Page 36 of Filthy Rich Santas

Lana’s fingers trail over my chest in a way that feels far too good. I don’t even think she’s aware of it.

After a minute, she asks, “Is she really okay with it, though? Even something like that?”

“There’s nothing wrong with being kinky,” I tell her firmly. “As long as it’s safe, sane, and consensual, it’s a healthy way to express your sexuality.”

“Is that what you told Grandma Meg?”

I laugh. “That’s what she toldme. And believe me, if you think getting ‘the talk’ from a parental figure is bad, it’s nothing compared to the version you get if you admit to unconventional interests.”

“But you were able to admit it to her,” she says quietly. “That’s kind of amazing.”

“We don’t keep secrets from each other. We’re all that we have.”

“No, you’ve got my brother. You’ve got Ryder and Beckett too.”

I smile, the tightness on the left side of my mouth from my scarring not bothering me for once. “True.”

She shakes her head with another soft laugh, one that gets swallowed up by a yawn. “I still can’t believe she knows you three own a kink club.”

“She knows. And she’s proud of us. Proud ofme. Not just for making a successful business, but for fulfilling her one wish for me.”

“To be happy,” Lana repeats softly. “I love that. I can’t imagine hearing anything like that from my family. I can’t remember them ever telling me they were proud of something I’ve done.”

My heart twists. I hate that her family makes her feel like their love is conditional. I know Beckett went through the same thing with his father, and I’ve seen up close and personal how much it fucked him up.

Lana doesn’t deserve that, and I can only assume that Caleb doesn’t realize how deeply she feels it, because hedoeslove her. He wouldn’t want her to have that kind of pain.

Neither do I. It hits me suddenly that she hasn’t shared these feelings with him, her own brother—but she just shared them with me. That thought makes my heart twist in an entirely different way.

I kiss the top of her head, holding her a little closer. “For what it’s worth,I’mproud of you.”

“You don’t have to say that.”

“I know, but it’s true. You’ve built an incredible life for yourself. Graduated with honors. Are great at your job. Had the good sense to say fuck off to that piece of shit you were dating…”

She laughs, lightly smacking my chest. “Stop” Her voice softens as she adds, “Thank you.”

I kiss the top of her head again, breathing in cherry blossoms and honey.

“Do you remember the winter the ice rink flooded?” she asks out of the blue.

I chuckle softly. “Of course I do.”

“Caleb was so mad. He never would tell me where you guys ended up going to sneak in your practice while they were fixing it.”

“That’s because we were all sworn to secrecy,” I say as she yawns again. Then I go ahead and tell her anyway as she snuggles deeper into my arms, because the dark has already stripped away a few secrets tonight. What’s one more?

Halfway through the story, I realize by her steady breathing that she’s fallen asleep.

I keep talking anyway, my voice getting softer and softer, just because I like it.

Talking to her.

Holding her.

Having her in my bed.

I like it far, far too much. And it takes me a lot longer than it should to finally fall asleep.

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