouts while shooing Hunter away. “I’m sure you guys are exhausted. Why don’t you go get settled in?”
I turn to Hunter, suddenly surrounded by nerves of what our sleeping arrangements will be. I don’t get the feeling his family is old school in traditions, especially since he’s a man in his thirties, but do they expect Hunter and me to share a room?
He senses my hesitation and comes to my rescue. “I’ll get her set up in my room, and I figured I’d sleep out in the pool house,” he says, rubbing a calming hand over my back.
“It’s okay if—” Nancy doesn’t finish her sentence because Hunter is shaking his head at her. “I’ll go turn the heat on, so it’s nice and warm when you get there.”
She heads out the sliding glass door at the side of the kitchen.
“I don’t want you to give up your room for me.”
“It’s no big deal. There’s a pullout couch that’s actually pretty comfortable. I used to sneak out there with my high school girlfriends.”
I fake admonishment. “Not something you’re supposed to be telling the girl you brought home for the holiday.”
He moves my hair away from my face. “You’re right. Come on. I can show you where I used to masturbate to Britney Spears.”
“Hunter!” I reprimand.
“Man, do I love messing with you.” He kisses the side of my head. The scent of his cologne and natural maleness seeping through his shirt invigorates my body.
He grabs our bags and leads me up a grand staircase to a room that looks like it’s stuck in the ’90s.
“So, this was your room, growing up?” I ask, searching around.
He chuckles under his breath. “Um, can’t you tell?” He holds his hands out to the sides. “My mother refuses to change a thing.”
His walls are lined in posters of his football idols from when he was younger as well as trophies and medals he must have earned over the years. And of course, there’s a poster of Britney Spears in her “Baby One More Time” phase. A picture of him and a girl, which looks like it was taken at their prom, hangs in his mirror that sits over a desk in the corner.
“Was she your high school sweetheart?” I point to the photo.
He holds up the picture and grins. “Abby McKenna.”
“Broke her heart?” I ask.
“She broke mine when we went to college. It was a good thing because I had a lot of fun in college.” He places the picture back in its slot and turns to me. He inhales a deep breath while staring at me with an expression I can
’t read. His fingers interlace with mine. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
I feel the air in the room thin around me. My chest tightens, and when I open my mouth, nothing comes out. His eyes burn into mine, and when I take in his lips, I pause to inhale deeply.
“Hunter,” I start and then think of exactly how I want to ask this. “Why don’t your relationships last longer than two weeks? Your sister even made a comment tonight. It seems like there’s more to the story.”
He sighs as he leans against the doorframe and looks down.
“You don’t have to answer that,” I say.
“No. It’s not a secret. Well, not to anyone I care about.” His eyes meet mine, and the breath I inhaled shoots out like a bullet. “Cassidy. She was my sister’s best friend since the fourth grade. We always flirted, and then one day, we decided we were more than friends. We dated for three years.”
“That’s a long time.”
He nods. “It is. Enough that everyone thought I’d propose. And I did.”
“You were engaged?” My eyes widen with shock.
His stoic expression shows he’s not proud of what he’s about to say. “I called it off.”
My heart drops at the thought. I can’t imagine having the excitement of thinking you’re going to spend forever with someone, just to have them take it back. “That’s horrible.”
“It is. I’m ashamed of what I did to Cassidy, but I’d proposed for the wrong reasons. Just because you’ve been with someone for a long time doesn’t mean they’re the one you should be with forever. Just because your families are best friends doesn’t mean it’s a perfect coupling.”
“You shouldn’t have said you loved her if you didn’t mean it.”
“I did. I’d never declare my love to someone if I didn’t mean it. What I didn’t realize at the time was what love was. We had more of the respect and friendship kind.”
“What other kind is there?”
“That’s something you have to find out for yourself.”
I bite my lip as I take in this information. “I guess it’s better to have called off the wedding than to have wasted her time.”
He runs a hand over his jaw as his chest rises. “She hates me. Seven years later, she’s now married with a kid, and if I see her on the street, she still turns and walks in the opposite direction. The worst part is, she hasn’t spoken to Melissa in that long as well. That’s why she’s so pissy. It has nothing to do with you.”
“Is she why you haven’t brought someone home?”
“I haven’t met anyone worth bringing home.”
I smile. “That, and they haven’t made it past two weeks,” I say cheekily despite my heart beating with trepidation.
Hunter moves his arm and steps closer, wrapping his hand around the nape of my neck and deeply looking into my eyes. “I don’t know what this is, and if I’m confusing you, please tell me.”
“We passed the realm of confusion a long time ago.” My words have him lowering his eyes to my mouth.
“I want to kiss you, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop.”
I hold my breath and nod, knowing I wouldn’t be able to stop either but not sure if I’m ready to admit that. “Then, don’t.”
His grip tightens slightly as he closes his eyes, breathing a ragged breath that has his chest pressed firmly against mine.
When his eyes reopen, they’re full of even more fire, and he steps back, taking a deep breath, rubbing his hand down the front of his pants.
“Okay then. The bathroom is right there”—he points to the en suite I missed when we entered—“and I’m sure the bed has enough blankets to keep you warm.”
I inhale a shaky breath and nod. “I’ll be fine. Thank you again for inviting me.”
He nods slowly, glancing around the room. “Well, I’ll see you in the morning.”
He leans in to kiss my cheek, holding himself there. I place my hands on his arms, not wanting him to leave. A kiss lingers down to my neck, and I drop my head back in response, letting out a sigh I could no longer hold in.
I hear his intake of breath and notice how it matches my own. Our labored breaths feel like they’re bouncing off the walls, radiating like a loudspeaker.
“Make me leave, Katie,” he whispers through his kisses around my neck and clavicle.
I shake my head, and he growls in response.
I feel his body tense before he pulls away and exits the room, leaving me breathless in a puddle of lust and desire for the man I thought I was pretending with.
When he leaves, I close the door and fall against it.
My life has taken quite a turn in such a short amount of time. If someone had told me a month ago that I’d be in Hunter Johnstone’s childhood home, I’d have said they were out of their mind. If someone had told me his kisses would steal my breath, I’d have said they were out of this world.
I walk over to his bed and lie down, still in my clothes, staring up at the ceiling. I want to burst into a fit of giggles when I see there’s a photo of seven Sports Illustrated models taped to the ceiling.
Man, teenage Hunter was a hornball!
Something is happening to me. This whole time, I was pining over Branson, wondering if a man like him would want a girl like me. And then Hunter swoops in and … what? He talked to me. Laughed with me. Kissed me …
God, I want him. I really do. I’m so confused on how I wanted Branson for so long yet forget about him so quickly.
Oh my God! Branson. I totally stood him up!
I hop out of bed and search for my phone in my purse. There’s a missed call and three texts from Branson.
How is it possible that I finally got what I’d wanted all these years, and I completely ignored it to be with Hunter?
I press play and bring the phone up to my ear to listen.
“Hello, love. You’ve got me worried about you. The car said you never came out of the shelter. Just want to make sure you’re okay. Give me a call when you can.”
He’s worried about me. Yet it makes me feel nothing for him. Hunter really has gotten under my skin and made a home there.
I type out a quick reply.
I’m so sorry. Hunter surprised me at the shelter and brought me up to Connecticut with him.
The text bubbles appear instantly, but it takes a few minutes for him to reply.
Glad to hear you’re okay. Have a wonderful holiday.
I don’t know if I can agree that I’m okay. But as I glance out the window and see the light in what looks to be the pool house flicker on, I do have a feeling that I’m going to have a very good holiday indeed.
Chapter Ten
I wake up to the most amazing aroma of cinnamon and spices. I reach for my phone to see a text from Hunter.
Ho, ho, ho! I’ll be downstairs whenever you want to come down to join me for a cup of coffee by the fire.
I hop out of bed, heading to the bathroom. After making myself look presentable, I slip on a comfortable outfit, suitable for lounging early in the morning, and make my way downstairs.
From the top of the stairs, I can see into the living room, where Hunter is sitting at the far end of a couch, staring up at me. A beautiful smile grows across his face when his eyes meet mine.
He stands to greet me at the bottom step. Leaning in to kiss my cheek, he whispers, “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, and good morning,” I reply shyly.
“I started a fire, just for you.”
He leads me to the kitchen to pour me a cup of coffee before we make our way to the front room, where a fire is roaring in a gorgeous marble fireplace. Stuffed stockings are lying on the hearth, and a garland of cinnamon-scented pinecones hangs from the mantel. Santa obviously visited the kids with a couple of unwrapped presents sitting, just waiting for the kids to cheer with joy over.
Hunter sits down with one arm propped up on the top of the sofa. I don’t hesitate to join him and bring my knees up underneath me.
�
�Your house is like a Hallmark movie come to life,” I say as we stare at the fire.
“Maybe Candace Cameron Bure will come and give out the gifts.”
I drop my jaw. “You watch holiday romance movies?”
“I have a sister and a mother who are devoted fans. It comes with the job description,” he says with a shrug.
“Of what? Closet romantic?”
“I am not a closet anything. However, I am a dedicated family man who will sit with his mother and watch a movie about two people who fall in love while competing in a cookie-baking contest.”
I stare at him, bewildered, and I sarcastically say, “It’s amazing to see this side of you that you keep away from the world.”
“Glad you have a front row seat.” He winks.
Ella comes running down the stairs. “Santa came!” she screams.
We both laugh at her excitement. As his family walks into the room, I try to scoot away from Hunter, but he wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer.
Melissa and Tyler are behind Ella. The little boy in Tyler’s arms is dying to get down to join his sister.
“Wow, did you really start a fire?” Melissa asks with surprise laced in her voice. “Pulling out the big guns with this one, huh, little brother?”
“Melissa, be sweet,” Nancy says as she comes into view at the top of the staircase. “Morning, everyone.”
She smiles as she makes her way into the room, wearing plaid Ralph Lauren pajamas. Randy is right behind her in similar attire.
“Look what Santa brought me!” Ella yells while reaching up to get her stuffed stocking.
“Whoa, let me get that for you before everything spills out.” Tyler places his son down and races over to where Ella is getting close to the fire.
Hunter leans up to grab his nephew off the floor to bring him to his lap. “What’s up, little man?”
The boy smiles brightly as he opens his arms to climb closer to Hunter. “Uncky,” he coos.
Hunter turns to me with a huge smile as the little boy attacks his mouth with his tiny hands and climbs all over him. “This is Thomas,” he says to me.
I rest my head on Hunter’s shoulder to see him better. “Hello, Thomas. How old is he?”