The Boyfriend Series Box Set (Books 1-6): YA Contemporary Romance Novels

by Christina Benjamin

  “Emma Rhodes, you are why I believe in mistletoe and miracles.”

  And then he kissed her.

  Emma sighed into his mouth, meeting his lips with a tenderness that filled even the deepest aches of his heart.

  They danced under the starlight and mistletoe, stealing kisses and indulgent glances until Will felt a tug at his sleeve. He looked down to see Colin grinning up at them, with Tara and Emma’s father watching from a distance.

  “What’s up, Colin?” Emma asked smiling down at the little boy.

  “Everything worked out, didn’t it?”

  Emma beamed. “Yeah, it did.”

  Colin’s grin spread even wider. “I told you he loved you.”

  Will barked a laugh. “I didn’t know the secret was out.”

  Colin shrugged. “Oh and just so you know, mistletoe isn’t for high-fives.” His little voice dropped to a whisper. “It’s for kissing.”

  Will glanced at Emma, both of them raising their eyes to the merry green sprigs bobbing above their heads. Will could barely take a breath, his chest tight with wild joy as Emma raised her face to his, dropping a tender kiss on his lips.

  Colin giggled then turned to run back to Tara and Emma’s father, who waved their goodnights from across the dance floor.

  40

  Emma

  Will held Emma in his arms all night, as they danced under the stars. She could’ve stayed there with him forever, content to live in that moment with him gazing at her like she was the only girl in the world. But as the band announced their last song, Emma felt the cold grip of reality seep in, biting at the bliss she found in Will’s adoring eyes.

  As if sensing it, Will asked, “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking I wish tonight didn’t have to end.”

  He grinned. “Me too.”

  “I just wish we could get last year back. We wasted so much time.”

  Will met her eyes. “Maybe, or maybe we were just meant to be together right now. Right here. In this moment.”

  “But I don’t want this moment to end.”

  “Maybe it doesn’t have to,” he said, his eyes clear and bright. “Come on.”

  Will

  Will led Emma off the dance floor and to his apartment. He refused to even let her leave his side long enough to go to her father’s and change. Instead he gave her his lacrosse jersey and a pair of tall wool socks that stretched all the way to her knees. And somehow, when she came out of his bedroom wearing only those items, she looked even sexier than she had in the expensive designer gown.

  Will pushed back his aching desires for Emma and led her over to the Christmas tree, where he’d laid out a blanket and pillows.

  When she saw it she squealed with delight. “You remembered!”

  “Like I could forget our oldest tradition.”

  Emma beamed at him for a moment before stretching out on the blanket. She lay on her back with her head under the tree so she could gaze up at the lights. She stuck a hand out, wiggling her fingers in invitation for Will to join her. So he crawled under the tree, joining Emma beneath the glowing lights, and slipped his fingers between hers.

  For some reason, Emma used to do this to every Christmas tree she saw when she was little. Even in department stores, much to her mother’s chagrin. So in an act of solidarity, Will did the same and their tree gazing tradition was born.

  This time, laying side-by-side beneath the tree, with Emma’s hand in his, things felt much more intimate. And Will realized it was because he finally had everything he’d ever wanted out of life. He had Emma and he could see their future taking shape. He turned to her. “Em, thank you for saving this holiday.” He laughed softly. “And this whole year really.”

  “I should be thanking you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I haven’t even had a chance to tell you about my day with my father.”

  Will turned on his side and laid his head on his arm to gaze at Emma. His whole face was aglow with happiness. “Tell me.”

  And she did, right down to every detail about her new bedroom and design studio, and how Will had been right all along, her father never stopped caring about her. “And the best part is, we’re all staying home to cook a lasagna for Christmas dinner tomorrow and you’re invited.”

  Will barked a laugh.

  Emma looked at him in wonder. “What?”

  “Your father probably dropped a cool mill on your accommodations at his new place and the thing you’re most excited about is cooking lasagna for Christmas?”

  “So?”

  “Man did I pick the right girl,” he said tugging her close enough to drop a chaste kiss on her lips.

  But Emma had other ideas. She deepened their kiss, and every bit of Will’s focus narrowed to the way her body felt pressed against his. Her touch was smoldering embers against his skin, awakening his ache to caress every part of her.

  They lay entangled under the tree kissing for a blissful moment longer until Emma pulled away, leaving Will panting with desire.

  “Wait,” she said breathlessly. “I thought we came down here to continue our conversation?”

  “I was liking the conversation we were having just fine.”

  Emma laughed, letting Will pepper her neck with kisses. “Will, I’m serious. What does all this mean?”

  “What do you want it to mean?” he asked pulling her against him.

  She picked at the button of his dress shirt, nervously. “I leave the day after tomorrow to go back to Boston.”

  Will sighed. “Well, Boston is only a train ride away. I can visit.”

  She looked up at him optimistically. “You’d come visit?”

  “Every weekend if you want. Hell I’d move there if you wanted me to.”

  She grinned, kissing him again. “Maybe I could come here some weekends too,” she offered. “And I’m gonna need a date for my father’s wedding . . .”

  “I think I could handle that,” Will said, kissing her again. “Although if it was up to me, I’d never let you go.”

  “I don’t want to go,” Emma whispered. “I feel like I just got you back.”

  The sadness in her voice was enough to break Will’s heart. “Hey,” he said, smoothing her hair. “You never lost me, Em. And you never will. School’s over in less than six months. And after that nothing can keep us apart.”

  Emma sighed into Will’s chest. “You’re right. This is going to work.”

  Will kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer. “It has to.”

  41

  Emma

  Emma didn’t know how long she and Will laid under the tree holding onto each other, afraid to let go of what they’d finally found. But when she blinked her eyes open, she was in a bed. She sat up. It was Will’s bed. But he wasn’t in it.

  She glanced around his room rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She found Will fast asleep on the soft leather couch in his room. Emma’s heart swelled at the sight of him fast asleep. He was still partially sitting up, like he’d fallen asleep watching over her. Her white knight.

  Emma couldn’t wait to spend more morning’s waking up with him. And that thought hatched an idea. She slipped silently from the bed and out of Will’s apartment, dashing back to her own. She grabbed what she needed and was in and out before anyone even knew she was there. A few minutes later, gift in hand, Emma climbed carefully onto the couch with Will, nestling under the soft duvet with him.

  She hadn’t realized he was shirtless until she slid under the light blanket he’d draped over himself, but the warm smooth muscles of his chest were a welcome surprise. She cuddled up to him, planting a soft kiss on his stubbly chin. Will made a delicious sound between a growl and a purr and Emma’s toes curled. He slid his eyes open for a moment and grinned as he wrapped his arms around her.

  “Good morning,” she greeted.

  “If this is a dream, I can certainly get used to it,” Will murmured, his rough morning voice reverberating through he
r.

  She giggled. “It’s not a dream. I’m really here. And it’s Christmas morning,” she whispered, looking up at him.

  “This is the best dream ever,” Will replied planting a kiss atop her bedroom hair.

  She grinned at his adorableness, but continued to prod him. “Will, wake up. I want to give you your Christmas present.”

  Emma felt him smile into her hair. “God, I love this holiday.”

  “Not that!” she said, playfully swatting him. “Here,” she said shoving an envelope into his hands.

  Will

  Will sat up, pulling Emma with him. “What’s this?” he asked examining the unmarked envelope.

  “Open it.”

  Emma watched him with blatant glee, making Will want to take his time opening the gift just to prolong that look on her beautiful face. But when he pulled out the folded page of printed paper inside he started to shake with laughter.

  “What’s so funny?” Emma asked, her prior amusement dissolving.

  “Give me a sec,” he said sliding off the couch. He crossed the room and grabbed a thin white tie box from his desk and brought it back to Emma. She took it from him cautiously as he climbed under the blankets next to her.

  “Open it,” he said, watching her trepidation while trying to conceal his smirk.

  Emma pulled the top off the white box to reveal three rows of wintermint Tic Tacs. She looked at him without amusement. “Tic Tacs?”

  “The real gift is underneath.”

  Emma dumped the candy onto her lap revealing a piece of printed paper nearly identical to the one she’d given him. Only the departure and arrival cities were reversed.

  Emma flipped the train ticket over in awe, reading the words he’d written on the backside.

  Will said them out loud just for good measure. “We’ll always have mistletoe and miracles.”

  Emma threw her arms around his neck, half sobbing and laughing at the same time. “How did it ever take us this long to get together? I mean we bought each other the same gift.”

  “Train tickets are a hot item this season,” Will joked.

  “We’re gonna be okay,” Emma whispered.

  Will found himself still smiling as the coiled feeling in his chest began to loosen. “Absolutely.”

  Emma grinned. “I love you, Will. Merry Christmas.”

  “Merry Christmas, my love.”

  Epilogue

  Will

  After a little more celebrating in his bedroom, Will joined Emma and her family for the best family Christmas he’d ever had. Everyone thanked Will for the beautiful live tree he’d snuck into their apartment during the wee hours of Christmas morning. And between watching Colin open presents under the live tree and spending the day with Emma’s family cooking lasagna and Christmas cookies, Will felt he was living a dream.

  The highlights of the day were when Tara gave Teddy an ultrasound in a tiny blue picture frame that read, ‘It’s a Boy!’ Colin had been so excited by the idea of having a little brother, he immediately started going through all his toys to pick out which ones he wanted to give to the baby. When Tara finally convinced him that he had a few months to figure all that out, Teddy called everyone to the living room so he could share his gift.

  He played a slide show on the television showing photos of the new home they’d be moving into on New Year’s day, and Tara about fainted. In all the commotion no one noticed Hodor sneak into the kitchen to eat the rest of the lasagna they’d left on the counter. But of course his trail of tomato sauce footprints gave him away.

  When everything had settled down, Will proved to have one last surprise up his sleeve by queing up a film he’d made for Emma titled, ‘Our First Christmas.’

  “Someone was confident,” Emma teased snuggling closer to him on the couch.

  “I prefer, optimistic,” Will replied, unashamed.

  Emma giggled as everyone swooned over the adorable candid shots Will had complied over the last few days they’d spent together. To Colin’s delight, the film even included clips of him from their trips to Central Park and Emmerich Tree Farm.

  But the icing on the proverbial fruitcake had come when Emma stood up after Will’s film to announce that she was moving back to New York after graduation. Will was practically in tears. And as everyone gathered Emma in a massive family hug, Colin exclaimed. “This is the best Christmas ever.”

  Will didn’t think his life could get any better. Somehow, both Colin and Emma’s Christmas wishes had come true. And along with it, all of Will’s wildest dreams.

  Emma

  As the night drew to a close, Emma kissed Tara, Colin and her father goodnight and walked back to Will’s to spend her last night in New York—until she cashed in her train ticket, of course.

  They had just settled on his couch to gaze at the Christmas tree, determined to stay awake as long as possible and make the most of their time together when a notification on Emma’s phone dinged. She looked at it and jumped up in alarm.

  “What’s wrong?” Will asked.

  “Nothing. But can I borrow your laptop really fast?”

  “Of course.”

  Emma was already running to Will’s room. She had ten minutes to revise her post before it went live. She pulled up her blog and deleted everything she’d written on her way to New York. Then she started typing. With three minutes to spare, Emma was finally satisfied with her post and hit submit. She smiled at the bullet points under the post heading. And she didn’t stop smiling until she was kissing the boy they were all about.

  A Haute Chic’s Holiday Survival Guide

  Family is everything.

  Falling in love is worth it.

  You’re never too old to believe in mistletoe and miracles.

  To my readers,

  I want to personally thank you for taking the time to seek out this great little indie book. Writing is truly my passion. I believe each of us can find a small part of ourselves in every book we read, and carry it with us, shaping our world, our adventures and our dreams.

  Following my dream to write frees my soul but knowing others find joy in my writing is indescribable. So thank you for your support and I hope your enjoyed your brief escape into the magic of these pages.

  If you enjoyed this story, don’t worry, there’s plenty more currently rattling around in my rambunctious imagination. Let me and others know your thoughts by sharing a review of this book. Reviews help shape my next writing projects. So if you want more books like this one be sure to shout it from the rooftops (or social media.) ;-)

  - Christina Benjamin

  PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW HERE

  Places To Go

  Want to go on your very own Holiday Boyfriend trip?

  Here’s a list of the places in the book that you can actually visit.

  Jacques Torre Chocolate: 285 Amsterdam Ave #1, New York, NY 10023

  Emmerich Tree Farm: 101 Sleepy Valley Rd, Warwick, NY 10990

  Mood Fabric: 225 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018

  Café China: 13 E 37th St, New York, NY 10016

  Dylan’s Candy Bar: 1011 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10065

  Garment District – Midtown Manhattan

  Central Park

  Wollman Rink: 830 5th Ave, New York, NY 10065

  Herald Square Café in Macy’s: 151 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001

  Jean-Georges: 1 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023

  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to thank everyone who made this book possible. To my husband, whose unyielding belief and encouragement forces me to pour my best self onto each and every page. To Molly and Megan, who still always say yes when I hand them yet another book. To Vince for literally sitting by my side during every word, edit and rewrite. You are the stinky heartbeat at my feet and I wouldn’t trade you for the world. To all the strange places I lock myself away in to write, aka my closet, the hotel down the street, my in-laws bedroom, the backseat of my car on a seventeen hour road trip. To New York City, for al
l the wonderful memories I acquired on each childhood visit. There is truly something magical there, especially around Christmas time. To my little brother, who as a child asked endless questions, always smiled, loved a good snowball fight and anything chocolate and is the most optimistic boy I know. Thank you for showing me how awesome it is to have a little brother to plot and laugh with. A big thank you to big red, my first love. You were the best beast of a car ever, even when you backfired and made people take cover. So many memories were formed on those giant red bench seats. And a huge thank you to my parents for giving me a childhood in the northeast, surrounded by snow, sleigh rides, frozen cheeks, hot cocoa and real Christmas trees—even if we had to dig them up ourselves. Thank you for teaching me to believe in the magic of Christmas, look for everyday miracles and that love conquers all. And lastly, thank you to all of you who are taking the time to read this to the very end. I hope your holiday is merry and bright and full of mistletoe moments.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

  Copyright © 2018 by Christina Benjamin

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Crown Atlantic Publishing