by Laura Ann
His emotional plea broke Faye’s resolve. “He kissed me,” she said through a sob. She brought her fist to her mouth and tried to hold it back, but her body trembled and the tears poured, anyway.
“Against your will?”
“No.. yes... I mean, I don’t know!”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW?” The car jerked twice as Marcus went off the line of the road, then corrected himself. “I can’t be responsible for my actions if you don’t start saying things, Faye. Did James force himself on you?”
Faye closed her eyes and imagined the feel of James’s arms around her, the heat, the perfection, the peace... No. There was definitely no forcing. She slowly shook her head. “No. He didn’t force himself on me.”
“So you wanted him to kiss you?” Marcus frowned.
“Yes.”
“Then why are you so upset?”
Faye’s bottom lip trembled and she bit it hard. “Because afterwards I was horrible to him. I pushed him away, and he finally broke.” She took in a shuddering breath. “He said he’d wasted his time on me and that he was through.”
“Huh.”
Faye snapped her head toward her brother. That was not the response she had expected.
“It’s about time he wised up.”
A lick of anger began to kindle in Faye’s chest. “Excuse me? What do you mean by that?”
Marcus looked over with his eyebrows raised. “I’ve told him before he’s wasting his time, Sis. You don’t deserve James. At least, not yet.”
Faye gasped. “Wow. Way to tell it like it is, Bro.” Faye slipped into her usual sarcastic mode to hide the hurt from her brother’s words. I can’t believe my own brother has turned against me.
“Now listen up, Faye, and listen good.” He squeezed the steering wheel for a moment before continuing. “I think you’re amazing. You spent years with a woman who was so far down in the depths of despair she couldn’t see straight, let alone raise two children. But you made it out, anyway. You made your own way. You didn’t take anything from anybody and you clawed yourself into independence. It’s fantastic and awe-inspiring and I couldn’t be more proud of you.”
“But?” she prompted when he paused.
“But... you hold on to that pit you escaped like a badge. You haven’t overcome it, you’ve simply set it in a nice little box that you pull out whenever you need a convenient excuse. Now, maybe our situations are different a bit. I was older when Mom changed and spent less time under her thumb. Not to mention I’m a guy, so perhaps I viewed things a little differently than you did, but I think the only way to truly overcome something is to deal with then move on. You’ve never dealt with it. You’ve kept all the hurt and pain and used them as a shield. A shield that has kept you from one of the best men I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing.”
Faye sank back in her seat. “I don’t want to be like her, Marcus. I’m terrified I’ll end up just like Mom.”
“I know, Baby Sis, but you’re already not like Mom. Even Mom is not like Mom, anymore.” His eyes held sympathy when he glanced her way. “She was sick, Faye. It wasn’t right what we went through, but she wasn’t in her right mind. Now she’s on some medications and she sees a therapist regularly. She’s not the same woman you grew up with.”
Faye nodded, but kept her gaze forward. She didn’t want to talk about how she needed to forgive her mother. That’s a fight for another time.
“Anyway,” Marcus continued as if he had read her mind, “we’ll talk about that later. Right now, we need to discuss you and James.”
“There is no me and James,” Faye sniffed.
“And just why is that?” Marcus pushed.
Faye scoffed. “Really? You know exactly why that is.”
“And yet I’m just fine with a relationship.”
“You’re a guy,” Faye snipped.
“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Marcus shot back. “But don’t you think it would be easy for me to be afraid? I could just as easily hold on to our childhood and say, ‘I’m too scared I’ll be just like those other guys’, and hold everyone I love at arm’s length.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Faye said quietly. “I guess you could have.” She looked up. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because I knew I wouldn’t be like them.” Marcus glanced over. “I decided who I would be, and that’s who I became.”
“I already said I don’t want to be like Mom.”
“And you aren’t. You’ve already accomplished that. And letting a man into your life isn’t going to suddenly take that away.”
“How do you know?” Faye’s voice was barely above a whisper. James’s words earlier in the evening had struck a chord with her, but in the end hadn’t proven enough for her to step out of her comfort zone. She desperately wanted Marcus to have some insight that would help her overcome her fear.
“Because I choose to know, Faye,” Marcus stated bluntly. “You know full well that James is not anything like the men Mom brought home. And you aren’t anything like what Mom was during those years. How in the world would a relationship between you two be the same as what you watched growing up?”
“You make it sound so easy,” Faye whined, leaning her head back against the headrest.
“You make it sound so complicated,” he said with a grin. “Make a choice, Faye. Let him in or don’t, but quit stringing him along. It’s not fair to James or anybody else.”
Faye paused for a moment before talking. “You know, I’m pretty surprised I’m not getting the ‘he’s my best bud and totally off limits’ speech.”
Marcus shrugged and pulled into his driveway. “Why would I care if my two favorite people got together? That just would make life sweeter.”
Faye leaned over and kissed her brother on the cheek. “Thanks, Marcus. You’ve been a big help tonight.”
“So... you going after him?”
Guilt started to pull Faye right back down where she had been earlier and she stared at her hands in her lap. “I wish. I really messed it up, Marcus. James’ll probably never speak to me again.”
Marcus tugged on one of her corkscrews. “Never say never, Miss Priss. That man has been in love with you for ages. It’s amazing what the right apology can do.”
Faye chewed her lip and stared at the snowy ground around them in contemplation. Finally, she met her brother’s eyes. “You really think he’ll forgive me?”
“Yeah, I do.”
She thought for a moment more. “Then do you think you could run me to the store and then to his condo?”
Marcus narrowed his eyes. “It’s pretty late. What are you needing at the store?”
Faye grinned. “Just a little tradition to help present my case.”
JAMES WALKED INTO HIS condo and left the lights off. He wasn’t in the mood to do anything more than he had to. Jerking off his shoes, he tossed his jacket and tie on a dining chair, headed toward the fridge and grabbed a can of soda, then shuffled into the great room and onto the couch.
Grabbing the remote, he punched the ‘on’ button and threw the remote on the cushions, not caring what popped up on the screen. Pulling the tab on his drink he took a long pull. James laid his head back, ready to zone out and wallow in his misery when the doorbell rang.
“What the-?” Clenching his jaw, he ignored it and went back to the television. When the doorbell rang again, he sat up and grabbed the remote, muting the sound. “Just go away,” he whined.
When the doorbell rang a third time, James growled and stood up, storming to the front door, he threw it open. “What?” He jerked to a stop when he found Faye standing on his doorstep holding a paper bag in her hands. “Faye? What are you doing here?”
Faye turned and waved over her shoulder, as a blue sedan pulled out and drove away.
“Was that Marcus?” James folded his arms and frowned. “What’s going on?”
“May I come in?” Faye asked politely.
Noticing that his heavy breathing was creati
ng white puffs of smoke in the cold air, James reluctantly nodded. “Sure. Why not?” He said sarcastically and waved his arm to allow her past.
“Thank you,” Faye softly replied. Once inside, she stood awkwardly to the side, biting her lip.
James closed the door and sighed. “What do you want, Faye? It’s been a long day and I’m tired.”
“I know, I just...” Faye took in a deep breath. “I came to apologize.”
James stilled and his arms dropped. “What?”
“I came to apologize,” Faye stated more pointedly.
“Yeah, I got that. I just can’t figure out why?” James shook his head. “I mean, I was the one that said horrible things tonight. I need to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Faye looked at her feet as she took a small step in his direction. “While that’s not really true, I do appreciate you trying to make me feel better.” She glanced up under her eyelashes and James heart did a flip flop in his chest. “And I need to apologize for more than just tonight.”
“I don’t understand,” he said softly. For the first time in his life, James confidence had fled. As Faye took another step toward him, he felt as if he were being cornered and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to get caught. Hope was fighting an internal battle with hurt and neither side was willing to give in.
“You see, I’ve just spent the last hour being scolded by my brother,” Faye whispered, stopping when they were toe to toe.
“Really? I’m surprised he didn’t want to come in and knock my block off,” James tossed out.
A small smile pulled at the edge of Faye’s mouth, but her demeanor remained serious. “I’m sorry, James,” she began. “I’m sorry that I’ve held you off for so long. You were right when you said I was scared, you were right about me not wanting to become my mom, my brother was right that I hold my childhood like a shield, and he was also right that I’m already not my mother.”
James smirked, his confidence starting to trickle back in. “Don’t let Marcus hear you say that. He’s already got an ego the size of Texas.”
Faye laughed lightly. “Yeah, well, it seems to be a common thing among lawyers.”
James huffed, but couldn’t help the grin.
“I’m also sorry about the dance tonight.”
James amusement faded, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Actually, I really do-”
Faye cut off his response with a kiss. It only lasted a split second before she pulled back. “Don’t interrupt,” she whispered against his mouth.
“But I—”
She cut him off again.
“Faye, what—”
Several more times Faye cut him off until she felt him chuckle. She pulled back and gasped. “You’re doing that on purpose!” She slapped his chest.
James couldn’t help wrapping his arms around her as he laughed. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But can you blame me? No man worth anything is going to let that opportunity go.”
Faye shook her head and laughed. “Unbelievable.”
James brought his forehead to hers. “Come on, admit it.”
“Admit what?” She toyed with the collar of his shirt.
“That I’m a genius.”
Faye rolled her eyes. “I came here to apologize and explain, not to have a make-out session with you.”
James pulled her tighter. “Okay. I’m listening.”
“I just wanted you to know that I understand what you were saying before. Marcus helped me see how I was stopping myself from finding happiness and moving on with my life.”
“Women can find happiness without a man, Faye,” James said with a frown. “I already told you I wasn’t into needy girls.”
Faye shook her head. “No, you don’t get it. I know women can do just fine without a man. That they can find other things that make them happy, but the thing is... you make me happy. You make me laugh and rile my temper, you send butterflies into my stomach and tingles on my skin, and I’ve spent the last year fighting each and every one of those, thinking that if I held back, I’d be better. But I’m not. I’m miserable.” Her dark eyes bore into his. “I want to be with you, James, and I trust that you feel the same and won’t use and abuse me the way my mother was.”
James couldn’t wait any longer. Each and every word he had been hoping to hear for months was bubbling out of her lips and he decided right then and there that talking was overrated. Closing the distance, he covered her mouth with his, this time enjoying a long, leisurely kiss.
When he finally pulled back, Faye kept her eyes closed for a few extra seconds while she spoke. “I wasn’t done,” she said hoarsely.
“So what?” James kissed her again.
“But I needed to grovel—”
“Just stop talking,” he interrupted, moving his hands to her face and kissing her again. “I need that stupid mistletoe,” he mumbled against her skin as he kissed across her jawline. “Then I’d have tradition on my side to tell you to just kiss me.” Faye’s body shook as she began to laugh and James pulled back. “What’s so funny?”
Stepping out of his embrace, she reached for the paper sack she had dropped on the floor when they’d gotten close. “I just so happen to have a little something with me,” she teased, slowly pulled a spring of the infamous plant out of the bag.
James stared at her for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed. He reached out and pulled her close again, not willing to miss a moment of touching her. “And just where did you get that? Did you pinch it from the party?”
Faye chuckled and shook her head. “No. When Marcus finally convinced me what an idiot I was, I had him drive me to the store, then here. I thought I might need it to convince you to listen to me.” She smirked and pumped her eyebrows. “But I guess it was unnecessary.”
He kissed her forehead. “You crack me up, Miss Independence.” Suddenly he frowned, sniffing. “What in the world is that?”
Faye pursed her lips and nodded slowly. “Yeah... I now know why they hang mistletoe from the ceiling. So no one can smell it.” She waved the leaves in front of his face.
“Oh, man. That stuff stinks!” James pulled back and made a face, scrunching up his nose.
“Seriously.”
James snatched it from her and tossed it across the room. “Let it go. We don’t need it, anyway.” He grinned down at her. “I’ll be your mistletoe from here on out.”
Faye barked a laugh. “Oh my word, that was horrible! I expected a better pick-up line from a lawyer.”
James feigned offense. “What? I’m a total genius! In fact, you can call me Mr. Mistletoe!”
“Oh man...” Faye gasped to catch her breath. “Heaven save me from crazy men.”
James cocked an eyebrow. “What if this crazy man were to offer you dessert and a movie before he took you home?”
Faye smiled wide and stepped up to kiss him once more. “That’s definitely better than listening to cheesy pick-up lines.”
“Then come, Lovely Faye.” James took her hand and headed toward the couch. “I’ll even let you pick the movie.”
“Now we’re talking.” Faye followed him over and grabbed the remote.
“Hey now,” James narrowed his eyes. “A man’s remote is part of his castle. Saying you could pick the movie didn’t give you the right to snag that.”
Faye raised her eyebrows. “We independent women don’t pay attention to such archaic drivel,” she shot back with a grin. “Still like that stubborn streak?”
James wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close until he was able to kiss her temple. “More than ever,” he whispered against her hair. “Pick away.”
Mmm...
Wasn’t that just as sweet
as a Christmas Cookie covered in too
many sprinkles by your five-year-old?
Not ready for the romance to end?
Don’t worry! Wren’s story is up next!
You can grab “Mistletoe Mistake”
HERE
Tired of Christmas stories?
Keep scrolling to read the first chapter
in my “Overnight Billionaire Bachelors” series.
What happens when three brothers find a hidden
treasure and suddenly become billionaires
overnight? Paparazzi, drama and turbulence on the path
to true love, that’s what!
Read on!
“Her Billionaire Boss”
CHAPTER 1
“Well, Mrs...”
“It’s Miss. Miss Monson,” the woman sitting across from Eli interrupted.
“Sorry, Miss Monson. As I was saying, everything appears to be in order.” Eli’s face was emotionless as he shuffled the papers in front of him before looking up at the middle-aged women in front of him. “We will be contacting people later in the week to let them know the results of our hiring.” He stood and the woman eagerly jumped to her feet, fluffing her hair. Eli held out a hand. “Thank you for coming in, we’ll be in touch.”
“You’re welcome.” Miss Monson smiled as she gripped his hand and fluttered her eyes a little. “I mean, thank you for your time.” She giggled and shrugged her shoulders.
“Yes, well,” Eli’s long legs took him over to the door of his brand new office and he quickly opened it. “Have a nice day.”
“You too.” She watched him as she walked past, wiggling her fingers in goodbye as she slowly moved out into the hall.
Eli shut the door firmly behind her. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he moaned as he slumped into his desk chair. The smooth, buttery leather of the seat didn’t so much as squeak as he settled in. “Money might not buy you happiness, but at least it buys comfortable chairs,” Eli mumbled as he lay his head back and closed his eyes.
“How goes the job hunt?” Hayden asked as he stormed into the office.
“Probably about as well as yours.” Eli peeked through one eye. “Have you filled all your spots in the kitchen?”