Page 21 of Holiday Hookup

“Good,” I whisper as I kiss him lightly, pulling away before it turns into something more. He groans as I get out of bed, trying to find my clothes only to remember that he discarded them on the kitchen floor, along with my ruined panties.

“Here,” he says from behind me as he holds out one of his T-shirts.

When my eyes take in the picture on the front, I can’t help but start to laugh.

“Really? You’re giving me one of your band T-shirts?” I quirk an eyebrow as he shrugs. I just shake my head, pulling the fabric over my head, and sigh when it hits just below my knees.

“You better leave now, Nel.”

“Why?”

“Because the sight of you with my face on your chest is causing me to lose my damn mind. So if you don’t want to spend the next hour with me deep inside you, then you need to leave.”

God, those words hit right at my core, and as much as I would love to know what that desire behind his eyes would mean for my body, I know I need to get back to Jaxon.

“Save that look for later, okay?”

“Promise,” he grunts as I turn, walking out of his room and back into mine.

I smile as I take in a sleeping Jaxon, the only five-year-old I know who sleeps like the dead. His little body takes up the entire bed, his head facing the wrong direction as his feet hit the headboard. I carefully pick him up, place him right side up and then I find a new pair of panties. It doesn’t take long for me to drift off once I lie down, and I dream about everything that would have happened if I stayed in Dane’s room.

Before I know it, my alarm is going off and I’m groaning into my pillow, hating my past self for depriving me of my eight hours of sleep. When I open my eyes, I expect to see a sleeping Jaxon, but when my eyes adjust and notice his spot is empty, my chest compresses, and that sense of panic starts to kick in. It’s not until I hear laughter coming from the kitchen that my heart starts to slow and my breathing calms.

As I get dressed, I hear my phone go off, and when I check to see if it’s Brian, I see it’s an email from the landlord and I open it immediately. I don’t know why I’m dreading going back to my apartment, it’s better that way. Yet the idea of leaving Dane is becoming harder and harder the longer we stay.

Dear Ms. Winston,

Please be advised that your apartment will be complete no later than December 24th, you will be contacted once the work is completed. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to call.

I stare at the email for a second, wondering why on earth the end date would be Christmas Eve, but it’s not like I have a choice. Hopefully, it’s done in the next day or two so Jaxon can have Christmas in his own apartment.

Since Brian got home early from his work trip this week, that means Jaxon will be staying there all weekend, so I run around our room trying to collect some things for him to take to his dad’s. I take a glance at my watch and curse. I still need to get Jaxon ready for school, so I rush out of our bedroom and head into the kitchen where I find my son already ready to go.

“What…”

“Look, Mom! Dane helped me get ready!”

My eyes bulge, meeting Dane’s. He looks almost guilty but what he doesn’t understand is the relief that just washed over me.

“He did! Well, that was very nice of him.” I walk past both of them, going to the fridge and quickly making Jaxon’s lunch since I was a little too preoccupied to do it last night.

“You okay?” Dane asks, coming up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist while his lips find the crook of my neck. My body tenses, my eyes going directly to Jaxon who isn’t even paying attention.

“I’m fine,” I whisper, unfolding myself from his arms as I make my way to where Jaxon is sitting. Just as I’m about to turn around and apologize, Dane’s phone goes off, distracting him.

“You ready to go, sweetie?”

Jaxon nods his head, his blond hair falling into his eyes which reminds me that I need to take him to get a haircut. When I push the hair out of his face, he looks up at me and smiles.

“Mommy, are you and Dane getting married?”

Dane spits out the coffee he was drinking while my mouth goes completely numb. Dane’s face showcases just how frightened he is by that question, but I ignore it as I crouch down, looking my son in the eyes as I try and come up with a way to explain this away.

“Why would you think that?”

“Well, Daddy lives with Jessica and they’re getting married, and we live with Dane now, so I thought…” He trails off as relief floods through my veins.

“Sweetie, your daddy and Jessica love each other, that’s why they’re getting married.” Although the fact that she’s ten years younger probably helps a lot too.

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