Jingle Balls: A Holiday Romantic Comedy Anthology

by Dylann Crush

  “I’m sure I could round up a group of frat guys for you who’d love to book a party.”

  Her expression is the same one she gives me when I ask her if she wants to go in on Thai food for dinner at the shop. Who doesn’t like Thai food?

  “I like to challenge myself,” she sneers.

  “You have something against Greek letters?”

  There goes that look again. The one where her eyes narrow in disgust. It’s not my favorite look on Frankie. Her smile is wickedly sexy which kind of sucks since she’s my co-worker. Well and she hates me. But sometimes I think I’m like a ten-year-old boy doing anything just to get attention from her, even if it’s negative attention.

  “I guess I’m not as fond of them as you are butterflies and flowers.”

  “Hey, I don’t judge.” I shrug, this monkey suit of a tux I have on restricting my movement.

  She picks up her wine glass and stares at me for a beat. “I never judge what someone wants but come on, Jax, it’s gotta drive you nuts.”

  “Money is money.”

  She sips her wine and as I bait her with my raised eyebrows, Dylan clears his throat, stealing her attention away.

  He stands. “Okay, can I have your attention please,” he says like he’s the father of our group.

  I groan, and he shoots me a warning glare. I hold up my hands, so he knows I won’t interrupt but come on, we all know he’s just going to gush about Rian. Yeah, he loves her, we get it, let’s move on.

  A phone rings and I look at Frankie since it’s coming from her purse.

  “Sorry,” she says and scrambles to open it and fumbles with it for a moment before answering. She leaves the table with her phone plastered to her ear.

  Damn it. Our banter is the only thing remotely entertaining about this evening.

  I’m sitting in a tuxedo in the middle of a ballroom. This isn’t me. I love Rian and I’m proud of what she’s accomplished once she stopped trying to please her parents, but damn, how the hell did I let her convince me to come tonight?

  Dylan takes a seat and waits for Frankie to return. Rian and Dylan whisper to one another. Knox is pouting as usual. Seth is seething as he watches Evan, the bagel girl, laugh at what some guy says two tables over from us. Blanca and Ethan talk business, discussing their damn blog. I will say though, they asked to interview me, and that article got the most hits. Just saying.

  “Seriously? What is taking him so long?”

  How did I forget Sierra? She can’t sit still to save her life. Especially when she’s waiting for Adrian to come back into town.

  “I’ll go check on Frankie.” I stand, throwing myself a life vest and leaving the table.

  I weave through the tables, not immune to the looks. Not that a ton of my tats are visible in this monkey suit, but I’m not blind to what people’s stereotype of me is. The wealth in this room has me loosening my collar. How can Knox and Dylan be comfortable here?

  A long breath expels from my lungs when I hit the foyer area. Frankie’s by the front entrance, pacing in front of the door. She’s got the world’s biggest dick as an ex-husband.

  She turns to me when I’m ten feet away and her shoulders fall. “His mother is dropping her off here. She found her alone.” She inhales a deep breath and wetness coats her eyes. But I know Frankie, she’ll never let them fall. Not with someone there to witness.

  “When will she be here?” I ask.

  She glances at her phone. “In about five minutes.” She looks behind me. “I hate to do this, but can you just send my apologies to Rian?”

  “I—”

  “What a waste of money.” She lifts the fabric of her dress. The same one that had me lifting my jaw up off the ground before she got the wrong idea, like I’m attracted to her or something. Hell no. She’s hot, but I do not need the fucking headache this woman would bring to my life. “One night. You know.” She holds up her finger. “I knew I couldn’t trust him.” She sits down on a chair and buries her head in her hands. “I put her in danger.”

  “You put her in the hands of her father.”

  “Her father, who is a fuck-up.”

  I don’t know everything, but I do know that he recently went through a shit-ton of therapy and, according to a judge, these visits are mandated by the court. I only get this information because I’m in the shop when she’s blabbering away to Dylan about it. She’d never tell me any of this.

  A woman who looks worse for wear dressed in a waitress uniform walks in with Jolie. Thank God because I’m not very good at the whole ‘you’re a great mother’ speech. Comes from never having one.

  “Thanks for calling, Sandra,” Frankie says, holding her hand out for Jolie.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say. He’d been doing great.”

  Frankie’s quick to shake her head and you can tell they have a relationship full of mutual respect. “I know. It was just…” She lets a ragged sigh loose. “Thanks again. Say goodbye to Grandma.”

  Jolie walks over and hugs the woman who eyes me over her granddaughter’s shoulder. “Love you. Talk to you soon.” She turns but circles back around and kisses Frankie on the cheek. “You look gorgeous, honey,” she says, and Frankie’s cheeks tinge pink.

  The woman leaves and Jolie eyes me. “Jax!”

  She hops over to me and I high five her.

  “Come on, Jolie, we’re going to leave.” Frankie waves her over to where she’s standing.

  Jolie looks from her mom and back to me. “Why are you guys dressed up?”

  “Rian made some sweets for the event.”

  Nice way of Frankie to slyly not mention she baked cake balls.

  “I want some.” Jolie disregards her mom and starts walking across the marble flooring.

  “Jolie,” Frankie uses her authoritative voice. The one where it’s low but holds a stern tone. I’ve heard her use it in the shop with Jolie before.

  “Come on. We have an extra seat at the table. Don’t let your ex ruin another night for you,” I say.

  Frankie shakes her head adamantly. “She’s in jeans and a sweater.”

  True. Not only will the four-year-old stick out, but she also doesn’t resemble a spoiled rich kid dragged here with her au pair.

  I glance around the immediate area and then swoop Jolie up and head in the direction of the specialty shops.

  “Where are you going?” Frankie whisper shouts at us.

  “Mommy’s all dressed up, right?”

  Jolie nods. “Come on, Mommy!”

  “Jax,” Frankie says in that tone she loves to use with me. Like I’m her second child.

  We walk into the specialty shop and the woman working is about my age, but her pearl necklace and high neckline sweater says we come from different worlds. Lucky for me, the bad boy image my outward appearance suggests wins almost any woman over. And with Jolie with me, it’s game over.

  “Can I help you?” She approaches us.

  “No, we’re fine.” Frankie tugs at my arm.

  “Do you have anything in her size?” I hold Jolie away from me with both hands under her arms.

  The woman looks her over. “We have a very small collection that might fit. They’re adorable.”

  I lower Jolie to the ground, and she follows the woman to a small carousel of racks containing dresses.

  “I’m not going to buy her a dress she’ll only wear once,” Frankie says.

  “No, you’re not.”

  She looks at me skeptically.

  “I am.”

  “Absolutely not!” Her gaze skitters around the store and she leans in close. “I can—”

  I put my finger on her lips. “Relax. I’m not asking.”

  She swipes my hand away and I chuckle, dodging her anger to join the saleslady and Jolie.

  “This is expensive,” Frankie whispers, following me through racks of women’s clothes I’ve only ever seen women wearing in the rich areas of New York.

  “Good thing butterflies and flowers sel
l well.” I can’t even hide my smirk on that one.

  The saleslady has the dress over Jolie’s head so it’s over her clothes and they’re staring in the mirror. Well, the woman is looking in the mirror, Jolie is twirling and watching the puffy skirt move around her.

  I glance over my shoulder to Frankie and she sighs but stops being argumentative about me buying a dress, shoes, and tights. Plus a hair thing that matches the dress. Damn, women are expensive. Even when they’re young.

  When we leave the store, we’re stopped by an elderly woman who bends down to Jolie who’s holding my hand and Frankie’s in the other.

  “You’re a very lucky girl.”

  “Why?” Jolie asks.

  The woman looks to Frankie and then to me and back down to Jolie. “You have two loving parents.”

  She looks at me, confusion laced in her scrunched up small eyebrows.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  “But—” Frankie is quick to ruin the moment per usual. Who cares about this woman? Let her think what she wants and move on.

  We walk by and she tugs on my arm. “Beautiful family,” she says.

  I nod my thank you and Frankie shakes her head. “Old and young. Tell me, does every woman just fall instantly at your feet?”

  I chuckle. “Not every woman.”

  We walk into the event and a few heads turn and examine the small person with us.

  “I don’t think kids were invited,” Frankie says.

  “I welcome someone to challenge me on the fact she’s here.”

  She blows out a breath.

  Dylan sighs when he spots us approaching the table and stands. “There you guys are,” he says.

  Jolie skips around the table and hugs everyone. All the women in the group exclaiming how pretty she is and asking her to twirl around. She eats up every bit of attention.

  “Yeah, you look beautiful, Jolie. Can you sit down?” Dylan asks her.

  Jolie sits down on Rian’s lap. We all laugh and Dylan’s whole body language conveys how annoyed he is. He raises his glass. “I just wanted to say—”

  “He’s here!” Sierra jumps out her chair and rushes from the table like Taylor Swift just walked on stage to perform.

  I chuckle and Frankie smacks me on the arm. Jolie sits with her chin resting in her palm waiting for Dylan to start, but he sits down again and shakes his head.

  4

  Sierra

  Adrian steps into the foyer of the fancy hotel and heads turn. I’m used to it by now. Although he’s been on a plane for eight hours, he’s still drop-dead gorgeous when he’s dressed in his custom suit.

  “Hey beautiful,” he says, dropping his phone into his pocket and opening his arms for me to walk right into. Which I do and take a deep inhale of him. The scent is a mixture of his cologne and potpourri from the plane.

  My arms squeeze around his taut waist and his finger lands under my chin, urging me to look at him. “I missed you.” He places the sweetest kiss on my lips, but my body wants more than just a polite kiss in front of witnesses. My body wants sloppy and uncontrolled Adrian. The one who worships my body and whispers sweet and nasty words in tandem to me.

  “God, I missed you.” The time we’re forced to spend away from one another is getting old fast.

  “I don’t have to go back until—”

  I shut him up with a kiss and he welcomes the distraction. Tugging him by the hand, I lead us to the ballroom, but my man has much better plans.

  He stops at the coat check and it’s vacant since it’s only dinner. They must not think anyone is going to need to check or retrieve a coat.

  Adrian’s hand squeezes mine and his expression says it all, non-verbally asking me if I’m game.

  “Have you forgotten who you proposed to?” I yank him through the side opening, through the rows of expensive minks and fur coats until we’re tucked in a little cocoon in the corner where no one will find us.

  As usual, he doesn’t allow me to take control, pushing my back against the wall, his hand cups my cheek. “You’re so damn beautiful.”

  I cover his hand and slide it down to my breast. “I appreciate the sweet words, but you already have me, or have you forgotten?”

  His thumb runs over my nipple and it pebbles at the familiar touch through my lace bra and satin dress. “I’m not sure I approve of this dress.” His finger slides one spaghetti strap down my arm. “It’s a little flimsy.”

  “I wanted to be easily accessible to you,” I coo, and his smirk says he likes this game.

  But we don’t have all the time in the world. As usual, Adrian is one step ahead of me because his hand is slowly pulling my dress up. Once he’s able to get access, his large hand slides between my legs and his finger toys with my clit through my silk panties.

  “This is because of me, right?” He stops all movement and waits for me to answer.

  “Always for you.” I run my hand down his scruff, the small hairs prickling my palm.

  “Good answer.” One finger glides under the band of my panties, sliding them to the side. “Your choice?” His finger runs down my center, my wetness coating his finger.

  “What?” My head falls to the wall.

  “Well… I could fall to my knees and worship you like a good fiancé, or I can take you quick and hard against this wall with my cock that’s currently trying to break my zipper open.”

  My hand skates down his chest and I rub my palm against his hard length. “I do hate to disappoint my favorite little guy.”

  Adrian’s finger leaves my core and my panty’s elastic band snaps back into place. “Little?”

  I giggle and my forehead falls to his shoulder. “You’re my big guy and he’s my little guy.” I apply more pressure to his cock, and he groans but puts his hand over mine.

  “How about you love your big boy and his monstrous cock?”

  Laughter pours out of me and I stifle it so we don’t get caught, but it’s too hard.

  I guess Adrian isn’t waiting because both of his hands grab my ass, pushing my legs open for him to hold me against the wall with his hips. Next I hear his belt buckle and zipper. This is my favorite part—when he can’t control himself.

  His slacks fall to his ankles and he pulls his dick out of his boxers. His fluid motions still surprise me as he slides my panties over to the side and pushes himself inside of me in one move.

  “Ah,” I say, the back of my head hitting the wall and my legs tightening around his waist.

  “Fuck, you feel good,” he says in my neck, his lips sucking my earlobe into his mouth.

  He pumps into me, my back moving up and down the wall while I hold on with both arms wrapped around his shoulders.

  “Faster,” I say, panting, my breathing uncontrolled and labored.

  This is always the case. I spend my time away from Adrian chilling at Ink Envy and now Sweet Infusion with Rian while Adrian spends his time in Europe having people cook for him and working out on a regular basis. It’s hardly fair.

  He’s barely breaking a sweat as he lifts me up and down on his thick shaft and I clench around him. The strap of my dress falls down, revealing my black lacy bra. He growls and I’m unable to stop the climax that’s running through me like a train without a conductor. We’re barreling down the Adrian tracks and he lifts me and bites down on a nipple through my bra. My orgasm hits me hard and fierce and I cry out until Adrian swallows my sounds with his mouth.

  His tongue swipes mine and he pumps into me again before stilling and slowing down. He withdraws out of me and lowers my legs back down, my dress following next. I pull the strap back up my arm and ensure I’m covered.

  Tucking himself back in and becoming the prince again, he kisses me tenderly. “I love you,” he says.

  I place my hands on both sides of his cheeks. “I love you. But I don’t love what you just left me with.”

  The one problem with having impromptu no condom sex is always the cleanup.

  “Sorry.”

&n
bsp; “Don’t be, but I’m going to rush to the bathroom.”

  He takes my hand and leads me to the bathroom. Once we’re both as cleaned up as we can be, we walk back over to the table where all our friends are.

  Adrian works his way around everyone, shaking hands and kissing cheeks as he says hello.

  Jolie is on her knees on what should be Adrian’s chair, but he only ruffles her hair and sits down, patting his lap for me to sit on. After five days apart, I’m more than happy to attach myself to him.

  The waitstaff comes by and clears the dinner plates, Jolie smiling as she leans over a cup of soup. She is the cutest thing ever.

  “Is everyone here now?” Dylan says, stressing over some speech he wants to give Rian.

  “Sorry,” I say to him because I was the latest one to ditch and I guess he’s hell-bent on giving this speech with everyone here.

  “Adrian is a good excuse to leave the table,” Rian says. I kiss Adrian’s cheek.

  Dylan stands and holds his drink up. “I just want to say a few—”

  “Sorry Dylan.” Seth stands up and heads toward the foyer.

  “Seth?” Dylan calls out, but he holds up his index finger and continues on his mystery quest.

  5

  Seth

  We’ve made eye contact more than once.

  My body reacted the minute she stepped into the room on the arm of Brock Floyd. The same guy responsible for my brother’s spiraling downfall. As though she sensed me, her eyes floated across the room, landing on me.

  Her surprised expression didn’t go unnoticed. We’re not here for the same reasons. Rian was given the table at a fraction of the cost for donating her cake balls while Evan is sitting at a prominent table paid for by her boyfriend’s family, the Floyds.

  I have to admit the fact that she’s being introduced to the family causes me to hook my finger into the collar of my shirt to get some air. Things must be more serious than I thought.

  I’m not going to deny that I’ve had one eye on her and one on the goings-on of my own table all night. Every time Brock’s arm extended over her chair, or his fingers slid along her bare shoulder, I fidgeted in my own seat. The guy’s a class A asshole and Evan is way too pure to deal with him. Hell, she might even still be a virgin.