Page 21 of All The Happily Ever Afters

She pulls back with her eyes sparkling, and lust clearly present.

“Good. 'Cause I wanna take you out and show you a good time.” I get right to the point before I do end up crushing her body against this car and giving us both what we want.

Her smile widens, and that shy side about her comes through as she brushes her hair out of her face and tucks it behind her ear. “I’d like that.” A blush brightens her cheeks. “I was wondering when you were gonna ask me.”

My brow pinches in confusion.

She gestures to the store and explains, “You kept coming in, but you never said anything.” I swallow my nerves and smile back at her, but internally I feel like I’m suffocating. It’s not good that she noticed, but this is the perfect cover-up.

I shrug it off and say, “I was just waiting till it felt right.”

We both turn to face the entrance to the parking lot as the white Honda from earlier drives through and comes straight for us. The girl from earlier takes a look at me and then says, “Cary, you doing alright?”

Cary laughs a little, walking to her friend and bending over to lean into the window as she replies, “I’m fine, Cindy. Just getting asked out on a date,” she says, staring at me over her shoulder and clearly looking pleased. It’s a little irritating to be interrupted, but I have to admit it’s a nice thing for her friend to do. I can’t say that I blame her; I was looking a little sketchy earlier. The suspicious gaze she was giving me with narrow eyes turns into a surprised and somewhat excited look.

“Did you really drive all the way back here to check on me?” Cary asks with a hint of disbelief.

Cindy rolls her eyes and shrugs before saying, “Sue me for being a good friend and caring about your ass.” She grins at Cary and gives me a quick wave. “Alrighty then, I’ll leave you two to it.”

A rough chuckle rises up my chest as she pulls away and my cherry walks back to me slowly.

“So, tomorrow night?” I ask her as the back lights from the Honda fade in the distance down the street, feeling cocky. My dick’s already hardening at the thought of getting her under me.

“That’s the night before Christmas Eve; I have a family dinner.” Oh, yeah. I forgot for a moment. It’s not like I have anything going on, but most people do.

She’s looking all sorts of disappointed, like it really hurt her to tell me no. “Sorry. We decorate the tree. It’s a family tradition.”

“That makes sense.” I don’t have family traditions. You need a family in order to have them. Yet another difference, another reason we shouldn’t be together. The thought takes me back.

I’m not planning a future with my cherry. I struggle for a moment to remember why I’m out here with her. Why I waited with the intention of seeing her and planning our little date. I need to get her out of the store on Christmas Eve. Yeah, that’s the reason. I’m a fucking liar. I just wanna get her under me.

She shrugs and says, “It’s early, and my mom’s usually tipsy and passed out by eight.”

She sways from side to side, shrugging. “I can skip out. Meet you a little later?” Her voice practically purrs on the last line.

“Fuck, yeah. It’s a date.”

CARY ANN

This is stupid. I have butterflies and I’m nervous and I feel so childish, but thinking about Vinny reminds me how I used to feel about him. I’d walk back home from school while he drove away on his motorcycle, just dreaming about being on the back, my arms around his waist. Imagining how he’d kiss me outside of school. I huff a small laugh and bring my beer to my lips.

Times have changed, but I can’t help feeling the nerves from way back then.

I watch as a customer rings the little bells scattered along the holly on the bar. That, along with Christmas music, is really making it feel like the holidays. The holly also has fake snow on it, and there’s a snowman spray-painted with more fake snow on the front window of the bar, too.

It’s cute, but some asshole is running his finger through it and pissing off the bartender, who I’m guessing is the one who made the artwork. I look straight ahead and just ignore him. The guy’s drunk, and the bartender doesn’t do anything but shake his head, then continues wiping down the glasses. I imagine he’s gotta spray-paint a new snowman every night.

“No mistletoe?” I jump a little in my seat and almost spill my beer when I hear his voice.Vinny.

I give Vinny a small smile and set my beer down, trying to remember what he asked as my heartbeat calms back down. His voice is so deep and rough that it makes desire stir in my belly.

My cheeks flush when I finally realize what he said.Mistletoe. I’m a strong, confident woman, but this man brings out a shy side of me that I haven’t felt in years.

I start picking at the label on my beer bottle and shake my head with my teeth sunk into my bottom lip. “Not here,” I whisper in the sexiest voice I can.

I dressed the part tonight, wearing a deep red dress that clings to my figure. I know it’s tight and a bit provocative for this bar, but I want to look good for him. I want to show off this feminine side of me. I want to show him that I’m a woman now, and that I want exactly what he has to offer.

Part of me feels self-conscious, while another part of me feels slutty. But I don’t care. I want him, and I’m not letting him go without trying.

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