Emma’s text reads, The party’s already started. I miss you <3
It’s Friday, Christmas Eve, and a visitor to White River would think the town is having a Merry Breemas, instead of a Merry Christmas.
Energy races through my nerves, and I’m probably too jittery to be out in public. Emma would never forgive me if I missed Bree’s party, though, so I’ll keep my hands on Em – which is where I want them anyway. She understands the electric tingle, the static charge and where it comes from.
A ridiculous number of cars pack the neighborhood streets. With snow banks throttling the way, the parked vehicles narrow the roads to single lanes. Multi-colored Christmas lights hang in the Ransoms’ trees and line the walk to their front door. The windows of Bree’s house dump glowing kaleidoscope puddles onto the snow, the walls bleed music into the air. Somewhere in the backyard a girl lets out a high-pitched laugh.
A snowball whizzes at my head, well-timed with me opening the Acura’s door. With the extra wattage forcing my senses into overdrive, I easily duck out of the way. Jason appears, peeking around the Ransoms’ garage, then fades back into the shadows to pack another snowball, I’m sure. Eyes on the garage corner, I scoop snow from the hoods of the parked cars and pack my own ball as I walk toward Bree’s house, and Emma who’s somewhere inside waiting.
One house away from the Ransoms’, Jason pokes his head into firing range. I cock my arm back and lob the snowball at his head. Direct hit. The snowball explodes against his temple in a satisfying cloud of white.
“Fashionably late, Franks?” Jason teases, and shakes his head to dislodge the snow.
“Up yours, Weller.” I pat the little package swelling my coat pocket. “I had to stop at Ascension. I forgot my bags there last night.”
He arches an eyebrow, and needles me with a look full of suspicion. “Isn’t that your dad’s old lab?”
“Yeah. I inherited it when he died.” A familiar blond head peeps through the garage’s open side door and her face lights in a smile. My pulse kicks up a notch, and the welcome rush races through my nerves. She’s so much more than a girlfriend to me.
“Hurry up!” Emma commands again.
As if I could deny her. Snow brushes my jeans when I leap over the neighbor’s hedge. Landing on my feet, I glide through the white piling up on the grass. Drawing even with Jason I say in a whisper, “Remember that talk we had at the mall?”
How could he forget that picture, or how Hailey’s been harassing me?
Thankfully he nods. “And I’m sure you’ll explain later?”
“Yeah…”
People, in party clothes and winter jackets huddle around a space heater in the corner of the garage when we step in. Speech puffs up from them in wispy clouds. Tables full of cold fruit salads, candies, desserts, and a huge birthday cake line the garage walls. The sweetest treat stands shivering in a sparkly white dress.
Forgetting Jason at my side, the little birthday gift in my pocket, the whole damn party, I close the distance between Em and me. My heart beats harder, resonating within my ribs. Her eyelashes dip to half-mast, inviting me in. I take advantage of her unspoken invitation. Wrapping my arms around her, then sliding my hands over the curve of her butt, I scoop Em up by her thighs. She gasps a little, and clings to me as I lift her. She’s warm despite her shivering, solid and real in my arms. Taking a few steps, I prop her butt on a table’s edge and stand between her knees.
“Mmm.” She slips the fingers of her free hand into my hair. “I love your Friday spurts of energy.”
“Me, too.” Every little sensation is heightened, and she gives me so many.
I duck in for a kiss, but hardly feel the tingle of her breath on my lips before Bree appears in the breezeway door. “Really, Alex? Here? Now?”
“Wherever, whenever!” Em answers for me, curls her hand in my jacket and pulls me in for a deep kiss. A
It’s Friday, Christmas Eve, and a visitor to White River would think the town is having a Merry Breemas, instead of a Merry Christmas.
Energy races through my nerves, and I’m probably too jittery to be out in public. Emma would never forgive me if I missed Bree’s party, though, so I’ll keep my hands on Em – which is where I want them anyway. She understands the electric tingle, the static charge and where it comes from.
A ridiculous number of cars pack the neighborhood streets. With snow banks throttling the way, the parked vehicles narrow the roads to single lanes. Multi-colored Christmas lights hang in the Ransoms’ trees and line the walk to their front door. The windows of Bree’s house dump glowing kaleidoscope puddles onto the snow, the walls bleed music into the air. Somewhere in the backyard a girl lets out a high-pitched laugh.
A snowball whizzes at my head, well-timed with me opening the Acura’s door. With the extra wattage forcing my senses into overdrive, I easily duck out of the way. Jason appears, peeking around the Ransoms’ garage, then fades back into the shadows to pack another snowball, I’m sure. Eyes on the garage corner, I scoop snow from the hoods of the parked cars and pack my own ball as I walk toward Bree’s house, and Emma who’s somewhere inside waiting.
One house away from the Ransoms’, Jason pokes his head into firing range. I cock my arm back and lob the snowball at his head. Direct hit. The snowball explodes against his temple in a satisfying cloud of white.
“Fashionably late, Franks?” Jason teases, and shakes his head to dislodge the snow.
“Up yours, Weller.” I pat the little package swelling my coat pocket. “I had to stop at Ascension. I forgot my bags there last night.”
He arches an eyebrow, and needles me with a look full of suspicion. “Isn’t that your dad’s old lab?”
“Yeah. I inherited it when he died.” A familiar blond head peeps through the garage’s open side door and her face lights in a smile. My pulse kicks up a notch, and the welcome rush races through my nerves. She’s so much more than a girlfriend to me.
“Hurry up!” Emma commands again.
As if I could deny her. Snow brushes my jeans when I leap over the neighbor’s hedge. Landing on my feet, I glide through the white piling up on the grass. Drawing even with Jason I say in a whisper, “Remember that talk we had at the mall?”
How could he forget that picture, or how Hailey’s been harassing me?
Thankfully he nods. “And I’m sure you’ll explain later?”
“Yeah…”
People, in party clothes and winter jackets huddle around a space heater in the corner of the garage when we step in. Speech puffs up from them in wispy clouds. Tables full of cold fruit salads, candies, desserts, and a huge birthday cake line the garage walls. The sweetest treat stands shivering in a sparkly white dress.
Forgetting Jason at my side, the little birthday gift in my pocket, the whole damn party, I close the distance between Em and me. My heart beats harder, resonating within my ribs. Her eyelashes dip to half-mast, inviting me in. I take advantage of her unspoken invitation. Wrapping my arms around her, then sliding my hands over the curve of her butt, I scoop Em up by her thighs. She gasps a little, and clings to me as I lift her. She’s warm despite her shivering, solid and real in my arms. Taking a few steps, I prop her butt on a table’s edge and stand between her knees.
“Mmm.” She slips the fingers of her free hand into my hair. “I love your Friday spurts of energy.”
“Me, too.” Every little sensation is heightened, and she gives me so many.
I duck in for a kiss, but hardly feel the tingle of her breath on my lips before Bree appears in the breezeway door. “Really, Alex? Here? Now?”
“Wherever, whenever!” Em answers for me, curls her hand in my jacket and pulls me in for a deep kiss. A
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