Page 7 of Jingle Bell Rock

“Yet effective all the same.”

“Fine, I’ll behave.” Robbie turned back to face Logan. “Do you know what my surprise is?”

“I do.”

“Robert,” Priest said.

Robbie’s spine stiffened and a flush stained his cheeks, then he tapped a finger to Logan’s nose. “Be thankful I want my surprise more than to torture you.”

“So thankful,” Logan said, then he looked at me. “You better have a really big fucking surprise waiting for me when we land.”

I grinned and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I have something extra big for you.”

Robbie’s eyes glinted as he waggled his eyebrows at us.

“Okay, you,” Logan said. “Your seat is free over there. Go bother your husbands.”

Robbie patted Logan’s cheek and then jumped up off his lap. “Okay. But if you need me, I’ll be right over here.”

“I’ll try to contain myself.”

I snorted, and Logan shook his head. “You are far too amused by my suffering right now.”

“Nooo.” I cradled his cheek and leaned in. Unable to resist the lure of one more taste before we took off, I slipped my tongue between his lips and sank into the delicious taste that was uniquely Logan. “I never enjoy making you suffer.”

Logan’s eyes darkened as he nipped my lower lip. “Liar. You’re the biggest tease I know.”

“And you love it.” I reached down and tightened the belt over his lap.

“Maybe a little.”

“Maybe a whole fucking lot. Now, get through this flight and I promise to tease you a whole lot more the second the door shuts behind us at the hotel tonight.”

As the plane taxied toward the runway, Logan threaded his fingers through my hair. “Promise?”

“Do you doubt me?”

He fingered one of my curls. “Not ever.”

“Good, because we’re going to have a great weekend.”

“If we get there.”

I grinned against Logan’s lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I know. Otherwise you’d never be sitting here about to take off into the sky.”

Logan groaned. “Really, Tate? I was just starting to forget where I was.”

“Hmm. Let’s see if I can help with that.”

As the engines fired up and the plane barreled down the runway, I took Logan’s lips in a fierce kiss meant to distract him. I must’ve done a good job, too, because Logan didn’t say a damn thing again until the belt sign flicked off, and he offered to…release me. It was a tempting offer, but I decided a good case of frustration would help distract him through the rest of the flight. Also, he was right—I loved to tease him.

Five

Paige

“PAIGE? I THINK you need to come deal with this.”

I adjusted the microphone on my headset and looked across the arena to where my assistant, Jasmine, was supposed to be covering the soundcheck for Trent Knox and Fallen Angel. “What’s the problem?”

“Uh—”

A loud crash cut off her words as something fell over on the stage, and I cursed. “On my way,” I said, passing my clipboard off to another member of my event team. “Make sure the catering area is set up for Julien Thornton’s arrival tomorrow, and check on the status of the ice rink.”

Major events like this were what I was made for, and though nothing ever ran smoothly, today was already one for the books. We’d been working around the clock, but apparently no one else in L.A. seemed to feel the urgency, because every damn delivery had been late, throwing the schedule into chaos. Mercury retrograde was fucking with me. That was the only explanation. But like I’d let a grumpy planet ruin my masterpiece of a party. Hell no. Not on my watch.

I could feel the tension growing the closer I got to the stage, where Viper of Fallen Angel seemed to be facing off against his old bandmate, judging by the scowl on his face and the defensive posturing.

As I approached the stage, Jasmine sidled up beside me.

“I think they might kill each other,” she whispered, hugging her chest.

I lifted a brow. “What makes you think that?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” came a roar that echoed around the arena thanks to the live mic positioned in front of Viper. His words seemed to be directed at Trent, who stood on the opposite side of the stage rolling his eyes.

“What’s the problem now, Viper?” Trent said, not seeming at all bothered. “Not getting enough attention? Do we need to stop so your ego can be center stage, or can we get this soundcheck done?”

“Hard to do when you fucked with Halo’s amp.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. If anyone’s ego needs to be checked, it’s yours.”

Trent ripped off his guitar as he started toward Viper, and whoa, buddy, this was gonna get ugly fast. I ran up the stairs to the stage and—probably not the smartest idea—planted myself smack in the middle of Viper and Trent.

“Guys, can we delay this bloodbath by a couple more days? I’ve got an epic charity event to pull off, and I kind of need you. You know. Alive. Preferably with faces intact.”

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