Page 126 of Mistletoe Mischief

“Oh,” he said, dropping his head to her shoulder with a muffled, “Thank God.”

Ryler giggled. “I picked up the pill after our first time together. So I don’t want you to worry that I’m trying to trap you or anything.”

Pike stiffened, jerking back to stare down at her. “I wasn’t thinking that.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to offend you.”

“Would you stop apologizing?” Pike snapped, rolling away from her and sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to her.

Ryler sat up and scooted over to him, laying her cheek on his back. “I had a lot of fun with you, Pike. Thanks for inviting us here.”

Pike’s laugh had a bitter edge. “I’m glad you came.”

You don’t sound glad.

Suddenly, he turned and pulled her into his arms, holding her on his lap. When he kissed her, locking his arms around her as if afraid to let her go, Ryler tangled her hands in his hair.

When he pulled away, she was ready to take back everything and agree to anything he asked, but that wasn’t fair. Not with how much she cared for him.

“You’ll call?” Pike asked, his forehead pressed to hers. “We can still keep in touch, right?”

“Sure, I’ll call you.” Ryler extracted herself from his embrace and climbed to her feet. “We’ll still be friends.”

Ryler thought he flinched as he stood. “Yeah, friends.”

They dressed as quietly as they’d stripped, Ryler’s mind heavy with everything she wanted to say but was too scared to. She led him out the door and said good night again. When she shut the door after him, she almost crumpled into a heap on the floor. Kit’s door opened, and he came around the corner, watching her emotional meltdown grimly.

“You know we could stay, right?” Kit asked, leaning against the wall. “Come back after the new year and not renew our sponsor contracts. Hang out in the cold, snowy north and enjoy being with people who make us happy?”

Ryler laughed. “Let me guess. Ricki.”

“Yes.”

“What if they don’t want that, though? What if we stay, and after a few weeks or even months, they decide they made a mistake picking us?” Ryler wiped a tear from her cheek.

“Then we move on but know we tried.”

Ryler pushed off the door and headed to the bedroom. “We need to pack.”

“I’m already done, but while you stuff your clothes into a suitcase, think about what I said.”

Ryler closed the door behind her and sat on the bed, picking her phone off the side table. Instinctively, she called Alia, but when she didn’t answer, Ryler tapped on Neil’s contact.

He picked up on the second ring.

“Ryls? You alright?”

His deep voice, so filled with worry, reminded her why he’d always been her second-in-command. Her best friend and partner.

“No, but I wanted to see what you and Alia were up to. Have you told your parents yet?”

“Yes, and funny enough, they took it really well. We were going to head down and spend a week with them after we pick you up from the airport.”

Oh goodie, spending the holidays with my cousin, her boyfriend, and his parents. It didn’t matter that Ryler had spent plenty of holidays with Neil’s parents. This time, she wouldn’t just be the friend who had nowhere else to go, but the third wheel.

“Ryler? Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you and the outdoorsman, or am I going to have to guess?”

Ryler sniffled into the phone. “I think … I mean, I love him.”