Now I’m turning into a fucking sap.
I got dressed and headed out to the grocery store. It was mostly deserted since it was a little later, so I was able to quickly find what I needed. Luckily, they had a turkey that wasn’t frozen, so I added it to the cart. I opted for a ham that had a nice honey glaze and was already pre-cooked since my oven was going to be busy with the turkey. The bakery was closed, but there were some pies left over from earlier in the day. It wouldn’t be as good as home cooked, but I didn’t think Zach was going to care. He just wanted some sugar in his veins. I got everything added to the cart and checked out. I was excited to put everything together and actually make Christmas dinner, even if it was early. Once I got back to the house, I spent some time online making sure I had everything worked out so that I wouldn’t end up with something undercooked or burnt to a crisp.
It looks like I’ll be getting up really fucking early tomorrow.
Zach
The next day
I woke up early the next morning to the sound of Andy preparing his Christmas feast. I couldn’t believe he was going all out for a girl he just met. Hell, I couldn’t believe he was going all out for any girl. My brother didn’t do that sort of thing. The girls he normally lured into his bed were lucky to get breakfast. There was definitely something special about the girl he met, and it left me with a little hope for my brother. Maybe he had a heart after all, and when he was finally done with college, he would find a nice woman to marry. I had that once—that feeling of purpose that drove me to be a better person. I missed the feeling. I walked into the kitchen for a cup of coffee and laughed when I saw my brother darting around the kitchen with an apron on. He had barely gotten started and the kitchen was a mess of discarded ingredients, bowls that looked to be in progress, and pages of recipes that appeared to be printed from the various cooking website.
“Don’t laugh. This is serious shit.” He looked up at me with a panicked stare. “The coffee is ready. I’ve already had three cups.”
“You’ve lost it.” I chuckled under my breath and dodged a playful punch as I grabbed a cup of coffee.
“I’ve got a lot more sanity to lose before I have anything that resembles a meal.” He put his hands on the counter and grumbled. “Dad needs a set of kitchen stuff for Christmas. I’m having to wash everything I use so I can use it again.”
“In all fairness, the only time Dad is in the kitchen is when he’s eating.” I chuckled again and sipped my coffee.
“Yeah, I know.” He shook his head back and forth. “Okay, so you’re sure that you don’t mind wearing the suit all day?”
“I don’t have much of a choice at this point. You’re already knee deep in turkey and all the trimmings.” I looked over at the Santa suit. “I think I can handle it today.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it, bro.” He nodded and turned back towards a bowl that apparently needed to be stirred at that exact moment.
“Alright, I’m going to shower and hit the road. Have fun today.” I grinned and carried my cup of coffee towards the bathroom.
I thought about the orphans as I drove to the mall. They really did deserve a nice Christmas and I was happy that I was potentially going to be their Santa Claus. It would be a lot of money to sponsor the whole orphanage, but we had enough to do it. After our grandfather passed, the money he left behind was split into three bank accounts. Our parents didn’t like to dip into that account unless they had to. My mother made good money, and they still collected residuals that usually got them the rest of the way. The other two accounts were set up as trusts for Andy and me. Our father let us dip into them in order to pay for college without taking out loans and to get cars, but nothing fancy. The rest of it was supposed to be untouched until we were ready to begin our adult lives.
This is probably one of the most adult decisions we’ve ever made, so I think he’ll be fine with it.
I hoped that I would get some more meaningful requests when I sat down in my chair to greet all of the kids at the mall, but it was just the normal stuff. Some of the kids had lists so long I could fund the entire orphanage before I would even be able to satisfy their greed. When it came time for Santa to take a long overdue break, I wasn’t rushing out to change places with my brother, so I took off the suit and headed to the food court. It was nice to be invisible after being the center of attention since I walked into the mall. After getting some food in my stomach, I started wandering around the mall and looking and various stuff. My shopping list was done, and the crowd got worse every day as we approached Christmas, but it was nice to see so many people in the holiday spirit. As I strolled around aimlessly, I saw something out of the corner of my eye that caught my attention.
Wait—is that her? The girl from Spencer’s?
There was no mistaking that vision of loveliness. I saw her in one of the stores, casually looking around like she was bored. She was even more beautiful than I remembered. I had to talk to her. I didn’t want to push my way through the crowd and knock over stuff just to get to her, so I tried to weave between shoppers, but I lost the gorgeous brunette in the sea of people. By the time I got to the spot where she was standing, I couldn’t find her. I looked around quickly and saw her leaving the store. I cursed under my breath and asked a few people to excuse me as I pushed back to the exit. I couldn’t lose her—not again. I should have tried to talk to her the first time, and I regretted that decision, even more, when I got outside the store. She was nowhere to be found.
Fuck! No—come on! Where the hell did she go? There she is!
She was walking towards the exit. I had to get to her—but there were so many freaking people. I memorized every feature on her face, from the oh-so-fucking-kissable, pouty lips to the heart-shaped ass that made my cock want to immediately stand at attention. I was a man possessed with more determination than I had felt in a while, but fate wasn’t ready to give me a Christmas miracle. By the time I made it to the exit, I didn’t see her anywhere. I looked at my watch and realized I was going to be late if I didn’t get back to the middle of the mall and put on the suit. My hopes were crushed and I took each step towards the chair was defeat weighing on my shoulders. I imagined meeting her, inviting her to dinner, and turning it into a double date. That wasn’t going to happen. All I could do was take my spot in the mall and do the rest of my Santa duties.
Totally fucking unfair.
That night
“How was it?” Andy looked up at me as I walked into the house.
“Not entirely miserable, but frustrating as fuck.” I tossed the suit over the back of the couch. “Damn, it smells just like Christmas in here.”
“I’ll take that as a good sign.” Andy grinned and opened the oven to take a peek. “Everything is almost done.”
“When is your date getting here? I need to shower after wearing that suit all day.” I sniffed my shirt and grimaced. “Definitely need to shower.”
“You’ve got time.” Andy motioned towards the bathroom.
I was still thinking about the beautiful girl I saw in the mall as I stepped into the shower and let the water pour over me. I knew it was just physical attraction that was causing me to lose my mind, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t just as amazing on the inside. She teased my thoughts as I got ready for the dinner party and prepared to meet my brother’s date. I opted for a nice button-down shirt and a pair of dress pants. If it was Christmas dinner, I could at least dress the part. I walked back into the living room and saw Andy taking off the apron. He still needed to get ready and I hoped he had time because it was getting late.
“Okay, I’m going to go hop in the shower. Can you get the door if she shows up?” He looked my way as he walked toward the bathroom.
“Yep, you got it.” I nodded quickly.
I debated a tie as I sat down in the living room and turned on the television. It seemed like too much and I wasn’t really trying to impress anyway—I wished I was, but I could at least play wingman for my brother. If h
e liked the girl, he deserved to have a real shot with her. I hoped it wasn’t an elaborate plan for her to get into her panties, because it was the first time I had seen him make a real effort. I wanted it to be more. I wanted both of us to be happy one day, and spend our holidays together with kids carrying on the family legacy. I wasn’t sure they would ever wear the suit—or that I would put it on again after my stint at the mall, but we had always been a close family. I wanted to be able to pass that on to the next generation when they finally came. I sat there lost in my thoughts until the doorbell rang.
“I’m almost ready!” Andy leaned out of his bedroom.
“I’ll let her in.” I chuckled and walked towards the front door.
Andy had described the girl he met to me, so I expected her to be beautiful. Our perceptions regarding that were pretty well synced and it wasn’t just because we were twins. I opened the door and my jaw nearly fell off my face. It would have landed on the floor and rolled over near the fireplace where our stockings were hanging with care, I wouldn’t have even been surprised. The girl in front of me wasn’t a pretty girl—she was the pretty girl. The one I saw in Spencer’s—the one I tried to talk to earlier that day. She had teased my thoughts since the first day I saw her, and she was right in front of me. It couldn’t be her. There was no way it was her. She couldn’t be the same girl I had been following. I tried to compose myself as I stood there staring at her.
“It’s—it’s you.” I blinked in surprise, barely able to say anything as she took a step towards me.
“Yep, it’s me.” She grinned—and then she didn’t something unexpected.
She kissed me. Her lips came for mine like a devil in a red dress that was determined to devour my soul. That’s exactly what she did—I didn’t even have a moment to consider what was happening. She was kissing me, and I wanted to pull away immediately because I knew she didn’t realize she was kissing her date’s twin brother, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t even think rational thoughts. I got lost in the moment as her tongue tried to coax mine to a dance I never wanted to attend—I couldn’t do that to my brother. We didn’t cross that line, no matter how much temptation waited on the other side. I finally regained control of my limbs and pulled away, the second I did I saw Andy walking into the room with a horrified expression on his face. That expression immediately spread across the face of the girl who had been desperately trying to kiss me only moments before.
“Oh shit.” She took a step back and grabbed the door. “I’m sorry!”
“Wait, hold on!” Andy rushed towards her, but she was already headed in the opposite direction.
“Andy, I didn’t mean to kiss her!” I called after my brother, but he completely ignored me as he ran past me.
I just ruined his date and I didn’t even try. He’s never going to forgive me for this. Fuck—that kiss took my breath away. But that’s her—that’s the girl. Holy shit.
Holly
Earlier that day
I contemplated my decision to go to Christmas dinner at Andy’s place throughout the day when I woke up. He was doing his best to win me over, and it seemed like he might have more in mind than sex, but I still harbored some doubts. I couldn’t ignore the physical attraction, regardless of his intentions. He was the hottest guy I had ever laid eyes on, and even when a thought passed through my mind, it made my panties wet. Was that enough? Could I just have a nice dinner, possibly satisfy those desires, and then walk away? I wanted more from a relationship than that, but it was extremely fucking tempting to go down the road that would have my cherry popped in no time. I was still letting those thoughts tease my mind when I got a message from one of my cousins asking if I had received the box they sent me for Christmas.
Oh shit—really? They never send me a gift. Fuck!
My parents usually sent some kind of collective gift, and their parents did the same. My cousin was newly married, and apparently, I had gotten old enough to move from the family bin to the individual gift-giving portion of our family dynamic. I definitely wasn’t ready for that, and I hadn’t shopped for anyone that didn’t normally give me a gift, so the realization set in. I was going to have to brave the mall again if I didn’t want to be the talk of the family tree. I figured they’d wait on individual gifts until I was at least out of college or married. If they were already sending them, I didn’t have an option—it was time to go to the mall.
That will at least distract me from what I’m going to think about all day—Andy.
I was extremely tempted to swing by the mall Santa on the way, but I decided against it. I was going to see him, and I wasn’t sure what would happen when I did, but that part was finally set in concrete. The mall was packed, as it usually was as it got closer to Christmas. I darted between people as fast as possible as I looked for a gift. For a brief moment, I swore I saw Andy in the crowd staring at me, but he wouldn’t be in the mall. If he was done with his shift, he would be at home cooking dinner. It certainly wouldn’t be his twin brother, because I had never even met him. Once I had a decent gift, I headed towards the exit. I drove back home, continuing to think about Andy and the dinner he was making for what would be our first official date.
There’s definitely no turning back now.
Later that evening
My mind was still spinning when I parked my car in front of Andy’s house and walked toward the front door. I knocked and waited—trying to keep my courage from fleeing before he answered. If it fled, I wouldn’t be far behind. I heard a noise on the other side of the door. Even if I ran, he would see me. He would probably try to stop me. I didn’t want to run—I just wanted to gather enough inner fortitude to step through the door and let my inhibitions melt away the same my panties tried to do when I first laid eyes on him. When the door finally opened, and I saw him standing there, my inhibitions disappeared completely. All of the desires flourished to the point that it felt like his stare set my soul on fire. He seemed surprised to see me—probably because I ghosted him the first night I promised to make the naughty list. I was done letting my doubts prevent me from chasing what I wanted.
I know he wants me too, so fuck it—I’m just going to go with it.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. It was a soul-crushing, pulse-pounding, lust-drenched kiss. I brought my fantasy to live when I felt his rough lips. There was apprehension on his part, but I didn’t care. I needed him. I needed the guy who told me how beautiful I was and did everything in his power to get into my panties—and I needed to be the girl that was brave enough to leave the dirty message on his phone. The instantaneous attraction was too much for me to ignore. I didn’t care if I ended the night with my red dress on his bedroom floor while he ravaged my virgin body—that’s exactly what I wanted—what my fantasy demanded. I expected more excitement on his part, but I did catch him off guard. When I finally broke the seal that had seared our lips together I stared into eyes—that were simply stunned.
Why is he so surprised? I thought this was what he wanted.
My eyes drifted to his arm—his gorgeous ink. Except I didn’t see the macabre skull on his forearm. It was a dragon. Alarm bells echoed in my brain and made my blood run cold. Oh no! I didn’t kiss Andy. My heart started pounding and it wasn’t just because of the kiss. I looked to my left and saw the man I thought I was kissing with a horrified expression on his face. I saw the tattoo—the one I remembered on his arm. The horrified expression on his face didn’t even begin to match the one on mine once I realized what I had done. I took a couple of steps back as he tried to get to me—and then I ran as I muttered an apology. I couldn’t even process what I had done. I couldn’t face the guy who invited me to dinner after kissing his twin brother. How could I be so careless? Of course, his brother would be there—of course they would look exactly the same. Andy followed me, but I quickened my pace. I dug my hand into my purse as I approached my car. I had to get out of there. I felt embarrassed and overwhelmed.
“Wait, please don’t go.”
Andy reached me before I could get my key in the door.
“I’m sorry. This was a mistake.” I shook my head quickly.
“It’s okay.” Andy put his hand on the car door as I fumbled with the key. “You didn’t know it was Zach. I’m not upset, I promise. Come back inside.”
“I’m—so fucking embarrassed.” I turned to face him and I felt my cheeks blushing red.
“Don’t be.” He put his finger under my chin and tilted my head until I was staring into those gorgeous ocean-blue eyes.
Andy kissed me, crushing my lips beneath his. I practically melted in his arms. That was the kiss I thought I was going to get when I made the first move. He didn’t hesitate to force his tongue between my lips and ravage my mouth. His lips were just as soul-crushing, pulse-pounding, and drenched with lust as mine were when I kissed the wrong man. I couldn’t leave. Not after that kiss set me on fire. He didn’t even ask again. He kissed me until I was gasping for air, and then took my hand. I trailed behind him as we approached the house and stepped inside. His twin brother, Zach, was standing in the living room with an awkward expression on his face. I felt mine twist into the same concerned stare. I had no idea what to say to him. How would I even apologize for what I did? I was the fool that kissed the wrong guy.
Naughty & Nice: A MFM Christmas Romance (Surrender to Them Book 7) Page 5