Page 47 of 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

“You’re a free agent,” she said. “You don’t owe me a thing.”

“Can I see your phone, please?” he asked. She pulled it out of her leggings and handed it to him. “I’m putting my number in and texting myself so I’ll have yours. Let me know when you get home, and I’ll do the same.”

Delilah took her phone back, fighting a smile when she saw the text he’d sent himself.

Anthony is a sexy AF.

“You need to go before he starts calling again or comes looking for you.”

“I know.” His thumb smoothed over her bottom lip before he kissed her, a hard, fast kiss. “Text me.”

“I will.”

Chapter Thirteen

I’m not a terrible person, am I?

Anthony climbed out of his truck the following morning at seven fifty-five with a drink containers in one hand and a bag in the other. He’d stopped at Kiss My Donut to get them breakfast and caffeine, although despite getting very little sleep, he was wired and ready to get on the road. Unfortunately, he’d failed to tell Pike he was traveling to Boise with Delilah. The guilt was eating him alive. He hated lying, knew the consequences and how even small lies could turn someone’s world upside down, and yet he’d omitted the truth from his best friend.

It wasn’t that Anthony thought Pike was broken up about Delilah’s rejection, but Anthony didn’t want to start anything with Delilah until after he’d had time to talk to his friend. Although, watching Pike pound back drinks and bemoan his single circumstances had been severely less fun than everything he could have been doing with Delilah last night. Only sex with Delilah wouldn’t solve his more significant issue and the reason he’d taken the vow of celibacy in the first place.

He’d never been in love at this point in his life. He was worried that he wasn’t capable of it. Nick and Noel had both been in multiple relationships before they realized their feelings for each other, and Pike had engaged his fair share of partners as well. They’d all experienced some degree of love multiple times. Anthony loved his mom and friends, but he’d never burned for anyone romantically, never experienced the overwhelming need to tell them he loved them. Even Yvette, whom he’d dated the longest, hadn’t moved him. There wasn’t a hole in his life when she broke up with him. He’d just gone on living.

Much like his father had after leaving his mother.

Just the thought of the man who’d sired him sent Anthony into a rage and he was going to the man’s house all day? Anthony tried not to think about what he’d agreed to, knowing that although he’d been invited to dinner, his reception would most likely be less than cordial. His other brothers weren’t exactly warm and fuzzy types. Part of him was curious as to why his father extended an invite now, but mostly, visiting his estranged family was a necessary evil to spend time with Delilah. After last night though, how could he tell her they needed to pump the brakes?

On top of the raw nerves about seeing his family, Anthony was nervous to tell Delilah about his vow. Would she believe him? Laugh at him?

He cradled the food in his other arm and used his free hand to ring the doorbell and heard Leia’s high-pitched barking inside. Delilah wore a maroon sweater dress that showed off her creamy shoulders when she opened the door. He noticed her legs were bare above the knee-high black boots she wore, and he swore, “Fuck me, woman, you’ve lived in Idaho your whole life, and you’re out here dressed like you’re from California. Why aren’t you wearing pants?”

Delilah scowled. “Good morning to you, too! To answer your question, I will sit in my nice warm car for the two hours and twenty-seven minutes of our drive.” Delilah’s dark look dissolved when she pointed to his hands. “I’ll be fine! Is that coffee and breakfast for the both of us?”

“Yes.” He should have left them in the car and just come up to see what she was doing first. “I think we should take the truck. I keep a blanket, a case of water, an emergency food kit, and other essentials in my back seat. I’m prepared for everything.”

“Well, aren’t you a Boy Scout?” she said dryly. “It would take three times more gas to get there in that tank than mine. I’ll make you a deal, though. I’ll let you hang on to my car, so if you need to duck out of your dad’s place, you aren’t trapped. Or paying insane Uber holiday prices.”

“Except I don’t feel comfortable taking your car to my dad’s and leaving you stranded.” Especially if things go south and he needed to head back to Mistletoe.

Delilah shrugged. “If I want to go somewhere, my mom will let me use her car. Seriously, I’m fine.”

“Alright, if you’re sure,” Anthony said, lifting his full hands up in surrender, “I’ll put these in the car and my duffle in the trunk.”

“Let me get my bag and Leia and I’ll meet you at the car.” Delilah turned and Anthony stepped over the threshold, checking out her house. The cream walls had photo collages and bookish art on the wall from what he could see. Delilah bent over to unlock Leia’s cage and the fabric of her dress stretched, drawing Anthony’s attention to the round, thick ass.

Realizing he was staring at her like a creep, Anthony cleared his throat and looked away. “Don’t you want to change into something warmer?”

“No,” Delilah said, the cage springing open with a metal twang. Leia bounded out of the cage and ran circles around him, stopping to sniff his boots. “All my sweaters are vacuum sealed in my suitcase, and if I open them up, I won’t be able to close them, and I’ll have to repack.”

Anthony looked to the sky, calling on a higher power to give him strength, when Delilah returned with a large roller luggage, a tote bag, and a backpack slung over one shoulder. Leia gave up her inspection of his footwear and wiggled her fuzzy butt by Delilah’s side but didn’t cross over the threshold when her mom paused in front of Anthony.

“Why would you need to pack so much?” Anthony grumbled. “Aren’t you only going for the weekend?”

“I like to have choices,” she said, releasing the handles to point to each bag. “My mom usually packs in half a dozen fun-filled activities, and the tote is Leia’s food, dog bowls, and toys.”

“What about the backpack?” he asked.

“That has my laptop for work, my iPad, my headphones, chargers, knitting—”