Stocking Stuffers: A Five Story Christmas Anthology

by E. J. Darling

  Cami wrapped an arm around him again and helped him into the cabin, flipping on the light switch by the door.

  It was cozy and deceptively large on the inside. For what the a-frame lacked in width, it more than made up for in depth.

  They entered into a large living area with a small sectional and wood burning stove to the right, and a small dining table for four to the left. Against the largest wall in the room was a large bookcase packed top to bottom with novels.

  West smiled to himself and wondered how many of them were bought by him. Some girls loved receiving flowers, but not Cami. He’d found such joy in the way her face would light up when he arrived at her house with a new romance novel for her. It seemed her love of reading hadn’t waned over the years.

  Above the second half of the cabin was an open loft he assumed was the only bedroom. That was going to make for interesting sleeping arrangements.

  Below the lofted area was a small kitchen and a door West assumed was a bathroom.

  The most impressive part of the cabin, though, was the floor to ceiling windows that made up the back wall. He imagined the view was breathtaking in the morning sun.

  “Would you like to shower or make phone calls first? I can grab you some clothes my brother left for when he covers down at the retreat center.” Her eyes raked over him slowly, and he didn’t miss the way she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. Maybe it was possible she was as affected by his presence as he was hers. “I think you might be a bit bigger than him, but they should fit you alright until we can get you off the mountain.”

  “I’ll shower if that’s alright with you. Since I’m assuming you’re going to call your mom as soon as I step out of the room, can you just have her call mom and let her know what happened. We both know they had a hand in my coming up here, and I honestly don’t think I have the strength to answer her litany of questions right now.”

  His mom was going to lose her shit when she heard about the accident. He only hoped Cami’s mother could calm her down before he inevitably had to talk to her. The flashback in the truck was enough, he didn’t need to rehash it again with his mother.

  Cami tipped her head back and laughed. “Don’t think I don’t see you’re throwing me under the bus here to deal with the mothers.” Her smile lightened his thoughts. She needed to stop smiling at him like that or he would be hard from sun up to sun down. “I’ll let you have a free pass this time since you were just in a wreck, but you have to promise to call her tomorrow.”

  “Deal.”

  She twisted her hands in front of her nervously. “Are there any other phone calls you need to make before you shower?”

  “Nope.”

  She cocked a brow at him, like she expected a different answer. Who else would he need to call?

  “Alright then.” He got the feeling she didn’t believe him, but didn’t press her to explain. He needed to try and keep his distance from her, both mentally and physically.

  She walked through the kitchen to a cracked door by a flight of stairs he assumed went to the loft. “The bathroom is right here. There are towels hanging in there you can use. Leave the door cracked so I can hear you in case you fall or something. I’ll grab those clothes for you and whip us up something to eat.”

  “Thanks, Re—­ Cami.”

  She disappeared up the stairs that led to the loft, and West peeked his head around the corner to watch her. He was such a glutton for punishment. Yup. Her ass still held the perfect heart shape it had all those years ago.

  He heard Cami say hello to her mom before he closed the bathroom door. He debated listening in on their conversation to see how she felt about him being there, but then decided against it, because he wasn’t that much of a glutton for punishment.

  It didn’t matter how she felt. It didn’t matter how he felt. She deserved better than him.

  West undressed, thankful to be free of the restraints of his jeans for the moment. Staring at Cami’s ass hadn’t helped the perpetual hard on he had since arriving at the cabin. Turning on the water, he considered taking a cold shower to remedy the problem, but his aching muscles begged for the hottest temperature available.

  He took inventory of the cuts and bruises he sustained in the crash, then stepped under the scalding water. The water washed away the dirt and blood from his body, but the deep soreness remained. It would likely be worse in the morning. The cut on his forehead wasn’t deep enough to need stitches, but he’d likely have a scar once it healed.

  Oh well. It’d make for a good story someday, and he’d treasure his time with Cami while it lasted.

  When he finished washing, he looked down at his still hard dick. “Not happening, bud,” he whispered to himself. “She’s not ours.”

  West stepped under the water, allowing it to wash over him and silence the world around him for just a moment. He reached between his legs, debating if he had enough time to rub one out and settle his lustful tendencies. Grabbing his hard length, he inhaled deeply, the smell of Cami’s shampoo feeding his need. He tipped his head back as he stroked himself, imagining Cami was there. His hands on her luscious curves. His face, buried in the soft red curls between her legs as she came undone. His name on her lips.

  Pleasure built within him and he bit back a groan, when the bathroom door opened.

  “Are you okay?” A panicked Cami stood in the doorway mouth agape as she took in the sight of West with his hard dick in his hand through the glass shower door. She stared a moment longer, before she dropped the clothes in her hand and covered her eyes. “Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—­”

  West laughed and loved the color that flooded her cheeks. “I’m fine. Why, is something the matter?” Dropping his appendage, he shut off the water.

  Cami handed him a towel, her hand still covering her eyes. “No, everything’s fine. I just­. I called for you and you didn’t answer. I got worried something happened to you.”

  “You worried about me?” He chuckled as he wrapped the towel around himself and stepped from the shower. She was cute when she was flustered. “It’s safe to look now.” Well, mostly safe. He still had a pillar of granite between his legs and the towel did little to hide it.

  “Of course I worried.” Eyes still closed, Cami crossed her arms over her chest, pushing up her breasts. Her tone said she was angry, but he couldn’t care less when she had those soft pillows on display. Especially given what he had just been about to do. “You were just in a wreck. And I’d rather not look at you right now”

  “Why? It’s not like you haven’t seen me in my birthday suit before.”

  “You aren’t the same as you were back then.”

  Her words fell on him like a bucket of ice water. She had no idea how right she was.

  “Well, there’s the clothes. I’m going to make us some soup.” She exited the bathroom silently, leaving the door slightly ajar. A silent reminder she cared. “Call if you need me.”

  He slumped his chin to his chest. West did need her. He always needed her. He just couldn’t have her.

  Chapter Four

  Cami stood against the wall outside the bathroom door trying to catch her breath and tame the drunk bees in her stomach. Sure, she’d seen West naked before, but that was fifteen years ago. His frame hadn’t been quite so filled out, and his skin was definitely not that tan. More importantly, she’d never seen that fine specimen of a man, dripping wet, holding his cock in his hand. There were zero doubts about what he was doing, and the thought alone made her panties wet.

  She’d been right to get out of there. Even though he covered the goods, if she turned around and saw him bare chested, she would have been liable to give into her temptation and trace her fingers over every ripple of his washboard abs.

  Not exactly what she should be doing to a married man, but she would savor the image of him in her spank bank for the rest of her life.

  After starting a fire, Cami headed to the kitchen to warm up some of the minestrone she made the night befor
e. It would be light on West’s stomach, but still hearty enough to fill him up.

  A sigh escaped her. West freaking James was in her home. If someone told her that morning her day would end with him being her new roommate, courtesy of a snow slide, she wouldn’t have believed them.

  Still, there he was.

  Cami stirred the soup slowly, considering her mother’s words on the phone.

  “Take care of that boy. He’s been through more than you could possibly imagine.”

  She mentally kicked herself for insisting her family not keep her informed on West’s life throughout the years. It’d been too painful. Especially after she’d seen him and the skanky brunette strolling through Aspen a month after they were married. That day had been the final straw.

  If she hadn’t insisted though, she would at least know what had happened to him. What trauma caused his flashback? And how could she help him? Not that it was her job to do so.

  “It smells good in here.”

  She looked over her shoulder to see West plop down on the stool at the kitchen island. He reached up and tousled his wet hair, the movement pulling the already too small shirt tight against his chest. Cami groaned internally. There’d be a year added to her sentence in hell for every dirty thought running through her head. Currently, she was looking at ten years.

  “I hope minestrone is okay.” She went back to stirring, taking her eyes off him to avoid adding to her damnation.

  “That sounds fantastic. Thank you.” He was silent a moment before he spoke up again. “Hey, I’m sorry if I embarrassed you in there.”

  “It’s fine, really.” Embarrassment was the farthest thing from what she felt. More like hot and bothered. She ladled soup into the bowls and placed his in front of him, purposely avoiding his watchful eyes. “Careful, it’s hot.”

  “Thanks.”

  An awkward silence hung between them as they stared at their soup like it was the most interesting thing in the room. It felt like they were on a first date and had absolutely nothing in common.

  Only they did. They’d already been on a first date in a different lifetime. Two nervous teenagers at the rodeo, unsure what the night would bring. Stealing glances. Holding hands. There in her kitchen, they couldn’t cling to the innocence they once had. Instead, they were both familiar and strangers at the same time.

  “You home for the holidays?” she asked when she couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

  He slurped up what was on his spoon. “Yeah. And for work.”

  “Oh? I wasn’t aware there was an Air Force job in Aspen.”

  West cocked a brow. “No, I’m a commercial pilot out of Los Angeles. I haven’t been in the service for a few years.”

  “Well that explains the tan.” She clamped her mouth shut quickly, not wanting to get anywhere close to talking about him naked.

  West tipped his head back and laughed, but only for a moment before he winced. “I guess laughing shouldn’t be on the agenda for a couple days.”

  “Yeah, you got pretty banged up today.” She hoped he missed the worry in her voice and took another bite of soup. “Do you like flying commercially? I remember you always wanted to fly.”

  “I do. There’s nothing quite like it. If you weren’t afraid of heights, I’d insist on taking you up sometime.”

  He remembered. She nodded, afraid any words she said would betray how touched she was he recalled her fear.

  When West finished his soup, he stood and maneuvered his way to the sink, using the island to help support his weight. Cami frowned. “You’re still off balance.”

  “A little, mostly just sore. It’s not bad. I’m also exhausted. I’ll probably turn in early, if that’s alright with you.”

  She shifted her weight nervously and nodded. “You can take the bed upstairs.”

  “No, it’s okay. I can sleep on the couch, or even in one of the other retreat cabins if they’re made up.”

  “Nonsense. The EMS woman said I needed to keep an eye on you tonight, and I can’t do that if you’re not here.”

  “Then I’ll take the couch.”

  “West, you’ll sleep in my bed and that’s that.”

  “And where are you going to sleep?” He raised a brow at her and his mouth tipped up in a smirk.

  “The couch,” she said with finality. This was the stupidest argument she’d ever had with him. Well, second stupidest in her book. The bottom line was, he needed the bed more than she did after the wreck.

  “Cami, you can’t sleep on the couch in your own home.” He turned to wash his bowl. “Let’s just share the bed.” How could he say such a thing so nonchalantly and with a straight face? “You can even build a pillow fort between us. Plus, you’ll be able to keep an eye on me better if you’re right next to me.”

  He wasn’t wrong, but was he seriously suggesting they sleep together? What happened to him after he left Aspen? The West she knew was loyal to a fault. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You are a married man after all.”

  West stopped washing the bowl and looked at her as if she had grown two heads. “I’m not married, Cami.”

  “I may not know a lot about after you left, but I know you got married.”

  “I did, but I’m not anymore.” West grabbed the pot from the stove and began washing it while he talked. “No one told you?”

  “Told me what?” Her ignorance where he was concerned had come to bite her in the ass again.’

  “Tiffani left me five years ago.”

  Her mouth fell open momentarily before she caught herself and remembered she should be upset for him. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It is what it is.” He shrugged and focused on the pot in front of him. “You really didn’t know?”

  Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment, and she was thankful he wasn’t watching her. She didn’t know why she decided to be honest with him, but the words flowed from her. “I told my family not to tell me about your life. I struggled to move on after you left. When I saw you with her after you got married, I lost it. I just couldn’t know anything about you if I was going to move on.”

  West turned to face her, staring at her for what felt like an eternity. “So you moved on.” It wasn’t a question. He looked at her for an answer she didn’t want to give him.

  She had moved on. With Tom. And then Derek. Last there was Johnny. He was a sweet guy with lots of promise. He’d even proposed to her. But she couldn’t settle for less than what her heart knew to be possible.

  Trying to form the words to explain, a thought hit her that didn’t add up. “Wait you’re ex-wife’s name is Tiffani?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then who is Shelby?”

  West stilled and she swore she saw tears well in his eyes before he turned away from her. “I think I’m going to turn in and get some sleep.”

  That was it? She bared her soul and asked one simple question, and he turned tail and ran. Clearly Shelby meant something. She hadn’t imagined those tears in his eyes. Maybe it was a girlfriend. Or a woman he’d loved along the way. It had been so long since she’d seen or heard anything from him. He’d lived an entire life she knew nothing about. One he didn’t see fit to share with her.

  Which only left her with more questions. She wasn’t sure what she wanted him to say, but she hadn’t expected him to flee the scene. Any sort of reaction would have been better than running off.

  Cami took a deep breath and steadied herself. It’d been a long day for both of them. Maybe tonight wasn’t the time to talk about the past. It’s not like it was going anywhere. Then again neither were they. At least not anytime soon.

  She motioned for him to lead the way. “I’ll help you up the stairs.”

  He brushed her off when she tried to slide in next to him. “I got it. As long as I’ve got a wall to balance myself, I’m fine.”

  “It’s okay. I can—­”

  “I said I got it,” he snapped at her.

  For the first time in her life, Cami shra
nk away from West. What did she do to deserve that? He never snapped at her like that before.

  “Oh, okay.” She hated that she sounded defeated. Dad always taught her to be a good sport, that you never truly knew what someone was going through, but she wasn’t sure she could take the emotional rollercoaster West subjected her to.

  “Goodnight, Cami.”

  “Goodnight, West.”

  She watched as he walked away from her and disappeared up the stairs. The ache in her chest oddly reminiscent of watching his truck drive away all those years ago.

  Except this time hurt more.

  Fifteen years ago, West didn’t feel as though he had a choice but to leave and provide for his family. Their relationship was a casualty of young minds and poor timing. This time though, he shut her out of his own accord.

  Cami plopped down on the kitchen stool and rested her head in her hands. She wasn’t sure if she was more in shock about the fact he wasn’t married and she hadn’t known it, or that there was a large part of the story she was missing.

  Twenty minutes ago, she felt so strong in her convictions to keep her distance from West. But that was when she thought he was married. Turned out he wasn’t, and for a split second, she allowed her heart to entertain the fact he was a single man and she was an extremely single woman.

  Of course she had to further complicate things by bringing up the mystery woman, Shelby.

  Now, she wasn’t sure what she felt. She wasn’t sure if she should reach out and try to fix things between them or allow him to retreat so she could rebuild the walls around her heart.

  At the very least, they could be friends. Maybe. The bitter part of her screamed hell no, while the soft part, the part that still loved him, was on her back and pawing like a cat in heat.

  She looked up in the direction of the loft. It was only up the stairs, but it might as well have been miles. It felt strange to leave things alone without talking with West about the elephant in the room. They always talked things through before, promised they wouldn’t go to bed with anything hanging between them.