Page 14 of Holidate Pursuit

Hopefully, I’ve put some of her worries to rest. I’m going to have to get myself in check if I’m hoping to survive this weekwithout losing my head again. Seeing her flushed cheeks from my speech tells me I’m not the only one with a problem. We need a safer topic.

“So, tell me about your family’s Christmas traditions.”

“Hmm… okay. On Christmas Eve, we each open one present, which is always a pair of pajamas. Then we put out milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. I try staying up every year to catch him, but I swear my parents put sleeping pills in my drink at night because I always fall asleep and miss seeing him.”

She looks so sincere that I can’t tell if she’s kidding, and I’m not sure what to say—until she bursts out laughing, and I deflate with relief.

“Oh my God, the look on your face was priceless. You seriously thought I still believed in Santa? Wow, you really do think I’m crazy,” she says, causing me to laugh along with her.

“Crazy or not, with acting skills like that, I’m definitely not worried about our performance this week.” Holding my glass up, she meets me halfway to clink our glasses together.

“We better finish these up and get to our gate. We’re boarding in ten,” I say, signing the check.

“I’m on it,” Lucy assures me, knocking back her drink.

Lucy passes out minutes after we board the next flight and is currently drooling in my lap. I’m sure her nerves are going haywire at having to pull this off. I know mine are. Having to convince her parents that we’re engaged when Lucy would prefer to push me off a cliff might be somewhat of a challenge.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m on cloud nine to be spending the week with the woman who worked her way into my heart so quickly. I haven’t stopped thinking about her since that horrible day all those months ago, and I’ve regretted every minute without her. She doesn’t realize she’s handed me a second chance, and it’s up to me to make the most of this week andrectify my mistakes. While I’m not sure how to do that yet, I’m determined to figure it out.

My mind swirls with what she’s told me about her family so far, which isn’t a whole lot. She’s been pretty elusive about her relationship with her parents. I’m anxious to meet them to satisfy my growing curiosity about why she resorted to telling them such a huge lie when she could have just said no. It confounds me how she can be so strong and capable in her personal life while still cowering to her parents.

I’m not happy with her brother knowing the truth about us. It would be easier if everyone were on the same page. This only makes it uncomfortable having to blatantly pretend to be something we’re not in the face of someone who knows it’s all bullshit. It complicates the situation rather than putting me at ease, which I could tell was what she was going for.

Another issue is that Lucy seems to have forgotten how to be comfortable around me, which won’t bode well when she introduces me to her parents. So, as much as I’d like to let her sleep since I’m enjoying her nestled up against me, it’s time for some practice during the last hour of our flight, and I’ve been looking forward to this all day.

My hand slowly rubs her back as I brush her hair from her face. “Lucy, it’s time to wake up, baby.”

Her eyes blink open slowly as she asks, “We’re landing?”

I chuckle softly. “No, we have about an hour left, but we need to deal with a few more things before we get there. Here, I got you some water while you were out.” She grabs it as she rises from my chest.

“Thanks. Sorry, I didn’t mean to crash on you. Man, those margaritas hit me hard.”

I scoff as she guzzles it down. “Yeah, you can say that again. Three will do that to someone your size who doesn’t usually drink that much.”

“Apparently. Anyway, what else do we need to go over? I think I covered enough to make it through the week.”

“You did… but there’s a couple things you forgot about, baby.”

“What’s with the baby? And I think I’d know if I forgot something about my own family, so enlighten me, oh wise one.”

“Well, for starters, you realize you’ll have to treat me a little differently in front of your parents—as in nicer?” She rolls her eyes until I reach for her hand, causing her to look down and furrow her brows. “And you’ll have to get used to me touching you. I’m a very affectionate fiancé.” I run my thumb along her cheekbone, cupping her chin while caressing her hand. “Can you handle it?”

Her eyes widen as I slowly lean in for a kiss when she pulls back hastily, snapping her hand back. “What are you doing? You can’t kiss me!”

“Will that be your reaction in front of your parents?” I smirk.

“You’re not going to kiss me in front of them.”

“Oh? So they’ll never see your fiancé show you affection?” She doesn’t answer quickly enough, so I continue, “Should we try that again?” I raise my eyebrows in question.

“Uhhh… I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t think PDA is proper in front of parentals, so… no?”

“Think again, Lucy. If we’re going to make them believe we’re so in love that we’re engaged, we’ll have to be convincing. You don’t want them to see through it and keep trying to set you up over the next year, do you?” I’ve got her right where I want her.

“No.”

“That’s what I thought.” My head dips as my hand wraps around her neck and pulls her in.

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