Page 23 of Yours to Ho Ho Hold
“No,” I blurt out before he can finish that thought. “No, I just … it’s a lot … and I never do this. Likenever.” I emphasize the last word and look at him.
His eyes squint with a smile, but he keeps his lips pressed tight, so he doesn’t show it. “You’re pretty cute when you’re all flustered, you know that?”
I pull at my seatbelt again, but the strap sticks, so I have to yank it. “What? I am not flustered. And I’mnotcute. I just … I don’t want you to feel like you need to be nice to me if this was just a normal thing for you.”
“Holly, just stop. I promise you I wouldn’t be sitting next to you right now, following you like a fucking lost puppy dog, if I didn’t like you.” He brushes my hands away from the seat belt and loosens it, then carefully adjusts it over my lap. Heat pools in my belly from the brush of his fingers, and there she goes again with the waterworks. He hardly even touched me, and my vagina’s ready to tap back in for another round.
Who knew she was such a whore? Not me, not until Drew Jordan waltzed onto that plane in a trashy Santa suit and flashed me thoseI see right through youeyes.
“Which is why …” He clears his throat and continues, “I’m asking you to spend Christmas Day with me … and my family.”
I open my mouth to protest, but he holds a finger over my mouth. “Just hear me out before you say no.”
I close my mouth, biting my cheek to keep myself quiet.
“Good girl,” Drew whispers just loud enough for me to hear as he flashes a devilish grin.
And … I think my panties just spontaneously combusted.
“Now, I know you’ve got big plans to avoid this holiday at all costs, and taking me up on my offer could sort of feel like losing the point you’re trying to prove to yourself, so I’ll make it easy on you.” He lifts my hand between his and kisses it. “Come home with me. Spend Christmas with my favorite people in the world, and if you still feel the same way tomorrow, I promise I won’t fight you.”
I swallow the lump in my throat as I consider his request. I guess things are already messy and weird, and it’s not like I have any concrete plans anyway. Maybe vacation Holly can stick around a little while longer.
“Sure. Yeah. That’d be nice. As long as I’m not imposing …”
His face breaks out into a giant grin. “Seriously? Wow. I was prepared to spend the next four hours convincing you. I even prepared a list of pros and cons and made a graph.” He squeezes my hand and sits back in his seat, still grinning like he can’t believe it.
“You made a graph? Now, this I have to see.”
“I almost forgot.” He bends and starts digging around in his backpack. “Close your eyes.”
“What are you—? Why do I need to close my eyes?” I start to argue, but my eyes flutter closed anyway like he’s got a direct line of control over my body.
“Now, hold out your hand.”
My lips tug into a slow smile as I oblige.
“I couldn’t let Christmas go by without getting you a little something to remember me by.” He places something heavy in my palm, and when I open my eyes, I’m holding a snow globe that swirls with beads of white snow like he just shook it. When all the snow pieces finally settle, I see Santa Claus standing in the middle of his sleigh with his leg propped on the side as he kisses a blonde-haired woman in a familiar possessive embrace. The inscription on the bottom reads “Yours to Ho Ho Hold.”
My cheeks heat, and I can’t hide my smile as I take in all the intricate details that are so eerily accurate. My eyes meet his, which are beaming with pride and a spark of mischief. “How did you find this?”
“The same way I found you. Dumb luck, I guess. Or maybe it was a Christmas miracle. Depends on how you look at it.” He winks. “I take it you like it?”
I hold it to my chest, trying to hold back my tears as trapped emotion lodges like a lump in my throat. “It’s perfect,” I finally manage.
He links his hand in mine, smiling that smug, satisfied smile I love so much. “Good. That’s what I hoped you’d say.”
ChapterEleven
Holly
“Areyou sure I’m not imposing? I don’t want to make things awkward for you. I mean, what did you even tell them? That you’re bringing home someone you just met and hooked up with?” I squirm in my seat, chewing my lip as Drew drives us to his parents’ house.
The flight went by surprisingly fast, especially considering we had so much space to ourselves. Drew may have gotten a little handsy in the name of calming my nerves, but now that we’re here, I’m starting to think my decision was made in a sex-hazed stupor. It’s not my fault the guy touches me like he wrote the user manual, hitting places I never knew existed. I can’t exactly expect my brain would work correctly after so many orgasms in such a short amount of time.
I think I’ve given my poor vagina whiplash with all these intense orgasms. I don’t know how I’ll ever be satisfied with the basic cable version I’ve always known after experiencing Drew’s holy shit package. I may as well hang my sex life up and become a nun because he’s ruined me for anyone else.
“You’re not imposing, Hols. My family loves a good last-minute surprise. My stepmom Charlotte thrives off feeding new people. So as long as you eat her amazing cooking, you’re good.”
