Page 36 of Miles & Mistletoe

Usually, Ian sent emails, read over reports, or did some other form of work while we were on the plane. But this time, there wasn’t anything having to do with Zerlinger Beer in sight. Save for the spiked eggnog that had somehow found its way into the plane’s refrigerator, among the other refreshments for the flight. Instead of working, Ian and I talked about any and everything. Just as we’d done while at the cabin. It was the shortest plane ride I’d ever remembered taking. And somehow, once we landed, I knew that things would be different between Ian and I. After all, nothing good ever lasts, right?

****

Ian

“You’re fidgeting,” Stacia admonished yet again, just as we stepped out of the town car that had brought us to my brother’s palatial home, in one of the wealthiest suburbs of Dallas. “Stop that,” she stated, swatting my hands away from my bowtie.

Any other person doing that would’ve surely pissed me off, but with Stacia it made me want to toss her over my shoulder and find the nearest door to lock us behind and not come up for air for a while. That thought alone, let me know just how crazy I was over this woman, seeing as how we’d spent most of the afternoon after our flight in bed in the hotel suite I’d booked in Dallas for the night. My main home was being renovated and wasn’t ready for guests.

“There,” she said as she finished adjusting my tie, then looking up at me with a cheeky grin. The red lipstick she wore caused me to wonder what it would look like smeared all over, from my kissing her. I then wondered if it was that new lipstick women wore that didn’t smear. Ordinarily, I’d prefer the latter, but with Stacia, nothing turned me on more than the idea of her lips swollen, lipstick smeared, nostrils flaring, and cheeks flushed from our lovemaking.

“Stop staring.” She giggled, breaking me out of my trance.

“I don’t stare.”

She immediately nodded. “That’s a lie if ever I’ve heard one. Are you ready?” she questioned, looking behind her to the huge double door in which a few other guests were passing through, then back to me.

“That’s supposed to be my line.”

“Then say it so we can go in.”

I grinned before placing a kiss to the corner of her lips. She looked absolutely divine in the long, sleeveless gold silk gown, paired with the diamond necklace I’d given her on the plane. She wore it with a pair of diamond studs she already owned. As soon as I saw the earrings, I began making plans in my head to purchase her another, larger pair. The ones she wore were nice but I knew I could find a pair that was more akin to everything she’d brought into my life in such a short period of time.

“Are you ready?” I finally asked, holding out my arm for her to wrap her hand around. When she did, I proceeded to lead us to my brother’s front door. For the first time, the apprehension I felt whenever walking into my brother’s home was diminished.

“Ian.”

I heard my name as soon as I stepped over the threshold, behind Stacia. I turned my head to the right, seeing my brother’s wife, Kelly a few feet from the door. Standing right next to her, of course, was my brother. He rarely let the woman out of his sight. Most might think it was simply because of how beautiful Kelly was, with her bright blue eyes, natural blonde locks, and well put together appearance, but it was something else.

As I glanced to my left, at Stacia on my arm, I suddenly realized what it was like to not want a woman to be out of your sight.

“Hey, little brother,” Bruce greeted, walking toward Stacia and I with his wife in tow.

“We were afraid you might not show up,” Kelly stated with a beaming smile as she pulled me into a hug, one of the few people to dare do so.

“Kelly, Bruce, this is my …” I turned to look at Stacia, and for once, I was at a loss for words. Saying she was my date didn’t nearly describe all that she was to me, but calling her my girlfriend didn’t seem appropriate given that we’d never had that discussion. Calling her a friend would be the truth but not the total truth because she was so much more than that.

“This is Stacia,” I finally managed to get out. But a frown formed on my lips as soon as the sentence was out of my mouth and I watched Stacia’s smile wobble a little and her eyelashes lower, shielding her gaze from my view.

“Pleasure to meet you, Stacia. I’m Kelly, and this is my husband, Bruce, Ian’s older brother.” Kelly managed to get all of that out while pulling Stacia in for a warm hug, the same as she’d done to me. She was a natural hugger.

“Pleasure to meet you, Stacia,” Bruce greeted, shaking Stacia’s hand.

“Thank you. You both have a beautiful home.”

“Why thank you,” Kelly answered in her southern drawl. She was Dallas born through and through. “I told Bruce it was too big but he insisted. The size does come in handy when hosting events like this.”

We made small talk for a few more minutes before Kelly managed to steal Stacia away to introduce her to a few other women who had shown up. I watched as the women walked farther and farther away from us. Most notably, I watched Stacia, not wanting to take my eyes off of her.

“You watch her almost as much as I watch over Kelly.” Bruce’s words pulled me back to the fact that he was still standing there, obviously observing me.

“Keep your eyes on your wife and off of me,” I retorted, sharply. I swiped a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and took a long sip before turning back to my brother. I was surprised and annoyed to find him wearing a huge grin. For most of our lives, my brother and my relationship had been pretty contentious. We were raised not as siblings so much as adversaries. My father’s idea was that Bruce and I had to compete against one another to earn the top spot at Zerlinger Beer and Spirits. Hence, the stemming of most of our contention. However, since Bruce had met and married Kelly five years prior, he’d done almost a one-eighty, softening his exterior and even getting him to scale back his role in the company he once lived for. His wife and two children seemed to be the center of his world now, rather than running the company. It should’ve made me happy. But in that moment, it grated on my nerves like nothing else.

“Well, she’s more than just your date. Lest, you would’ve said as much. She’s not quite your girlfriend, seeing as how you didn’t say that either. So what is she to you?” Bruce asked, obviously not letting the topic die.

“She’s none of your damn business.”

At that, Bruce let out a hardy laugh and actually clapped me on the back.

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