Page 39 of Unwrapped

No more texts are exchanged. After doing the last of my Christmas shopping at the mall, I go to work with every intention of focusing, but I’m on autopilot the entire eight hours of my shift. The only thing I can concentrate on is Nick.

CHAPTER 26

NICK

This is completely and utterly ridiculous. I’m a thirty-six-year-old man walking around like a lovesick teenager. I wrongly assumed the worst part would be behind us by now. Not that I expect Mona to hug and welcome me into her family, but I was prepared for her to know. I’m ready for Mona’s anger and awkward glances around the office, but we’re no closer now than when we first started.

It was another lonely evening without Miranda last night. The brief time we had in my office just was not enough, and the time we spent on FaceTime only made me long for her more.

It would be simple to ask Mona to come into my office and tell her myself, but this is something we need to do together as a team. Even now, I can hear her voice in the office kitchen as she talks to Sherry about her son and her other surprise visitors.

“I haven’t had my baby boy home for Christmas in so long.” She has her back turned to me. She’s so similar to Miranda in a lot of ways. They are both obsessed with Christmas. She’s worn holiday themed clothes every day this month. Whereas Miranda sticks to sexy leggings and curve hugging tops, Mona sticks to busy Christmas themed sweaters.

“Good morning, ladies,” I say as cheerfully as I can. “Love that sweater, Mona.” Despite my daily attempts at conversation, Mona still only gives me the bare minimum. Whatever I do, I can’t go back and undo our first meeting or apologize enough for the mug incident. She turns around at the sound of my voice, purses her lips, and looks down at her sweater.

“Thank you, Mr. Bain.” She runs her hand over the sweater and says, “My daughter got this for me several years ago, so please try not to ruin it like you did my son’s mug.” I ignore the part about her mug, but I can’t help but smile at the mention of her daughter. Miranda is never out of my thoughts, but hearing Mona talk about her in a conversation with me is unsettling.

“Well, she has good taste,” is the only response I can think of. In reality, the sweater is horrible. It’s so busy, I can’t tell what the scene is. All I can focus on is Rudolph’s nose, which I imagine used to light up back when the sweater was new.

“Not so much in the boy department.” This time I do drop the mug in the sink. Thankfully, it doesn’t shatter. Sherry and Mona ignore me and continue with their conversation.

“She hasn’t said anything, Sherry, but I’m so sure she’s seeing a boy. She’s hardly ever home these days. Are you sure it’s not Glen? They make such a cute couple.” They walk out of the kitchen, and I don’t get to hear Sherry’s response; I’d love nothing more than to tell Mona that Miranda is not seeing a boy. She’s in love with a man, and that man is me.

I walk to the kitchen entrance and spot them down the hall.

“Hey, Mona!” I yell. She turns to me, eyes wide like her daughter’s as she waits for me to speak. A thousand things flash through my mind. In two seconds, I imagine telling her in a million different ways. In the end, I know I need to do this with Miranda. “Since your son is home, why don’t you just take Christmas Eve off? We’re only open half a day anyway. We’ll manage without you for a few hours.”

I know I’ve stunned her speechless. Her mouth opens and closes several times. She looks from me to Sherry before she gives me the first real smile I’ve ever gotten from her.

“That would be wonderful, Mr. Bain. Thank you.”

^^^^^

“You could be over here right now getting your feet rubbed.” She closes her eyes as she smiles. She puts another pillow under her head, bringing her face a little closer to the screen.

“That’s what you say, but we both know it’s not my feet you’d be rubbing right now."

“You know me well, Ms. Moore. I’d do more than rub it, though. I want to lick it.” She gasps at my words. I can see the excitement in her eyes as she bites her lip. “Kiss it. Suck it. Fuck it.” She throws her head back on the pillow and groans.

“Soon, Nicky. After Christmas, I want us to isolate ourselves at your place. You and me. Naked.”

“I love the sound of that, but that better not mean that I won’t see you until after Christmas.” She pauses at my words, then rolls her eyes.

“Are you nuts? I’m going crazy after one day. Do you think I can last much longer? I want my man and I want him now.”

I hear a noise in her room. Her eyes widen, and she says the names of her cousins. She tells me she’ll call me and ends the call.

Frustrated at the abrupt ending of the call, I toss my phone on the coffee table. I wanted to discuss our plans for the holidays and after, but every time we try to lock something down, we get interrupted.

Knowing I’ll never be able to sleep, I leave my bedroom and go downstairs to my office to work on some sketches to pitch for the new project. Even the office reminds me of her. At the front of my desk is a miniature sleigh complete with Santa and the reindeer. She even got me a Frosty the Snowman lamp. I shut it off immediately when it starts to sing the song.

I don’t know how long I’m in my office when I hear the front door open. There is only one other person on the planet who can just walk into my house at any time. Excited about seeing her, I run out of my office to find her walking down the hall toward me. We both run to each other. I pick her up and run up the stairs to the bedroom.

“Surprise,” she whispers right before I kiss her lips. “I missed my Nicky.” She wraps her legs around me, and I spin her around before we both tumble to the bed. “My Stinky Nicky,” she says, gently stroking my hair.

“I’m not stinky.” I kiss her again and again, leaving both of us breathless. I don’t know how, or who made the first move, but within seconds the floor is covered with our scattered clothes. I push her into the middle of the bed and spread her legs wide. The way she’s writhing underneath me and moaning my name tells me she’s ready for me. Unable to wait another second, I slide into her. She throws her head back as she moans my name. She digs her nails into my back with each thrust.

“Open wider,” I order against her mouth. She does, and I sink even further. As I thrust into her to the hilt her mouth falls open underneath mine, so I take the opportunity and slide my tongue in.

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