by Shyla Colt
“Is that a request?” I ask huskily.
“I believe so, counselor.”
Moving quickly, I cup her ass and pull her to me. She moans, and I spear her mouth with my tongue. She tastes like apple cider and crisp sunshine. The tropical coconut scent of her hair reaches my nose, creating an unforgettable moment. Rising up on the balls of her feet, she presses her body against mine. I tilt my head, deepening our kiss, suckling her bottom lip into my mouth. Humming, she buries her fingers in my hair. Her nails scratch my scalp. The blood rushes straight down. I groan.
“Like that, do you?” She nips at my earlobe.
I press the bulge in my pants against her belly. “You tell me.”
“Jesus.” Breathing hard, she grips my hair tight. The pressure is delicious.
“Caleb?” Her shaky voice cools my ardor.
I run my hand up her back and cup the side of her neck, rubbing my thumb over her pulse point. “Look at me, Romy.” She peers up at me with wide, startled eyes. Her world is being just as rocked as mine. “There is no rush. We have nothing but time. I’m not going anywhere.
Her breath catches. A fear I don’t understand skitters across her eyes. Someone hurt her badly.
“This is so fast. We’ve been through a lot recently.”
“And don’t forget we still need to put the final touch on your tree.” I redirect her, storing her response in my memory bank for later. I want more than in her pants. There are going to be missteps. Kissing the tip of her nose, I step back. She grabs the glass topper. “Let me give you a boost.” I grip her waist, then raise her up.
“A girl could get used to this.” Placing the topper, she rests her hands over mine.
I set her down. “I’ve grown accustomed to people using me for my height.”
“We have to light the tree up and take some pictures for my mom.”
“Did you talk to her today? I don’t want to add a visit from the police to our adventures together.” I’m concerned. If she’s anything like her daughter, not hearing from her wouldn’t stand long.
“She really would make that call.” She giggles. “For that reason, I full-on Face Timed her.”
“You two seem close.”
“That happens when your father walks out and leaves you both behind.”
Her words paint a painful picture. “I’m sorry.” I brush her braided hair over her shoulder.
She shrugs. “It was a long time ago.”
“Doesn’t mean it wasn’t painful,” I respond softly, caressing her neck.
“It is what it is, right?” She leans against me for a moment. “You get the room lights, and I’ll get the Christmas tree lights.”
“Deal.” I move to the switch and wait for her to hit the power button on the extension cord before I flip the controller down.
“Oh. It is beautiful.”
A blend of homeliness and charm, the tree is beautiful in its simplicity. A white string of pearl garland and white pom-pom garlands add a bit of whimsy to burlap ornaments, ribbon, and handcrafted ornaments. A snow-dusted wreath and hanger rest beside the door for us to put up later.
“Get in front of the tree. I’ll take a picture of you with your phone.”
After unlocking the phone with her fingers, she hands it to me. Moving in front of the tree, she beams. I snap a few shots and glance down at the screen. I’m tempted to send one to myself. She’s glowing and adorable.
“I got some good ones.” I hand it over.
“We need to get one together.” She waves me over.
“With both our phones or Nona will tan my hide.”
She laughs. “A man as massive as you cannot be scared of that tiny woman.”
“Listen. You don’t know Nona like I do,” I insist.
She throws her head back to laugh. I smile down at her, snapping shots of her in her natural state.
“Stop. You can’t send that.” She grabs my arm.
“Maybe it’s for me.”
Her lips form an O.
“Okay, smile for Nona.” Leaning in, we smile, and I take a few pics. We pull away, then send our texts. My phone vibrates.
“That was fast. Nona is on top of the text game.”
Except I know, she isn’t. Frowning, I pull the phone from my pocket.
Laurene: Surprise! I couldn’t wait to see you, so I caught a flight. I’m at the local airport now.
The floor drops out from under me.
“Everything okay?” She places a hand on my arm.
“No.”
“Caleb?” The worry in her tone snaps me out of my stupor.
“Sorry. My friend just shocked me and caught a flight in.”
“Today?” she whispers.
“Yeah.” I shake my head. “Idiot.”
“Crap. Don’t keep your friend waiting at the airport.” She smiles, and I refuse to let the easy camaraderie we’ve established slip away. I haven’t dated Laurene for over a year. She’s always been impulsive, making choices without thinking them through. I spent years bailing her out of sticky situations. I won’t let this become another one of those times. While leaving her at the airport isn’t an option, not letting her ruin my plans is.
“I was hoping to watch movies and build that gingerbread house Nona sent with me.” I sigh.
“Your holidays growing up must have been amazing.”
“Thanks to Nona and Pop, they were. My parents traveled a lot, and I’m an only child. It was a bit of a lonely way to grow up. My grandparents were magical. They made trips to their home and regular dinners at their house special. That’s part of the reason why I’d do anything for them.”
She grabs my hand and squeezes. “They’re wonderful people.”
“When will I get to see you again?” I ask, trying to nail down a date.
“You’ll be busy with your friend. Why don’t we set something up afterward?”
My phone buzzes again.
“You should let them know you saw the message.”
Knowing an evasive move when I see it, I grit my teeth. “Romy—”
My phone buzzes again, and I snarl and fight the urge to throw the infernal device against a wall.
“They’re waiting,” she reminds me gently.
“Right.” We can’t talk things out right now, but I’m not known for giving up when I want something. “I’ll call you.”
“Thank you for today.” Her smile is tinged with a melancholy I don’t understand.
“It’s the first of many.”
“We’ll see.” It’s not a no, but the doubt makes me think of her story about her father.
My phone buzzes again, and I throw my hands up in the air. “I need to go before my phone implodes.”
She walks me to the door. I put on my jacket, carefully considering my words, then run my thumb over her kiss-swollen lips.
“I will see you soon, Romy.” I kiss her forehead and step out into the cold, immediately missing the warmth and happiness I left behind.
“CALEB.” A CULTURED voice causes me to turn to my left. A big-haired blonde rushes toward me in a blur. I open my arms and set my stance in time to catch her. A cloud of designer perfume engulfs me. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she lifts up her heels. “I’ve really missed you.” She kisses my cheek sweetly, and red flags wave wildly. PDAs were never her style. Setting her down, I take a few steps back from her clingy hold.
“What are you doing here, Laurene?”
She blinks. “You said you wanted to talk, and I didn’t think we should do that over the phone. Besides ...” She looks up at me through her impossibly long, fake lashes. Mink. I shelled out enough money on them to remember. “I wanted to see what you love so much about this place.” The contempt in her voice is at odds with the smile she’s aiming my way. Her collagen treated lips curve up, revealing pearly whites. “I mean, it did steal you away from me.” Pouting, she trails her manicured fingertips up the collar of my coat.
She’s perfectly polished in her thr
ee-inch heeled boots, red hat, red lips, and red wool coat. The look does nothing for me.
“When I said we’d talk soon, it wasn’t an invitation to show up unannounced.”
“I know you hate surprises, but this is a good one. It’s the holidays, and now you won’t spend them alone.”
“I wasn’t going to anyway. Between family traditions, working for Nona, and friends, I don’t have time to keep you entertained.”
Annoyances flashes in her crystalline blue eyes. “Surely she can have someone cover a couple of your shifts.”
“No, she can’t. This is the busy season. We have all hands on deck. After New York, this place is going to be dull. There are plenty of small businesses to visit and holiday events, but none I’d see you really enjoying.”
“Don’t be so sure. You know I can be adventurous.” She drops her tone and wiggles her eyebrows.
“There’s the Christmas festival with a live nativity scene tonight. My niece, Jennifer, is Mary, and I promised her I’d stop by. We’ll have to head there as soon as we grab your bag to make it.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Since when are you religious?”
People don’t remain stagnate. “I don’t need to be to support my family.”
“Yeah, but I thought you and your Uncle Paul weren’t even on speaking terms.”
“Delving deep in my family issues isn’t on my to-do list today. Things change.”
Her lips press into a straight line. “Fine.”
“How long are you here, Laurene?”
Uncertainty flashes over her face. “Through Christmas day.”
“That’s a long time.”
“Plenty of time to get reacquainted.”
Outright rejecting her would make things miserable, but I can’t let her get her hopes up. “What baggage claim number are we looking for?”
“Three.”
I place a hand on the small of her back and guide her through the crowd.
“It’s sweet how devoted you are to your niece.”
“Jen’s the most adorable ten-year-old I’ve ever met. It’s not hard.”
“So, having kids has been placed on your wishlist for the future now?”
“With the right woman, yes. Do you have the same suitcase?”
“Yes. The custom Minnie Mouse piece. When do you want to have them?”
I jerk my head back toward her, ending bag watch. “You got something you want to tell me?” I ask, pointedly looking at her midsection.
She laughs. “God no. I’m just trying to get a handle on these drastic changes you’ve undergone. I want to investigate and learn the new Caleb.”
“I told you I wanted a slower pace. It gave me time to think about a lot.” Spotting the polka dot monstrosity, I move forward. I like Disney just fine, but the hot pink polka dot piece with ears and character signature is over the top. Much like its owner. It stands out as a blatant symbol of the past I escaped. The work hours, stress, and struggle to maintain an appearance were toxic. I lift the massive rectangle and bring it back to her. “Did you pack bricks in here?”
“A woman needs options.” She curls a strand of hair around her finger. “You look plenty fit enough to handle it.”
“You won’t need all that here. I hope you packed warm enough clothing, though. It’s a different kind of chill up here in the mountains.” Impulsive decisions were a way of life for Laurene. It’s a habit I hadn’t missed.
“I did research.”
“Uh-huh. Let’s get out of here.” I walk fast, letting her match my steps. She brings back the feeling of being trapped by life. It was like slowly drowning in a beautiful swimming pool. To those looking in, everything is perfect, and you’re blessed, even though the water is filling up your nose and lungs.
ROMY
The man kisses like the devil. Surely, Lucifer himself couldn’t be as persuasive without saying a word. The house was too quiet without him. He tried to solidify plans, and I panicked. Things had been too perfect. How can I trust that? Fear cramped my stomach even as my brain berated me for giving into it. It’s like letting Trevor win after all this time. In need of a dose of honesty from a trusted source, I text Lily.
R: Time for a video chat.
L: Yaas. I miss your face.
Since my freshman year of college, my best friend, Lily, always has words of wisdom. Even when I don’t want to hear them. Pulling up her number, I lay across my bed. Her olive-toned, heart-shaped face appears in the rectangle, and my heart lightens.
“Hello, stranger.”
“Lily,” I exhale.
“What’s with the tone, sis?” She frowns.
“If the story I’m about to tell you didn’t happen to me, I wouldn’t believe it. But I swear I am not exaggerating in any way.”
Her eyebrows lift up beneath her bangs. “You have to follow that shit up with a juicy story.”
“Let me set the stage first.” I send her the photo I took with Caleb in front of my tree.
“Holy shit. Who’s the sexy beast with big dick energy beside you? Wait. Was this taken at your house?”
“That is Caleb, and yes. He helped me decorate.”
“Tell me everything.” She curls her fist under her chin and props up on a pillow.
I tell her about the Tangle of Tinsel and everything that came after.
“Stop! He named the incident?”
“Him or Nona.”
“And we are now on nickname terms with Nona and Pop?” Lily asks slowly.
“Well, they said to.”
“Oh, honey, you’ve drifted straight into girlfriend territory.”
“How? We barely know each other. And I did almost experience death by tree in his family store.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” The concern coloring her words touches me.
“I swear, I’m fine. I have a follow-up appointment after Christmas, just to be safe.”
“I hate that this happened to you. But I am so grateful those amazing people stepped up when you needed help.”
“Me too. That’s part of the problem.” I plop my head back onto the pillow. “How can I separate sympathy with what’s real?”
“You noticed Mc. Sexy before, though, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but that’s physical. Caleb seems too good to be true, so logic says he must be.” I hate the negativity coming from me.
“Oh, Romy. My love, you deserve amazing, fantastical things to happen to you. Who says this isn’t real because it was unexpected? You have serious chemistry. It happens. He seems like a great guy who you click with. There’s nothing wrong with believing that to be true until he proves otherwise. Which, I may add, he might not. He’s thirty-five. At this point, he knows what he wants and does it, henceforth leaving New York.”
“He terrified me, Lil. I mean, things are so easy with him, and God, he’s gorgeous, yes, but there’s this vibe he gives off that makes me want to devour him. Even when we bicker.” I huff. “He gives me butterflies.”
“What’s wrong with that?” she asks sweetly.
“I don’t want to be blindsided.”
“He’s not Trevor, and you’re not the same woman you were then. Don’t let one mistake haunt you. He did wrong, not you. And, babe, you weren’t blind. You were busy busting your ass to make your dreams come true. The mooch took advantage of you.”
“I know you’re right. I’m fighting to work through it.”
“It’s okay to be afraid, Ro. You’d be crazy not to be. It’s not okay to let it keep you from living your life. Wading back into the dating pool now would be ideal.” She narrows her eyes and points at me. “Plus, look at him. You need to climb that tree to tell me if the ride is as good as I think it’ll be. If you don’t do that research for us, I think I may never forgive you.”
“Lillian.” I dissolve into laughter.
“What? Look at those hands. He must be working with some impressive equipment.”
“From the feel of it, I’d agree.’
“Harlot! You’ve been holding out on me?”
I sigh. “I wish. It’s been nothing more than heavy making out, and that’s because I cut it short every time.” I groan, remembering how he left. “I screwed up by shutting down his offer to make plans, didn’t I?”
She nods her head. “Yes, you did. At the least, you owe him, and his family, some kind of thank you gesture. I suggest separately because the thank you suggestions I have in mind for Caleb would scar the rest of his family for life.” She makes a fist and pushes toward her mouth, puffing out her check.
“You filthy girl,” I say in a British accent.
“What? I want to see my girl get some. It’s been a minute.”
“Trust me, I know. He made me come with his damn voice. Not even a touch.”
“I know it sounds hot.” Lily fans her face.
“You’re telling me?”
She grins. “There’s my girl.”
“I thought I could bake them something.”
“My vote goes to your deep-dish apple pie. Not only is it stunning to look at, it tastes divine.” She sighs. “Yet another reason I’m missing you horribly this Christmas.”
“You want me to send it on dry ice?”
“Don’t toy with my emotions, Foster.” She wags her finger from side to side.
“Okay, so planning. After I bake the perfect pie, I’ll do what?”
“Casually drop by the store. Charm the pants off Nona and pump her for info.”
“Ha. I’m sure with Nona, it’ll be a mutual exchange of facts.”
“Even better. Get that family approval.” Lily claps as she says each word.
Clarity gained, and plan in place, I shift gears. “How are things with you and Dave?”
“Good? I don’t know.” She sighs. “I love him. I do. But we’re still living in separate homes and ‘dating’.” She makes hand quotations. “I need him to fish or cut bait. I’m not expecting a proposal but at least a request to cohabitate. I mean, we’re going on three years, Ro.”
“Have you told him how you feel?”
“Oh, he knows.” There’s weight behind those words.
She and Dave complement each other well. I’d hate to see them end things, but I also need my girl to be happy like she deserves to be.