Page 209 of Piece Us Together

“Aren't you?”

“I - yeah. Yes.”

“Good boy.” He leans into me, filling my senses with spicy cologne and the peppermint tea he was drinking. His lips are warm as they brush my cheek. “Do you need me to tell Travis?”

“I should do it…”

“Nope. Noshouldsduring selfish Maison week. I’ll tell him.”

“Okay…”

“What else?” he asks, and I realize I should have relaxed. I should have feigned relief. Now he knows there's more.

I try to turn away. He stops me with both the hand on my throat and his hips pressing forward to pin me in place. I keep my eyes firmly shut.

“What else?” he asks again.

I shake my head. “That’s all-”

“Oh, boy, don’t you dare lie to me,” he growls before I can even finish.

My throat feels like he’s squeezing it hard enough to break. He’s not squeezing, though. At all. It’s the inside that’s collapsing in on itself.

“Maison.”

I try to breathe. It catches and scrapes in my chest. “I know it won’t ruin things, okay? I know. I trust you. But it makes me feel like fucking shit because you’re not going to be upset about it and then that almost makes it worse, you know? Just - be upset about it, when I tell you, okay? Just be mad at me. Be disappointed, at least. I deserve it.”

He tilts his head, eyebrows pulling together, not in confusion, but in understanding. “Oh, sweetheart. You’re not ready to meet my family, are you?”

I close my eyes. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine, Maison. Hey. Hey, look at me.” I feel his hands on my cheeks, his thumbs directing my chin. I give myself another second of hesitation before looking. He’s closer now, nearly close enough to press his forehead to mine. I lean into it until the contact is made. Then I sigh in relief. “That’s perfectly fine. There’s no rush. I don’t plan on letting either of you go. Not ever. There will be plenty of time to meet my fucking family, alright?”

“You’re supposed to be mad,” I whisper.

“Right. Mad or disappointed. Because that’s what you deserve.”

“Y-yeah.”

He smiles. “Funniest thing, though. You don’t get to decide that, do you? I’m the one in charge here.”

“You’re the worst…”

“Aren’t I?” He takes my chin between his fingers and thumb, guiding my lips to his smiling mouth. The kiss is slow. Sweet. Well, it is at first. Then he’s pressing his erection into me and tangling his fingers in my hair and his tongue slides between my lips.

We’re interrupted by a trainwreck crashing through the front door.

It’s the bags I see first. Just… so many bags. Then the blue hat with the bright white pom-pom on the top of it emerges.

“Don’t!” Nolan yells as we start toward him. He starts collecting the bags haphazardly, pulling them into his chest until they’re nearly spilling back onto the floor. “Close your eyes! I don’t need help!”

“Oh boy,” Hunter mumbles. He crosses his arms over his chest and closes his eyes. I smirk, closing mine too before I get in trouble. Hunter whispers, “I thought he was done.”

“I’m starting to think he won’t be done until Christmas morning.”

“I’m starting to think he won’t be done until the day after Christmas.”

“You’re right. You’re so right.”

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