When he finally disappeared around the corner, towards the sound of laughter, I collapsed against the counter, still hardly able to catch my breath. What in the ever-living fuck was that? Maybe it was nothing. We were just friends… because friends totally sucked things off each other’s fingers. Right? It was certainly a first for me.
In a complete daze, I carried the spiced cobbler to the buffet table, completely forgetting to dust it with cinnamon.
Sloane grabbed me the moment the cobbler hit the table. “Wow, that smells amazing.” She lowered her voice, eyes glimmering as I murmured thanks. “But why do you look like you just got a lobotomy?”
“What?” I asked, shaking myself out of my stupor as Jules closed in.
“We just saw you-know-who sneaking out of the kitchen, like he didn’t want to be seen.” Jules explained with a raised brow.
Sloane was desperate for answers. “Did he make a move?”
“Of course he didn’t.” Jules answered for me, handing me a plate of cobbler as the corner of her mouth pulled into a smirk. “But did he?”
Jules served Sloane the next scoop as I struggled to explain. “We just uh—he uh—well I?—”
“What?” they begged.
Right on cue, one of my mom’s friends appeared and affectionately rubbed my back. “This smells delicious, Sara.”
“Help yourself.” I smiled, shooting the girls a warning look. “The apples are from the Bishop’s orchard.”
“Oh, how lovely.” She chimed, serving herself a plate.
The sound of River’s voice startled me from above. “Cookie.” She demanded, from Carter’s shoulders. He was wearing a red reindeer nose, and she was clearly already on a sugar high, but he lifted a cookie anyway. River promptly stuffed it into her mouth so she could slap her ribbon reins. “Mush! Dasher. Mush!” she chanted, and a puff of crumbs flew out of her mouth, straight into Carter’s hair, making him groan.
A strange feeling washed over me as he gripped her little feet and galloped away, making the sound effects and all.
“I think someone has a little crush.” Jules commented while I stared at the last place Carter had just been. “River.” She clarified quietly. “He’s good with her—with all the kids.”
“Yeah, he is.” I agreed quietly. During the lawn games, the kids had figured out he was a real-life G.I. Joe no thanks to Liam and Cade—the two of them had gotten a real good laugh when Carter was mobbed by about a dozen very small, very demanding tyrants begging for an airplane ride. At one point Carter had five different kids hanging off him, hounding him for another turn—he’d put on a good show, letting them tackle him to the ground, which made them all cheer with delight. And then, he of course gave them all another ride, because Jules was right, he was a total natural. I tried not to dwell on it as I shook my head. “Today has been so weird.”
“Good weird, or bad weird?” Jules brows crunched with concern.
“To be determined?” I sighed, and she looped her arm through mine, pulling me towards the living room. “How’s Doug?” I asked, changing the subject.
“I don’t know, long distance sucks.” She rolled her eyes. “I do not recommend.”
Liam walked by, and Jules plucked a cookie off his plate, and he grumbled, but let me do the same. “Thanks, Lee.” Jules called sweetly. “Just helping you keep your figure.”
Liam practically grunted at us as he headed past us to grab a seat for the Tricky Turkey gift exchange.
“Wow, this is exactly what I wanted.” Carter chuckled, pulling the t-shirt out of the gift bag. “Who intercepted my Christmas list from Santa?” He held the shirt up against his chest, and I grinned as the room erupted into cheers and chants, begging himto put it on.
“Take your top off!” Cade called across the room with a smirk.
Carter shook his head with a disbelieving grin. It was clear the shirt was going to be far too small to fit his massive frame, but he tried anyway. A moment later, his arms were tangled above his head because he couldn’t get the damn thing over his massive shoulders.
“Sorry, guys.” His voice was muffled as he struggled to get the shirt off, and I breathily dropped my gaze when his undershirt rode up, revealing row upon row of muscled stomach. “It’s too small.” He huffed, finally freeing himself.
“Shall we make some alterations?” Theo grinned and flicked out a pocket knife, looking at Cade.
“Guys.” Carter’s hair was mussed as he put his hands up, backing away with a smirk. “Don’t make me hurt you.”
“Yeah, sorry, there’s no way in hell you’re getting out of this one.” Liam grinned and whipped off his sweater, leaving him in a fitted white t-shirt.
Across the room, chairs were already being shifted out of the way.
“Don’t you want to play dress-up?” Cade rammed into Carter, tackling him to the floor in front of the Christmas tree before my brother and Theo piled on.
