Page 21 of Honkers Under the Holly

“Sun sent over some preview shots,” Mac said, joining me on the couch with his laptop. “Want to see?”

I curled into his side, breathing in his familiar scent. “Show me.”

The first image took my breath away. Tommy and I were laughing at something, the Christmas lights creating a soft glow around us. But what caught my eye was how... real I looked. Happy. Like I completely belonged there.

“You’re incredible,” Mac said softly, his fingers tracing patterns on my bare shoulder.

“The styling team did a great job?—”

“No.” He set the laptop aside, turning to face me. “You. You’re incredible. The way you handled everything today, how you just... shine, no matter what chaos is happening around you.”

He cupped my face, thumb brushing my lower lip. “I need to tell you something.”

My heart did a complicated gymnastics routine worthy of the seventy-six Olympics. “Okay...”

“I don’t want to pretend anymore.”

“Oh.” My heart had a hard time finding the next beat. “The fake engagement, you mean. Right. Of course. We can?—”

“No, Sara Jayne.” He took my face in both hands. “I don’t want to, can’t pretend I’m not completely in love with you.”

The world stopped. Started again. Stopped once more for good measure.

“You’re what?”

“In love with you.” He leaned closer, his breath warm against my lips. “I’m completely, head over heels?—”

I cut him off with a kiss, pouring everything I couldn’t say into it. His hands slid into my hair as he pulled me closer, and suddenly the pretense of the past weeks melted away. This was real. This was us.

“I’m in love with you too,” I whispered against his mouth. “So much.”

Our kisses grew more frantic and Mac drew me into his lap. I straddled him and traced the strong line of his jaw, his shoulders, remembering all the times I’d wanted to touch him like this but held back. Not anymore.

This day was crazy and chaotic, and somehow also incredibly perfect. Knowing Mac loved me just made it all the better. It was like everything I’d ever wanted was coming to me all in one giant present of a day.

Mac’s hands slid down my back, leaving trails of heat through the thin fabric of my camisole. He whispered against my neck. “I know we’re taking it slow, but fuck you feel so good.”

“I only wanted to take it slow because... I was worried you thought I was crazy for getting us into all of this. We’d only been on like one and a half dates before we moved in together.” I ran my fingers through his hair, loving how he shivered at my touch.

“Sweetheart, I’ve been crazy for you since you asked me to trust you and announced our engagement. Probably even before that, if I’m being honest. Today... when Tommy got down on one knee, I almost jumped onto the set to punch him in the face.”

“I’m sure that’s supposed to be a red flag, but I’m finding it a ridiculous turn on that you wanted to beat someone else up over me.”

He stood, lifting me with him like I weighed nothing. “Oh god, Mac, be careful. I don’t want you to strain your knee injury.”

Mac laughed and squeezed my butt. “I may not be able to play ball anymore, but I promise I can carry my girl to bed. Now wrap those long legs around my waist so I can take you to our bedroom and lay you on our bed.

And wasn’t that a thought that made my heart race? Our bedroom.

No more pretending.

“You’re so goddamn beautiful,” he murmured, laying me on the bed with infinite care. The moonlight streaming through the French doors painted silver shadows across his face as he looked down at me. “I’ve wanted this—wanted you—for so long.”

“Show me,” I breathed, pulling him down to me. “And let me show you how much I’ve been wanting you.”

BANGASMCH

Sara Jayne was sparkling light and Christmas magic beneath me, her curves soft against my hands as I traced every beautiful inch of her. All those nights of holding back, pretending I didn’t want to kiss the spot where her neck met her shoulder, or run my fingers along the delicate stretch marks on her hips, the sides of her breasts, and her belly that were thin silver ribbons in the darkness—they all led to this moment.

---