Page 18 of You Can't Ruin Christmas

I never felt it in my bones, the way I do with Sven. I never felt my whole body completely melting into someone else with trust. I never felt such scorching desire make my blood boil that I thought I was going to die if I didn’t have him. It took me several hours to calm down yesterday, and get my skin to cool down from molten lava to a reasonable temperature.

Maybe this is the way it was supposed to feel all along.

When my phone rings, it takes me a second to orient myself. I have almost forgotten where I am, sitting here and making out with Sven. I mumble athankswhen he hands me my phone, which he found beneath a pile of clothing.

I see that it is my mother, and I answer it, without getting off Sven. I’m way too comfortable to move.

“Hey, Mom,” I say, putting it on speaker so I don’t have to hold it up to my ear.

“Hey, sweetie!” she says in a singsong voice. “Eve just called and told me that you’re coming home sooner than planned. That really eases my mind. Things have just been a bit crazy around here. But I didn’t want to ask and disrupt your life—I feel so horrible.”

“You’re not disrupting anything, Mom,” I tell her as I nuzzle against Sven. “I’m happy to come home sooner than planned. It’s no trouble at all.”

“Baby, I just wanted to ask if Sebastian was coming with you?”

I freeze. Shit.

“It’s just your dad, honey. You know—he hasn’t been in the best health. I just think it would really cheer him up to meet your fiancé. His life has always revolved around you kids, and just seeing you happy and engaged. Knowing we could have grandkids soon! Well, it just might give him something to look forward to. A reason to live.”

Well. Jeez, Mom. Thanks.

That’s not a lot of pressure, at all.

I climb off Sven and begin pacing back and forth in my bedroom, hand in my hair.

“Uhhh,” I say. “Umm. Well, he’s really busy with hockey, Mom.”

“Oh, I understand, honey. I feel so guilty to even ask. But it would mean a lot to your Mom and Dad. This old couple could use a little pick-me-up this season. Some holiday cheer. It would warm our hearts so much if you could even get him to stop by forone dayto meet us.”

Suddenly, I turn to gaze at Sven with scrutiny. I observe his features thoughtfully, noting his resemblance to his twin brother. The strong chin, those Nordic blue eyes. A smile slowly creeps over my features.

Sven is shaking his head as the idea dawns on me.“No,”he mouths, waving his hands.

“You know what, Mom? Sure. I’ll bring Sebastian home with me.”

“Oh, thank you, baby! I’m going to tell your dad right away. You have no idea how happy this will make him. To see his little girl all grown up and getting married. I’m sure it will instantly fix everything that is ailing him.”

We say our goodbyes and hang up, and I look sheepishly at Sven. “Sooo…”

“No. No, I’m not doing it.”

“I need a replacement,” I tell him, eating my words from earlier.

He groans. “Mary! I can’t just leave at a moment’s notice. I have clients who are depending on me.”

“Well, you said you didn’t know how you were going to wait a month for me to get home, right? Problem solved! You’re coming to Snowflake Creek.”

“As your fake fiancé?” he asks me.

“Yes!” I respond with excitement, running to Sebastian’s sock drawer. I dig my arm inside, and feel around for the small velvet ring box. Returning to Sven, I kneel before him dramatically and open the box. “Sven Andersson, will you please fly home to Minnesota with me and pretend that you gave me this ring to help cheer up my poor, elderly parents this holiday season?”

He grumbles. “Well, when you put it like that, I’d be a douche to refuse, right? But Mary, it really will be hard to cancel everything…”

“I’ll just put a note about a family emergency on your website. You’re allowed to take a vacation once in a while. I bet most of your clients will be on vacation soon, anyway.” Shuffling closer on my knees, I press my body against his legs and hug his massive calves. “Pleeeaasse, Sven, I’ll do anything.”

“Anything?” he asks, with interest.

“Anything,” I say, giving him puppy dog eyes as I slide my hands over his lap, inching up to his groin. “I’ll be your personal Christmas sex toy for all of December. Literally anything you want, I will do for you. I could wear cute little outfits, or do naughty roleplays…” Palming the length of him through his shorts, I can feel the heat of his growing erection. “This is such a huge candy cane, Santa. I bet it’s very tasty. Will you let me suck on your candy cane?”

He has a sharp intake of breath. “Oh my god, Mary, you’re going to be the death of me,” he groans, rising to his feet, and grasping my shoulders to help me stand. “I want all of those things you just said—and much more. But once I start touching you, I’m not going to be able to stop. I still have these appointments at the gym, and if we’re flying to Minnesota tonight, I need to tie up a few loose ends. Will you come along with me?” He interlaces his fingers with mine. “And put on that sexy workout gear of yours?”

“Sure,” I tell him. “As your Christmas sex toy, I am not allowed to refuse any request.”

He grins, pulling the diamond ring out of the box and sliding it onto my finger. It actually looks really good on my hand, and it gives me a little tingle in the pit of my stomach to see Sven placing it on there. It feels somehow far more comfortable than it ever could have if Sebastian had given me that ring.

“I actually picked it out,” he confesses, staring down at my hand. “I encouraged him to get this one, because I could imagine it on you so clearly.”

“It’s my favorite,” I tell him. “You chose perfectly.”

Sven’s eyes twinkle similar to the diamond. “Reduce, reuse, recycle, I guess,” he says with a chuckle.

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