Page 43 of Wrecked for the Holidays

He was too tempting, and I nuzzled the spot behind his earlobe, which always made him shiver.

“Pretty bad, Papa! Sunday dinner is just your parents and Cap. Your mom fusses over me, and your dad wants to yell about politics. And Cap…well, actually, I don’t know about him. I think he likes me okay enough. Maybe? Maybe not.”

“Cap likes you fine. He’s my twin…he’s predisposed to like you, which he legit does anyway. And it’s exactly like Sunday dinner except with more people and food. Mandatory fun days are command performances. We get summoned, eat, annoy each other, and go home. I promise I’ll stay by your side.”

“Do you really promise, Papa?” Jakob eyed me suspiciously.

“I promise, love.”

“Pinky promise?” Jakob offered me his pinky to twine with my own.

“Pinky promise.”

With that settled, we found our jackets and headed over to catch the ferry. We should have been able to get on without delay this early in the day, but there were worse things than having extra wait time in the truck with Jakob while we waited our turn. As luck would have it, we made the first loading and took our twenty-minute ride to the island.

Jakob entertained himself by quizzing me about the cousins for the boat ride and the brief drive to my parents’ house. Their house was only ten minutes, give or take, from the ferry terminal. We’d been here several times since Christmas, but this was the first Family Fun Day he’d been subjected to, and I was hoping it would go well.

My cousins gave each other a ration of shit at every opportunity, but I’d already warned them in the group text that Jakob was off-limits. He wouldn’t see the humor in their jackass ways. The only cousin not in the chain was Beckett, who’d gotten sick of our jokes a while back and left the chat. He might be the biggest dick among us, but he rarely talked, so I wasn’t too worried about him.

Jakob’s nervous chatter fell to the wayside when we pulled into their driveway. The road was already lined with vehicles. A quick glance at Jakob had me pulling into the closest open place I could squeeze my truck in.

“Love, look at me,” I softly ordered. Jakob swung his gaze to me while he gnawed on his lower lip. “You are fucking amazing, and I’m so lucky you’re slumming it with me.”

His snort of laughter was exactly what I’d hoped for.

“I’m proud to be your Papa. The thing to remember about my cousins is that it’s always appropriate to tell them to go fuck themselves. My aunts and uncles are mostly fine, except for Uncle Lindsey and Aunt Marjorie. Just ignore them because they are assholes. They’ll bitch about everything, but remember, whatever it is, they are both full of shit and wrong.”

“Okay, Papa. I just want to make a good impression on the rest of your family.”

Jakob’s voice was small and serious. I liked when he boomed and giggled.

“You couldn’t do anything but that.”

Jakob rewarded me with the prettiest blush.

“Let’s get this done.”

With those words, I jumped out of the truck and went around the other side to fetch him. After I helped him out, my mouth dropped to his for a slow, sweet kiss. Jakob’s pillowy lips parted with a sigh and my tongue dipped inside. His taste was always a heady potion that went straight to my dick. Before I lost myself,I pulled away. Jakob’s nervous smile was shaky but present. Hand in hand, we walked down the gravel driveway and toward the front porch stairs.

“Papa, who is that?”

Jakob’s furtive motion was in the direction of a tattooed, broad-shouldered man in ancient boat shoes, raggedy board shorts, and a worn T-shirt with Almstead Island Police Department emblazoned across the front.

Beckett, my cousin, sat on the steps, glowering when we walked up. Jakob shrunk behind me and tightened his hold on my hand. Scruffy or in uniform, he was always an intimidating man. Between the plethora of tattoos, a heavily muscled body, and a permanent scowl, there was nothing warm or welcoming about him. Beckett was quiet but no stranger to being a dick. He and Cameron, another cousin, were partners on the local police force and fought about everything.

“Hey, Beckett, how’s it going?” I didn’t expect much of a response and called that one right when I was met with silence. “This is Jakob. Jakob, this is my cousin.” Again, no response. “Jesus, the least you could do is pretend to have some manners.”

A look I didn’t understand passed over his face but was gone in an instant. If it were anyone but him, I might have thought it was regret.

“Sorry,” Beckett mumbled but didn’t make eye contact. He opened his mouth to say something more, but Marjorie, his mom, came out the front door before he could speak.

“I figured I’d find you out here not doing anything to help.” She gave Beckett the side eye before her eyes narrowed at Jakob and me. “Reed, are you not going to introduce me to your…friend?”

My hackles rose at her tone. Beckett flinched at it, and Jakob’s grip on my hand tightened.

“This is Jakob, and he’s my boyfriend, not my friend.”

“I don’t understand why you people have to flaunt your business.”

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