A Coyote Ridge Christmas (The Walkers of Coyote Ridge, 7)

by Edwards, Nicole

  Mack didn’t bother asking what Jeff wanted, he poured two fingers of scotch, then passed over the glass.

  Jeff’s hazel eyes met his briefly and Mack felt the intensity.

  “Very well,” Jeff told Travis. “I’m not sure their bedrooms’ll hold all the shit they acquired.”

  Unfortunately, Mack didn’t have the responsibilities that tended to pull him away from the bar, so he found himself standing there, waiting for someone to ask for something. When no one appeared, he felt like an idiot. He would’ve been better off at home, drowning himself in whiskey, pretending his life hadn’t gone to the shitter because of his own lack of backbone.

  “I’m headin’ out in the mornin’,” Jeff told Travis. “Back to the grindstone for me.”

  Travis grinned. “You’re gonna miss another day with the snow machine.”

  Jeff chuckled softly. “No offense, but I’d rather break up a brawl than get in the middle of that.”

  Thankfully, Kaden and Keegan appeared, giving Mack an excuse to walk away rather than ogle the sheriff any longer.

  “You seen Bristol?” Kaden asked, his voice low as though he didn’t want anyone to overhear. “She said she’d meet us down here.”

  “Not lately,” Mack told him. “Can I get you somethin’?”

  “What does Bristol normally drink?”

  “Vodka and cranberry,” Mack told him without missing a beat.

  “We’ll take the vodka,” Keegan said. “If that’s cool.”

  Mack glanced down the bar at Travis. When the man nodded, Mack snagged the Grey Goose from the top shelf, passed it over.

  Without another word, the twins headed in the direction of the elevator.

  “Hey, Mack.”

  He turned at the sound of Travis’s voice, moved closer while doing his damnedest not to look at Jeff.

  “In case I don’t see you in the mornin’, I wanted to thank you for comin’,” Travis told him, holding out his hand.

  Mack shook it. “Thanks for invitin’ me.”

  “You’re family, too. Don’t ever forget that.”

  Mack nodded.

  “All right, I’m headin’ upstairs. Hopin’ to get a few good hours of sleep tonight so we can do it all again tomorrow.”

  Mack offered a good night after Jeff did, then attempted to make a clean getaway. Before he could get out from behind the bar, Jeff’s stern voice pulled him up short.

  “We need to talk.”

  Mack stopped moving, took a deep breath to calm himself, then managed to redirect his feet. Swallowing hard, he made his way down to the end of the bar, where Jeff was still sitting. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Not here,” Jeff told him as he got to his feet.

  Before he could toss out an excuse, Mack glanced around, realizing he wasn’t technically on duty. This was a help-yourself type of establishment, at least for the evening, so his expertise wasn’t needed. Which meant he couldn’t get out of this without looking like an ass.

  In an effort to stall, Mack opened the refrigerator, grabbed a can of Coke, flipped the top, took a sip.

  “Mack.” Jeff’s tone reflected his impatience.

  He considered chugging the soda but figured he’d need it more once this conversation kicked off. His gaze swung to the bottle of Jack on the shelf. Perhaps he’d need that, too.

  “Let’s talk,” Jeff stated again.

  With a resigned sigh, Mack gripped his Coke and fell into step with Jeff. He didn’t bother to ask where they were going or what they were going to talk about. It honestly didn’t matter to him, because this was the very reason he was here, right? To steal those few extra minutes with this man. At some point, he figured Jeff was going to give him what for, considering the way he’d ended things. Since he deserved the sheriff’s wrath, he figured tonight was as good as any.

  When they stepped into the elevator, Jeff pushed a button, the doors closed. A minute later, they opened again and Mack’s feet moved of their own volition, his legs carrying him wherever Jeff wanted to go.

  The only time he paused was when Jeff scanned his key card and opened the hotel room door.

  Jeff must’ve realized he was frozen because he turned back. “Come in, Michael.”

  Mack’s heart thumped hard against his sternum. Jeff was the only one who ever called him that, and usually only when they’d been intimate.

  With his heart in his throat, Mack stepped into the room with only one question on his mind: Was he about to do something they would both regret tomorrow?

  *

  JEFF ENDSLEY KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO backfire in a big fucking way, but he couldn’t stop the train now that it was out of the depot. At some point, a derailment was inevitable and he was smart enough to know that. Especially if things progressed the way he hoped they would.

  But for the first time in years, he didn’t give a shit about that, either.

  When Mack finally stepped into the room, Jeff closed the door behind him, flipped the lock, though he doubted privacy was an issue right now. No one was going to come looking for either one of them tonight.

  He hoped.

  “What’d you wanna talk about?” Mack asked, his voice gruff as usual, his wary blue eyes scanning the room but never settling.

  Figuring there was no sense in beating around the bush, Jeff walked up to Mack, took the can of Coke from his hand, and set it on the dresser. Mack’s gaze followed the can, as though he worried what would happen to it.

  Jeff knew better. Hell, he was an officer of the law, and he’d long ago learned how to read body language. Mack’s was screaming Run! Fast! While you still can.

  He didn’t wait for Mack to turn around and look at him; instead, Jeff stepped up behind him. Their eyes met in the mirror over the dresser.

  “What are you doin’?” Mack rasped, his eyes wide.

  Jeff leaned in, allowed his lips to lightly graze Mack’s ear while he still held his stare in the mirror. “What we’ve both wanted for so fucking long.”

  When Jeff nipped Mack’s earlobe, the big man groaned softly, a sound he’d missed so damn much. It had been nearly five painfully long years since Mack had ended their relationship. And during that time, Jeff hadn’t exactly pined away for the man, but he hadn’t rushed to move on with his life, either.

  Sliding his arms beneath Mack’s, Jeff planted his palms flat against Mack’s hard stomach. The man sucked in air, and that was like a body slam, hitting Jeff from all angles, his muscles tightening as though preparing for another blow.

  “I shouldn’t be here,” Mack said, even as he tilted his head to the side.

  “This is the only place you should be,” Jeff countered. “Where you’ve always belonged.”

  And while he hadn’t put up a fight when Mack called things off, he knew he had waited far too long to fight for what he wanted. Since that day, Jeff had always planned to launch an offensive, to get Mack back no matter what it took. The only reason he hadn’t was because he respected Mack’s relationship with Daniel, although he didn’t agree with the way Daniel played his father.

  “Jeff…”

  He ran his hands up Mack’s thick chest, loving the way the muscles beneath the soft cotton T-shirt flexed. Jeff pressed his lips to Mack’s neck, nipped him with his teeth. Mack hissed and jerked, but he didn’t pull away, which Jeff took as a good sign.

  “We shouldn’t…” Mack moaned softly.

  Oh, they most definitely should.

  Slowly, Jeff slid one hand down over Mack’s stomach as he lifted his head and met Mack’s stare in the mirror once more. He continued lower, pausing at the button on Mack’s jeans.

  “Tell me to stop,” Jeff whispered. “Tell me to stop and I will.”

  Mack’s breaths were choppy, and though his eyes revealed far more than the man probably wanted, he didn’t say no.

  Jeff unhooked the button on Mack’s fly, causing his stomach muscles to flex beneath Jeff’s palms.

  “Tell me to continue,” he urged,
needing Mack to be here with him. A willing participant.

  Mack didn’t say a word, but his hand moved over Jeff’s and he urged him without words.

  “Tell me,” Jeff insisted. “Tell me you want this, Michael.”

  “I want this,” Mack groaned. “More than I want any fucking thing.”

  Jeff didn’t realize until that moment how much he’d needed to hear that. To know that Mack hadn’t walked away without looking back. Jeff knew for a fact that Mack hadn’t been seeing anyone. Not since he called things off. And though Jeff had considered getting back into the dating scene, he always found a reason to put it off.

  The reason being he was and would always be in love with this man. Nothing would change that.

  Before he could lower the zipper on Mack’s jeans, the man spun around. The move surprised him almost as much as Mack taking complete control. Jeff’s back met the wall seconds before Mack’s hard body pressed up against him.

  “We both know this is stupid,” Mack growled softly.

  Jeff held his stare, didn’t flinch.

  “Fuck…” Mack said on a rough exhale, then slammed his mouth over his.

  Jeff lost control then. His hands slid into Mack’s hair, holding him in place as every ounce of need he’d harbored rushed to the surface. He pushed away from the wall, forcing Mack backward. Hands and mouths fumbled as they stumbled over to the bed. In a strange twist, Jeff ended up flat on his back, Mack over him. Not that he minded. In this position, Jeff managed to jerk Mack’s shirt over his head, tossed it across the room. His palms slid over the soft hair on Mack’s chest, desperate to touch every inch of him.

  Mack returned the favor, ripping at the buttons on Jeff’s shirt until the damn thing came open. Jeff hissed when Mack’s warm hands landed on his bare skin, his mouth soon to follow.

  Jeff palmed Mack’s head as the man trailed blazing-hot kisses over his sensitive flesh, working lower. He wasn’t taking his time, either, and for that, Jeff was grateful. He’d waited so long for this.

  Time seemed to stand still and speed up all at once. Jeff’s boots and jeans ended up on the floor, his boxers soon to follow as Mack ripped at his clothes with a desperation that Jeff hadn’t seen in a long damn time. Even before things had gone sideways.

  “Fuck!” Jeff’s back bowed off the bed when Mack took his cock in his mouth.

  Incoherent words fell from his lips as he rocked his hips, attempting to go deeper into the blistering heat of Mack’s devilish mouth. He endured as long as he could before that telltale tingle ignited in his spine. A rough growl escaped him as he thrust his hands in Mack’s hair, jerking him back. Using the grip he had, he pulled Mack forward, then flipped their positions. He gave as good as he got, tearing at Mack’s clothes until the big man was laid out naked before him. That was when Jeff took what he’d craved, sucking the wide head of Mack’s cock between his lips.

  He worked him over good, relishing the desperate groans that escaped him. Jeff had fantasized about this more times than he could count. He figured it was only fair. Before Mack had abruptly called a halt to their relationship, their sex life had been off the charts. And he fucking missed this.

  “Don’t…” Mack groaned, his big body drawing tight. “Don’t make me come yet.”

  Jeff slowed his ministrations, then released Mack’s cock. He looked up the hard lines of Mack’s body, meeting his gaze. What he saw sent a tremor down his spine. Mack was as out of control as he was. And while it should’ve occurred to him that this would end badly, it didn’t. Not at that moment.

  Within seconds, Jeff had procured the lube he’d brought with him, crawled back on the bed with Mack as he slicked his cock.

  “How do you want it?” he asked, gripping his erection in his fist as he settled between Mack’s legs.

  Mack’s ocean-blue gaze flashed with heat. “Hard.”

  When Mack pulled his knees toward his chest, Jeff aligned his cock with the tight entrance to Mack’s body. A second later, he was driving into him. Deep, hard. He didn’t give a quarter, unable to hold back even though he knew he should have.

  Mack’s head fell back, eyes closed, a satisfied cry escaping him.

  “Look at me!” Jeff demanded, leaning over him.

  As he stared down into Mack’s face, those ocean-blue eyes opened, locked onto his face. And right then and there, Jeff took them to the highest peak, but he didn’t allow Mack to go over. He planted his fists on either side of Mack’s head and stared down at him as he impaled him, driving his hips forward, retreating slowly, driving home again. He continued that excruciatingly slow pace, giving Mack exactly what he’d asked for.

  “You want to come?”

  Mack growled low in his throat. “Yes.”

  Jeff considered that for a moment, continuing to slam into him, filling him completely, slowly pulling back.

  “Tell me.”

  “I want to come,” Mack hissed.

  “Don’t you dare touch yourself.”

  Mack’s eyes flashed once more as Jeff leveraged himself up, using Mack’s legs as a brace. He pounded into him, fast, hard, oh-so-fucking deep. They were racing up that slope once more, and Jeff never took his eyes off Mack’s face. The man held out until he couldn’t, and when Mack came, it was with Jeff’s name on his lips.

  That hoarse rasp sent Jeff careening into the ether.

  Chapter Nine

  KEEGAN GRINNED OVER AT HIS BROTHER AS he lifted his hand. “Last chance to back out.”

  He waited for Kaden to change his mind, something his twin was prone to do.

  “She told us she’d meet us,” Keegan reminded him. “True gentlemen will check on a lady, right?”

  Before Kaden could say a word, Keegan dropped his knuckles to the door. Three quick raps and he was stepping back.

  Kaden sighed. “She’s probably as—”

  The door opened and Bristol appeared, fresh-faced, her silky brown hair pulled back into her normal ponytail. Her eyebrows lowered, confusion written all over her beautiful face.

  “Hey,” she greeted even as she stuck her head out the door and peered down the hall. “What are you doing here?”

  Keegan smirked. “The real question is why aren’t you downstairs?”

  Her eyes widened as though she just remembered she’d promised to meet them in the bar.

  “I am so sorry. I must’ve forgotten.”

  Yep. Or she chickened out, which was likely her real reason for avoiding them.

  “No worries. Mind if we come in?” Keegan asked, knowing his brother would be too tongue-tied to get the sentence out.

  “In?”

  Keegan held up the bottle of Goose, grinned. “Figured we’d bring the party to you. Hang out for a bit. Chat.”

  Bristol’s eyes remained on his. “Chat?”

  “Yeah. You know, that thing friends do?”

  “Friends?”

  Figuring they could spend half an hour doing this, Keegan took a step forward. “Perhaps we could have this discussion inside. Before we wake up any of those kiddos.”

  That seemed to get through to her, because Bristol took a step back, but she never took her eyes off them.

  “I was getting ready for bed.”

  “Well, I was hopin’ we could hang out,” Keegan said, realizing Kaden really had lost the ability to speak.

  Figured.

  “And do what?” The edge of caution in Bristol’s voice made him smile.

  “Watch a movie? Play cards? Gossip? Doesn’t matter,” he told her, then held up the bottle. “As long as we come up with a way to finish off this bottle.”

  Bristol laughed and she seemed to settle somewhat. “Finish that off? It’s not even open.”

  Keegan took care of that right quick. “Is now.”

  While Bristol and Kaden acted like teenagers who were forced to play seven minutes in heaven, Keegan made his way into the bathroom, retrieved the two glasses the hotel kept stashed there. Why did they put them in the bathroom, he wondere
d. Seemed an awkward place for glasses.

  Not that it mattered.

  “All right,” he said when he returned. “You sit there.” He motioned for Bristol to move to the bed. “You”—he pointed to Kaden—“can sit in that chair. And I’ll take the floor.”

  “You’re serious,” Bristol said, but at least she was following directions, making her way over to the bed.

  “Very. So what’ll it be? Movie? Strip poker?” And because he’d thought of it and it sounded appealing, he added, “Seven minutes in heaven? We could play spin the bottle”—Keegan held up the bottle—“but we should probably wait till it’s empty.”

  “I am not playing spin the bottle,” Bristol said with a laugh.

  “Seven minutes in heaven it is.”

  She laughed again and Keegan found he very much liked the sound. While he hadn’t found himself quite as infatuated with the cute little daycare owner—not the way Kaden was, anyway—he certainly understood the appeal. When she wasn’t on edge, she was fun and sweet and damn easy on the eyes.

  Since neither of them had any suggestions, Keegan poured two fingers in each of the glasses, passed one to Bristol, the other to Kaden. Since he didn’t have another, he figured he’d drink straight from the bottle.

  No one spoke and Keegan realized it was going to get awkward really fast if he didn’t do something.

  “All right. Never have I ever, it is.”

  Bristol’s cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “Seriously?”

  “Yep. I assume you know how to play?”

  She nodded. “Someone tells something they’ve never done before and anyone who has done it has to drink.”

  Keegan mock toasted her with the bottle. “You can go first.”

  “Me?”

  Yep, he could totally understand why Kaden was head over heels for this chick. Seriously.

  *

  BRISTOL KNEW SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE ANSWERED THE door. She’d even considered it. It would’ve been easy to play it off tomorrow, to tell them she’d fallen asleep early, but her hand had turned that knob before her brain could get out the instruction.