“You didn’t ask Santa for anything?”
He rolls his eyes and gives a long-suffering sigh. “Santa isn’t real.”
“Oh yes, my friend, he is.” I give him a stern look and nibble my cookie. “So, what would you ask him for?”
“My own snowmobile,” he says and blushes. Zack’s lips twitch, but he keeps his face sober as he sits back and listens.
“Is that all?” I ask.
“That’s a lot!”
“But what if you’re daydreaming? What else would you ask for?”
He blinks and thinks hard. “Maybe some high-powered binoculars to look at the birds and stuff when we’re in the woods.”
“That’s cool,” I say with a grin.
“And Josiah has a Kindle Fire that’s cool. I like to read.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, Cara got me started on some fantasy books that are cool.”
I nod, making rapid mental notes.
“What about you, Dad?” Seth turns the question to his father, whose face goes blank.
“I don’t need anything. Everything I need is right here.”
His eyes shine as he gazes over at me, then to his son and, well, if I wasn’t already in love with him, I would have fallen hard right then.
“It’s a daydream, Dad.”
“I’m daydreaming about getting you home so I can do my chores and take my woman out on a date.”
“I can help with chores.” Seth jumps up and runs around the table to me and hugs me hard. “Thanks for the cookies and letting Thor and me sleep on your floor.”
“You’re welcome.” I hug him back and whisper in his ear, “Thanks for our talk.”
He smiles at me and takes his coat from his dad.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Zack murmurs and pulls me into his arms for a full-blown kiss, right there in front of Seth and the dog.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Ugh,” Seth groans. “Come on, Thor, let’s go out to the truck.”
Zack and I laugh as we hear the front door close behind the boy and his dog.
“Thanks for staying over. I had a lot of fun.”
“We did too.” He nuzzles my nose with his and nibbles the side of my mouth. “I’m going to do a lot of naughty things to you in that hotel room tonight, sugar.”
“Promise?”
“Absolutely.”
“At least we got a break in the snow,” I comment as Zack leads me out to his truck six hours later.
“You’re going to break your ankle in those shoes,” Zack mutters moodily and eyes my Jimmy Choos warily.
“I am not. It’s a party, Zack.”
“We’ll be outside.”
“I’m quite sure Jacob has outdoor heaters,” I reply and study his face as he lifts me into the passenger seat. He looks tired and like he’s aged five years since this morning. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing, I’m just worried about the health of your legs.”
“My legs and I are fine.”
He shakes his head, slams the door, and trudges around to the other side. He pulls away from my house and is quiet all the way through town. He rubs his fingers over his mouth, the way he does when he’s agitated.
Do my shoes really piss him off? I think they’re hot. He liked the boots, so I figured these would turn him on too.
“Did I do something wrong?” I ask softly. His gaze turns to mine and softens. He pulls my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles, sending electricity to my core.
“No, baby.”
I shrug and chalk his mood up to hormone changes. Even though they deny it, we all know men have their own version of their period.
The snow has stopped, leaving a beautiful blanket of white over everything. It’s past dark now, and I love looking at the lights on our neighbors’ homes, the fun lawn decorations, and of course, the beautiful trimmings through downtown.
Before long, we approach the turnoff to head up the mountain to the ski resort. The road has been freshly plowed and sanded, and with Zack’s 4×4, I have no doubt that we’ll make it to the top safely.
“I hear all of the Hulls are coming,” I say casually as we pass the Hideaway, the bed-and-breakfast owned by Brad and Max’s younger sister, Jenna. “And Hannah, the new OB/GYN. She’s Grace’s roommate.”
“Great,” Zack replies. His voice is monotone.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Fine.”
“You’re not terribly chatty.”
“I’m driving up a bitch of a road, Jilly. Cut me some slack.”
I sink back into my seat and blink at him in surprise. Zack can be moody, we all know this, but he doesn’t usually snap at me.
“Sorry.”
He sighs and rubs his hand over his lips again, but doesn’t say another word until we’ve reached the lodge. It’s a good thing we came a bit early because the parking lot is already full. Zack pulls into the valet slot right behind Josh and Cara and Ty and Lo, who all rode together.
“Hey, girl!” Cara waves and comes running to me, as quickly as her own heels will carry her.
“Hi! I love your shoes!”
“Thanks. Your jeans are awesome.”
I grin and turn around to show her my backside. “I love my ass in them.”
“You have a gorgeous ass,” Lo adds as she joins us and then leans down to hug me close.
“Holy shit, you’re tall.” I laugh and glance down at her own feet, also in heels.
“She’s perfect,” Ty says and buries his face in Lo’s neck as he wraps his arms around her waist. My brother is in a thick cable-knit sweater with the sleeves pulled up on his forearms, showing off the tats on his right arm. He’s in jeans and Chucks, and after the conversation with Seth today, I feel a softness toward the pain in the ass, so I walk to him and slide into the comfort of his arms when Lo steps away.
“You okay?” he asks softly.
“Yep, just love you.”
He pulls back to look into my face and offers me half a smile. “Love you back. Just stop showing off your ass.”
“No.” I smirk and turn away, running smack into Zack. He’s grinning lazily down at me, and right here, in front of my brother, his brother, and the girls, he pulls me into his arms and kisses the breath right out of me. His hands dive into my hair, holding me firmly, as he plunders my mouth, and when I go weak in the knees, he steadies me against him.
When he pulls back, he smiles up at my brother and says, “She has a great ass.”
“Oh God,” I groan and lean my forehead against Zack’s sternum. “Don’t start something.”
Ty’s quiet for a long moment, then leans in above me and shoves his face close to Zack’s. “Hurt her and I’ll kill you.”
“Understood.”
“Hey, everyone! Why are you out here in the cold?” Grace and her boyfriend, Jacob, come out the front doors of the lodge, hand in hand. “Come in! We have heaters upstairs.”
“See?” I whisper to Zack. “I told you they’d have heaters.”
“I still think you’re crazy. Gorgeous, but crazy.”
I glance back at him and my eyes take a trip up and down his long, lean body. He’s in his usual jeans, but instead of a T-shirt and coat, he’s wearing a long-sleeved, gray V-neck shirt under a red puffy vest. Hello, hot stuff.
“I think you’re crazy gorgeous, soldier.” I wink and lead him into the lodge behind our friends. We’re guided into an elevator and up to the penthouse.
“Make yourselves comfortable,” Jacob says as he leads us into the wide space. The river-rock fireplace that mirrors the one in the lobby is aglow and surrounded by plush furniture. The dining table is set buffet-style, the kitchen bustling with kitchen staff, and the sliding glass door that leads out to the balcony is open, inviting us to wander outside.
We grab drinks and a bite to eat on our way out the door to the enormous balcony. It spans the width of the room, and is just as deep, boasting a fire pit in the
center, which is lit, and couches arranged in a circle around the fire. There are outdoor heaters in each corner of the balcony, so no space is too cold to be without a coat.
“This is beautiful,” Cara breathes as she gazes up at the ski hill that is currently awash in light from the night-skiing lights.
“Stunning,” I agree. “Thank you for inviting us,” I say to Jacob and Grace, who still haven’t let go of each other. They really are the cutest couple ever; she’s got pretty blond hair and hazel eyes, and Jacob is the handsomest Englishman I’ve ever seen, tall with blond, wavy hair and bright green eyes that he rarely pulls away from Grace.
He’s completely in love with her, and I couldn’t be happier for them.
“We’re happy to have you,” Jacob replies with a smile. “This is the best view on the mountain. You’ll be able to see the torchlight parade without fighting the crowd.”
“Oh! Before I forget,” Grace adds, “here are the keys to your rooms.” She hands them out gleefully, like a giddy Christmas elf.
“Thanks for this, man,” Ty says to Jacob. “You didn’t have to.”
“It’s nothing, really. This way you can relax and enjoy without having to worry about driving down this bloody mountain in the wee hours of the morning.”
“Is this where the party is?” A pretty redheaded woman sticks her head out of the door and glances about until she finds Grace. “There you are!”
“Hey! Come on out.” Grace takes Hannah by the hand and turns to all of us. “Do you know everyone?”
“Not quite.” She laughs and waves at us all.
“I’m Jillian,” I begin and shake her hand. “This is my boyfriend, Zack King, and his brother, Josh. You’ve met Josh’s fiancée, Cara, right?”
Hannah nods and smiles at Cara.
“And this is Ty, my brother, and his beautiful fiancée, Lauren.”
“You can call me Lo,” she says and smiles warmly.
“Oh good, the rest are here!” Cara exclaims and hugs Brad as he comes through the door. “Hey you!”
“Hey, young lady,” Brad replies with a grin. Max and Jenna follow him out onto the balcony.
“That’s Brad, one of Cunningham Falls’ finest, followed by his younger brother, Max, and their sister, Jenna.”
“Holy shit, don’t expect me to remember everyone’s names,” Hannah replies but laughs and shakes everyone’s hands.
The guys all shake hands, and Max’s eyebrow raises when he sees Zack’s arm around my shoulders, holding me to his side. I smile and shrug, and Max offers me a silent thumbs-up.
I love my friends.
CHAPTER
Eleven
ZACK
I don’t want to be here. Not with all of these people. I love my brother, and hell, I like everyone here, but I just had the shittiest afternoon of my life.
Worse than watching young men get blown to bits. Worse than having to hold their moms and wives while they grieve.
But Jilly wanted to be here tonight, so here we are. And I’m fucking pissed at myself because I snapped at her and she didn’t deserve it. I’ll make it up to her tonight.
“What time does the parade start?” Jenna asks and wanders over to the edge of the balcony, looking up at the hill.
“In about thirty minutes,” Jacob replies. “So in the meantime, please, grab some food and drinks and enjoy.”
“What, exactly, is a torchlight parade?” Hannah asks. Brad offers her a glass of champagne, and I tilt my head to the side, watching my friend. Seems he might be interested in the new doc in town. Can’t say I blame him. She’s a pretty woman.
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Brad answers her. “They dim the lights, and skiers come down the hill holding torches.”
“It makes me nervous.” Grace shudders delicately. “I’d fall and break all my bones.”
Jilly laughs next to me, catching my attention.
“I love your shoes, Jill,” Jenna comments. “Jimmy Choo?”
“Yes.” Jill nods and looks down at her sexy-as-fuck shoes. Seems they cost a fortune and she’s wearing them out in the fucking snow.
Women.
“I wish we could get stuff like that here,” Lo says and sips her drink.
“Yes, it’s one of the things I miss about LA,” Jill replies, and my heart stops. She misses LA? “I have to shop online more than anything.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s not a hardship,” Ty says. “You like to shop any way you can get it.”
“True.” Jill giggles and shrugs. “Thank God for the internet.”
“Where are you from, Hannah?” Cara asks.
I glance around the balcony, looking for my brother and see that he’s talking with Jacob, Max, Brad, and Grace.
“Excuse me, sugar,” I whisper into Jill’s ear. “I’ll be right over there if you need me.” I kiss her cheek and walk away toward my brother.
“Max was just telling us about the ranching software he sold to Google,” Josh says excitedly.
“Seriously?” I turn to Max and shake his hand. “Congrats, man.”
“Thank you.”
“Jilly says you’re moving back to town,” I reply and sip my beer.
“Yeah, she’s going to sell me a house.” He cringes and leans in to talk quietly. “I don’t want any weirdness between us. I didn’t know you were dating her when I asked her out.”
“I wasn’t then, man. If we were, Jill wouldn’t have gone with you. It’s all good.”
He nods and we’re sucked back into the conversation with the others. Finally, Grace yawns.
“Sorry guys, I love you all, but this is boring. I’m going to go talk about sexy shoes with the girls, even though I can never wear shoes like theirs because I would die a very violent, painful death.”
“Enjoy, darling.”
“Cheerio, love,” she calls back to him in a horrible accent, making us all laugh.
“She’s always doing that,” Jacob murmurs as he watches Grace with lovesick eyes.
Ty and Brad wander over to join us, and now we are officially split, men versus women.
“Couldn’t take the shoe talk anymore?” I ask Ty.
“Dude, they’re on to purses now.”
“Handbags,” Brad corrects him with a shudder. “We got schooled on the whole, ‘they’re not purses, they’re handbags’ thing. So we came over here where it’s safe.”
“Who the fuck spends a thousand dollars on a purse?” Ty asks.
“Handbag,” Brad says again. “We don’t ever want that lecture again.”
“Oh, some spend more than that,” Jacob adds with a wince. “It’s ridiculous.”
“Cara spends hundreds on her hair, just to keep it straight. I don’t get it. It’s hair. Wash it and be done with it.” Josh shakes his head in confusion.
“I pay fifteen dollars to get my hair cut,” I reply with a shake of the head. Is this what will keep Jillian happy? Thousands of dollars’ worth of accessories and designer clothes and hair and nails? I’m not a poor man, but I can’t give her that. I glance over at her and see her laughing with Jenna, with her designer shoes and jeans, the handbag with the MK emblem on the side.
“My apologies, mates, but if spoiling my Grace with a trip to the hair salon makes her smile, I’m happy to do it.” Jacob shrugs but doesn’t look in the least bit embarrassed.
I take a deep breath to clear my head, then feel Jill’s small hand on my arm. “Zack?”
“Hey, sugar.” I turn to smile at her, and my heart stills in my chest at the happy grin on her gorgeous face. Her blue eyes are big and bright, and she bites that luscious lower lip of hers as she slips her arm through mine and presses her round breast to my arm.
Fuck, I love her tits.
“What are you guys talking about?”
“Women,” I reply honestly and tweak her nose with my fingertip.
“Oh good, I came at the right time.” She laughs and leans her cheek against my upper arm.
“Actually,??
? Jacob begins as he checks his watch, “it looks like things are about to start.”
The night-skiing lights on the mountain go out, leaving the small ski village in utter darkness. Suddenly, music begins to play from a DJ booth near the ski lift. As Rihanna sings, asking someone to stay, an MC takes a mike.
“Welcome to the annual torchlight parade! In just a few moments you’ll be able to see the skiers come down the mountain with their red torches. There will also be a fireworks show, courtesy of Jacob Paxton, the generous sponsor of this event!”
A round of applause is heard, then the music volume goes up and we all gather around the railing, watching the dark hill.
I pull Jill in front of me and wrap my arms around her shoulders. She holds on to my arms and leans against my chest. I plant my lips in her hair and breathe her in, her scent, her warmth, mentally counting the hours until I can scoop her up and carry her down to our room and bury myself inside her for the night, forgetting about everything but her.
But us.
“Look!” Jill points to the top of the hill, where we can barely see a warm red glow as the skiers begin to ski down the mountain.
They ski down in a crisscross pattern at a relatively slow pace. When the skiers in the front reach the halfway mark down the mountain, the fireworks begin.
And this is the part I’ve been dreading all night. Jill looks up at me to watch my face. I kiss her forehead and murmur, “I’m fine.”
And I will be.
But while everyone around me enjoys the fireworks display, it’s a private hell for me. The sounds, the bursts of light, are all too reminiscent of warfare, and I’ve seen enough of that to last me a fucking lifetime.
If I never saw fireworks again, it would be too soon.
I keep my eyes trained on the lights of the pyrotechnics. It helps if I can keep my eyes on them, rather than just hearing the loud boom, wondering where it’s coming from. I let go of Jill and brace my hands on the railing before her, still caging her in, but now I’m able to tighten my fists without her knowing.
I bury my nose in Jill’s hair, take a long, deep breath, and pray that it’s almost over.
The skiers are almost all down the mountain now, and the fireworks are coming faster and bigger now, signaling the finale.