Page 15 of Whiskey Holiday
"Then, there is your answer." I hear the smile in her voice and pull my eyes from Tannon to face my friend. "Don't question fate, Winter." She spots Tannon. "I'm going to get back to work." She winks then walks away.
Tannon sidles up to an empty seat across from me at the bar. "Come here," he says, and I find myself leaning forward. He grips my chin and presses his warm lips against mine, and he tastes like cinnamon. He pulls back, and I lick his taste that lingers on my lips.
"How was your day?"
"Better now," Tannon grins, and I feel my nipples harden.
Down girls.
Jesus, the effect he has on me.
"Table 4 is waiting for their drinks." I lift the tray from the counter, and Tannon moves from his stool.
"Let me help," he offers, and I let him take the tray from my hands.
Tannon follows close behind as I make my way to the center of the room. I stop at table four, which sits near the hearth's right side, situated between the warmth of the fire and the twinkling lights on the nearby Christmas tree. "Sorry for the wait," I lift a glass from the tray. "We've been extra busy today."
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," the biker with grey in his thick beard says as I hand the redhead tucked close at his side her Blue-blue Christmas cocktail.
"Who had The Drunk Uncle?" I lift the mason jar from the tray, and a pretty brunette sitting beside a biker with a tattoo on the side of his head lifts her hand. I place it on the table in front of her. "The Grinch?" I grab another drink.
"Give it to the big guy here with the scowl. I'm pretty sure it was named after him," the biker with long blond hair smirks.
"Shut it, before I shove a poinsettia up your ass," the big bearded biker growls, then takes the green cocktail from me, handing it to the beautiful blonde sitting beside him. I smile at their banter, grab the two White Christmas Martinis from the tray and look around the table, and a petite brunette smiles at me.
"One of those is mine." I pass it to her, and she takes a sip. "Oh, my God. This is so good." She sets her glass on the table. "I'm absolutely in love with Mistletoe. Christmas all year round? I'd never get tired of waking up to all the lights, trees, and Christmas music every day." Her eyes light up as she gazes around the bar. "I can't believe I've lived in Montana all these years and never been here before."
"Well, I'm happy you finally found us. How long are you staying in Mistletoe?" I sit the two pitchers of beer in the center of the round table, along with empty glasses, and the men begin pouring themselves drinks.
"We leave tomorrow, so we will be home with the kiddos for Christmas eve." I feel a hand on my hip and know without looking it's Tannon's. The petite brunette looks past my shoulder at him and smiles. "This must be your husband."
I look over my shoulder at Tannon, who doesn't correct her. "Oh, um, no. We aren't married." I tell her.
"Yet," Tannon states with confidence, and the men sitting around the table chuckle.
"What is your name, brother?" the older biker asks him.
Tannon steps to my side and extends his hand. "Tannon."
"Jake," the biker shakes his hand. "Why don't the two of you join us for a drink?"
I glance around the bar. Business is beginning to taper, and we will close soon. Tannon looks at me, and I nod. Hell, why not?
"I'll be right back," I excuse myself. Stepping behind the bar, I make a couple of old-fashioned Christmas cocktails, making Tannon's a bit more traditional than mine. After making sure Brinkley and Danny have things covered, I join the Polson crew at their table. Instead of pulling a chair out for me, Tannon pulls me to sit on his lap.
For more than an hour, we sit with our new friends from Polson, who happen to be an MC, The Kings of Retribution. They tell us all about Polson, and we discuss my hometown. We are from different aspects of life. They seem to be rough around the edges and probably have seen more than I care to imagine, while I've led a relatively sheltered, simple life here in Mistletoe. But we are similar in all the ways that count. As I watch them interact with one another, I take in the love each man has for his woman and a strong sense of family at the root of it all.
"What are your plans for the rest of the evening?" I take the final sip of my drink.
"Our women would like to attend the tree lightning later tonight." Logan pulls Bella from her seat onto his lap and places his hand between her knees.
"It's a big event. There will be lots of food and rides," I tell them, and all the women smile, looking at their men.
"Winter has the honor of flipping the switch this year." Tannon rubs my knee. I try to act like it's not a big deal, but I'm bursting with excitement inside.
"You had me at food," Quinn says, then stands and pulls Emerson out of her seat. "Feed me, woman."
Tannon's phone rings and he pulls it from his pocket. "Hello. Perfect." The call ends quickly. "I have a surprise for you." His eyes twinkle as his smile takes over his face.
