Page 54 of Gotta Have Mistletoe
“Shame these tuxes are difficult to put on,” I say.
Erik’s eyes sparkle. “I am an expert at wearing tuxes. And that extends to putting them on and....”
“Pulling them off?” I ask hopefully.
“I can demonstrate my skills in a spare room.” Erik takes my hand and ushers me into a bedroom. He locks the door, and we’re alone.
KINGErik
I am being ravaged.
I am being ravaged by a tall, muscular cowboy.
By Glen.
We’ve gone from fully, immaculately dressed to not dressed at all.
Glen sweeps kisses over my body, sucking on my collarbone, my earlobe, my lips, as if to remember their shape.
And then I remember that the day after tomorrow, he’ll be gone. I want to tell him to stay.
But I don’t want passion to turn to awkwardness. I don’t want his happy grins at me to turn to bashfulness. I don’t want him to have to remind me that staying was never the plan, that he has a life and job on the other side of the world.
I kiss him instead. I wrap my legs around him, because I want to feel his whole body pressed against me. I want all oxygen to flee, so all that there is, is the feel of his warm skin against mine.
His hardness presses against mine.
“Tonight,” I promise.
He nods. “Tonight.”
But when I take his hand and lead him downstairs, I try not to have my heart break.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Glen
At some point, we can’t ignore that we need to be at the ball. Erik helps me redress, then we find Max chatting with Anders and Tina. Tina is wearing a corsage that looks suspiciously like one of the flower arrangements in the hallway, and I glance at Max. He grins.
Anders and Tina go into the hallway.
“Did you help Anders?”
Max shrugs. “He wasn’t going to bring her anything.”
“He’s lucky he has you.”
“I know.”
Then the air becomes tense, and we all remember that Anders and Max will be separated soon too.
“Let’s go to the ball,” I say, forcing my voice to sound cheerful.
Erik offers me his hand, and I take it. I hold Max’s hand with my other hand. Big band Christmas music roars from the ballroom, and when we reach the open door, my jaw drops from so much beauty.
Golden light glows over the ballroom. Couples twirl on the dance floor, a flurry of emerald and ruby dresses, and happiness and merriment flow through the room.
Anders and Tina chatter in one corner of the room, their gazes focused on each other. She strokes the petals of a corsage.
