"Oh, really?" she yelled. "Maybe I'm sick of being nice to people who are rude to me. People. Like. You." She placed emphasis on every word.
"But I love you, and you love me." He touched his forehead to hers. "If you don't forgive me today, you will eventually."
"Confident bastard, aren't you?" She tried to disengage from him, but he held her close.
"No," he said, his tone serious. "I just know what I know."
Mitch took them back to the blanket pile and positioned them with Mitch on his back and Tu straddling his legs.
"What do you think you know?" she asked, still struggling against him.
He held her in his arms, and laid it all out for her.
He told her how he'd driven the highway weeks before she'd arrived, that something he didn't understand wouldn't let him rest until he found her.
"But you told me you were some sort of unofficial first responder," she said. Their faces were so close together he felt her sweet, warm breath fanning over his face. They spoke in low tones, almost in whispers.
"I lied," he said. Her soft body pressed against his, and he wondered if it were possible to become any more aroused. It felt like his dick was about to punch its way out of his jeans. "I wanted to pretend I didn't need anyone."
Tu looked thoughtful as she propped herself on her elbows on Mitch’s chest. She toyed with the buttons of his Henley.
"Is it—is it because of your mother?" she asked cautiously.
"Partly," he conceded. "When I went through my transition, my mother had always had unshakable faith in me. My sisters were grown when I was born, so they really weren't able to support me...emotionally, on a day to day basis. My father was still working at the time, and my mother left her job to take care of me. She was my rock. When she passed, I didn't want to do all the things she used to do. It all seemed like too much."
She nodded in understanding.
"What's different now?" she asked him. Her face was serious.
It was time to let it all hang out. If Mitch wanted Tu in his life, he couldn't hold back any longer.
"You," he said simply. "You are what's different. I can't walk away from you. Not just because of the biology. But because you are the perfect woman for me, the only woman for me. And I know I'm the only man for you."
Now Tu was pensive. She chewed her bottom lip.
"I should keep being angry at you, but I can't," she admitted. “I am not good at holding grudges. I was always the one who could smooth things over when everyone else in my family was losing their shit."
"Really?" he asked.
"Yep," she said. "My parents have a weird, weird relationship. They weren't married when Jasmine was born. They got married when my mom was pregnant with me. It didn't last—they got divorced when I was little. But they still, you know, get together on occasion. Sexually."
Mitch fast blinked at her, frowning.
"Yeah, I know," she said. "They always had a tempestuous relationship. Whenever there was tension at home, I always tried to be the peacemaker. The upbeat one. The life of the party. The cute little sister who could smooth things over with a smile."
"Interesting," Mitch said. Tu was so naturally sweet, so open with her heart, he was surprised she wasn't just like that.
"Believe it or not, being around you has taught me the power of being grouchy," she told him, matter-of-factly. "I didn't always ask for what I wanted because I was so obsessed with being nice."
"You once told me I didn't need to be anyone but myself with you," he said. "Now I'm telling you the same. You don't have to be anyone but yourself with me."
Tu’s gaze held his for long moments, her expression somber, and Mitch wondered what was going through her head. Then she broke into a smile.
"Okay, I forgive you," Tu said lightly in a sing-song voice. She grinned at him, and Mitch grinned back, looking like a fool, he was sure.
He rolled until he was on top of her, wedged between her thighs with her flat on her back. His dick wholeheartedly approved of this position. So did his heart, which was lighter and happier than he could remember.
He swooped in to take her lips in a long, lingering kiss, and she melted under him.
"Okay then," she said. "Let me up! Tell me why we are decorating Christmas trees in the middle of this manmade forest."
Mitch sighed. He did not want to stop kissing Tu. So, he went through the background quickly, peppering her with kisses throughout the explanation.
"My mother used to have a party every winter to get people to buy our trees. She'd invite everyone in town and ply them with cider and hot chocolate. Vegan, of course. Then she'd sell them fresh trees, wreaths, and mistletoe, spreading Christmas cheer near and far. We haven't done this since she died. So, I'm resurrecting the tradition. With you."
Tu was putty in his hands. He moved on from kissing and nuzzling, to groping and palming. She was so soft. So warm, so...
"Is that supposed to make me feel warm and fuzzy?" she asked, arching her torso into his body. “Being brought here under false pretenses in order to give you many hours of my free labor?"
Mitch froze and looked at Tu. She looked back with a lust-glazed expression that he felt in his balls. She pulled him back down to her.
"Who told you to stop kissing me?" Tu said huskily. "And where do you want me?"
Right here, under me, all night long, he thought.
"Right over there," he said, nodding in the direction of a stack of boxes. "The Christmas lights need to be untangled."
She blinked at him, puzzled.
"But we can worry about that later," he said quickly. "Right now, we have some catching up to do. And I have a surprise for you back at the house."
The surprise turned out to be a house decked out in all his mother's Christmas accouterments, hung inexpertly from every possible nook and cranny of the great room. He loved the look of wonder on her face as she took at all in. He loved this woman.
The doorways were decorated with mistletoe. Before they made it to bed that afternoon, Mitch showed Tu where each and every bunch of mistletoe hung.
And he kissed her under each one.
EPILOGUE
What Christmas Means to me
Tu was more excited than a kid on Christmas morning as she and Mitch put the finishing touches on the clearing where his mother had hosted parties for the good people of Whoville, err, Perdition. She'd found the love of her life, was settling into a new life in a new town, and she was on much better terms with Jasmine. Even with her crazy parents arriving a few days before Christmas, Tu knew this would be the best Christmas ever.
The weather was beautiful, bright, much warmer than Ohio in December, with the kind of endless blue sky that seemed to be the default in this part of Texas. When Mitch had said his mother was Christmas crazy, he hadn't been kidding. In addition to all the lights and decorations, there were life-size nutcrackers and polar bears to pose with for imaging, and several fake igloos and gingerbread houses for children to explore.
There were tables laden with finger foods catered by a company in Waco, giant carafes of coffee and hot chocolate, a table of various Christmas cookies shaped like symbols of the season—Santas, candy canes, snowmen, reindeer, Christmas trees. Mitch had risen before dawn that morning and had baked many sheets of cookies by the time Tu awoke and made her way to the kitchen seeking coffee. Tu had chewed her bottom lip as she watched him, wanting to help, because cookie baking is a Christmas tradition, one she would dearly love to participate in. He noticed the way she gazed longingly at what he was doing. He gave her a lingering morning kiss, and with one of his now-frequent smiles, he showed her how to use shakers of sugar in different colors and textures, so that she could decorate the treats.
Mitch donated his time and space, but he also paid for the catering, the decorations, and the extra help needed to manage the crowd. None of it could be very cheap, Tu thought. Jasmine and AJ had gone crazy with their lawn decorations. Mitch had gone past crazy to certifia
ble.
The six-foot tall nutcrackers looked new, and they had to be expensive. The fifty or so pines his mother had had planted around the clearing years ago now dripped with strings of twinkling, flashing lights, oversized ornaments, and jumbo-sized, weather-resistant ornaments. Where Jasmine had a few wooden reindeer in various lifelike poses, Mitch had a full-sized Santa in his sleigh with a team of animatronic reindeer to delight the children. The sleigh was available for photo ops. It was sure to delight their child visitors.
Tu found herself wondering just how much money Mitch had. He'd said he owned a fleet of wreckers and a chain of auto body shops, and once she found out the brand, she was shocked at the hundreds of locations the company had.
His family also owned an even larger chain of parts stores and held controlling interest in a number of auto-related businesses. It didn't seem possible, given the low-key way Mitch carried himself. True, he did have Stately Wayne Cabin, but he drove either his wrecker or his old Suburban to get around.
Every time Tu tried to ask him just how much he was worth, he always deflected or changed the subject. She eyed him as he ran the snow machine—also an expensive item—with his back to her. His muscles flexed attractively under the waffle weave of his Henley as he re-positioned the machine to blow over the igloos and gingerbread houses. He bent over, and Tu ogled his attractive, tight butt.
As if he felt her eyes on him, he turned and grinned at her. His long hair fell over one eye, and he finger combed it with one hand, only to have it flop down again. Tu crossed the clearing and reached up to sweep the waves away from his forehead. He had a slightest amount of dewy perspiration on his forehead, and some of his hair stuck to his skin. He smelled good.
"Hi, honey," she smiled up at him. His arms went around her waist, and he pulled her into his body. His head began its descent to her, and she melted into the lingering kiss he gave her. Then he grabbed her by the ass cheeks.
"Do we have time to run home and fuck before everyone gets here?" he asked, hopefully.
"I doubt it," she said. Sensing he was relaxed now; she popped the question.
"Honey, just how rich are you?" she asked.
He looked flabbergasted for a moment, then he squinted at her. He didn't look angry or even annoyed. He did look curious.
"Why do you want to know?" He gripped her ass tighter as tension made his body go rigid.
"Why don't you want to tell me?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"What makes you think I don't want to tell you?" he asked, his pale green eyes lit with humor.
"Because when I try to bring it up, you talk about something else," she narrowed her eyes to slits. "What are you hiding?"
"Hiding?" he asked.
"You're going to have to give me an answer that isn't just an echo of what I've already said to you," she told him, running her hands up and down his back, squeezing his firm muscles. "Are you in billions of dollars of debt?"
"Billions...in debt?" he asked, affronted, as if she were speaking a foreign language.
"Yes," she said, becoming annoyed. She pulled away and put her hands on her hips. "Yes, debt. Is that what's going on? You're in debt and don't want to talk about it?"
"No," he said. "My family and I do quite well."
She processed this for a moment. "Are you billions in the...black?"
Mitch gave her butt another squeeze, but said nothing.
"Mitch, are you a billionaire? Like, one of those eccentric ones, who stays away from others, causing rampant speculation about the mysterious rich recluse who lives outside of town."
It all made sense. The giant house, the sprawling grounds, the many businesses, and the endless amounts of free time Mitch seemed to have. She watched him watching her for her reaction. She didn't have a reaction. At least, not yet. She'd been reared in an upper middle-class home, and she had never had a relationship, or even a friendship, with someone so wealthy. Still, Mitch didn't show off his wealth. He was down to earth.
He shrugged and gave Tu a mischievous grin, as if having that many piles of money wasn't a big deal.
"So... you’re loaded," she remarked. "And I'm your trophy girlfriend, huh? Guess I should be nicer to you."
"It's not possible for you to be any nicer to me," he said, picking her up. She wound her legs around his waist as he cupped her ass with his huge hands. Their noses were inches apart, their breaths mingling. Their lips came together as if by magnetic attraction. They shared a lingering kiss, one that put her in danger of completely losing her mind before Tu pulled away and studied his pale green eyes. She wanted answers. Just what was she getting herself into with this dude?
"That's sweet of you, honey, but I want an answer. Am I your trophy girlfriend?" she pressed.
"No, not exactly." He picked her up in the caveman hold that always made her giggle, then laid her gently on her back on the pile of blankets he'd hidden away in the denser planting of trees. He planted his knees on either side of her hips and caged her in with an elbow on either side of her shoulders.
He planted another warm, lingering kiss on her lips. Then he attacked her neck with light nibbles, licks, and kisses. He held her down as she struggled to get him off, giggling madly.
"Then what am I?" she screamed between helpless gasps. She bucked against him and tried to evade his lips.
He reared up, hovering over her and giving her a devilish look. Still straddling her hips, he cocked an eyebrow at her, crossing his arms over his chest. With his brawn, his beard, and his flannel shirt, he looked like Paul Bunyan. A really, really sexy Paul Bunyan. A Paul Bunyan who was also good at cunnilingus.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked her, his deep voice rumbling, his green eyes twinkling. "You're giving me one of your looks."
She frowned and looked at him suspiciously. "What look do you mean? What is 'one of my looks'?"
Positioned as he was, he squeezed her hips between his thighs. She felt pinned...but secure.
"Speculating. Like you're trying to figure something out. Also, your face went all soft and gooey," he teased her. "And a little horny."
"You're changing the subject," she said, narrowing her eyes. She didn't dispute the "horny" part. "Trying to charm me out of answering my question, maybe?"
He seemed to consider his next words carefully. He went back down on his elbows, and ground his pelvis into hers, making her suck in a breath in anticipation. She sort of didn't mind him distracting her.
"I'm thinking you could be a different kind of trophy," he said, his eyes hot and penetrating as they bore into her. Everything inside Tu froze. She wondered whether it was possible for her heart to stop without dying.
"Wha—what?" She looked into his eyes searchingly. Mitch's pale green eyes flared with heat, then settled into a tender softness.
"Petunia Greene," he said unnecessarily.
"Mitchell Wayne," she replied.
She held her breath and licked her lips nervously. Mitch's eyes dropped, mesmerized by the action, then went back to her eyes.
"Tu... Baby..." he said, his deep, dark voice vibrating in his chest. Vibrating against her chest. His pale green eyes smoldered, and her insides went gooey.
Voices from the other side of the clearing interrupted the moment. Tu wanted to murder whoever it was.
"I think your sister's here," Mitch said without turning his head.
She squinted at him. "How did you—?"
"I have a 330-degree visual field." His lips quirked with amusement. "Didn't I ever tell you that?"
She had her mouth open to ask him more about it when Jasmine, AJ and Auntie appeared a few yards away, blinking with surprise.
"Y'all get a room," Jasmine admonished, bold and brassy as always.
All three of them were dressed casually in jeans, t-shirts and light sweaters. Mitch got to his feet and pulled Tu up with him. Her shoulders sagged with acute disappointment at the untimely end of their romantic interlude. Mitch's eyes lost their sparkle, and she detected tension
in the grim set of his mouth.
She then remembered Mitch was socially stunted, in a way. He wasn't naturally outgoing and friendly, and crowds bothered him. Three people wasn't a crowd, but she resolved to support him any way she could. She didn't know what the tipping point would be, but she didn't want to leave him when she could help. She slipped her hand around his waist and subtly guided him toward their guests. Whatever he had wanted to say, it could wait.
She plastered on her happy-girl smile to put Mitch at ease, and also because her company face was appropriate under the circumstances. She hugged her sister and aunt and introduced Mitch to AJ.
They made small talk until the other guests began to arrive. The pleasant, mild weather put Tu in mind of early spring in Ohio, and she couldn't believe this had all been under a carpet of sugary snow just two weeks before.
Mitch relaxed as the event went on, awkwardly engaging in small talk, and even smiling when it wasn't required. She was proud of him for making the effort. He'd never be a social butterfly, but at least he wouldn't frighten the small children.
At some point, Mitch and Tu were pulled in opposite directions. When she saw him again, he was spearing marshmallows for two pre-teen girls, whom she recognized from town. Vanessa Cermak's twins, she thought.
The bonfire crackled in the early evening dusk, and in addition to Mitch loading marshmallows onto sticks, several parents helped children roast the marshmallows to make s'mores. Tu had an idle thought of Mitch doing the same thing...with their children.
She considered whether any boys or girls they had together would have Mitch's green eyes and resting bitch face. Or her full lips and brown skin? Would they be shifters? She recalled reading somewhere that minotaurs were almost always male, and the trait was passed through the mother. Was that true? What if Mitch didn't want to have children?
What they had together had always felt real. She'd been hot for him, and he had been hot for her, from the very beginning, but it was more than that. They had a real connection, too. It was like he could see her, and she could see him.
Her Mistletoe Minotaur: A BWWM Paranormal Holiday Romance (A Very Alpha Christmas Book 1) Page 20