Page 80 of Another Christmas from Hell

There was no other way to describe her, Bryce thought, swallowing hard as he ran his eyes over her, taking in everything from the dark curls that looked like they were made from silk piled on top of her head to the red dress that showed off every soft curve of her body to perfection and-

“God, you’re beautiful,” Bryce whispered reverently, watching as Cayley’s beautiful pink lips pulled up into a shy smile.

“Thank you,” Cayley said as she crossed the small room. “And you look incredibly handsome,” she murmured softly as she reached up to cup his face and pull him down for a kiss that made it difficult to remember that he had a plan.

“Thank you,” Bryce murmured, brushing his lips against hers one last time before he forced himself to step away. Clearing his throat, Bryce picked up the white rose corsage with red and green ribbon off the bed and placed it on her wrist. “Are you ready?”

Smiling, Cayley opened her mouth and-

“What is the meaning of this?” came the outraged demand that had both of them sighing heavily as they glanced back at the bed to find Sean glaring at them. “I go out of my way to pretty myself up so that I can take you to the party, only to be discarded like a piece of trash?” Sean demanded, gesturing wildly towards them.

When Cayley opened her mouth, Sean cut her off by holding his hand up and closing his eyes as he slowly exhaled. “It’s fine. I’ll be waiting in the car,” the little bastard that was hellbent on annoying the shit out of him said as he dropped his hand away and stormed off in a huff.

“You really should have beaten him when you were children,” Cayley said with a sad shake of her head.

“It’s one of my biggest regrets,” Bryce said, praying like hell that this didn’t end up being another one.

* * *

Strawberry Manor Hotel

“You should probably know that,”Jess said, slowly exhaling before continuing, “I’m planning on killing him.”

“Understandable,” Cayley murmured as she followed her cousin’s murderous glare to find Sean, who really seemed to enjoy pissing off her cousin, watching them before his gaze locked on her cousin and-

“I’m ready to go to jail.”

-winked, setting off her cousin and forcing Cayley to grab hold of Jess’s hand before she could follow through with any of the fantasies that she’d no doubt been entertaining over the years, and pulled her back.

“You promised his father that you wouldn’t kill him,” Cayley reminded her cousin.

“I was six. I didn’t know better,” Jess said, her glare never leaving the bastard that really needed to stop going out of his way to piss her off as she pushed Cayley’s hands away.

“True,” Cayley mumbled absently as she glanced around the large ballroom that Strawberry Manor had decorated and took in the Christmas trees placed along the walls, beautiful white Christmas lights hanging from every surface in the dimly lit room, tables covered with every Christmas treat known to man, and fake snow dusting the floors and felt her lips pull up into a smile when she spotted Bryce standing across the room.

God, she loved that cranky man, Cayley thought, watching as the man that she loved more than anything shifted his glare away from his brothers, who’d been tormenting him all night, to her and-

Had Cayley swallowing hard when that glare disappeared and was replaced by that smile that she loved. She never thought that she could love someone this much, never thought it was even possible. Every day that she woke up in his arms, she fell a little more in love with him.

She loved the way that Bryce looked at her, the way that he held her, the way that he touched her, and-

“Took you long enough,” Jess said, drawing her attention to find her cousin watching her curiously.

“What are you talking about?” Cayley asked as she thought about the look on Bryce’s face this morning when she opened her eyes.

His expression softened the way that it always did when he looked at her, but this morning, there had been something almost vulnerable in his expression, something that had her heart racing as he caressed her cheek with his fingertips. His gaze never left hers as he dropped his hand away and moved over her, settling between her legs and with a slow roll of his hips, he filled her.

Bryce whispered her name as he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He took his time making love to her, kissing, and touching her, making her feel cherished. Every time he touched her, he made her feel like she was the most important thing in the world to him. It was an addicting feeling, Cayley thought as she once again found herself watching him.

“To accept what we all knew,” Jess said as Cayley stood there, unable to take her eyes off Bryce.

“And that is?” Cayley asked as she found herself wondering what Jason and Trevor told her was true.

“That you were in love with Bryce,” Jess said, sounding thoughtful. “I think Kevin figured it out, too, which explains why he made sure that Bryce was there when he popped the question.”

“What are you talking about?” Cayley asked as she glanced back at her cousin to once again find Jess glaring at Sean.

“Do you think I could fit his body in my trunk?” Jess asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered the large bastard watching her.

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