Page 48 of A Break in Communications

“Okay, well, if that’s how you want to go about it, you know she wants to fuck you, so just keep fucking and I’m sure she’ll come around.”

Wouldn’t that be nice? Sit on Anna Preston’s face and it would make her want to be my girlfriend. That sounded like the good life. “We’ll play it by ear,” I said, pushing away from the wall. “Thanks, Vern. I’ll let you know if we actually get together. Please don’t tell anyone. Anna would never look me in the eye again, and I wouldn’t be able to bear that.”

She laughed. “Yeah, yeah. Wouldn’t want to tear you away from the goddess you’re so obsessed over. Hey, is it true that Kelcey’s family is loaded?”

I was pretty sure I saw where this was headed… I plastered a patronizing smile on her way. “Pretty much, yeah. Her grandfather’s a hospital director. Don’t try it. She’s hopeless and she’ll fall in love with you and you’ll never get her off your back.”

“Hospital director? Seriously? Damn, that’s gotta be good money.”

She only heard the parts she cared about. I sighed, putting my hands up. “Okay, sure. You know? Do. Go ahead. Maybe it will keep Kelcey busy trying to win you over with love sonnets instead of volunteering to clean up the database system and almost losing half our data.”

She lit up. “Great, I’m taking that as my go-ahead. I already grabbed her number from the company website and we’re getting dinner tonight.”

Woman moved fast when she saw a rich person whose heart she wanted to break. I guess we all had our priorities. “I’m sure we’ll all hear about it tomorrow,” I said idly, turning back to where I pushed across the room to where Anna was arguing about tree sizes with her parents, and I interrupted by coming in and slipping an arm around Anna’s waist, where she jumped alittle, turned to look at me, and softened into that cute little look with a furrowed brow but that wasn’t angry, not really.

“Would it kill you to say something before you grabbed me, sweetheart?” she said lightly.

“Sometimes I’m so starstruck by your beauty that I can’t find words and can’t help throwing myself into your arms.”

She rolled her eyes, looking away, but not without a little smile and a blush. I thought I might have a heart attack and die. I’d never be this in love with anyone again. “You’re such a flirt…”

“The space at the end of your side table could fit a forty-inch tree at the base, if you slid the couch over.”

She turned to give me an incredulous look, jaw dropped. “Lucy Masters. When did you measure my living room?”

I raised my eyebrows. “I told you the place could use a little Christmas cheer. Besides, you know I want to know everything about the love of my life.”

“Unbelievable.” She turned back to the others, shaking her head with a dry smile. “Well, you heard her. My girlfriend’s never wrong about these things, even when I want to disagree.”

Ah—she called me her girlfriend. I forgot how to breathe for a second.

We went out into the farm together with Gunner, letting him show us around the place and how to pick a good tree, even though I already knew the process—Grandma and I were regulars at this place, and Gunner had lit up when he’d seen me. Anna’s parents and Veronica came with, Veronica bundled up in so many layers I could have forgotten it was Veronica in there and not a winter clothes laundry pile, and we roamed the rows of trees together, interspersed with the occasional other people out in the fields, but we split up when it came time for Anna to pick between the selection of trees she liked for her place while her mom picked out a bigger one for the massive house.

We were secluded under the pine boughs just behind a low ridge and next to a small wooden fence glowing with rustic lanterns, far away from everything else in the drifting snow, when Anna turned to me with a wry smile, standing in front of the tree we’d measured.

“Seriously, though, when did you measure my living room? Should I be worried what other measurements you’ve taken?”

I raised my eyebrows, letting my eyes move pointedly down to her chest. “I think they’re the perfect size, darling.”

“Lucy—” She swatted me, but she laughed, huffing and turning back to the tree. “You’re disgusting,” she said, but she couldn’t keep the laugh out of her voice. I sidled up next to her, looking at the tree with her.

“I mean, you seemed to like me enjoying them.”

“Jesus Christ, Lucy,” she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Masters…”

I was going to talk about sex even more if it was going to get her to keep calling meLucy.“Didn’t you, dearest?”

“That’s hardly the point.”

“It was when I brought cookies. While you were in the shower.”

“Ah…” She pursed her lips, flushing harder. I smiled wider, shoving my hands in my coat pockets.

“Darling, you always get so flustered when that comes up. How much time did you spend thinking about my offer to join you?”

“Fuck off,” she mumbled, looking away.

“Add in this morning… you have a thing for shower sex, don’t you?”

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