Page 75 of Their Christmas Miracle

“Not bad,” Mason said, pushing between the two girls. “Let’s get set up, Zach.”

He turned back to Erin and Lexi and pointed a finger at them each in turn. His blue eyes glittered above a pair of wide, curved lips and strong nose. A plume of tattooed smoke curled up the side of his neck: it was the end of a breathtaking tattoo that crawled from his hip over the front and side of his stomach and chest and ended below his right ear. Sometimes, Erin wished Zach would get a tattoo. Not the same one of course: it was difficult enough telling the two men apart. Just a small one over his pec or something.

“You two’ve got your instructions,” Mason said.

Erin’s stomach fluttered.

She absently touched her fingertips to the envelope resting in her jeans’s back pocket. A few minutes before they’d pulled up outside the monstrous building, Mason had given each of them an envelope and had told them not to open them until they’d arrived at the hotel.

“Now Zach and I—” Mason gave Zach a grin “—are going to sort out our rooms and stuff. Wait thirty minutes before you open those or there will be penalties.”

“Yeah…” Zach gave Erin a hesitant grin. “Wait in the bar, won’t you? Or outside, in the garden. And for god’s sake, have a drink and relax.”

With that, the two men disappeared.

“Yeah, Erin,” Lexi said in a deep voice. “For God’s sake: relax.”

“Shut up,” Erin muttered.

“Sheesh.” Lexi rolled her shoulders. “It’s a bit chilly in here.”

“Barbados,” Erin said, snapping it out like a curse.

“Stop pouting. At least they’re trying. A lot of guys wouldn’t even—”

“This was a penny pincher’s tactic, Lex,” Erin said. “If you can’t see that, then I’m going to insist on a paternity test when we get back.”

“You’re missing the big picture!” Lexi started forward, aiming for a dark archway that looked like it might lead somewhere important. She spun back and gave Erin a broad smile. “We get to spend our honeymoons together. Which means, if the guys are being jerks, we can run away together and get drunk.”

Erin sighed and gave her shoulders a shrug. “You got me there,” she said and hurried after Lexi.

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