“Bitch, you’re naked. It’s porn. Now gimme before your British beefcake wakes up!”
I clean up our plates and put them in the dishwasher, and lead her to the library. “The pictures aren’t the only thing I have for him.”
She sits on the sofa and crosses her legs. “Oh?”
I nod. “I submitted my application for a visa. To stay here.”
“Well, well, well. Look at you. Pretty bold move for you, Lily,” she says. “London looks good on you. I’m proud of you.”
I throw another log on the fire, then stab the logs below with the poker. “Don’t speak to soon. I just found a pretty blue box in Gavin’s briefcase.”
“Ahhh, and now you’re searching for the eject button. Don’t be a tool, Lil. You have a freaking fairy tale going on here. Look around. Don’t throw it away because you have commitment issues.”
I sit opposite her and bring my knees to my chest. “I don’t have commitment issues,” I insist. “I have marriage issues. This is going so fast; I don’t want to ruin it by moving even faster. I was ready to make a big step—not marriage, but a big step. Now I’m totally freaked out and rethinking everything.”
“Why? Why would you rethink everything? We both know you came to your decision after a ridiculous amount of angst and worry. You came to the right decision for you. Don’t back out because you’re scared. If it makes you feel any better, I doubt it’s a ring. At least not ‘the’ ring. No way Gavin would make that move without clearing it with me first.” She looks at me as though I’m being unreasonable. “While we’re sharing news, Max has been suspended.”
My jaw drops. “What? When? Why?”
“Putting that journalism degree to good use, I see,” she teases.
I lightly punch her in the shoulder. “Bitch, fill me in. Why didn’t he call me?”
“He got back to DC and put in his report. The higher-ups are pissed, and he’s suspended pending an investigation.”
Damn it, this is my fault. “I’ve got to call him.”
She holds her hands up. “Don’t, Lily. He needs time,” she says. “He’s frustrated and really confused. If you talk to him now, you’ll both say things you’ll regret.”
He blames me. She doesn’t have to say it. It’s my fault, me and my dumb-ass plan.
“Come on now, show me that porn,” she orders.
******
Hours later, Gavin strolls into the library. As he walks in, I put my fingers to my lips, then point to Em, who’s passed out after looking at the pictures. I cover Em with a blanket and motion for him to follow me to the hallway.
“Merry Christmas, sleepy head.” I point up at the mistletoe we’re standing under.
He pulls me into his arms and kisses me breathless. “Happy Christmas, luv. How’s the turkey?”
“Oh, crap!” I sprint to the kitchen and find it still in one piece. The oven, however, does not appear to have ever been turned on. It’s set for the right temperature, but I apparently needed to press start.
I open the over door. Gavin and I look at the raw turkey, then at each other. “Who wants Chinese?” I say with a guilty grin.
Two hours later, James arrives, and he and Gavin take a walk around the property. One perk about being in such a big house is all the windows to spy from. Em and I run from room to room, following Gavin and James. Em makes up dialogue to match their facial expressions. According to her “lip reading”; they watched Magic Mike recently and think they need to open a chain of male strip clubs. The conversation gets heated at times, which Em declares is over who is the better dancer: Channing Tatum or Joe Manganiello. It’s a tough call; I can see why they almost come to blows over it. But when the boys come back to the house, they’re laughing.
“Clear the air?” I ask Gavin.
“As much as we can. There’re still some rough edges, but nothing we’ll sacrifice our friendship for.” He kisses my temple.
Moments later, Basil, Eliza, Percy, and Poppy arrive. Heath and Liam aren’t far behind. They were kind enough to pick up Chinese on the way over.
“Chinese? Why are we doing Chinese?” Percy asks.
I unpack the take-out bags and place the containers on the center of the table. “I ruined dinner,” I admit. “Why was I cooking anyway, Perc? You’re the big-time fancy chef. I apparently can’t even turn the oven on. We’re in luck the guys found a place that was open.”
“Chinese is always open on Christmas. It’s possibly their biggest sales day of the year. New Years, I’m cooking,” Percy promises.
We eat ourselves into an MSG-induced coma. The boys find a Dr. Who marathon, and we all become transfixed. I’ve never watched it before, but it’s just what the doctor ordered after my dumpling indulgence.
Liam’s the first one to get antsy, and he motivates us all to go to the bowling alley in the basement. At least once a year, they get together for a “bowling death match,” as Liam describes it. Since we’re all highly competitive, this has the makings of a brutal night. We’re playing for pride, but Em decides we must make it a drinking game. Two shots for gutter balls. When someone gets a strike, everyone else drinks. Five hours and seven games later, all of our arms are worn out and no one is sober enough to keep score without a calculator. Liam and Em were the high scorers, but the rest of us are sure something shady went on there. Those two together are nothing but trouble.
Eliza begs for a food break, so we all head upstairs and heat up leftovers. Heath and I arm wrestle for the last of the dumplings, which I win —because I kick him in the shins.
“You’ve got to come out here,” Liam calls as we clean up the dinner dishes.
“Where is he?” I ask.
“He must be outside. He was grabbing something from his car,” Em replies.
As it turns out, while we were in the basement, it snowed close to four inches. As the whole group stands on the front stoop admiring the snow, Liam pelts us with snowballs. Bedlam ensues. This isn’t your Christmas movie snowball fight that ends with everyone making snow angles. It’s a knockdown, drag-out, take-no-prisoners snowball fight. Alliances are formed, but betrayal is common. Every person is out for themselves, and no one’s opposed to playing dirty. I feign getting something in my eye to create a distraction for Liam and James, then my partners-in-crime turn on me twenty minutes later, carrying me into a snow pile. Basil has a black eye from one of Em’s snowballs, and Poppy may have sprained her ankle. We’re frozen, battered, and weary. It was spectacular.
After hot showers and pajamas, we drink hot chocolate and Irish coffee for the Yankee swap. Liam explains that we all take numbers and pick a wrapped gift in order of the number selected. We can either keep our gift or swap it out for an already opened gift. I get number one which means that I open the first gift, but I get to wait to the very end to decide if I want to swap.
The gifts are hilarious and random. I’m used to swaps with twenty dollar limits. Liam didn’t place a limit, and these guys went all out. Two different sets of vibrator packages that must have cost a small fortune are opened. I’m fairly confident Liam and Em either teamed up to buy those, or they’re just that in sync. Either way, it’s frightening. They pick as a team and split the booty, looking pretty cozy on the sofa. Cozy enough to make me wonder if they’ll be keeping to the room assignments tonight.
A set of top-of-the-line cookware with a gift certificate to Percy’s restaurant, a gift basket of four bottles of top-shelf scotch, a certificate for a tattoo of any size, color, or location, and a full spa package are just a few of the gifts. The Snugglie I bought doesn’t quite hold a candle. Thankfully Gavin’s weekend at any Four Seasons makes up for it. The only gift that tops mine is a twelve-foot inflatable Frosty. Thank you, Em.
After all the gifts are opened, I have to decide if I want to keep the complete set of James Bond on Blu-Ray or if I want to trade.
“Get the vibrators,” Em shouts.
“If you take one of those, I will be mortally wounded,” Gavin responds.
“Oh, lighten up, Gavin,” Liam says. “Toys keep it interesting!”
“If you need toys to keep it interesting, that’s your call,” Gavin retorts, slurring his words. “Last I checked, I’m a man, and I don’t need to play with toys. I don’t need something with batteries to keep Lily… interested. All I need is hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence.”
“Mate, wasn’t that our primary school motto?” James asks, causing the three very drunk boys to laugh hysterically.
“A strong, proper education you had there, Gavin,” Eliza jokes.
Before I have a chance to decide on my gift, Gavin picks me up and says, “Good night all. Time for me to make things interesting. Happy Christmas!”
He practically sprints to the solarium and kicks the door closed. The windows in the solarium were fogged up until dawn. No batteries required.
Chapter Twenty-Five
No one rolled out of bed until late in the afternoon. Occasionally a faint buzzing, followed by giggles and quiet moans, could be heard through the halls. I know those giggles well, so my only question is if Em is alone with her array of vibrators or if she has the company of a handsome rugby player. I know better than to ask.
We’re all sore and varying degrees of hung-over. Too many hours of bowling and drinking followed by a snowball version of Call of Duty left us walking wounded. Poppy, Eliza, and I are the most functional of the group, so we run to the market. Percy cooks a traditional full English breakfast of sausage, bacon, eggs, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, and something called black pudding. Heath and Percy had a heated debate about whether the pudding is really English or Scottish. I’ve never seen people get that passionate over pudding. Whichever country it’s from, I stay clear of it. It looks disgusting and I think it’s made with blood.
Most of the gang needs to return to London. Some for work, others for family or Boxing Day obligations. This leaves me, Gavin, Em, and Liam at the country house. I think James wanted to stay, but with whatever’s happening with Liam and Em, I think he felt like a fifth wheel.
Once he’s packed up, we meet him in the foyer.
“Do you have to go?” I ask him.
He puts his arm around me. “It’s for the best. I’ve got to fly to Vienna tomorrow, and then I’m meeting my family in Paris for New Year’s Eve. Better if I go home and sleep in my own bed. This place always gives me the creeps. I’m quite convinced it’s haunted.”
“Me too!” I say. “All those creepy noises, and I swear, my phone keeps getting moved.”
“Perhaps the ghosts of Edwards’ past are trying to tell you something,” he teases. “You’re on Gavin’s plan now. Maybe they’re worried you’re eating up all of his data minutes.”
I lean my head on his shoulder. “You crack me up.”
He kisses the top of my head. “That’s what I’m here for. Comic relief.” He lets me go, then picks up his bag. “I really have to get going.”
“Okay, but before you go… Not to bring us back to a sore subject, but are you and Gavin okay?”
He adjusts his bag on his shoulder. “Yes, I think we worked through it.”
I cringe. “I heard the gist. Sounds like Gavin lost it.”
He shrugs. “He went too far, but in his defense, you had left him without a word and he was trying to sort it all out. He was convinced you cheated on him and then fled. He couldn’t come up with any other reason you would just pick up and leave like that.”
“Gah! I wish people would stop saying that like I abandoned him!” I’m sick of justifying myself.
He holds his hands up. “Settle down. Let’s not open old wounds, shall we? My point is, he was a total wreck when you left, so I cut him some slack. If someone I loved the way he loves you disappeared like that, I’d go mad too.”
Not knowing what to say, I give him another hug.
He opens the front door and motions for me to go first. “Just because I understand it doesn’t mean I’m going to make it easy on him, though. Tormenting him is so much fun,” James says with a smirk.
While James is putting his bag in his car, Liam and Em come out the front door. “We’re leaving too,” Liam shouts as he and Em walk toward his BMW.
“‘We’?” I respond.
“Yup, Em and I are heading back to London,” he replies.
I point at Em. “Oh you are, are you? Heading back to London?”
Em rolls her eyes. “I need room service, housekeeping, and a masseuse on call. You know that, Lil.” She hugs me goodbye, gets in Liam’s car, and rolls down the window. “I’ll be back in a little over two weeks for Gavin’s gala. Wait till you see the dress I got!” She whispers, “Give him the present we both know you’re thinking about not giving him. He deserves to know how much you care about him. He’s dying for some sign that you’re in this as much as he is and you aren’t going to bolt across the pond the second this gets tough. Don’t fuck it up.”
“Did he say anything to you?” I ask.
She puts her seatbelt on. “He said enough,” she says.
Why does anyone think speaking cryptically is helpful?
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“It means pull your head out of your ass.” She motions for me to move my hand, then pushes the button to roll up the window. I guess that’s all she’s going to give me. The woman is like a freaking vault. I plaster a big, fake smile on my face and flip her off. “Love you,” I mouth.
Liam walks over and puts his arm around me. “Truth is, Honey Bunny, Gavin kicked us out. Seems he wants you all to himself. Can’t say I blame him, but with you being my ex-wife, it sure makes me crazy.” He winks. “I still can’t get over you being with anyone but me.”
I bring my hands to my chest, covering my heart. “You’re getting back at me by shacking up with my best friend. Oh, Liam, I thought we were passed the point of hurting each other for sport.” I lean into him and fake sob.
He pats my head. “There, there, Honey Bunny. I know I’ve ruined you for all other men, but you’ll just have to get used to that,” he shouts loud enough to draw Gavin from the house.
James laughs hysterically in the background.
“Bloody hell, if it isn’t one of you trying to steal my girl, it’s the other. Both of you get the hell out of here!” Gavin yells.
I hug Liam. “In all seriousness, do you know what you’re doing with her? I see some spark in your eyes, and I’m worried. She isn’t that kind of girl. I know she’s honest about her level of commitment, but many guys think she’ll change or they’ll be different. She doesn’t do relationships. She doesn’t do emotions. If you don’t know that going in, she’ll break you.”
He looks me in the eyes. “Em and I are one of the same. You don’t have to worry about me.”
I wish I believed him.
“Better get this one inside before I take her with me,” Liam threatens. “Too late!”
He picks me up and runs around the driveway. Liam keeps taunting Gavin, listing off the number of debaucherous things he’ll do to me. I can’t see Gavin, but I hear him growling. Liam is tackled, and we fall into the snow.
Gavin picks me up, kisses my temple, and carries me inside without even saying good-bye. “Sorry, luv. I had to stake my claim.” He kisses me deeply. “It was smashing having them here for Christmas. This will go down as one of my most favorite holidays. Having said that, I’m thrilled they’re gone and I can have you all to myself.”
I kiss him back, giving him everything I’ve got in hopes we can avoid talking about presents a little longer. This time with him is blissful. If he pulls out a ring, our happy holiday will be tainted with conversations about commitment. I’ll ruin everything. My only option is to distract him with sex. It’ll be a tough job, but totally worth it.
“I like having you all to myself, Mr. Edwards. I was just thinking it’s time to make some new memories in this place. Time to go christen some rooms.” With the amount of rooms in this place, we could be busy for a
month!
*******
My plan keeps him distracted until just before midnight. After seven rooms and more positions than I can count, I’m sure we’ve both overdosed on orgasms. I can barely move or formulate complete sentences.
Gavin stands up and puts on a pair of boxers. “I can’t wait any longer. I must give you your presents. Stay here, luv. I’ll go grab them.”
“Hold up, I want to give you mine first.” I stand up and look for my clothes, but realize they’re still in the dining room, where this sex parade started. Gavin hands me my robe.
“Thanks,” I say as I put it on.
“I moved our bags up to the master bedroom. Sleeping under the stars has been great, but even though we replaced the air mattress we popped with a better one, I know your back is still sore. We did a number on you that first night.”
I smile at the memory. “So worth it, though. Okay, let’s meet in the master bedroom then.”
I think back to all the rooms we’ve been in. Each room was huge and had its own bathroom. “Wait,” I shout before he leaves the room.
“Yeah?”
“Which one’s the master?”
“Remember the room with the big mirror?” he asks with a smirk.
I blush. “How could I not?”
“That’s the master. See you in a minute.” He runs out of the room.
I run to my secret hiding place and grab the box with the photos and stare at the other wrapped box. Looking at it, knowing what’s in there and what it means, paralyzes me. I don’t regret the choice to apply for my visa, but if I give it to him, it might open the door to other conversations. The photos will result in orgasms; the visa could result in tears. I’ll choose orgasms over tears any day of the week and twice on Sunday. I grab the photos and shove the other box back in its hiding place.
We meet back in the master bedroom and I see that he has two boxes, perfectly wrapped. No sign of the blue box of terror. Could I have completely misread the situation?
When Fate Isn't Enough Page 27