Page 54 of Merry Kissmas

I pick up the remote and pause the movie.“Mom.Dad.”

Both of them bolt up from their chairs.

“Sorry.”Dad runs a hand down his face.

“You two go to bed.We’ll close up the lodge,” I say.

They both stand.

“Thanks, guys.”My mom gives us a tired smile.

Dad puts his arm around my mom, and they make their way out the door.

Pierce lifts his arm, and I curl into his body, pressing Play on the movie.I run my hand along his muscled chest, slipping it under the hem of his sweatshirt.He doesn’t say anything, and other than his fingers running down my arm and back, he continues to watch the movie.

My body buzzes.I want to lift myself and straddle him, feel how hard I make him.Why am I fighting this?I lift my lips to his neck, and he groans.

“What are you doing?”he whispers as if other people are in the room.

“I can’t resist.”I press my lips to his skin again, this time on his strong jaw.

He turns his head, and through the flicker of light from the movie, our eyes meet.“What do you want, Brynn?”

“I want you to kiss me.”

He lowers his head and closes his eyes for a moment before looking back at me.His green eyes are filled with lust I want to quench.I lick my lips, ready and waiting as he grows closer, my entire body buzzing.

The door opens, and a cool breeze rushes between us.

“Shh… sweet girl, Mommy needs to sleep,” Tre says, holding Ryah, who is crying loudly.

Guess the moment is over.

ChapterTwenty-One

Pierce

We’re told to return early from hitting the hills for a scavenger hunt.When I get back to our villa and find it empty, I decide to shower and get cleaned up.I was with Andrew, while Brynn went with Tre.

While I’m in the bathroom, I recall her touches from last night.The way Brynn’s hand slid up the bottom of my sweatshirt and ran across my chest.My threadbare T-shirt doing nothing to keep the heat of her palm from searing into my skin.

I would never want to rush her, and when she told me she was ready to open the door to the possibility of something happening between us again the other night, it took every ounce of my willpower to remain cuddling on the couch rather than picking her up and taking her to bed.

Last night when Tre interrupted us, she withdrew quickly, and I missed her immediately.

We got up, and she folded the blanket and let Tre have the main house while we returned to our villa.But once we were inside, any hope that things would pick up where they left off were lost when she went into the bathroom and shut the door.I was pretty sure she wasn’t shaving and putting on a sexy outfit.More likely she was telling herself things were going too fast.

But that’s okay.I’ll wait for her.She’s worth it.

I turn off the shower, sliding the glass door to the side and reaching for a towel when I hear her singing in the room beyond the door.The girl is Christmas all day every day, even down to the music she’s listening to.

She’s singing “All I Want For Christmas is You,” and I smile, hoping like hell she’s thinking of me.

I run the towel over my wet hair, eager to get dried off and join her.The bathroom door opens, and we both freeze.

She blinks and rushes out, slamming the door.“I’m so sorry, Pierce.I didn’t hear you.”

I wrap the towel around myself, step out of the shower, and open the door.

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