Page 19 of Merry Kissmas

“God, Pierce,” I said.

I’m jolted awake and out of my memory by something, and when I look around, I find Pierce smirking at me.

“What, pray tell, are you dreaming about?”

My face heats.There’s no way he knows.“It was a nightmare actually.Apparently, I’m still in it.”

He laughs.“I didn’t realize you moan when you’re scared.I quite enjoy hearing my name and God in the same sentence.”

“It’s not what you think,” I snipe, although what I wouldn’t do to escape back to the memory of him inside me.

“If you say so.”

I look across to see the Wainwrights asleep, wishing I still was.God help me, get me off this plane.

ChapterNine

Pierce

When we land, I stare at the bag of Skittles shoved in the pocket of the seat in front of her.She never touched them.Heaviness invades my chest.

The only thing buoying my mood right now is that she was either remembering our time together or dreaming of me because those two words, “God, Pierce,” were in her throaty turned-on voice.That moment repeats through my head like the lyrics of a favorite song.

I allow her to head down the aisle first, after Kenzie and Andrew walk out with a wide-awake Nolan.They wait for their stroller while Brynn and I continue into the terminal to wait.

“Are you excited to see your family?”I ask.

“Yes.Where is your family this Christmas?”she asks.“Aren’t they going to miss you?”

“Andrew is my family,” I answer.A quick, easy answer that hopefully won’t spur any more questions.

She turns toward me, and I recognize the determination in her eyes from when she was in my class.She’s going to hit me with a hard question.I don’t think Andrew would have told her about my past, but I feel unprepared.

“Finally, let’s go.”Kenzie walks by us as Andrew pushes the stroller.

Thank God.

We fall in step behind them and go down to retrieve our luggage, then the rental car.By the time we’re on the road, Brynn is on one side of Nolan’s car seat, and I’m on the other.Not exactly what I was hoping for.

“I can drive,” I say to Andrew.“That way you two can sit back here with the little guy.”

“Have you ever driven in the States?”Andrew asks.

“I think the concept is the same as in Britain,” I say.“Stay on your side of the road.”

Brynn’s head is buried in her phone, and I’m sure she’s not paying us any attention.Maybe she’s as exhausted as I am.The early wake-up for my interview, the lack of sleep I got last night, and the nerves from being around Brynn is a lot to handle.Although she’s already the highlight of my trip even if she doesn’t want anything to do with me.

“I can’t wait to see it in the morning,” Kenzie says, staring out the window into the dark.

There’s a lot more snow here, that’s for sure.I don’t know much about where we’re staying.Andrew didn’t go into a lot of detail when he ambushed me into this trip.

My mistake was telling him I was coming for an interview right before the holidays.Before I could make up an excuse, he told me I should stay for a visit and come on a skiing holiday with him and Kenzie.I had no idea he was going with another family until I had already asked Mancini Advertising to book my return flight to Utah.

Who would have guessed I’d be lucky enough to be on holiday with Brynn?

“Let’s play some Christmas carols.”Kenzie has definitely found a little pep since the flight.

Nolan’s feet kick up and down, and she grabs Andrew’s phone that’s hooked up to the vehicle for the GPS.

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