“And what exactly are we playing, kiddos?” Gordan asks.
“Hide and seek!” Lucas says, jumping up.
The adults all chuckle.
“I’m too old to play hide and seek,” Hen laughs.
“No you’re not!” Oscar defends, pulling at her hands to get her standing. “You lot all hide and Lucas and I will find you. Whoever finds the most people wins.”
“And whoever is the last person to be found wins for the hiders,” Jake announces, standing up, and holding little Margot out for Lis to take.
“Well, I’m too big to hide anywhere, and someone needs to look after the little ones,” Lisa says, pulling Freddie from Lucas.
“What’s our countdown, Ozzy?” Jake asks, bouncing from one foot to the other, punching the air like Rocky. I smile at the nickname; I thought I was the only one who called Oscar that.
“Thirty seconds,” Oscar answers and before anyone has a chance to get up, Lucas starts counting loudly.
The older generation grunt and groan trying to get off the sofas, but Jake darts out the room, more excited than the kids.
Lucas is just past fifteen as I get upstairs, Lisa says we can use rooms that the doors are open of, which basically rules out Rhiannon and Luke’s room. I debate the bathroom, but Harry and Lisa don’t have cheap shower curtains, but transparent shower cubicles. I need to find somewhere to hide, and I admit to having a flutter of nerves in my belly as I think. Just like when you’re a kid. The smile stretching my face is probably the easiest that’s come since we started the holiday. This is fun.
Lisa’s parents and Aunt and Uncle all stayed downstairs; I have no idea where Jake went as he was out the door before any of us knew what was happening. Harry rushes past me in the hall and opens a door to a rather large airing cupboard.
“Come on Nelly-Belly,” he whisper-shouts at me. “Get a wriggle on.”
He slides between two shelving units and shuts the door behind him. I panic when I hear Lucas screamTHIRTYat the top of his lungs. I dart into the nearest bedroom, which I can only assume is Lisa and Harry’s because it’s huge. Decorated in soft pinks and greys with the biggest bed I’ve ever seen. I open a door to the left and see a large walk-in wardrobe. I close the door behind me but hesitate in the middle, deciding which side I should hide behind when an arm flings out and snakes around my waist, pulling me through a wall of evening gowns.
CHAPTER NINE
“I’m not above sabotage, you know?”
JAKE
Harry and Lisa are total couple-goals. I’m man enough to admit that I’m a little jealous of my best friend. They were always the perfect couple, perfect jobs, perfect kids, perfect house. And now, on Christmas Eve-Eve in their home that the McCallisters would be proud of, I’m playing hide and seek like a big kid. Harry gets to join in, too, while his wife entertains her niece and nephew. He has it made. It’s never worked out for me. Girlfriends and I have always wanted different things. Plus, there was always the issue of anytime a relationship started getting serious, a certain set of chocolate-brown eyes seemed to haunt me.
I’ll admit I always thought Nel was cute but in a sweet younger sister kind of way. When she got older, I certainly noticed how pretty she was, but she was still shy and retiring and I felt more protective than attracted. It wasn’t until I started seeing her online that something changed. I became intrigued by the person on the screen and definitely felt an attraction then. And I know how that sounds, okay. I havenotbeen jerking it to pictures of my best friend’s little sister. It’s not even the photos of her half naked arranged elegantly on plush furniture that had me hooked. It’s the videos where she’s talking to the camera. When she gives her followers that big, unhindered smile and talks freely and confidently. My favourite are the makeup tutorials—yes, I watch makeup tutorials, don’t be weird about it, okay?—where it’s just her, a ring light, and her art. She talks to the audience about her day, her clients, and what she’s doing. She is mesmerising. She’s cute and funny and her laugh sends pangs through my chest. How come I never heard that laugh before?
I want to get to know the Nel in those videos. She’s been plaguing me and my relationships for three years, and this morning I woke up with her arse firmly in my palm. Then a ten-minute car journey smelling her sweet scent drove me to make a risky decision, caging her against the car. I had to walk away before I did something really stupid like kiss her. Her lips are so plump and painted a deep pink that, in my head, tastes of sweet berries. Also, there was that glimpse of something red and lacy in her suitcase last night. Now, I have to say, Ireallylike women in lingerie. I’m sure most men would say that but then when they have a beautiful woman in front of them wearing intricate pieces, they’d be in a hurry to get her naked. I don’t want to rid a woman of a perfect ensemble; I like to work round it. There’s something about seeing soft silk against soft skin, delicate lace against delicate flesh, it sends all the blood rushing to my cock. Okay, yes, the makeup videos intrigue me, but the photographs turn me absolutely feral.
I have exactly one minute to think about all of this from my cushty hiding spot before the door to Lisa’s fancy walk-in opens and closes gently. I don’t have to poke my head out to see who it is, that brown sugar and sweet cinnamon scent fills the small space. I peak between the hangers and see her standing in the middle of the cupboard, looking indecisive. Her long, light-brown hair hangs in a thick braid all the way down to the middle of her back, and she looks effortlessly fashionable in her bright blue jeans and white shirt. I smile to myself as she just stands there. As the pitter patter of small feet come rushing up the stairs, I grab her and pull her to the dark side of the closet.
“You moving in on my prime hiding spot, Forrest?” I tease with narrowed eyes. Although it may have come out a little more threatening than planned, as there is a lot less room back here since I have her pushed against the wall; I’m nearly plastered against her and no space to move.
She arches a manicured brow at me and purses her juicy lips. “I didn’t know you were here,Partridge.”
“Hmmm,” I make the sound suspicious and subconsciously—yes, definitely subconsciously—I press into her a little further. “I’m not above sabotage, you know?”
Her eyes widen in mock shock. “I thought you had some making up to do. You know, I may have to see a specialist about my back, I’m getting a little shoulder pain.” She rolls her neck as though to test her discomfort and lets out a groan that has me nearly forgetting our little game. My cock twitches and I have to move my hips to try and save her from feeling the extent of my perversion.
“This is war, sweetheart.” I lean in, to hover my lips over hers and rest my forearm on the wall above her head. “But if you’re a good girl, I’ll rub you all better tonight.”
The satisfaction I feel in the way her eyes widen is better than anything, and her gasp comes just as the door swings open. I place a finger over my lips to remind her to keep quiet as one of the boys rummages through clothes on the other side of the closet. She bites her lip to stop her smile and, fuck me, I want to sink my teeth into that lip. So, I do the only thing I can think of, I push her back out to the other side of the rails.
“Aunty Nels-Bells?” Oscar’s surprise nearly makes me laugh and give myself away.
“Hey, Ozzy,” Nel puffs.
“Why’d you jump out at me? I’m supposed to find you.” His highly suspicious tone is highly comical.
