Page 39 of Second Chance Christmas

She wrapped her hand around Aspens. “The dildos,” Ivy blurted. S fierce blush splashed across her face when Aspen’s gaze snapped to hers.

“Excuse me?”

Well shit.

“Not mine. Yours.”

Aspen choked on a laugh.

“I mean, they fell on the car when I hit the sleigh.”

Aspen groaned and slid a hand over his face. “That. It’s become a tradition of sorts around here in the past few years. Local teens like to poke fun at the big dix moniker by putting dildos on the reindeer antlers.”

“Oh,” she quipped, trying to hide her grin.

Aspen’s hands drop to her thighs and he gives them a playful squeeze. “We’ll never live it down. I swear.”

With a dick as big as his and well filled out jeans that drew a woman’s eye, she wanted to second that thought but wisely kept her mouth closed.

“Whoever is cooking deserves a medal. It smells delicious.” Fresh garlic bread and spices tingled her senses and cued up her empty stomach.

“My...my...the big city looks good on you, sweetheart! My fool brother here let you slip away. What do you say? You and me? Give me a shot baby, I’ll make you forget all about the eldest Kennedy.”

“Shut the fuck up, Kade.”

A man similar in height and build to Aspen walked out of a side office area and crossed over to where Aspen kneeled next to her wearing a devilish grin. His hair was slightly longer than Aspen’s but his grin was a little more lopsided. He favored tilting the right up while Aspen’s always went to the left when he grinned. Like now.

Kade reached out and swooped her up from the chair in a big hug before placing her back and turning to Aspen for a brief second. “Hey, man, the sheriff is on the line. He wants to talk to you about the tree lighting.”

“Got it.” Aspen touched her shoulder with a light touch. “Excuse me for a second, baby. Don’t fall for this rowdy punk’s lines while I’m gone. He’s bound to try to sweep you off your feet when no one is around to thunk him on the head.”

Aspen’s brother scoffed. “It’s not my fault I’m the more handsome brother all the ladies want,” Kade teased.

“Easy. She just did a slip and slide and took out our Santa.”

Ivy sighed. “I see he’s just as overprotective as he was in school.”

“I think it got worse with old age,” Kade said. “I feel sorry for any daughters he may have.”

Ivy absorbed that little nugget of information as she turned to Aspen. “While you’re in there, can you call me a rental, please?” The phone pole she’d nicked had done a number on the front left tire. She may not be a mechanic, but even she knew it wouldn’t be moving without a tow truck.

“No need. I’ll take you wherever you need to go,” offered Aspen before he slipped through the doorway and out of sight.

Yep. Just as overprotective and take charge. She’d argue her point and make the call herself just to rile him up a bit, but she didn’t have the heart to take away the joy she saw on his face while caring for her.

Soft, sappy and lining yourself up for more heartache.

She needed to get control of herself.

Kade gathered her in his arms again and took a quick glance to make sure Aspen was out of hearing range and then leaned in. “Between you and me, it’s about time someone took out that hideous monstrosity. That thing was fugly to the tenth degree. Scared half the town’s kids and I’ll swear it under oath if asked. It turns into an egg-throwing bull's eye for the teenagers before Christmas or a dildo rack. More often than not both.”

Ivy hid a smile behind her gloved hand and the brotherly jab Kade delivered to Aspen’s decorations.

“Kade Kennedy. It’s so good to see you.”

“You too baby girl. Still sexy as ever. How do you not have a train of horny fuckers not trailing after you a mile long?”

That was Kade. filthy-mouthed laid-back, and a sense of humor wider than the Grand Canyon.

---