F*CKING AWKWARD HOLIDAYS: 25 Short Stories of Awkward Holiday Encounters

by Plendl, Taryn

  My heart melts at the thread of fear in his voice. Fear I’m responsible for. Fear I’d thought gone.

  As Jackson sets me down, his hold tightens. Sawyer joins us, leaving no space between our bodies. He’s stiff as a mannequin, and anxiety swims in his eyes. No more.

  Wiggling out of their hold isn’t simple, considering they’re molded around me like my clothes. When I manage to break free, I spin to face them and stretch to cup their cheeks in my hands. As though everything around us fades away, Jackson and Sawyer are all I see.

  “I. Love. You. Do you understand me?” My fingers press into their flesh, and I jostle their heads in an affirmative nod. “No one and nothing will ever take me away. You’re my, my everything. Everything I didn’t know I wanted. Everything I didn’t know I needed. Everything to heal the scars and cracks in my heart.” Their eyes soften, and this time, they nod without prompting. The tight band on my lungs releases its strangling hold. “This worry you have that I’m going to tuck tail and run, well, you have to let it go. Because you’re stuck with me, so deal with it.” A single tear tracks a course down my cheek. “I love you.”

  Before I can draw a breath, Jackson and Sawyer become a flurry of arms and lips and whispered I love yous, bringing me right back where I belong. Between them. Surrounded by their love and strength. My home.

  Sniffles and clearing throats bring us back to the kitchen, reminding me of the one thing I still need to handle. Ciara. Shoulders squared, I turn as fast as their firm hold allows and shake my finger at her. Her gaze meets mine before it drops to the floor, and she inches back against her husbands, seeking shelter in their arms.

  “As for you, Ciara, there’s something I need to say.” She peeks at me through her lashes and chews her bottom lip. Her contrite look and deceptive quiet have a giggle bubbling up my throat. “Thank you. I’m not saying Robert and Elijah haven’t contributed to the men your sons have become, but I’m more than aware of the issues you’ve faced for loving two men. My grams always said a person’s true character is revealed when she’s faced with adversity, and although you scare the shit out me, I find your character to be above reproach. So, thank you. I hope and pray I find the strength to walk in your shoes as well as you do.”

  Jesus Pete, these people move faster than heat lightning bolting across the sky on a hot summer day. One second, I’m leaning against Jackson and Sawyer, and the next, I’m choking on long red hair and struggling to breathe. Ciara’s arms are squeezing the life out of me, and damned if the four men don’t join in the action.

  “I’ve always wanted a daughter, and even though I’m positive I’ll make mistakes along the way, I’m so very excited to call you my own.” Ciara’s whispered words warm my heart.

  My poor lungs may never work properly again. But despite the physical discomfort, joy pulses through my veins. It seems I finally have the parents I’ve always longed for.

  “Oh my gosh, I knew we should have come over sooner.” Analise’s panicked voice breaks through our little group hug as she rushes into the kitchen to the center workstation. “If we’re going to eat before tomorrow, we need to get a move on.”

  Gabe and Michael follow her in and head straight to the sink to wash their hands. Neither looks thrilled to be here, but they follow her directions and dump potatoes in the basin.

  “Ana babe, you insisted we come, and now that we’re here, I suggest you find some place comfortable and park your ass in it.” Gabe narrows his eyes at Analise’s glare. “Argue with me. Please. I’ve been looking for an excuse to spank you.”

  “I dare you.” Sparks fly from Analise’s eyes. “I’m not a china doll, you know. I fight back.”

  Ciara ends the argument by pushing a chair against the back of Analise’s knees, forcing her to sit. I bite back a giggle at the shocked look on Analise’s face.

  “Let them pamper and take care of you, sweet one,” Ciara croons as she massages the stiffness from Analise’s shoulders. “It’s how our men show their love when they’re worried about us.”

  “She’s right, sweetheart,” Michael says. Worry and love and a hint of lingering sadness swim in his eyes. “The doctor told you to take it easy, but you’ve been working double time. Why don’t you just rest and let us get this meal on the table? Please?”

  A glossy sheen covers her eyes, and Analise blinks away her tears. “Okay,” she whispers. “I am kinda tired.” She kicks her clogs off, props her feet on the cabinet shelf, and settles into the chair.

  Like a well-choreographed dance, we fall into a steady rhythm, working with and around each other. Sweet potatoes become a casserole with a crunchy praline topping, and Irish potatoes are whipped until fluffy. Green beans are sautéed and sprinkled with slivered almonds. Fresh cranberries are candied and jelled. The fragrance of fresh bread mingles with the other delicious smells. The dressing is transferred to a dish and baked. Jackson arranges the beautiful, browned turkey on a serving tray, and Sawyer strains the broth for gravy.

  Analise and I set the table and light the candles on the sideboards, and the guys bring the dishes from the kitchen and place them in the buffet warmers. The dining room looks stunning. The dim lighting transforms the large area into warm and intimate. Bare twig and burnished leaf arrangements bring a touch of the outdoors inside.

  Michael, Analise, and Gabe head to the cellar to choose the perfect wines for the meal, and silence falls over the room. I turn to ask Elijah which knife he wants to carve the turkey and realize our little group is missing three of our helpers—Elijah, Robert, and Ciara.

  “Jackson, Sawyer, do you know where your parents are? Harlan and Granger should be here any minute.”

  “Mom was harping about lighting a fire. They probably went to get some wood,” Jackson says as he fills the water glasses.

  “Do I need to clear a space for the desserts?” Sawyer asks as he lights a Sterno can under a warming dish.

  “I’ll go put the pies in the oven right now and bring them out after dinner. I can’t believe I almost forgot.” Yes, I may have gone a tad overboard on the sweets, but I’ll blame it on my crazy desire to impress Jackson and Sawyer’s parents. When I walk by him, Sawyer wraps his arm around my waist, pulls me to his chest, and feathers a soft kiss across my lips. Mmm.

  “Need some help?” His whispered words tickle my ears and send shivers down my spine. “Maybe finish what we started earlier?”

  “Sounds exactly like the kind of help I need.” I wiggle closer, trying to ease the need igniting in my body.

  “Did someone say she needs help?” Jackson’s heat covers my back, and his hands make a slow trek up my stomach, stopping when my breasts rest in his palms.

  “Not this time, Brother.” Sawyer sweeps me off my feet and rushes to the cooler. “It’s my turn. You guard the door.”

  His mouth meets mine, his lips demanding and firm, and my body dissolves into his. He presses closer, opening me wider to his invasion, his tongue twisting and tangling with mine. Fingers tugging at his hair, I moan into his mouth, and he answers with a growl. The firm ridges of his chest flatten against me.

  Cold air meets my back as he rips my shirt over my head. My heart beat drums in my ears, drowning out the click and hum of the cooler. Fingers caress my thighs in feathery teases. Goose bumps form, and a chill runs down my spine even though my flesh is on fire. Teeth nibble my hips, and soft lips soothe the sting. Sawyer slips his hands into the waistband of my pants and tugs them down my legs and over my feet. On his way back up, he licks and nips my skin from my ankle to the apex of my thighs. Warm breath puffs across my most sensitive spot. His tongue traces circles around my clit, and my back arches off the wall.

  Palms on my ass, he stands and wraps my legs around his waist, my feet hooking below the curve of his ass. Sawyer’s cock glides back and forth through my slippery wetness. When I’ve had all the teasing I can take, my fingers tangle in his hair. Foreplay is finished. Our eyes lock, and I lose myself in his stormy heat. He slams his cock into
me and sets a wild, frantic pace. Our lips meet, the need so savage it leaves me fighting for breath.

  I startle when Jackson’s teeth nip along my shoulder and neck. His fingers tug my nipples in sync with Sawyer’s thrusts. When Sawyer tilts my hips and quickens his movements, Jackson presses my clit, twisting the sensitive bundle of nerves. Fire courses through my veins. Desire pulses and grows until my body trembles. Each stroke of Sawyer’s cock against my G-spot throws me closer to the edge, and when Jackson breaches my ass with his thumb, a kaleidoscope of colored spots dances in my vision, and I splinter into a million pieces.

  The sound of light applause jars me back to Earth.

  “Oh my God, you have got to be kidding me!” I whisper and bury my face in Sawyer’s shoulder. “And don’t you dare laugh.”

  “Bravo. Encore. Encore.”

  Harlan’s deep voice has me jerking upright to glance over Jackson’s shoulder. Shit, he’s not alone. Granger, Ciara, Robert, Elijah, Analise, Gabe, and Michael form a half-circle around him. The whole fucking crew.

  “Well, at least now we know where they are.” Analise giggles.

  “Holy shit.” My forehead thuds on Sawyer’s chest as I try to burrow inside him.

  “Could someone close the door, please?” Jackson grits out with gravel and steel in his voice. His tense body shrouds my nakedness.

  The hinges squeak, and the door closes with a thud. I scramble from their arms, and with one destination in mind, dress as fast as possible. Sawyer and Jackson are arguing, but I can’t hear them over the buzzing noise in my head.

  My hand twists the knob, but arms around my shoulders and waist stop me mid-flight.

  “We’ve got you, Sweeth’aa’t.”

  Somehow, Sawyer and Jackson convince me to stay. Our friends and family go out of their way to make me comfortable, and the meal goes off with no more embarrassing, awkward moments. The soft candlelight hides the red in my cheeks. Hopefully, I'll eventually be able to look these people in the eyes again.

  Jackson and Sawyer take turns feeding me, and neither argues when I'm full after several bites. And don't think I don't notice most of what they feed me is high in calories and fat. They'll be trying to fatten me up until the day I die. It's just one way they show me their love.

  Ciara surprises me by sitting quietly throughout most of the meal. Once in a while, I catch her staring at me like I'm a winning lottery ticket. Even from my end of the table, the excitement in her eyes is visible. Lord knows what she's scheming and planning, but I'm not worried in the least. She's seen my good, bad, and ugly. If she can survive my nakedness, I guess I'll come to grips with her seeing me like that.

  After the mess is cleaned, and the dishes washed, we sit around the fire, groaning and complaining about our full bellies. The stress of the last twenty-four hours hits me. Between meeting the parents, the aborted proposal, cooking with Ciara, and getting caught having sex—twice, not one minute has been dull. Exhaustion crawls through me, sleep beckoning me with warm arms. I blink once, twice, and the third time, my eyelids are too heavy to lift.

  A cold hand cups my cheek, startling me from my little nap. My eyes pop open at the intrusion.

  It’s déjà vu.

  Kneeling before me is my heart, my future, my home. My loves.

  A muffled noise draws my attention. When I see Elijah restraining Ciara, and Robert’s hand covering her mouth, the laughter that bubbles inside me is impossible to hold.

  “Luv, they can’t hold her long. We need to hurry.” Sawyer chuckles as he grabs my left hand. “We always knew something was missing in our lives, and after traveling the world, it took coming to this little town on the other side of nowhere to find it.”

  Anticipation flutters in my stomach.

  “Sweeth’aa’t, from the first time we saw you, we knew you were the one. Your kindness and compassion, the way you love us, it makes us whole.” Jackson opens his hand, and there in his palm is the ring from last night. “We never want to live a day without you.”

  “Camellia Grace Andrews, will you marry us?” they say together, so intense and serious, excitement and hope on their faces.

  Pure joy, the everlasting kind, rushes through my veins. I throw myself at them, and like the men they are, they catch me in the safety of their arms. Right where I belong.

  “Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes,” I murmur between kisses.

  The next thing I know, my ass is in the air, and I’m looking at the floor. The butt right in front of my face belongs to Jackson. Face flaming and head spinning, I bite a delectable cheek.

  “Dammit, Jax, have you lost your mind?” I screech.

  “Nope, I know exactly what I’m doing.” His long strides carry us across the room. “We’re taking you to bed.”

  “And this time, no one is interrupting us.” Sawyer opens the door for us to pass and steps out behind us. “Dads, y’all can let her go now, but not far.”

  The door slamming echoes across the mountains, but the laughter behind us is even louder.

  Yes, I could get angry at our embarrassing departure, but I know what will happen when my men get me home. Good loving trumps awkward every single time.

  The End

  * * *

  Cast of Characters

  Cammy, Sawyer, and Jackson–Sweet Seduction, Shaw Creek Seduction Book 2

  Ciara, Robert, and Elijah, Sawyer and Jackson’s parents–Sweet Seduction

  Analise, Gabe, and Michael–Savory Seduction, Shaw Creek Seduction Book 1

  Harland and Granger–Spirited Seduction, Shaw Creek Seduction Book 3, coming soon.

  Also by Eliana: Scandalous Charges

  * * *

  About the Author

  I'm just a girl who fell in love with a boy and his brother. Who knew soul mates could come in threes? Now, the three of us travel the world looking for the perfect wine. It's a hard life, but someone has to do it.

  Want to get to know me better? Feel free to visit my website and signup for my newsletter (www.espeters.com), and stalk me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/elianaspeters/)

  Follow me on Facebook

  Visit my website

  Under the Mistletoe~A Rub Down Series Short Story

  Gina Sheldon

  Chapter 1

  Alexa

  Sitting around Addison and now Elle’s living room made me nostalgic. This used to be my home. Surrounded by Addie’s eclectic art and knickknacks, my heart was a bit sad I’d moved in with Luke.

  Don’t get me wrong. I loved Luke. I loved our life together. But as I sat there and listened to my two best friends, I felt left out.

  “Did you know we’re out of OJ?” Elle asked Addie.

  This was not the beginning of the food, bills, and roomie conversation. I’d sat through the last thirty minutes of roommate banter. I’d had enough. I wanted to be in the cool kid group again.

  “So Luke hasn’t gone down on me in weeks,” I blurted out at Elle and Addie when they started discussing sweaters. My chosen topic didn’t fit into their conversation, quite the opposite really.

  Cool kid, I was not.

  Awkward kid all the way.

  Both girls’ heads whipped my way at my outburst.

  “I’m sorry, what? Is it weird I want to know why?” Elle’s head shook side to side, weirded out by her own confession. After all, Luke was her brother.

  Addison, on the other hand, stared blankly at me for a few minutes. “Have you not groomed down there? I told you that needs to be a regular, standing appointment.”

  Over the years, I’d learned Addison was as bald as a baby’s bottom down there. Regular visits to take care of such matters were written on our company, Dress Me Up’s schedule. And once we got an ‘in’ at the best spa in town, The Rub Down, which Luke and Elle’s fiancé Danny owned, she was grooming even more often.

  “No, I’ve been a little busy with the company since you, my darling, have been ‘distracted’ by one of our male clients.” Grooming where only I co
uld see was not a huge priority in my life. When Luke and I’d started dating, I’d bumped it up in line, but lately, I was exhausted and couldn’t imagine fitting anything else in my day.

  “Spare me. I’ve been working hard, too.” Addie narrowed her eyes at me.

  “On your knees,” Elle quipped.

  My neck snapped toward Elle, my mouth agape. When we’d first met her, she was a shy, silent beauty, but ever since she and Danny got together, her true personality had shown. That girl was a spit fire. Watching Elle grow into her own skin—especially at my best friend’s expense—was phenomenal.

  “Whatever! Killian and I may have had our ups and downs, but that man licks me like I’m the best and biggest lollipop that ever existed.” Never one to mince words, Addison was open and large and in charge of her life. Behind all those words was a woman who was broken at one point, but it seemed Killian was putting her back together, one minute at a time.

  Or should I say one lick at a time?

  “So, help me, oh wise bitches,” I pleaded. “How can I get him to revisit my vagina?”

  “Not sure you remember this, but I am an esthetician. I wax people for a living. And I do it at the spa your fiancé owns, so it’s free,” Elle scolded me.

  “I know. I know. But isn’t it weird for you to see my hoo-ha?”

  “I’m sorry, your what? I didn’t know we were on an episode of Hee Haw.” Addison jumps back into the conversation.

  “Can we be serious here? Sex with Luke is amazing, but fuck, I need the foreplay, and he just isn’t giving it up. Help me,” I said as I took the final sip of the wine in my glass. “I love him more than life, but damn Gina, I need my pussy licked.” On those words, I stormed off to the kitchen to find more wine.

  “I’m trying to not be wierded out by this whole conversation, so can we call Luke, Jorge? It will help with my visual and make me a better problem solver.” Elle grabbed the bottle of Chardonnay out of my hand and poured her and me another glass.