Take Me Home for Christmas

by Aiden Frost

“I’d like to come see you,” she replied. “But I’d prefer if it was after the sun came up.” Amanda looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was sticking up on the one side, but she otherwise looked intact. She wet her brush, trying to tame her hair.

  “But I need you.”

  Amanda ears perked up, and she found herself brushing her hair faster. “Go get me coffee, and donuts,” she said. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  AMANDA ARRIVE AT MAX’S house, to find his standing next to his car. He was sipping a coffee, and a bag of what she hoped were donuts sat on top of his car’s roof. “You owe me,” she said, as she got out of her car.

  “Sure,” said Max, moving to her and wrapping his arms around her back. “Whatever you want.” She tasted coffee on his lips as he brushed them tenderly across hers. Amanda moved against him, wrapping her arms inside his coat, enjoying the feel of the hard muscles of his back against her hands.

  She pressed her hips against him, and he hardened against her stomach. “Not out here,” he growled in her ear. “Get us inside.”

  Amanda snatched the bag of donuts off the top of his car as he collected their coffees. She went to the front door, picking up the stone in the pot. She turned to him, the key in her hand. “It’s right here,” she said.

  “Oh,” said Max. “You see, I thought I put it in the other pot.”

  Amanda turned, realizing there was only one pot next to the door. Amanda eyed him before unlocking the front door.

  “Maybe you should hold on to that key,” Max said as she started to replace the key under the rock. He came up to her from behind, his breath warm against her exposed neck. “Hold on to they key in case I need you again,” he said to her.

  Amanda shook her head. She replaced the key under the rock and then turned to him, allowing him to wrap her in his arms and press her against the door. She could feel his desire. She needed to get them inside. She opened the door behind her back and they tumbled into the house. Amanda laughed as Max juggled the coffees to keep them from spilling. Max went to set the coffee in the kitchen, but Amanda stopped him.

  “Uh uhn,” she said. “To the bedroom with you, sir.”

  Max lowered his gaze at her, a wicked look in his eyes. “I thought you weren’t a morning person?” he said.

  Amanda smiled, as she thought about all the things she was about to do to him. “The sun’s up now,” she purred.

  Max moved to her, wrapping her in his arms and pulling her from the ground. She wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the bedroom. “Now, baby girl,” he said. “Please don’t be gentle.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  AMANDA SAT IN HER LIVING room, staring aimlessly at the myriad of plants spread out across the room. She’d spent the day with Max. The whole day. They’d made love, then chatted over coffee and donuts. And then, well, they’d made love, and then chatted over lunch. She found him easy to talk to. And easy to get lost within.

  She stood, her legs unsteady. She knew she was falling for him. She just didn’t realize how hard. She wanted to be with him every waking moment, yet she found herself back here at her house, hiding. She was a mixture of emotions. She thought to call Shandra, but she didn’t think she’d make any more sense of her feelings than she was able to herself.

  She found Bunny, nibbling down the rest of his lettuce plant. She knew she’d been neglecting him, neglecting her garden. She couldn’t keep splitting up her time like this. She wandered into her bedroom. She picked up the cardboard folder. She opened it, looking down at the picture of her and Max. She ran a finger over his face. She did not want to give him up.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  AMANDA FUMBLED WITH her phone. The damn thing was ringing again before the sun was up.

  She answered it and mumbled something unintelligible.

  “I need you, baby girl,” came a voice that ran a burning heat down her spine. She sat up, smiling.

  “What time is it?” she asked.

  “Come find my key?” he asked of her.

  “You did not lose your key again,” she said. “Hell, you didn’t even lose it the last time.” Amanda was grumbling but there was also this pulling force that got her out of bed and into the bathroom before she’d even realized she made the decision to move.

  “Bring Bunny with you,” he said, and hung up.

  Amanda stared down at her phone, confused. So now she was going to a play date at Max Avery’s house and she was supposed to bring her bunny too? What in the world was this man up to?

  “WE’RE JUST GOING FOR a ride,” she told Bunny as he fought against her as she tried to maneuver him into his kennel. “We’re not going to the vet. We’re going somewhere fun. I think. I don’t know what’s happening,” she admitted.

  After securing Bunny in his riding kennel, she turned to collect a little bag she’d packed for him. She brought his litter pan, food plates, and enough food for his evening meal. Amanda thought maybe she should pack a small bag for herself too, but she didn’t want to be presumptuous. Maybe Max was just inviting her and Bunny over for afternoon tea? Amanda laughed to herself. She had no idea what was going on.

  AMANDA PULLED INTO Max’s driveway. He was out by his car, coffee and donuts at the ready. He smiled when he saw her.

  “Hey,” he said, opening her car door. “You bring Bunny?”

  “Yes,” said Amanda, still uncertain. He reached down to take her hand. “Your hand is freezing!” she exclaimed. “How long have you been outside?”

  “I’m locked out,” he said.

  She eyed him, skeptical. “You’re locked out for the second day in a row?”

  Max shrugged. “If you won’t sleep over my house, how else am I going to see your shining face in the morning?”

  Amanda wrinkled her nose at him. “I hate mornings,” she grumbled.

  Max chuckled. “Then how about you get us inside.”

  Amanda turned to pull Bunny out of the car, but Max already had his kennel and his bag in his arms. “Umm,” said Amanda, suddenly very nervous, “okay.”

  Amanda walked up the drive, Max with Bunny trailing behind her. She took one last glance at him over her shoulder before she moved the rock aside in the pot. Not only hadn’t Max misplaced his spare key, now there were two keys beneath the rock. She picked up the first key, finding that it now had a keychain hanging from it. Her initials—A.L.J.—carved out in a cursive lettering. She wrapped it in her hand as she pulled the second key from the pot. This one had a tiny bunny on the keychain.

  Amanda turned to Max. He stood silent, his arms wrapped around Bunny’s kennel.

  “What is this?” she asked him.

  “A spare key for you, and a spare key for Bunny.” Amanda opened her mouth to argue, but Max held his hand up, stopping her. “You don’t need to take them home with you, but they’ll be there, under that rock anytime you feel the need to use them. There’s a fenced yard on the side of the house. I don’t know what all a bunny needs, but we can secure it in any way he needs.”

  “My bunny does not live outside,” said Amanda, defensive.

  Max laughed at her. “Let your guard down for two seconds, James. I merely meant I’d like to make him a secure place to play.”

  “Oh,” said Amanda, ashamed at herself for jumping to conclusions. “Are you asking us to move in with you?” Amanda’s heart beat so hard at the thought, she was certain Max could hear it.

  Max shook his head. “No.”

  “I’m not taking these keys home with me,” said Amanda.

  “Good,” said Max, because they’re mine.

  “I’m not using them to get you inside.”

  “Okay,” said Max, shrugging. He set Bunny’s kennel down on the sidewalk and moved to sit down beside him.

  “Wait!” said Amanda. “Just let us inside.”

  “Can’t,” said Max, “none of those keys have my name on them.”

  Amanda growled at him. She turned, using her key to unlock the house.

>   “There,” she said, flinging the door open. “Happy now?”

  “I don’t know,” said Max, moving to her. “Are you?”

  He wrapped his arms around her, and she allowed him to pull her close. “Stay with me,” he said. “Stay with me an hour, stay with me a day, stay with me forever. Stay with me however long you like, just please, stay with me.”

  Amanda looked into his eyes, silent. “Why do you do this to me?” she asked.

  Max smiled. He ran his fingers up her neck, cupping her face.

  “You’re an idiot,” she said.

  “Yeah,” he said, “but it got you over your fear.”

  “My fear of unlocking doors?” she asked him.

  He moved closer, his breath warm on her lips. “Your fear of unlocking my door.”

  “What do you want from me?” she whispered. She could feel her nerves fluttering through her chest.

  “I want you,” he said. Amanda remained silent. “You don’t want more?” he asked her.

  Amanda looked him in the eyes, all sense of uncertainty slipping away under his gaze. “I do,” she said, “but for how long? How long would it last?” Amanda shook her head, not expecting an answer. “I’d have to restart my life all over again.” She looked into Max’s house, imagining what the life he was offering her would be like. “Okay,” Amanda said, her voice small.

  Max’s lip twitched into a half smile.

  “Okay,” said Amanda again. “I’ll try. I’ll give this—us—a try.” Amanda stood back from her, giving him her sternest glare. “But if I have to say, I told you so, I’m going to be very angry.”

  Max scooped her into his arms, his laughter rolling across the quiet morning air. “You won’t regret this,” he said, as he began to nibble along her neck and up to her ear. She pulled her hands through his hair, pulling his head away from her. She squeezed her legs tighter around him and she pressed her lips to his.

  She pulled back from him, looking into his eyes. She whispered, “Take me home.”

  The End

  Dear Reader,

  I HOPE YOU ENJOYED Take Me Home for Christmas. Reviews are very important for authors, so if you took the time to leave one, I very much appreciate it. You can head straight to the book at AMAZON US, AMAZON UK, AMAZON DE, or the Amazon store specific to you.

  XO Aiden

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