The Christmas Sneak: Hope’s Turn Holidays

by Marie Harte

  Before Deacon could say he hadn’t been hiding, Simon closed the door, leaving him alone with flowers, books, the crackle of flames, and a very comfortable couch.

  He sighed with pleasure and let himself relax. No work fires to put out, no family drama, no girlfriends to please. Just Deacon and the promise of a nap.

  He closed his eyes and let himself go.

  Simon shut the door, turned around, and watched his best friend play tug of war with Oreo’s rope. Jenna and Simon had grown up together and been through a lot, including his inability to realize his crush on the girl had been returned. Now they called themselves boyfriend and girlfriend, though really not much had changed.

  Well, if he didn’t include the kissing parts. And those he liked a little too well to dismiss.

  “What’s that look for?” Jenna asked, crouched beside Simon’s dog. She wore jeans and a Riverdown High School sweatshirt, her dark brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. “Jealous I’m not playing tug-of-war with you?”

  “Very funny.”

  “I would, but Oreo smells better.” She laughed at him.

  He laughed with her as they hunted down their jackets and boots and some doggie bags for Oreo’s walk. Mitch’s house—no, my house, Simon had to remind himself—sat on several acres of land away from neighbors and the main road with a killer view of the mountains. It took longer to get to school from the place, but the house had everything a guy could ask for.

  Not only did Simon get to use the indoor pool, hot tub, and game room, he also had access to an amazing weight room, media room, and a big bedroom away from his mom and Mitch’s. He loved seeing them hug, kiss, and hold hands—the normal kind of affection. But any hint of sexy action had to stay far away from him. Because that was just gross.

  But even better than his parents loving each other and all the great stuff inside the house, outside it felt like he’d been dropped in the middle of the mountains, away from everyone. The house sat on a somewhat flat piece of land that gradually sloped up then down again, nestled between a few hills blocking them from the harsher winds from the mountains. The area behind the house had lawn for entertaining, like a football game or soccer. Mitch had even put in a practice quarterback training net, which he and Deacon liked to fool around with just for fun. Simon liked it, though he had no intention of becoming a QB, preferring the position of running back, like Mitch.

  He held Jenna’s hand as they followed Oreo bounding over the back lawn toward the woods bordering the yard. The property extended for what felt like a mile in all directions, all except for the driveway that led to the main road.

  He loved it out here, where he could get away from everyone, enjoying his solitude.

  “You’re way too quiet.” Jenna squeezed his hand. “You okay?” She tilted her head, and he had to kiss her.

  He leaned down and pecked her on the lips, loving her blush.

  “I can do that because I’m your boyfriend.”

  She mock-glared up at him, her lips quirking as she tried to hide her smile. “You can do that because I let you do that.”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “And because you’re my boyfriend.” She laughed. “You big idiot. I still can’t believe you thought I liked someone else. Who else watches anime and romantic comedies and likes sports? You know the Hallmark channel is one of your favorites. You can lie to your mom, but you can’t lie to me.”

  “I know, I know. But keep it quiet about the romcoms, would you? The guys would never understand.”

  She chuckled. “Make it worth my while to keep quiet and I will.” They walked together, following as Oreo had to sniff the same trees she sniffed every time they went out. She took forever, circling, sniffing, circling, then finally did her business.

  “Man, she takes forever.” Jenna cringed as Simon bagged up a mess and disposed of it in a receptacle bin Mitch had put out in the woods for that very reason. “You could just leave it out and let the rain and snow take care of it.”

  “Sometimes we run out here. See the trail? I don’t want to track that back in the house.”

  “Ew, good point.”

  He continued to walk with her, following Oreo in the woods, not sure how to start.

  Jenna tugged him to a standstill. “Okay, talk, buddy. I can tell the hamster fell off the wheel in your small brain.”

  He sighed. “We have a problem.”

  “We do?”

  “It’s Deacon.” Simon used to call him coach and still did when on the field. But at home, Deacon was family. Calling him Uncle Deacon felt weird. Kind of like with Nora, since he normally ended up calling her by name unless trying to grab her attention. “He needs help.”

  Jenna’s eyes brightened. “Our kind of help?”

  “Yep. He and Nora are pathetic. They act like they don’t like each other, but I see how they look at each other when they think no one is watching.”

  “Still?”

  Simon nodded. “Yep. You’ll see. Watch them at dinner and tell me what you think.”

  “Oh, I will.” They started walking back toward the house. “Simon? This time let me think up something better than that stunt we almost pulled with my aunt and your mom and Mitch. The jealousy angle can backfire. With Deacon and all his girlfriends, I don’t think making Nora jealous is going to work.”

  Simon nodded. “Good point. I know the guy is popular, but he’s been crazy with all the dating lately.”

  “You mean the sex?”

  Simon flushed. Sure, he was a guy and a teenager, but he didn’t think he was ready for the heavy stuff yet.

  “I love how red you get when I say the s-word,” Jenna teased. “Relax. I don’t want to talk about it—or do it,” she emphasized, and he relaxed even more. “But your uncle seems to be a little girl crazy. Maybe he has a sex addiction or something.”

  Simon frowned. “I thought he was just lonely. You think it’s about, um, physical needs or something?” He felt a little sick thinking about any of the adults he knew getting busy.

  “Who knows? He could have a medical condition.”

  “There’s a condition for that? For real?” She had to be messing with him.

  “I saw it on TV. I guess it’s real. Heck, you can be addicted to anything nowadays.”

  “Um. Okay. Sure.”

  “We need to cover all the bases before we put a plan in action. See what you can find out about Deacon. I’ll study him and Nora at dinner and let you know what I think.”

  And no more talk about sex. “Good plan.”

  “Well, we didn’t have to do much to get your mom and Mitch together, but Nora needs help. And she deserves to be happy. I love her.”

  “Me too. And I love Deacon. I think they’d be good together if they’d stop arguing or ignoring each other.”

  Jenna nodded. “Adults are so stupid sometimes. It’s like they forget how to keep things simple.”

  “Tell me about it.” They neared the house, and Simon saw his mom carrying his new sister. His heart felt full all over again, and he put an arm around Jenna’s shoulders. “But some things they do pretty darn good. Want to hold my sister?”

  Jenna smiled. “Boy, do I! And just think. If you’re lucky, and we do this right, you can be an uncle next year to Nora’s kid.”

  “One step at a time.” Simon whistled for Oreo. “Now try not to be obvious about what we’re up to.”

  “Me? You’re the one who can’t keep a secret.”

  “What? I am not.” They entered, put their boots to the side, and hung up their jackets while Oreo barked at them to hurry up.

  “Oh really? Who was it that told my youngest sister I had a boyfriend?”

  “No way. That’s not my fault. She overheard me talking to you on the phone.”

  “That’s not what she said.”

  Simon shrugged. “She’s nine and has a crush on me. She’s lying.”

  “What?” Jenna’s eyes bugged out.

  “That’s what Melinda told me.” Jenna�
�s middle sister. “Hey, I did nothing to make Joy like me. I’m just naturally loveable.”

  “Well, maybe to me.” She shook her head. “No, Joy doesn’t have a crush on you, and she doesn’t snoop, not like Melly does.” Jenna nodded. “Melly must like you, even though she calls you Simple Simon every time she talks about you.”

  “I’m Simply Superior. That’s what I told her the last time I was over.” Simon smiled. “Of course she likes me. She has good taste.”

  Jenna laughed. “Poor Melly. No wonder she looks constipated every time you’re over. It’s not that she hates you. She likes you.”

  Simon frowned. “Wait. Constipated?”

  “Never mind. Focus, Simon. And not just on your stomach. We have a new mission.”

  He faced her and saluted. “Operation Quarterback Sneak—Christmas Style.”

  “That’s a terrible name.”

  “I like it. We’ll call it QSCS for short.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Boys make everything complicated.”

  Simon’s mom overheard and turned to them, smiling. “Yes, Jenna, they do. But sometimes complicated can be good. Meet Ava, Simon’s baby sister.”

  As Jenna carefully took Ava in her arms and cooed over the girl, Simon let his mom hug him tightly to her.

  “I love you, Simon.”

  He let her hold on extra tight, because she needed it. “Aw, Mom. You don’t have to be so mushy.”

  She laughed.

  He hugged her back, because he needed it too.

  Chapter 5

  Nora went in search of Deacon and found him snoozing in the reading room. How cool was it that her cousin had a freaking reading room in her monstrosity of a house? When Deacon had asked if she’d ever want something this large to live in, she’d told him the truth. The house was too much for her, but she wouldn’t mind something larger than her small, one-bedroom cottage. Though cute, it wouldn’t be enough should she ever get married and have children.

  Not like that would be happening any time soon.

  Deacon let out a loud breath, and she tiptoed over to him. It was too bad he acted like such a clueless jerk because he really did look the part of her kind of Prince Charming. She liked her men big, and he had muscle to spare. A broad chest, big arms, and firm thighs. The blanket hid the lower half of him from view, but she had committed the image of that ass to memory.

  She sighed.

  He shifted, and she froze, not wanting to be caught ogling the man. In sleep, he looked approachable, softer. Awake, he seemed on guard, at least around her. His short hair framed a hard face, with a square jaw and firm lips. Yet his hair looked so soft…

  She had to fight not to give in to temptation and touch it. Stupid. She’d put him out of her mind. Her lip service about forgiving him would make any chance meetings if not comfortable, at least not so excruciating. Nora had done the grownup thing for once and tried to be the better person.

  She pasted a smile on her face. “Deacon, time for dinner.”

  He didn’t move.

  “Deacon,” she said a little louder.

  She frowned. His breathing seemed shallower, almost nonexistent. Was he okay?

  She moved closer, repeating his name, but got no reaction. Alarmed, she leaned over him and put her hand on his forehead, thinking he felt warm.

  Then he moved and yanked her down on top of him.

  She opened her mouth to shriek, but nothing came out. Stunned by the speed of her capture, she lay over the man, wondering what to do next.

  He opened his eyes and blinked up at her. “Nora?” His voice was hesitant, and he drew her closer, his hands holding hers pinned between them. “Am I awake?” he murmured.

  “I, uh…” She couldn’t look away from his face so close to hers. Then she did a very bad thing and let her gaze travel to those firm lips.

  She couldn’t say later who moved first, but her mouth pressed against his, and he was kissing her. Boy, was he kissing her.

  It was so much better than she’d ever imagined. He took charge, capturing her mouth with his own. He released her hands to cup her cheeks and turned her head, deepening the angle of his kiss.

  She was drowning in sensation, awash in shock and pleasure that she was kissing Deacon Flashman. Then the brute threaded his tongue between her lips and stole her ability to think.

  One hand continued to hold her head in place while the other moved down her back and pressed her closer to him.

  “Hmm. Nora,” he whispered against her lips and kissed his way to her neck.

  She tried to catch her breath, but Deacon grabbed her ass and ground up against her, and mother of mercy, but he was packing something large and insistent beneath that blanket.

  He sucked on her neck, giving her a nip, and shocked her into jerking back.

  She could see the moment he realized what he was doing. Nora wanted to rip him a new one, to adamantly deny any involvement in the kiss. But when his eyes narrowed, and he yanked her back to him for an angrier kiss, she met him nip for nip.

  Devouring his mouth, grinding over him to get as close as humanly possible, she wanted to ride him until that tingling inside her erupted into a full-fledged yes, yes, thank you God.

  Unfortunately, excited barking shocked her to stillness…and to a hard knock to the floor.

  “Shit,” he rasped. “Sorry, Nora. Are you okay?”

  She blinked up at Deacon leaning over the couch to stare down at her in concern. Oreo bounded onto the cushions and started licking him all over.

  “Stop it, Oreo. This dog…” He rolled back onto the couch then swore.

  The dog leapt to the ground and started licking Nora everywhere she could reach. Nora couldn’t help laughing, but Deacon’s groan of pain had her reassessing the situation.

  “Are you okay?”

  His face scrunched in pain, and his hands over his crotch hinted at what might have been the problem.

  “That damn…dog…hit me…right… God.” He curled onto his side, turned toward the back cushions.

  “Oreo!” Simon and Jenna stood at the doorway, staring inside.

  Nora flushed, hoping they hadn’t seen more than the dog mauling Deacon.

  “Sorry,” said Simon. “Wanted to let you guys know dinner’s ready.”

  Nora harrumphed. “Your grandma told me I was supposed to get Deacon.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re both late.” Jenna hustled Simon away. “See you at the table. Come on, Oreo.”

  The teens and the dog left, and Nora had to wonder where the heck her brains had gone.

  She slowly sat up and saw Deacon staring at her, still curled on the couch but now facing her. Fumbling for something to say, she said, “Uh, well, uh…”

  “Yeah.” He sat up with a wince.

  “Oreo really nailed you, huh?”

  “Yep.” He shoved the blanket away and spread his thighs. “Jesus, she has a real kick.”

  Nora tried not to laugh.

  “Go ahead, you know you want to.”

  She burst into laughter.

  He didn’t look amused, and that made her laugh even harder. “Sorry, sorry.” She had to work to catch her breath.

  “I’m sorry too.” He pulled her up on the couch, sitting next to him. “I didn’t mean to kiss you. Well, I did, but not at first.”

  Her face heated. “I was trying to wake you up for dinner.”

  “I’m awake now.” He wiggled his brows.

  “Shut up.”

  “I thought I was dreaming. I was sleeping, and then there you were, right on top of me.”

  She blushed even harder. “You surprised me when you yanked me down.”

  “Score.”

  “Deacon.”

  He grinned, and this open, playful side of him had her heart racing more than usual around him.

  “I really didn’t mean to assault you.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry that—”

  “You didn’t assault me,” she snapped, not liking the apology. “It was a
n accidental kiss.” And yes, that makes no sense, Nora. “If anything, I assaulted you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “That’s true. You did.”

  “I— Wait. You’re agreeing with me?”

  “I was sleeping. That’s my excuse.”

  “No way,” she denied. “You kissed me that second time, buddy.”

  He ignored her. “At first, I was dreaming about you, and then there you were.”

  “You were dreaming about me?” That’s flattering. I wonder if his dreams are anything like mine.

  He nodded, and her heart skipped. “I dream about you a lot. Nightmares, usually. You’re typically impaling me on something. A knife, an ax, a sword. I’ll be on the verge of death while you strut around in black or red, usually something see-through and sexy, and—”

  “Very funny.”

  He grinned. “So for me to see my sexy nightmare so close, I had to make the first move.”

  “By kissing me?” By now, her entire face had to be cherry-red.

  “I don’t know. I had to do something. The kiss felt good. Too good.” He watched her. “I realized it wasn’t a dream, and then you attacked me.”

  “Maybe you attacked me.” She couldn’t remember who had moved first, but that angry kiss was as hot if not hotter than the dream kiss.

  “You just said you—”

  “Never mind. Let’s forget about it.”

  He grabbed her hand before she could leap off the couch. “Wait. Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kiss you and dump you to the floor. And I was teasing about the nightmares.”

  Great. Now he was sorry they’d kissed.

  He watched her with an odd look.

  “What now?” She sighed.

  “I hadn’t realized your lips would be so soft.”

  They sat in silence, staring at each other.

  Nora wanted to kiss him again. The ghosting, excuse-making, sexy-as-all-get-out football coach every available woman in town wanted to date.

  No way.

  She darted to her feet and hurried to the door. “This never happened. Now let’s have a nice Thanksgiving. And we never mention this again.”