Page 77 of Holiday on the Rocks
“Exactly what you needed.”
Her eyes went wide. “Maybe I need a Russian?”
Lexi flashed her a whopper of a grin. “Maybe? It’s a beautiful day for a Russian.”
Rachel raised her coffee mug. “It’s a beautiful fucking day to start over and be a kind, badass, get-shit-done, happy little caffeinated mother truckers. Here’s to you, Kristina.”
After stuffing ourselves with breakfast cooked by a man who resembles a Greek God, I helped clean up. But the way Levi looked at me made me realize I needed a reason to cancel this day and return to my bedroom. Levi, do me a favor and get in my bed and cuddle with me all day.
Rachel stood. “I picked up some of that delectable hot chocolate we had in town last night, and I insist y’all join me by the Christmas tree.” Her smile disappeared when she looked over at Levi. “Don’t feel obligated.”
Levi gave her a smile. “I wouldn’t miss it. Hot chocolate is the bomb.”
Her eyes rolled as she mumbled. “I wish I had a bomb.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
LEVI
AN UNEXPECTED TURN
It couldn’t have felt more Christmasy when we all sat around the tall Christmas tree that made the room glow even in the daylight.
As Lexi handed me a cup of hot coco, the whole poisoning thing ran through my mind. Odds are they’d use a sneakier method of offing me anyway.
I sat in the furthest chair away from them and after a little glaring, Lexi seemed to almost forget I was there as she told crazy college stories. The whole time Allie and I were sneaking looks, and I realized I wanted this time in Colorado to never end.
In her presence the air was thick with the scent of desire. To watch her move reminded me that her body was a temple of temptation, and she instilled a hunger that could only be satisfied by her hands on me.
I needed to make it happen.
The laughter got pretty loud when Rachel switched the music from Jingle Bells to Beastie Boys and the ladies started dancing around.
Evan jumped up and joined in while the familiar gratitude for a pretty cool cousin was there. Since my mom ran off when I was too young to really remember her, being in a house with Evan and a woman like my aunt who wanted to cook and make sure I had enough blankets at night, was what I needed when trying to pull my shit together after Allie.
I’d grown up with a man who drank a lot. I mean a lot. He tried but was not a natural parent. By the time I was seven I was taking care of myself for the most part. If I had a Christmas program at school or a blizzard was coming, I’d ask a friend to ask their parents if they could pick me up. If there was something I needed, I’d have to figure out how to get it on my own.
It always sucked with money being tight, but when you’ve been on the bottom and come from nothing, it instills almost a fear of being there again as an adult. Likely responsible for my work ethic which has helped me excel in business.
Lexi pulled Allie to her feet when Taylor’s Bad Blood filled the room. but when Crank That hit the air, Evan and I were unleashed, and it was a full-blown dance party in the living room. While Royce sat on the couch with his eyes shooting daggers in my direction, the girls who hated me didn’t seem to mind my presence. It was nice.
Evan handed me the guitar that sat in the corner. In high school Allie dabbled in everything and loved a good throw-back. When she entered her Violent Femes era, I couldn’t help being sucked into that shit.
When I started Blister in the Sun the girls scream/sang while dancing around the room. From Rachel using the coffee table as a stage, likely frowned upon by the Vrbo owner, to Evan accidentally swinging Kristina into the Christmas tree, it was the best morning I could recall in forever, and exactly what the doctor ordered.
What the doctor had not ordered was a knock at the door.
Kristina danced her way past me while I made sticky eyes at Allie. I needed to be alone with her like she needed fucking Dove chocolate. I had to make this happen ASAP.
There was a commotion at the door, and I looked over to see a guy, my age, dark blond hair and a little shorter than me.
Kristina gasped. “Oh, good Lord! Clint!”
I set the guitar down and stood.
The new dude chuckled as Rachel sprung to the front door. “Clint! Oh my gosh!”
Clearly everybody loved this guy. Somebody’s relative?
