Page 19 of Stocking Stuffers
Hell no.Sasha wasout. She wasn’t sure she could deal with either Valerie’s Christmas cheer or Perry’s morning sexiness.
She turned and ran smack-dab into Louise, who was fresh faced and had snow in her hair.
“Oh!” Sasha said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”
“It’s okay. I just braved the trek from the carriage house. I’ve never seen snow this bad. It’s up to my knees out there. I’m all wind-whipped.”
“I’m guessing it’s too bad to drive, then,” Sasha said glumly. She’d been hoping she could make it home today, but their snowed-in status was only worsening.
“Definitely, even if our cars could make it up the driveway. The newscasters this morning were saying the interstate is shut down between here and the city because they can’t get crews out there to rescue people who get stranded.”
“Good morning, ladies,” Valerie called from the kitchen, evidently spotting them. “Oh, Louise, you’re a snow angel!”
Louise blushed prettily and glanced down with a grin.
Thatwas interesting.
“Good morning,” Sasha said. “How’d you guys sleep?”
Perry shot her a tiny, ironic smile. “Like a baby.”
“Great.” Sasha glanced at Valerie. “And you?”
“Awesome. That early Christmas present I bought myself was a great investment.”
Sasha snorted, easily catching Valerie’s meaning. Perry wasn’t so quick.
“What’d you buy yourself?” He was concentrating on stirring some kind of cream and cherry mixture.
“A vibrator.”
Perry’s head snapped up and he dropped his spoon into the bowl. His gaze traveled between Sasha and Valerie. “Oh.” A deep blush spread over his cheeks and down his neck. “I did not need to know that.”
“Nope, but you asked, ding dong,” Valerie said.
Sasha, Louise, and Valerie all laughed at his obvious discomfort. Sasha felt almost honored that everyone had had such a nice sex-toy-filled evening.
“Perry, why don’t you get Sasha and Louise coffee or tea?” Valerie said.
He nodded, seemingly grateful to escape the teasing. He got Sasha and Louise set up in the breakfast room with the fanciest, tastiest coffee Sasha had ever had. Within thirty minutes, the room was full of the other guests.
It was mostly couples. Only one family had kids, and they had a brood of four. They ranged in age from a toddler to a teenager who reminded Sasha of Benji at that age. Black clothing, dyed black hair, eyeliner. She wanted to ask the kid if he liked My Chemical Romance.
At least there was one other person who seemed as disgusted by the Christmas cheer as she was.
Valerie floated into the breakfast room on a wave of sweet-smelling baked goods. “Okay folks, we have cherry-stuffed French toast, applewood-smoked bacon and facon, for the vegetarians in the group, buttermilk biscuits, apricot preserves, and eggs made to order.” Valerie and Perry laid out platters of food on the tables family-style.
It all looked too good to eat, but she’d manage. Somehow. Sasha loaded up a plate with French toast, bacon, and a hard-fried egg. As everyone else was serving themselves, Perry sat down next to her.
Sasha tried to focus on the food in front of her, so she wouldn’t ogle the man beside her. The French toast was buttery, the cherry stuffing tart enough to cut the sweetness of the syrup. It was probably the best meal she’d had in ages, which wasn’t a surprise considering she more or less lived on popcorn, chips and salsa, and grilled cheese sandwiches. And Indian takeout. Lots and lots of takeout.
On her second bite, she failed at stifling a moan, which made Perry jerk beside her.
Oops.
She licked her fork and shot him a wink. He practically growled and squeezed her knee under the table. Heat spread up her leg and settled in her stomach.
He leaned in and whispered, “You’re being naughty.”
