Page 55 of Tinsel in Telluride

“Deal,” Holt says, and the two of them glance around to the group.

“Ugh. Fine.” Enzo pulls a pen from his jacket.

Key’s in hand, Luca chimes in, “You know I won’t turn down a challenge.”

They all swivel their heads to me.

Luca cocks a goading brow. “Leigh?”

I set Zach down and stand up, joining their circle. “Someone give me a key to use.”

The guys each let out a whoop or cheer, and Zach joins them as Luca works a key off his ring.

“Don’t lose that.”

“Why? What’s it the key to?”

“My heart,” he simpers.

I roll my eyes. “Does that line actually work?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Enzo confirms. “Thank goodness you’re too smart for that.”

“I always knew you were my favorite twin.”

“Watch it, Little Thief.” Luca points a glare in my direction, but it’s paired with a smile that tells me I’ll pay for it later.

Bring it on, sweetheart.

“On that note.” Holt lifts his beer to the center of the circle. “To Jack—the best of us. Gone too soon.”

I look around the group, committing to memory the solemn smiles each of the guys wears and the sorrow in their eyes. It’s a haunting kind of love and loss that’s beautiful in its own right. It’s a shared moment I will cherish forever. No matter how this plays out.

“To Jack.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

LUCA

I’m going to kill Bash.

He knew what he was doing when he made that wager. Of course, there was no way he could have known Zach would wrap his tiny arms around my leg the moment we started chugging, melting my heart into a damn puddle. Any sane person would have taken the loss and savored the moment.

Which is exactly what I did. And while I don’t regret it, or the giggle that came from Zach when I picked him up and spun him around, I’m absolutely suffering the consequences of my actions.

As if I didn’t already look ridiculous in these red and white striped tights and fur lined, velvet red shorts, adding the shirt with the bells hanging from the collar and sleeves really amps up the absurdity.Maybe if it fit right, the outfit would be fine, but at two sizes too small, it’s not giving Santa’s helper as much as it’s giving male stripper on Christmas Eve.

Never let it be said Luca Donati doesn’t pay his debts like a damn gentleman.

Throwing the shirt aside, I spin around in front of the mirror in my room and do a bend test. First, to make sure the tights won’t rip when stretched around my thick thighs, but also to double-check my balls aren’t about to fall out the back of these damn shorts.

I’m face down, ass up when a giggle that is far too high pitched to belong to one of the guys meets my ears.

“That’s some outfit you got there.”

At least it’s not the string bikini this time. Then she’d really be getting a show.

I crane my neck and look over my shoulder to where Leigh stands in the doorway. She’s changed out of her snow gear and into a pair of cozy looking black leggings with an oversized sweater that drapes off her shoulder, exposing her collar bone.

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