Page 67 of 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

Still, they had another half an hour until they pulled into town and he wanted to stay in this space with her for a few more miles. To enjoy her company and who they were together before he had to think about what happened next.

“Honestly, I was getting kinda concerned about the way your dad was looking at me.”

Delilah laughed. “And how was that?”

“Like he knew I was doing ungodly things to his daughter in their basement.”

“I wouldn’t say ungodly.”

He caught her telltale blush out of the corner of his eye and grinned. Since Thursday night, they’d kept things conservative in front of her parents while they went shopping at the mall or out to dinner and driving around to look at Christmas lights, but the minute they went to bed, Delilah would sneak downstairs to be with him. The way she’d smile at him, like a cat ready to lick every last drop of cream, was irresistible and it was all he could do to keep from forgetting why he’d decided to stay celibate and bury himself in her.

The hardest part about staying strong was the aftermath, when she’d curl up against him and they’d talk. Her hand would stroke his chest hair as she told him about some mischief Holly dragged her into and he’d laugh, running his palm over the silky skin of her hip. Talking to Delilah about anything and everything was the most intimate experience of his life. When he’d been with women before, he’d found snuggling with them uncomfortable and couldn’t wait until they fell asleep.

Delilah just fit. The curve of her body. Her warm, breathless laugh. How she didn’t mind being the big spoon when his arm fell asleep and he needed to reposition.

“You’re right,” he said, bringing her hands up to kiss the knuckles of the closest one. “Nothing that feels so good could be wrong.”

Anthony felt Delilah turn in the seat and her intense gaze made him look away from the road for a second and at her serious expression. “What?”

“I’m feeling a little guilty.”

“Why’s that?”

“I haven’t been respecting your feelings about sex. I’ve been so focused on how much I want to be close to you, when I should have let you take the lead.”

“If you’ll remember, I’m the one who started all the closeness,” he teased.

“So, no regrets?”

“I already told you I could never regret what’s between us.”

“And when we get back home?”

Anthony swallowed, debating on how best to say what he was thinking without sending her reeling. “There’s no question I want to see where you and I go, but I need to talk to Pike before we go public. I know you two never dated, but when he asked if I was interested in you, I told him no.”

“Why did you tell him that?” she asked softly.

Anthony could feel her grip on his hand slacken and he pulled the car off the road at the next turnout, putting it into park. “Hey, no, don’t do that. Remember, I thought the two of you were into each other. There was no point in saying anything if he was your first choice.”

Delilah leaned across the middle console and he met her halfway, their kiss sweet and insistent. When she tried deepening it, Anthony pulled back with a laugh.

“I can’t have you distracting me. It’s time to go home and face the music.”

Delilah pouted. “Fine. Since we’re pulled over, let me grab my water bottle from the back.”

“Alright,” he said, leaning back against the seat. A red car in the distance crested the hill and caught his attention. It drew closer and Anthony’s stomach bottomed out.

Shit, fuck, no, it’s not—

As the car passed by, Anthony watched the driver do a double take and flip around farther up the road, tearing back toward them. Delilah climbed back inside and asked, “Jeez, what’s that guy’s problem?”

“It’s Pike,” Anthony said, gripping the steering wheel.

“Oh, no,” Delilah put her hand on his arm, a comforting gesture, but Anthony was too busy watching his best friend whip his car into the space in front of him and open his door. Pike, in a black jacket with a beanie pulled over his head, climbed out and marched toward their car. He stopped in front of the hood and pointed his finger at Anthony.

“I fucking knew it!”

Anthony checked for cars and hopped out, shutting the door as he jogged after Pike, who was already headed back to his car.