Page 3 of A Kiss For The Holidays

We cross the grass, Dalton waving to some people he knows and I shiver as we climb the steps to the open front door. Dalton pulls me closer, wrapping his big arm around me. I burrow into him, loving the feel of his strength and the warmth radiating from his body, before straightening up and pushing him away, pretending to grumble at his overbearing nature.

Vale Lodge is a hamlet about two hours outside of London. It's small, but has its own university, which means that most of the population of the town are students and, by the looks of it, a large percentage of them are at this house party. Who organised it, I have no idea and truth be told, I didn’t really want to be here, but Dalt wanted to come, so I tagged along - like usual. I’m designated driver tonight - again, like usual - and I’m hoping that it won’t be a late one because we have to leave our dorms at five tomorrow morning to drive up to London to meet our families for the annual McKenzie-Ryan holiday getaway.

When I was nine and the McKenzies moved in, our mums hit it off immediately just like I thought they would, and our sisters were later born only two months apart. Since then, our families have gone on holiday together every year. This year’s holiday is a skiing trip to Austria. Dalton practically exploded with excitement when they told us. He’s a proper extreme sports junkie which I am very much not. This year he’s majoring in Adventure Sports and Coaching. It’s the second time he’s changed his course, but this major does seem to be the one that’s sticking. Dalton has always been undecided about what he wants from his career; he’s not flaky per se nor is he unreliable but sometimes, he has a hard time committing to things. I’ve known whatI wanted to do since I was seven, so this is another way we are complete opposites.

“This is quite a turnout, who knew Perry knew so many people.” I survey the groups of people again wondering who Perry is, when I feel Dalton’s hand on my wrist.

“Come on, Ash, let’s grab a drink and find the guys,” he suggests, pulling me further into the house. We reach the kitchen where the music is softer, but the crowd is no less dense. Dalton uses his size to muscle his way to the counter where an array of soft drinks, beers, ciders and much harder bottles of liquor are standing. He grabs us each a beer and pours them into two plastic glasses. I stay glued to his side, not wanting to lose him in the crowd or get swept away into the sea of heaving bodies attempting to bump and grind to the awful music.

“Kenzie!” A booming voice calls out and I turn in time to see Rossi, the goalie on the university football team and one of Dalton’s friends, pushing through the crowd. Coming to stand next to us, he slaps Dalton on the shoulder then reaches for the cup of beer that was meant to be mine, chugging it down in one gulp and then slamming the cup down with a chuckle. “Fucking hell Kenz, have you seen the tits on some of these girls?” He elbows Dalton, whose eyes turn to catch mine briefly before focusing back on Rossi, who still hasn’t acknowledged my presence. He rubs his hands together like he’s warming them up. “I think I’m getting lucky tonight! I can feel it in my bone.” He drops his hands then rubs one down his crotch and laughs at his attempt at a joke before throwing his arm over Dalton’s shoulder.

“Nice, Rossi, very classy,” Dalton says but doesn’t shrug him off and I’m left standing feeling wholly insignificant while they chat and laugh together. I didn’t want to be here, why the fuck had I let him talk me into coming? The short answer is the same as always - because I do everything Dalton suggests, a sucker trying to soak up any time I can with him. “Where’s everyone else?” Dalton asks while pouring three new drinks.

“Ivy, Kiki and Roamy are in the basement, I think Connell and Riley are down there too.” Rossi lists off the people who make up Dalton’s group of friends. I’m an outlier in the group - here because Dalton wants me here and he gets a little pouty when I try to get out of joining him - but far from accepted as ‘one of the gang.’ I do have a few of my own friends - mostly people from my classes - but mostly, I’m wherever he is. My best friend is popular, people adore him. And why wouldn't they? He’s friendly, considerate, always the first one to offer help and if you looked up sunshine in the dictionary, I am sure it would be his name you’d find.

Dalton offers Rossi a drink and he takes it, dropping his arm from Dalton’s neckthen tips his head, gesturing towards the door leading to another part of the house. “Come, let's see what’s happening down there.” He starts heading off, drink in hand, and Dalton turns to follow but not before I feel his pinky reach for mine, connecting us the way he’s been doing for twelve years whenever one of us feels anxious or overwhelmed or when we just need a reminder. A reminder that we always have each other’s backs no matter what, a reminder of our friendship that we forged in that park all those years ago. My heart warms and butterflies scatter around my stomach at the solid feel of his finger entwined with mine.

Chapter 2

Asher

It’s hot in here, but thankfully not too crowded, and the thick walls drown out most of the music so all that can be heard is a distant drumming and the chatter and laughter of those in the room. There’s a pool table set to one side, where a group of guys dressed in sparkling Christmas jumpers are deep in a very serious looking exchange. A gaming station is set up on the other side of the room and three people I recognise from uni are challenging each other to a race. I take in our surroundings, grateful to be away from the heaving crowd and follow Dalton to where the rest of his friends are sitting on sofas in a circle around a low table laden with bottles and cups.

“Hey, Dalton, you found us!” Ivy says, jumping up from her seat, her boobs nearly tumbling out of the tight Mrs Claus dress she’s wearing. She swings her arms around Dalton’s neck and kisses his cheek and a pang of jealousy gnaws at my stomach at the way she’s touching him and the speed at which he drops my pinky finger in order to wrap his arms around her waist. “And just in time, we’re about to play a game, come join us. You too, Asher.” Ivy looks at me with a crinkle in her nose and my gut twists and aches a little more - she doesn’t want me here, of that I am certain.

Dalton sits down and I go to sit next to him but Ivy slides into the empty seat, pushing herself against Dalton so that I am forced to sit in an old armchair opposite them. Dalton gives me a small smile before turning to chat with Riley on his other side and Ivy slides her hand over his knee, her eyes locked on me and her lips twisted up into a villainous smirk.

“Who’s ready to play?” She shouts to the group and everyone stops what they’re doing.

“What are we playing?” Dalton looks at the table, takes an unopened beer and then turns back to her.

“A good old fashioned game of truth or dare,” Ivy responds, then flashes him a smile that takes over her whole face but that looks far from genuine.

Dalton and a few of the other guys groan. “Seriously, Ivy, we’re twenty-one not sixteen. Can’t you think of something a little less cliché?” My legs bounce restlessly and I press my hands firmly to my knees to try to stop them moving. I hate being the centre of attention, I don’t like sharing any parts of myself and I am far from brave enough to do any of the sorts of dares they’re likely to come up with.

“What, are you afraid, Dalton? Scared of a little truth or a harmless dare?” She snorts at her own question and Dalton’s jaw ticks with how hard he’s clenching it, but a moment later he relaxes, spreading his legs wider as he settles further into the sofa.

“Whatever, let’s do this.”

“Great! Do you want to go first Asher?” Her eyes narrow in on me and I shake my head.

“I’ll sit this one out, you go ahead.” Ivy’s eyes narrow further and her brows furrow tightly until she looks both angry and constipated at the same time.

“Oh, come on. What is it with you guys being such chickens, it’s just a stupid game,” Kiki pipes up from Ivy’s other side and Connell makes a sound in agreement. I can feel my cheeks start to burn as all eyes land on me, waiting for me to either bail or agree to play along.

The smile Dalton was wearing drops when he cottons on to my hesitation. “Leave him alone, Keeks. Asher doesn’t need to play if he doesn’t want to.” Dalton standing up for me should feel good - itshouldmake me feel like he cares - but instead it makes me feel so fucking embarrassed. I’m older than him for fucks sake - by a few weeks sure - but still, I don’t need him to protect me and he’s just making it worse, making it seem like I’m not capable of standing up for myself. Things are made even worse when some of the guys start joking about him being my knight in shining armour and he just raises a middle finger at the idiots.

“It’s fine,” I say, trying to get everyone to drop it and move on. “I’ll play but I don’t want to go first.”

Ivy and Kiki share an amused look before Kiki turns to Rossi and starts with him, asking him to pick between truth or dare. He picks dare and is challenged to stripdown to his boxers, pour a beer over his naked chest and stand in the cold for sixty seconds. It’s childish and ridiculous but Rossi, who is now two sheets to the wind, complies, laughing as he strips himself and runs up the stairs. When he doesn’t return after five minutes, the game moves on with a few new people joining in.

Someone I don’t recognise but who seems to know Kiki, brings over a tray of shooters and places it down on the table in front of us. Everyone except me does a few before we continue on with the game. At some point, after a few rounds of truths, I start to relax into the chair because no one seems to be paying me any attention. That is until it’s Ivy’s turn and her eyes drift to me and then over to Dalton.

“Truth or dare, Dalt?”

He laughs and rolls his eyes, still thoroughly amused at the game. He’s joked around the entire time, laughing at his mates and even daring one to prank call someone like we really are still sixteen. He picks dare because of course he does, in all the years I've known him, he's never shied away from a challenge.

“Okay then,” Ivy starts. “I dare you to kiss someone.” Her eyes dart around like she's actually considering her options, but I knew what she was aiming for the minute the words were out of her mouth. Next to her, Roamy is practically puckering up her lips in the hopes she'll be picked. Everyone knows she has a huge crush on Dalton, but Ivy’s eyes settle on me like I knew they would.

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