by Ali Parker
She nodded, seeming a little off-kilter thanks to our conversation. "I haven't been since I was a kid. Mom and Dad took me when I turned twelve. Trisha actually came with us that trip. It was a great time, though I almost broke my arm and my leg by getting on the wrong slope and eating it down the side of a mountain."
"Can we make sure we don't do that this time?" I put on my blinker. The airport was just down the road and one of the nicer ones I'd been to.
"Yeah. I'm a little older and not nearly as ballsy."
I glanced over at her and smirked. "You? Not ballsy? That's funny."
"I've matured. A little."
"Doubtful." I pulled my hand from hers and turned toward the airport. "Hey, make sure you talk with Parker before we take off. I want him to stay away from my sister. She's a hot mess on a good day. All right?"
"Okay. Sure." She clasped her hands in her lap and glanced out the window.
"They might be good for each other."
"No way. No how. She's only twenty-one, Becca."
"And he's thirty-six."
"That's fifteen years!" It left my mouth before I could pull it back. "I mean, it's not about age, it's about experience."
"Wait, so Parker dating your sister is nutty, but you and me dating, isn't?"
"Not at all. I'm the man, and I act much older than most guys my age. Parker acts my age." I gave her a look, trying to change the message from a negative one that would get me into trouble to one that would have her helping me. "See what I mean?"
"No. Not in the slightest, but, I'll make sure to talk to him. He's not going to mess with your sister anyway. He's a good guy, Jason. He's just searching for lust to fill up the holes in his soul." She shrugged. "He's been tossed out and thrown around too many times."
"You love him." I pulled up to the parking lot and rolled down my window.
"As a friend. Yes. He's like a brother to me, but I'll talk to him for you. The last thing we need is him and your sister getting together and then having a fallout. You and I would have to take different sides, which would suck."
"Yeah, let's not do that." I leaned out and pulled the ticket from the machine. I wasn't so worried about Natalie, but Parker wouldn't survive my sister. She'd gone from being nerdy and dressing like a country bum to looking like a fairy princess and sleeping with every Tom, Dick and Harry. She wasn't the concern. Parker was.
Chapter 11
Rebecca
"You ready for this?" Parker was bouncing on the balls of his feet as I walked up to him. The flight was set to start boarding in fifteen minutes, which gave me a little bit of time to talk with him. Jason stopped by the restroom, and Adam and Natalie were nowhere in sight.
"Yes. Very." I reached out and ran my hands down his strong arms. "Hey, listen. Jason's sister Natalie is super cute, but she's young, so keep your distance, all right?"
"How young are we talking?" He gave me an odd look.
"She's only a year younger than him, but it's not about her age as much as it is about her just getting over a pretty bad divorce."
"Is she hot?" He lifted his eyebrow.
"That's not the question you should be asking." I popped the side of his handsome face softly. "Focus. We're going to ski and drink and have fun."
"Right, but sex is part of fun, Becca. You brought a partner to sleep with. I have to find one." He lifted his eyebrows, speaking slow as if talking to a child that had no sense in their head.
"No, you don't. Sex isn't going to make this trip any better." I smiled.
"The devil makes you laugh when you're lying."
"I didn't laugh. I smiled."
"True, but you're more unruly than most." He pulled away from me and lifted his arms to the air, stretching. "All right. No sex."
"Thank you."
"For you either. Not fair to ask your followers to do something that you, yourself, are unwilling to do, right?"
Jason walked up and wrapped an arm around the top of my shoulders. "What are we agreeing to?"
"No sex." I glanced up at him as he gave me a cocky look.
"For how long?"
"For the trip?" I squeaked out and turned to wrap my arms around him.
"Not happening." He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose. "How about for the length of the flight?"
"What?" Parker moved closer. "That's not fair. Here is the deal. No sex for any of us, or sex for all of us."
"Find your own sex." Jason moved in front of me and puffed out his chest, joking with my oldest friend.
"I had my sex, Jason. Then you showed up." Parker patted his chest and moved to the side. "Oh wow. Please, dear God, tell me that is not your sister."
Jason and I turned as Adam walked up with Natalie. The two of them were laughing about something.
"This isn't good," I mumbled and put my hands on my hips.
"Hey, guys." Jason moved up to extend his hand to Adam. "Hey, buddy. This is Parker, one of the partners at my firm, and of course you know my girl."
We went through introductions, and Parker behaved, which was shocking, but a complete relief. Our seats got a little messed up, but by the time we took off, Parker was on my left and Jason on my right.
"See? I can be a good boy?" Parker turned to face me as he relaxed against his seat.
"Yes, but how long will that last." I turned to face him and studied his handsome profile. He needed someone to love him. Someone worthy of that love.
"It can last as long as I need it to. I'm behaving at work with Keira there, aren't I?"
"Keira?" Jason leaned around me. "You're into her?"
"Hell, yes, I'm into her. Every man besides you at the office is."
"Why?" Jason snorted and leaned back, reaching to take my hand into his.
"Let's see, she's hot as sin, confident, has long brown hair and big brown eyes. She's young and perky."
I popped him in the chest. "Hey. Watch it."
"You're perky too. I love the way your-"
"Don't," I barked before Jason moved up to say his piece.
"I'm kidding. Shit." Parker lifted his hands and smiled like a tomcat. "I'm kidding. Honestly. I mean, Keira is blistering hot, but she's way out of my league, besides, if you want to know the truth... she's a bigger player than I am."
"She is not." I wouldn't believe his bullshit for a minute.
"Yeah. She is." He reached into the pocket in front of him and pulled out earphones. "Watch her and you'll see."
"I believe that." Jason settled back in his seat and pressed his hand to his mouth as he yawned. "Come here and snuggle up to me. I'm taking a nap."
I gave him a look as he laughed and closed his eyes. Come here and snuggle up to me? What did I look like? A blanket? A kitten?
His woman. I moved closer and snuggled against him as best I could.
***
"All right, so what's the plan?" Adam moved up to close the circle the four of us had created in the hotel lobby. The flight had gone off without a hitch, and the ride to the resort was fast and easy. It was a little before dinner, and my stomach was growling, but it was too late to eat a big meal.
"Let's all check out our rooms and we can meet out here in an hour to eat dinner?" Parker suggested, his attention locked on to me.
I could tell that Natalie was more than interested in him, but there was no blaming the girl. He was a good-looking man, and funny as hell too. Dangerous combination.
"Which room is mine?" Natalie extended her hand toward Jason as he divvied out room keys.
I was proud of Parker for not throwing in a cocky comment that would get him in trouble.
Jason and I walked to our room with his hand clasped tightly to mine. He glanced over at me as we approached the door. "You don't think I have anything to worry about with Parker and my sister, right?"
"Why are you so worried about this, baby?" I took the key from him and moved up to unlock the suite.
"Because. He's my boss and she's my baby sister."
"That is a year y
ounger than you and more than capable of taking care of herself." I pushed the door open and my breath caught in my chest. The bed was huge and high off the ground, but it was the fireplace and the hot tub in the room that caused my heart to skip a beat. The snowy landscape outside the window made it all perfect.
"Wow. This is beautiful. Romantic." He moved past me and walked to the window. "I love the snow."
"And yet you live in Texas." I smiled and moved toward the bed. "There better be a step for this thing. How the hell else would you get into it?"
"I'll just toss you up there." He glanced over his shoulder and smiled, lighting up the room. How a man as beautiful as him wanted anything to do with plain little old me was a mystery. "You ever think about moving away from Texas?"
"No, but I would." I put my foot on the side of the railing and pushed up, half leaping to get on the bed. "For you."
"Good." He bounded up beside me and pulled me toward him before pressing his body along the top of mine. "I'd stay in Texas for you."
"Then we're going to be just fine." I kissed him softly and turned us until I was on top of him. "We should test out the bed before dinner."
"Or the hot tub. I could sit on the side... you could lay down in the water and let me hold your head in my lap." His cheeks burned red.
I laughed and sat up, pressing back to rub myself along his erection. I loved how quickly he was turned on by me. "Are you asking for a blow job?"
"I'd never turn one down by you, if that's what you're offering." He gripped my hips and ran his hands over me firmly. "God, you're hot, baby. So fucking gorgeous."
I yelped as he flipped us and pressed me to the bed. "Maybe we should grab a drink in the bar and wait for dinner. I think if I stripped you down now, we wouldn't make it back out of the room. I want to take my time with you."
"I like the sound of that." I lifted my head to kiss him as my stomach growled loudly.
He laughed and kissed me once more before rolling off. "Let's get an appetizer too, hm?"
"Yes. Please." I slipped off the side of the bed into his waiting arms. "I love you. I'm glad we're doing this."
"Me too." He kissed the tip of my nose. "Let's have fun and not worry too much about the firm, or our families or the future."
"Perfect." I moved past him and walked out into the hallway, stopping in the foyer and pointing to the bar. "Looks like everyone had the same idea we did. Well, everyone but Adam. I don't see him."
"I'll find him. You go put some space between my sister and Parker." He rolled his eyes. "She'll have him tied to a bed, screaming uncle before he knows what hit him."
He walked off and I glanced behind me to check out his butt in his jeans. "How do you know that?"
"She leaves her diary out. It's disturbing." He did a full body shiver and walked away as I laughed and turned to walk toward the two of them.
Parker needed an intervention and as it had been many times in his life, it was going to be up to me to do it.
Chapter 12
Jason
Adam was out in the snow, his head lifted toward the sky as it wept small snowflakes.
"Hey. Am I interrupting?" I moved up beside him and slipped my hands into my pockets. The altitude had me feeling a little lightheaded, but I ignored it. I would get over it soon enough.
"No. Not at all." He smiled at me. "I love this place. I should have started my life here."
"It's not too late. You're just at the beginning of it, right?"
"Yeah. Definitely." He glanced back toward the sky. "I love that you and Rebecca are together. I know you've been wanting something to start between you guys. That first night at the bar almost a year ago when I met her, I knew why."
"Why?" I wasn't sure even I knew why she had such a tight hold on me.
"She's beautiful and strong." He tilted his head toward me. "Any man would want a woman like that."
"Speaking of," I pressed my shoulder against his, "when are you going to finally get off your ass and ask that cute brunette at your office out?"
He shrugged. "She's too much woman for me."
"What? Never." My breath danced in front of my face. "You deserve a good woman."
"I'm not sure she dates black guys."
"Ask her." I snorted. "What are you waiting for? An invitation? Get out there and make something happen."
"Yeah, maybe." He reached out and caught a few snowflakes. "You remember when we were kids and I wanted so badly to have a family like yours?"
"I do." I swallowed the heavy emotion rising in my chest. "My mother said she would adopt you, man."
"I know, and I would have loved that, but I couldn't impose on you guys. Hell, you're my family anyway." He glanced my way and smiled. "You asking Becca to marry you while we're up here?"
"I wanted to, but I'm not so sure now." I shrugged and let my eyes drag across the vastness of white in front of us. "She's a complicated woman."
"She's still a woman." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "What is the worst she could say?"
"No." I chuckled. "I'm pretty sure no is the worst she could say."
"She's not going to say no. She might say that she's not ready yet, but no isn't going to be her answer."
"You sure of that?" I hated to look his way because I couldn't hide how fucking scared I was that she would turn me down.
"I am." He patted my chest with his free hand and forced me to turn toward the hotel. "Come on, let's go warm up with something good to eat and drink. I'll help you pick out a ring for her when you're ready."
"Not sure I'm going through with it." I reached for the door. "But, thank you for the thought. Means a lot to me."
"Hell, yeah, man. You're like a brother to me."
"You are a brother to me." I walked in and turned to find Rebecca snuggled in between Parker and my sister. She seemed to be the only one happy about it, the smile on her beautiful face thawing me so much faster than anything else could.
"Look at the way she looks at you. She ain't saying no, Jason. Stop being a pussy, and ask her." Adam popped me in the gut and walked toward the table, leaving me to stand there and stare at my girl.
Why in the world would a woman like her want a man like me?
She got up and walked toward me while I stood in the foyer, staring at her like some kind of creeper.
"What are you doing?" She slid her arms around my waist and lifted her chin. Thick crimson locks tumbled down her shoulders and framed her pale face.
"Falling in love all over again." I leaned down and kissed her softly a few times. "Adam seems to think that you wouldn't turn me down if I proposed. Is he right?" She stiffened and I wrapped my arms around her and forced myself to laugh. "I told him it wasn't happening soon. He's just a dreamer."
She pulled back a little and studied my face. "I'm not sure I could tell you no."
"Good to know." I pulled her in for a long hug and melted against her, molding myself to her and letting myself dream.
The sound of Christmas carols and the smell of pine filled my senses, and I couldn't help but miss my mother. The holidays were her favorite time of the year. She's what made my father's house a home. Rebecca would do the same for us.
***
"I'm going check out the workout room. I'll meet you back in the room?" Rebecca slid off the stool next to mine and moved up to give me a quick kiss.
"I'll come with you." I started to get down, but she stopped me.
"No. Enjoy your beer. You just got it. I'll see you back in the room."
"You want me to go?" Parker lifted his empty mug and wagged his eyebrows. The poor guy was blitzed, and we were all having a little too much fun watching him.
"Nope. You need to have Adam help you back to your room though." Rebecca gave him a knowing look and turned to walk toward the hallway.
"I can go with her if you want?" Natalie spoke up and I nodded.
"Yeah. I'd like that. You need to get to know her better anyway. She's your future sister-in-law." I smi
led like a tomcat.
Nat rolled her eyes. "You have to let your balls descend so you can ask her first."
"Not very nice, Nat," I called after her as Adam and Parker chuckled.
"Dude." Parker leaned across the table, his eyes big and glossy. "Are you seriously going to ask Becca to marry you?"
I smiled. "One day, man. Not today."
"Wow. I love it." Parker sat back and let out a long sigh. "I was married. Twice. Both of those whores cheated on me, but I guess in some ways, I deserved it."
Adam took a long swig from his beer and set the mug down. "No one deserves to be cheated on, man."
"I agree." I picked up a French fry from the mound of them that still remained in the center of the table. We'd decided on bar food, which had turned out to be delicious. "You're going to find the right girl, you just gotta stop sleeping around and start looking again."
"How long has it been?" Adam glanced between me and Parker.
"Nine months." He shrugged. "I went through my divorce right after Jason and Becca got together. He was good to me."
I nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "You needed Becca, and I knew that. You guys have been friends since you were kids."
"Right, but most men wouldn't have cared." He lifted his empty glass toward me, gave it a dirty look, most likely for being empty, and chuckled. "To one of the best guys I know. I hope when you do finally ask that she says yes. I'd be all for it."
I hit his glass with mine and motioned for Adam to do the same. "Why didn't you and Rebecca ever end up together?" Adam asked.
"We're too close." Parker turned and lifted his glass toward the bar.
A pretty blond with big blue eyes moved up between him and Adam and smiled at Parker. "You sure you can handle another one?"
"Baby, I can handle everything," Parker slurred.
"Cream soda." I winked at the girl and nodded toward Parker's glass.
She smiled and patted Parker on the back. "Coming right up, handsome."