“We did one today,” I mumble my admission, dropping my gaze to avoid Mel’s smug stare. “Dean went out and chopped down a small fir—hurting his shoulder more, by the way. Before I knew it, he had it standing proudly in my living room, and a box of decorations right beside it, ready to be unpacked.
“Hamilton!”
Squeaking, Mel spins and collects our drinks, then she skips back my way and offers my cup. “The universe had some shit to say this year, and I think she knew you’d intentionally try to misinterpret the message.”
“And byshe, you mean?—”
“The universe. Knowing you and the shit you pull, she sent Dean, that big smiling goofball, to ensure nothing would get lost in translation. He might not be your forever, Anna Banana, but he’s your right now, and dammit, he’s staring at you like you’re everything he’s ever wanted.”
My pulse hammers in my ears, thundering louder as I turn and meet his eyes.
Scooping her arm around mine, Mel circles and starts our trek back to the trio. “Enjoy it. Whatever it is, for however long it lasts, I just want you to soak it up and bathe in it. Because you deserve happiness more than anyone else I’ve ever met.” She squeezes my arm, bumping her hip against mine. “How does he kiss?”
“Oh my gosh,” I giggle. “So good. It’s not just a kiss, Mel. It’s like…” I release a heavy sigh. “It’s consumption. It’s intoxicating and mesmerizing and delicious, and if I let myself sink too deep, I’m scared I won’t find my way back to the surface again. He has a whole life somewhere else, and it’s possible he’s…” Nervous, I lower my voice and peek left. Peek right. “Running from the law. What if he decides this was a fun Christmas romance, but now he’s done? I’ll have sunk all the way into this deep, dark cavern where kissing is magical and his stare is all-consuming, and he’ll have just walked away. No ladder left behind to help me climb out again. No light to lead the way.”
“Or maybe you don’t need a ladder,” she counters. “Because maybe he’ll be sunkwithyou.”
“You two look like you’re up to no good.” With a playful smirk, Nick extends his hand as we approach and drags Mel into his side the instant she’s close enough. He claims her lips with his own, teasing and smiling. “I love seeing you happywith your best friend, Princess. But I won’t lie; I’m always a little terrified of whatever crazy shit you’re cooking up between you.”
“We bought cocoa.” She tilts her head, angling away to allow the man space to nibble on her neck. “What did you guys talk about while we were gone?”
“Weddings,” Dean answers easily, one hand wrapped around his drink—not a beer—and the other arm cradled against his chest. “Nick told us where he’s taking Mel for their honeymoon.”
Gasping, I swing determined eyes back to the pair. “You told him? You won’t even tell me!”
“Because it’s a surprise. There’s nothing you won’t tell her, and I’m not ready for my almost-wife to know until we’re already on the plane.”
I look to Dean and lay on my most convincing, sexiest smile.For my brother. “You’ll tell me, won’t you?”
“Sure. On Christmas morning.”
“But they’ll already be there by then!”
“Mmhm.” He settles back on his heels, bouncing his brows. “I know.”
Carter clears his throat, the awkward fifth wheel, the sour-faced Grinch—Ha! I’m not the Grinch of our group today!Shuffling on his feet, he scratches the back of his neck and tilts his head… away. “I was hoping to talk with you for a sec, Anna?” He gulps, nervous. “Alone.”
“Oh… well…” I meet Dean’s wary gaze. “Actually?—”
“Ten!” Festivalgoers shout in unison, cheering as the fairy lights surrounding the park fall dark. “Nine!”
“Maybe another time,” Dean rumbles, dismissing Carter and stalking across our small patch of grass to stand behind me. Hischest warms my back. His hand goes to my hip. Best of all, his breath bathes my neck, and for just a second, while my eyes are still adapting to the change in visibility, his lips weave magic in the warm spot behind my ear.
“Seven!”
“Get ready, beautiful.” He slides his hand around to caress my stomach. “It’s gonna be pretty and sad and exhilarating and emotional. It’ll be all the things.”
“Five!”
“And I won’t be able to hold you through all of it,” he rasps. “Not the way I wanna.”
“Three!”
I stare toward the tree towering into the sky, the dark shape just waiting to be lit.
“I’m right here,” he murmurs, dropping his hand and taking half a step back. “I’m with you. You can lean on me as little or as much as you like. If you wanna stay all night, we can stay. If you’d rather leave, I’m leaving with you.”
“One!”
