Holiday Hookup

by S A Clayton

  Chapter 17

  It’s done. I can’t believe my apartment is actually done, but here I am standing in my kitchen, looking at the floor, and see no water, no damage, and no evidence that anything happened at all. I must have left the door open because Dane’s strong arms wrap around me as his chin rests on my shoulder.

  “It looks good. I’m impressed.”

  I turn to see this strange look on his face, one I can’t quite put my finger on.

  “If it wasn’t done well, I would have lost my shit.”

  I was pissed when they told me it would be ready today, Christmas Eve, knowing I wouldn’t be able to move back in for a few more days. I wasn’t going to make Jaxon move back in when he’s already excited to spend the night with Dane. “Are you sure it’s okay we stay an extra few nights?”

  “You know you can stay even longer than that,” he mutters, kissing my neck and causing heat to travel through my entire body.

  Over the past few days we’ve pretty much avoided this conversation, well to be fair I’ve avoided this conversation. But I guess I can’t avoid it much longer.

  “Dane, you knew this was coming. I wasn’t going to stay with you forever.” Although the thought has crossed my mind. I know it’s not fair to Jaxon and to myself to uproot our entire lives for a man that, although has been very sweet, has only been in our lives for a few weeks.

  I expect Dane to argue, tell me staying with him is better for us, but what I don’t expect is for him to lean down, take my lips and kiss me so passionately I forget where I’m standing.

  “Where’s Jaxon?” he mutters against the sensitive part of my neck, and when I don’t answer right away, his teeth graze my skin, causing my fingers to dig into his arms.

  “With his dad,” I whisper, my knees weakening as his hands find their way to my ass, lifting me off the ground and against the kitchen wall.

  “So, we have the whole place to ourselves?”

  When I nod, he groans, grinding his rapidly hardening cock against my heat.

  “Where’s your bedroom?”

  I shake my head, pulling him even closer, my legs tightening around his waist because right now all I want is to feel him, and I don’t care if it’s against a wall. I just want to feel him inside of me.

  “Please… here?” I beg, pulling his hair enough to lift his head from my shoulder and kiss him once again, loving the taste, loving the feel of him against me, and loving the fact that this man knows exactly what to do with my body.

  “Baby, I need a bed. I’m desperate for you, but I need to take my time. I won’t get to do that if I fuck you here.”

  My head hits the wall as he growls the question into my skin one more time. When I finally point in the direction of my room, he pulls me off the wall, and before I know it, my back hits my mattress, causing my breath to catch. I’m about to berate him for making me wait when my eyes land on his bare chest, his abs flexing with every twist of his torso as his fingers undo his belt. My mouth goes dry, my fingers curling into the comforter at the thought of what’s behind those jeans.

  “Dane, as much as I love looking at you, I’d much rather touch you.” The sass is not lost on him since he stops all movement and just stands in front of me with the top button of his jeans undone, looking like an edible statue.

  “And what if I like you looking at me?” His voice drops, the desire palpable as it surrounds us, causing the temperature to rise. “What if I don’t want you to touch me at all?”

  My breath hitches as he stalks toward the bed, leaning over me as he takes both my hands in one of his, lifting them above my head.

  “You keep those right there…” The promise in those words sends shivers up my spine as that glint in his eyes surfaces.

  I do as I’m told, keeping my hands resting above my head as his fingers find their way to the edge of my pants, undoing them swiftly as my hips lift, helping him pull them from my body. He growls at the sight of my white lace panties that I know are soaked through, and before I can beg for anything, he’s on his knees, gently pulling the lace from my core, exposing me.

  “Fucking hell, Nel. You are incredible... everywhere.”

  I don’t agree, I don’t think any woman would agree when someone says that when looking at their vagina, but right now, with the way he’s staring, I can’t seem to care.

  “You have no idea how many times I’ve dreamed about this; dreamed about how amazing you taste, how you’d feel coming on my tongue and how fucking incredible you’d look screaming my name while I ravish that incredible pussy of yours.”

  Arousal floods my core as he devours me. My hips having a mind of their own as his fingers dig into my ass, pulling me so much closer as I lose all sense of time.

  “Dane, God, that feels so freaking good!” He starts to laugh against me, and when our eyes meet, his head lifts.

  “You can’t swear, can you? Even when I’m eating you out, you still can’t say it.” He winks as he lowers his head once more, not waiting for my answer as he begins devouring me once more.

  “Five years of practice doesn’t go away in a week,” I groan, feeling the smoldering sensation in the pit of my stomach. My fingers find their way into his hair, pulling him closer as my feet hit the bed, lifting my hips and silently begging for more.

  My entire body is wound tight, waiting for the moment I’m pushed over the edge but it’s not coming. Every time I get close, every time I believe I’ll crash over into the bliss I know is possible with Dane, it never comes.

  When he senses my frustration, he nibbles at the inside of my thigh, his fingers gently playing with my clit as his eyes bore into mine.

  “I know exactly what you need.” And just as I’m about to ask what he means, he thrusts inside me, causing the orgasm that was on the brink of release to storm to the surface, plunging me into a volcano of desire I didn’t even know was possible. I don’t remember him taking his pants off, I don’t even know if he comes with me, all I know is that the sensations running through my body are electric. My limbs are weak, my brain is foggy and for the first time in a long time, I’m blissfully happy.

  “You are fucking perfect,” he mutters, gently rolling off me and pulling me close.

  “Yup, it was fucking perfect.”

  His groaning laughter at my use of the swear word causes us both to burst into a fit of giggles, and before I know it, round two commences, and it’s just as perfect and mind-blowing as the first.

  Chapter 18

  “It’s Christmas!!!” Jaxon yells from outside my door.

  I groan, looking at the clock, seeing it’s just past six in the morning.

  “Jaxon, sweetie, what did I tell you about yelling?” Nel’s stern voice brings a smile to my face as I reluctantly get out of bed, grab my sweatpants and open my bedroom door.

  When I come face to face with Nel, her hair up in a messy bun, no makeup, and wearing my band T-shirt and a pair of boxers, I bite my lip, trying everything in my power to not say anything inappropriate in front of Jaxon.

  We agreed when this all started that we would never sleep in the same bed when Jaxon was around, Nel didn’t want to confuse him, and I respected that. But seeing her like this? Dressed as if she just rolled out of bed, sleep still in her eyes and yawning as she walks with her son toward the living room? It causes a yearning deep within me to protect this with every ounce of my being.

  As I make my way into the living room, Nel’s eyes meet mine from across the kitchen as she makes a pot of coffee. Jaxon excitedly rummages through the pile of presents that Santa left overnight, as Nel reminds him that he needs to wait for her. He mutters something about getting a move on but she just smiles, ignoring it as she pours the coffee into two mugs, handing me one on her way past.

  “Hey,” I say, grabbing her arms and hauling her back toward me. That sexy look in her eyes causes my heart t
o beat faster, my hands gripping tighter as my mouth lowers, taking her mouth in a sweet kiss. “Merry Christmas.” She tastes like coffee creamer with a hint of mint and I look down at one of her hands and start laughing. “I see you found the extra candy canes.”

  She shrugs, going up on her toes, kissing me under my chin.

  “Don’t judge me.” I hold up my hands in surrender as we both walk into the living room where Jaxon has already opened three presents.

  “Jaxon!” we both say at the same time as his little eyes dart to us, and then the pile of toys that is slowly accumulating beside him.

  “Sorry! I couldn’t help it! You were taking too long!” Jaxon smiles so big that I don’t think either of us could punish him, even if we wanted to.

  His little hands grab another gift from under the tree and rips it open as if Nel and I didn’t spend all last night diligently wrapping it.

  And that’s how the morning goes, Nel sitting at my feet, my fingers lightly tracing patterns on her bare shoulder that has peeked through my shirt, Jaxon opening, then playing with, then getting bored with every toy he got. Then complaining that he doesn’t need any more clothes and that socks for Christmas are just mean. But it’s not until after breakfast, when all the toys are opened, and all the wrapping paper is put away that I begin to realize what this feeling is coursing through my body.

  Love.

  As I watch Nel sit with Jaxon on the floor, playing with a new race track he got from Santa, both of them laughing as the cars go flying in every direction but the direction they’re supposed to go, I realize I’m falling in love. Not just with Nel but with Jaxon too, and the family we could become. Before I do something stupid and blurt it out, I get up off the couch and take our plates into the kitchen.

  Standing with my hands on the edge of the sink, my head down as my eyes close, I try and calm my racing heart. I’ve never had this feeling before, this complete and utter need to have someone with me at all times, and the idea of even being away from these two for a minute causes my entire body to shake.

  How the hell am I going to record another album knowing this is here waiting for me? How am I going to say goodbye to these two when I have to fly back to LA when all I want to do is stay here and bask in this feeling for the rest of my life?

  “You okay, handsome?” Nel whispers, wrapping her arms around my waist as she kisses my spine. When I turn to face her, my eyes betray every thought I have, her eyes grow soft. “Talk to me, what’s going on?”

  I take her face in my hands, bring her lips to mine in a soft and sweet kiss that goes on way too long. As our lips part and our foreheads touch, my hands still grasping the side of her face, I blurt out, “I think I’m falling in love with you.” Is this a mistake? I have no freaking idea, but the thought of not saying those words hurt more than what can come from them.

  When she’s silent, I open my eyes to see tears falling silently from her eyes. I wipe them away as her eyes close, her hands coming up and grasping mine that still cup the sides of her face.

  “I’m falling too,” she whispers and I can’t take it anymore.

  I take her lips in a punishing kiss, forgetting that it’s Christmas morning, forgetting that Jaxon is in the other room playing, and forgetting about the fact that my career is about to cause more harm than good. All I care about right now is feeling her against me, pulling her closer, and memorizing this moment because I want to remember this feeling of utter happiness, no matter what.

  Just as the kiss gets heated, my phone goes off in the living room and I reluctantly part my lips from hers.

  “I gotta get that,” I mumble against her lips.

  When she jokingly bites my bottom lip, sucking it into her mouth I can’t help but groan, the arousal shooting straight to my cock.

  “I promise I’ll be back.”

  She winks as I leave the kitchen heading into the living room where I see Frankie’s name on my screen.

  “Shit,” I mutter before opening the front door and answering the phone just as the door shuts behind me.

  “Well, it’s about time you answered your fucking phone,” Frankie complains, slurring his words as my eyes meet the ceiling. Of course, he’s hammered on Christmas morning. I would expect nothing less.

  “What do you want, Frankie? It’s Christmas.”

  His fake laughter fills my ears as I sigh, wondering what I have to do to get off this phone call. And fast.

  “Oh, am I interrupting you and your little fucking family?” The venom in his tone isn’t lost on me and I will punch Brent in the face for telling Frankie about Nel and Jaxon, but right now I’m too focused on trying to figure out why he’s calling.

  “Leave them out of this, why are you calling?” I lean back, one foot planted on the floor, the other against the wall behind me.

  “You’re recording this album, Dane.”

  I shake my head, not understanding why he can’t just take a break for once and let me breathe.

  “I’m not doing it, Frankie. I know you went to the label and I’ll talk to them, but right now you need to let me have some time to think.”

  “I gave you time to think. The label agrees with me. If you’re not here in three days, you’ll be sued for breach of contract.”

  Before the words even sink into my brain, he hangs up and I’m left standing in the hallway wondering what the hell I’m going to do. I have three days to figure out what the hell I’m going to tell Nel, and right now I’m coming up blank.

  Chapter 19

  “What is up with you?” I ask, coming back into the room after putting Jaxon to bed.

  Dane is sitting on my couch, looking at his phone like he’s been doing for the past two days. Ever since Christmas Day, he’s been distant, agitated, and edgy, and I can’t take it anymore.

  “What?” he mumbles, his eyes still on his phone as I head into the kitchen to grab myself a glass of water. When I walk into the living room, his eyes finally meet mine as I sit next to him.

  “Dane, I know something’s bothering you. I can see it every time you look at me and honestly, I can hear it every time you get annoyed with Jaxon. What happened on Christmas?”

  We’re silent for a few seconds before he takes a deep breath and puts his head in his hands.

  “Nothing’s wrong!” he yells as my eyes dart to the hallway, hoping that didn’t wake Jaxon. When I don’t hear anything, I breathe a sigh of relief.

  “Okay, fine. You want to play that game?” I mutter, getting up off the couch and walking toward the door. When my hand lands on the door handle, I turn back toward him. “I know you’re struggling with something right now, but until you can be honest with me, you are no longer welcome in this apartment.” I open the door, motioning for him to leave but hoping he doesn’t. Yet when he stands, picking up his phone off the coffee table, and starts walking toward me, my heart breaks a little. His face is ashen, and I know he wants to tell me but is too scared.

  “Nel…”

  I shake my head. “Call me when you decide to be honest with me.” I shut the door, and when I hear his door slam across the hall, I lean back against the wood, sinking to the floor. How can a relationship change so much in just a few days? How can he walk away when all I’m asking him to do is trust me?

  After drying the last of my tears, I get up off the floor and head into the living room, cleaning up the glasses and snacks that Dane accumulated over the last few hours. When I sit back down on the couch, I lean back and stare at the ceiling, trying to figure out how I seem to pick men that are more concerned with their own lives, and ignore those around them.

  I don’t know how long I sit there, but when I hear the soft knock on the door, I take a deep breath, knowing exactly who’s on the other side.

  I say nothing as I open the door, fighting the urge to hug him when those sad, scared eyes meet mine.

&nb
sp; “I don’t want to lose you, or Jaxon.”

  I continue to say nothing.

  “I know I’m screwing this up, but I’m ready to talk.”

  I step aside and let him in. When we both settle on the couch, he takes a deep breath.

  “I have to go back to LA tomorrow.” His voice is jumbled, so I sit there until his eyes meet mine once more.

  “Sorry, for a second there I thought you said you were leaving for LA tomorrow…” That can’t be right… but from the guilty look in his eyes, I know it’s true. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I’m trying not to get angry. I’m trying to keep my voice down so that Jaxon doesn’t wake up to a fight he doesn’t need to see.

  “I didn’t know what to say…”

  My eyes must express the utter bullshit he’s spewing because he recovers quickly.

  “I never wanted that life to touch you or Jaxon. It’s toxic, and I know when I go back there, I’ll be sucked back in and I don’t want to lose you, not when we just started.”

  “Dane. This isn’t how relationships work, and if that’s what you want us to be going forward, you need to talk to me. I left one man because he never wanted to work things out, and I have no issue doing it again, but I’d like to know now before things get too serious.”

  His eyes divert to his fingers that are laced together over his knees. “Okay, here’s the truth…”

  My head dips slightly as he begins to tell me everything… and the more he confesses, the more my heart breaks.

  “So now you know everything. I have to go back because if I don’t, the record company will sue me for breach of contract, and it will be a fucking mess.”

  We’re silent for a minute as I process everything he said.

  “So how long will you be gone?” I ask, hearing the break in my voice and trying to hide it. But it’s no use, Dane moves closer as he takes my hand and brings it to his lips for a soft kiss.

  “Trust me when I tell you I don’t even want to leave. What we’ve created here in the last few weeks has been heaven, but I have to go back. I have to make sure this is put to bed once and for all so that it won’t come back to haunt me.”