Page 78 of Merry Kissmas

He runs his fingers down my back.“I’d like to.Is that not something you want?Would it be moving too fast?”

I think about it for a second.“Is it weird if it doesn’t feel fast?”

He chuckles and kisses my cheek.“No.It’s our decision on what we want to do.I don’t want to be apart from you.I’m not asking for marriage or even living together, but I want to be in the same zip code.That’s all.”

I flip around and straddle his lap, clinging to him like a koala bear.“Me too.I want that too.”

“Then let’s do it.I’ll go back to Portland with you until we hear back from Enzo, then we can make our decision on what to do.I’ll even stay at a hotel, so you don’t have to house me.”

I rear back and look into his big green eyes.“You’re staying with me, end of discussion.And can I just say how adult I feel right now?Like we’ve really got our shit together this time.”

He laughs, and I cast kisses all over his beautiful face.

Life is good.

But Pierce is better.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Pierce

Ever since Brynn and I got together, time just flies by.It’s Christmas Eve, and we spent the day on the slopes after she convinced me to rent a snowboard.Is there anything I wouldn’t do for her?But it ended up being fun.Tre, Tessa, Kenzie, and Andrew all met us there.We spent a good part of the day on the mountain and thankfully didn’t run into Kacey when we grabbed lunch.Then we came back for a nap.No surprise, Brynn and I didn’t take a nap.

Now it’s time to head over to the main house to have dinner with everyone.

Gwen and Abe are already in the kitchen when we arrive, so I go over to help them.

“What can I do?”I ask.

“Nothing, go enjoy your holiday.You’ve helped enough this week.”Gwen nudges me to leave, but it doesn’t seem right to allow them to do all the cooking on their own.

I laugh and am ready to turn around when I spot something on the mantel.

All week, the stockings have hung above the fireplace, and I haven’t really thought much of them.They’re clearly all handmade.Each one has a Santa or a snowman or a reindeer with each person’s name stitched across it.

Now there’s a new one right next to Brynn’s.

A hand lands on my forearm.“I didn’t know if I’d have it done on time.But I finished it this morning.”Gwen smiles.

“But… I’m not…” The words refuse to come out.

“Oh, Pierce, I knew it the minute you admitted to knowing Brynn before you arrived here.The way she looked at you, a mother knows.And even if you two don’t work out, for some reason that is beyond me, you’re one of us now.But if Faith asks, say that Brynn made it for you.I don’t want her to feel bad, but you know…”

She squeezes my arm and walks away before I can say thank you.

Brynn walks up to me, trailing her fingers down my chest like I love.“Why are you so white?”

“Your mum made me a stocking.”I’m still staring at my name stitched across the top, hung with everyone else’s, as if I’m a part of the family.My gut twists, and my chest tightens.

“I know.”Brynn smiles wide.“She was so happy she was able to finish it in time and thankful when she bought the kit for Kenzie’s family that it came with four.”Brynn turns around and admires the stocking.“We look good next to one another.”

I can’t speak.The words aren’t coming out.I stand there silently, like an idiot, for a moment before I’m able to finally push some words past my lips.“Excuse me.”

I kiss the top of Brynn’s head and walk out the back door by the fire pit.I stand by the fire, watching the orange flames and feeling the warmth, my heart still beating out of my chest no matter what I try to do to calm it down.

The door opens behind me, and I expect it to be Andrew, but when arms wrap around my waist, I know it’s Brynn.

“Are you okay?”

---