Page 30 of Merry Kissmas

“I could be here childless enjoying a morning coffee, but someone’s ex-military husband had to drag my husband out of bed when it was still dark.Who picks the holidays to start a workout regimen?Only Andrew.”Kenzie shakes her head while we all laugh.“He took yours too.”Kenzie places Nolan in the blocked off area with the toys.

He whines for Ryah, and my dad goes over there with the two of them to play.God, I love my parents.

“He’s not mine,” I say.

“I’m making Ryah an egg.Want me to make one for Nolan too?”my mom asks.

“Oh Gwen, I can?—”

“Nonsense, I’m already here.”My mom waves her off, then goes to the fridge to get another egg.

“Thank you, Gwen.You’re spoiling me.Especially since Tessa should be making the eggs since she’s the one who’s allowing her husband to work out on vacation.”

Tessa balks, and they laugh.“Trust me, you’ll thank me later when his stamina is so good.”

I cover my ears.“Okay, gross.”

I’m really kidding.I got over the fact my brothers have a sex life a long time ago.I didn’t really have a choice with Carter being the way he is.

“Talking about brothers and sex… who is Faith?”Kenzie asks.

“Flavor of the month?”I direct the question to my mom.

She huffs.“He says he likes this one.”Her look says maybe not.“It hasn’t been that long though.”

I shouldn’t judge.I’m still hung up on a guy I met six years ago and spent one weekend with.

“Speak of the devil,” Tessa says, eyeing the door where Carter appears, the only guy besides my dad who didn’t work out this morning.

He holds open the door for Faith.She’s cute, but she’s his typical type.A brunette who looks at him as though he can do no wrong.I’d like a woman who challenges him a bit.

“Someone skipped the workout,” Kenzie says.“Good for you, Faith.Way to keep him in your bed.Want to do a quick tutorial later?”

Everyone laughs.

“It’s the other way around.I keep her in bed.She wanted to go workout with the guys,” Carter says, going over to the kid’s area and kneeling next to my dad to play with the kids.

The thought of Faith in tight workout leggings, bending over in front of Pierce, ignites the embers of jealousy I didn’t think still lived under my skin.

Mom finishes the eggs, and Tessa and Kenzie get their kids situated in their highchairs to eat.The door opens again, and the workout crew files in.My brother heads right over to Ryah, kissing her head and pretending to take her eggs.Then he goes over to Tessa and murmurs something in her ear.She pushes him away gently, talking about how sweaty he is.

Andrew does the exact same thing with Kenzie, except he tells her to get up off the chair and go relax, sitting in the seat next to Nolan to take over.

“You’re all losers for working out,” Carter says.“This is a vacation, and you all have women in your beds.”He sits at the table.

“I didn’t.”Pierce eyes me as he grabs a water bottle from the fridge.His forearms flex as he opens it, and I admire the sweat coating his skin.

He looks good fresh off a workout.Why am I surprised?He always looked edible when he was sweaty from sex too.

“You should’ve brought someone,” Carter says to Pierce.“Ouch.”

I turn to see Carter rubbing his forearm.

“Jesus, Tessa, those nails of yours.”Carter glares at her.

And there it is, my family thinking something is going to happen between Pierce and me.They’ve already put us together in their minds.Well, they’re wrong.

“Did you have your coffee yet?”Pierce asks me in a low voice, crushing his empty water bottle and tossing it in the recycling.

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