The Christmas Sneak: Hope’s Turn Holidays

by Marie Harte

  “Just so you know, I really want kids. Just not with Meghan,” he said quickly.

  She nodded. “Okay. I get that.”

  He waited.

  “I’m sorry I jumped you the other night.”

  “Oh, well, no problem.” She’d probably been worried and stressed about the baby, not ready to talk about it. And maybe her hormones had been driving her. He smiled. “You can jump me anytime.”

  “No.” She took in a big breath and let it out loudly. “I’m sorry. I should have just talked to you like a normal person. Instead, I tried to distract you with sex.”

  “I know. I went along anyway.”

  “You’re easy.”

  He grinned.

  “But I wanted you to know that I… care about you.”

  “I care about you too.”

  She frowned. “I feel affection for you.”

  “I feel the same.”

  Her frown darkened. “I’m falling for you, dumbass. Would you just be quiet and let me say it?”

  Hearing what he’d been hoping to hear for so long, he did his best to bite back his grin and waited, his heart full.

  “I’m not good at relationships. I told you that. And you worry me.”

  “I’d never hurt you, Nora.”

  “You already did,” she said bluntly. “I thought we were friends, and you ditched me. I know, you’ve apologized. Several times. But, see, it had taken everything in me to open up and date you that first time. It still stings. And now, we had that amazing time in the cabin that didn’t feel real. You’re so much funner—yes, that’s a word, don’t try me—sexier, and kinder than I thought you’d be. Kind is good, Deacon. Don’t scowl.”

  “Can I talk now?”

  “No. Not yet. I want you to know that I’m not easy. I want things. I want marriage and babies and forever. I want what my parents have.” Her eyes teared, but he held back his instinctive need to offer comfort as she continued. “I want what Becca, Mitch, and Simon have. A family. But it takes time to build trust.”

  When he still said nothing, she admitted, “I want that with you.”

  She made no mention of the baby, but she’d said so much he’d been dying to hear. “Nora, no one knows what the future holds. Your parents and my parents got lucky. Mitch and Becca are new, and let’s face it, they’ve had different lives than we have. But I haven’t felt this way about a woman in forever.” He closed the distance between them and cupped her cheeks in his hands. He wanted badly to confess how much he loved her, but a part of him needed to wait, to assess, to be surer. “I want to give you everything. We seem to want the same things. Family. To fall in love and stay in love. But we can’t know the future.”

  “I know.” She curled a strand of hair around her finger, saw him watching, and flushed. “You make me nervous. Off-kilter. I don’t like that.”

  “I’m always hard around you,” he confessed. “I have better control over my body. Usually. And you make me just as nervous. I’m always saying the wrong thing or making you upset with me. And I mean well.”

  She smiled. “You’re kind of a big doofus.”

  “You’re a small, mean-tempered doofus. But so sexy.”

  “So maybe we’re made to be doofuses together.”

  “Can you make that word plural?” Deacon didn’t think so.

  “Is that a challenge for naked Scrabble, I hear?” She leaned up to accept his kiss.

  “I think it is. But, well, maybe at my place this time? Since you let me see the wonder that is Nora’s den, maybe you could come hang out at Casa Deacon?”

  “I think maybe I could. Tonight?”

  “Yeah.” He kissed her, this time deepening their embrace. Though they’d been together two days ago, it felt like forever. He groaned. “If it wouldn’t make working here awkward forever, I’d take you right now over my desk.”

  “Oh. I like that.”

  “But then I’ll get hard every time I’m in here. And that could be weird with our employees.”

  She laughed. “I understand. Why don’t I wait for you downstairs? The band is pretty good.”

  “I told you so.”

  “Maybe next time I’ll bring a date,” she teased.

  He was serious when he said, “About that… If we’re together, it’s just us. I don’t believe in cheating.”

  She gave him a wide, happy smile. “Good. Me neither.”

  “You’ve said you have issues. Well, I do too. Trust is huge with me.”

  “Yep, you have a mountain of issues.”

  He frowned at her tone. “You sound a little too chipper about that.”

  “I am. You’re far from perfect. That makes you dateable.”

  “Because perfect is boring.” He totally understood. Nora never bored him.

  “Exactly.” She kissed him once more, then reached between his legs and squeezed, bringing him close to orgasm.

  “Fuck, Nora. Don’t do that or I’ll come in my pants.”

  She kissed him again and let go. “Mine.” Then she took his hand and put it between her legs. “Yours. No one else’s. That’s about as basic as I can get.”

  He nodded, completely in love with this woman. “One question—how do you feel about hot wings?”

  “Weird question, but I feel good about hot wings…unless you’re trying to steal them off my plate. And anyone who eats celery should be shot.”

  “Right answer.” I am so going to marry this woman. Yet he saw the hint of caution still in her expression and knew he had to tread carefully. Especially with a baby on the way. “I’ll be down soon. We carry tons of sodas and juices too. Get whatever you want on me.”

  “You’re damned right on you. And before you think I might be using you like the redhead with big boobs did, because we’re dating, you’re now entitled to free stuff at Bragg’s Tea.”

  “I was before. Becca said. I’m family.” Though he’d always made sure to pay.

  “Bitch, please. I run that shop when she’s gone, and I make the rules. You’re in because of me.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a salute and laughed when she returned a one-fingered one of her own.

  Then he got to work and left her to Roy and the band downstairs, anticipating the night to follow.

  Chapter 18

  They spent the next few days in glorious harmony. Deacon and Nora walked together, ate together, and spent their days making snarky comments over bad movies and even worse holiday shoppers. Nora had him help her fill in at the tea shop, and he used her to keep Roy in line when his friend decided to bring up the old days and Deacon’s college years.

  Deacon had never been so head-over-heels in love with anyone. Only one thing marred his happiness—she still hadn’t confided in him about the baby.

  They made love with condoms, which had confused him, but maybe she didn’t want him to know. Or maybe she wasn’t pregnant, and he’d misread her laptop. Yet every time he mentioned the word baby, she blushed. And she refused to drink alcohol or coffee lately, mentioning an odd bellyache when she did. Yet more evidence she had his bun in her oven. He wondered what she would think about a spring marriage, or if that might be pushing things.

  Even his brother had mentioned how pleasant Deacon was to be around lately. Though Deacon and Nora kept things quiet around family, taking it slowly, they spent their waking moments together in private.

  Like tonight, just three days from Christmas. And two from her birthday. They sat together for naked Scrabble, a new favorite game, in his den downstairs—what Nora had taken to calling his love nest. Between the large TV, pool table, and game table, they had a ton of fun. And that wasn’t counting the fire pit outside, where just last night they’d roasted marshmallows.

  The back bedroom had been prepped with lit candles, edible body butter, whatever that was, and some fuzzy handcuffs. Nora loved getting just a little kinky as much as he loved watching her while they made love. And it had been making love lately, much to his sexy girlfriend’s chagrin.


  He secretly laughed when she got that look, a baffled, thrilled, yet nervous expression, as if she didn’t know what to do with his affection. Each had yet to confess their deeper feelings, but he felt it so much. And he knew she felt something close to it, at least. She watched him with gooey eyes when she didn’t think he could see her. And she touched him a lot too, not sexually, but to keep that connection going.

  Tonight, he’d set sodas on the table for them to drink while they tried to out-Scrabble each other. Nora was too good. While she wore a skimpy bra and her jeans and panties, he’d been reduced to boxers and socks.

  “Xenophobe is spelled with an X, not a Z.” He snorted. “Nice try.”

  “Oh, my bad.” The titter in her false apology didn’t fool him.

  “Faker.”

  “You seem to be able to read me too easily.” She frowned. “I’ll have to come up with some new bluffs.”

  “Good luck with that. I’ve been reading Mitch since he was a toddler. And I’m great at reading opposing team defense. I’m good at people.” He paused. “Well, not women, obviously.”

  She frowned.

  “What?”

  She poked herself in the chest. “I’m a woman.”

  “Oh, right.” He chuckled. “I was thinking you’re more like a super woman and sexual dynamo all wrapped up in one person.”

  “That’s nice.” She smiled.

  “I’m forgiven?”

  “Maybe. If you let me use my Z.”

  “Dream on.”

  “Ass.”

  They continued to play, discussing the holiday and her parents.

  “They’re going on a cruise? That’s awesome.” Deacon liked Sue and Luke a lot. They reminded him of his own folks.

  “They’d booked it a year ago. They almost canceled, but Becca told them to go. They can spend Christmas with Ava and Simon next year.”

  “My folks will be here. They had to go home after Ava was born, but they came back a week ago and have been staying with some friends outside town. Mitch said they arrived at his place two hours ago and expect me there for Christmas. I have my marching orders.”

  “Mitch said?”

  He sighed. “I’ve been ducking my mom’s calls.” He paused. “I think Mitch might have mentioned something about you and me.”

  “Oh.” She watched him. “What am I supposed to say now?”

  “First, you take off that bra since you didn’t use the Z.”

  “Hmm. I think not.” She stood and stripped out of her jeans, giving him heart palpitations. Then she leaned over, giving him an up close and personal view of the lovely V between her full breasts as she stared at the tent in his shorts. “Good. My devious plan is working.”

  “What? To distract me with your body while we play? Not so much devious as obvious.”

  Her sly wink had him laughing.

  “So, do you want me to confirm to your parents we’re actually dating or what?”

  He didn’t want to push. “Only if you feel comfortable doing it.” He wanted to shout to the world that she was his.

  “You should tell them. You’re the son.”

  “The son. I like that. With a capital T in the.”

  “You’re an idiot. But apparently now you’re my idiot.”

  He smiled.

  “Your word next.”

  He made the word extort, using an X, with relish. “Triple word score. Eat it, Nielson.”

  “Bare it and I will,” she said, snippy to the end.

  “Lose the panties or the bra. Your choice.”

  The blasted woman took her top off.

  “Just admit you lose,” she said, her smile wide.

  “I will if you let me come inside you. No condom.”

  She blinked. “Um, well, what if I get pregnant?”

  Her way of asking how he felt about the baby? He smiled and patted his lap, and she left her chair to sit with him, her breasts brushed up against his chest and causing a deeper ache, this one between his legs. “Nora, if you were pregnant with my baby, I’d be the happiest man alive.”

  She gaped. “Seriously?”

  Now she’ll tell me. “Yeah. I’m ready for a family. But more, for children and a wife.” He paused, seeing the shell shock in her face. “I’m not trying to rush you, but you did say you wanted kids. And there’s no one I trust like I trust you. Or like.” Or love.

  “Oh, wow.” Her eyes glistened with emotion. “Deacon, that means so much to me.”

  But she didn’t tell him about the kid. Instead, she scooted off his lap to lose her panties while he quickly lost his socks and underwear.

  Then she sat him back down and sank over him, already wet and ready. She rocked and kissed him, and he could do nothing but follow her lead, lost in her taste. Her touch.

  He raised her up so he could suck her nipples, in lust with her body. But he needed to be inside her again, and she was too restless to let him play.

  She slammed back over him and nearly caused his brain to explode.

  “Fuck, Nora. I’m too close.” Sensing she wasn’t there yet, he fingered her, getting her to the edge with him.

  She ate at his mouth, on fire, and he knew she was there when her body clamped around his and she moaned into his mouth, then rested her head against his shoulder, shaking.

  He guided her hips up and down and soon emptied into her, the orgasm violent and crushing and so damn good he couldn’t think for a while after, lost in bliss.

  When he came back to himself, she was kissing him all over, her clever tongue getting him hard all over again.

  “In bed this time. I want to tease you until you scream,” she said.

  Not one to question what the lady wanted, Deacon walked her into the back bedroom and cleaned her up, loving the small gesture that meant taking care of her was his right, and it made her happy.

  “I can’t wait, Nora.” He lay down next to her in bed, stroking her hair, her shoulders, her breasts.

  “For Christmas?” She leaned close to kiss his chest and nibbled her way to his nipple. A sexual trigger for sure. He felt a twinge of lust shoot straight from her mouth on his chest to his dick.

  “For the baby,” he said, finally getting it out in the open.

  She paused and sat up, stunned. “Baby? What baby?”

  “The one you’re having in nine months.” He sat up with her. “No baby?”

  “Where did you get that idea?”

  The rush of disappointment hit him hard. “Oh. I guess I made a mistake.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You did read that article on my laptop.” Then she glared. “Oh my God. Is all this because you thought I was pregnant?”

  “Huh? All what?”

  “This,” she snapped. “The care and the cuddling and the lovey-dovey crap.” She glanced between them, at his rising dick and her pussy. “You just came inside me.”

  “I asked you first.” He didn’t understand what he was missing.

  “I thought…”

  “Nora, what?” Sensing he’d messed up again without realizing how, he stopped her. Forcibly. “Nope. Not this again. We are solving this right here, right now.” He left the bed and returned with the fuzzy handcuffs.

  “Deacon?” She didn’t move when he cuffed her left wrist to the bedpost. But when he cuffed the right, she suddenly came alive. “Let me go.”

  He left the bed and put on his boxers. Sadly, his dick hadn’t yet gotten the memo they’d be postponing sex. “Relax, tiger,” he said to her, wondering if she recalled that the cuffs had a button on the side for instant release. “We’ll get back to sex once we have this resolved between us. This ‘lovey-dovey crap’ of being together is perfect. I love it.” Time to go big or go home. “I love you.”

  She froze. “What?”

  “Fuck it.” He started pacing. “I’m tired of keeping it in. I fucking love you. It scares me shitless. You’re amazing and funny. You get my jokes. You think perky people are annoying. And you get sick when Mitch and
Becca are so schmaltzy.”

  “I do.” She blinked. “I’m so confused. Did you or did you not want a baby with me?”

  “I didn’t. I do.”

  “Huh?”

  He swore. “Damn it. Nora, I fell for you a while ago. You’re real, and you seem to understand me. But then we had that time at the cabin, and I fell all the way. Hard. I love your body, your mind, all of you. But you can be so distant, and you don’t trust easily. And that makes me love you even more. I’m the same.”

  “Yeah.” She blinked at him, still looking sexier than any woman had a right to tied up in fuzzy cuffs and naked.

  “When I thought you might be pregnant with my child, it just broke anything left that could resist you. It made me see what’s been there all along.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You.” He kissed her, because he had to.

  * * *

  She kissed him back, super freaked out yet enthralled at the idea of being loved by the man she’d come to care for so deeply. But love? Did she love him? Truly love him? Or was it just the idea of a family with a hunky guy she’d fallen for? Hadn’t Flynn seemed like her ideal husband, only to find out they’d rushed things?

  “Wait. I’m confused.” She tried to think. “You wanted to come inside me tonight.”

  “I thought you were already pregnant, and you can’t get more pregnant once you already are.” He shrugged. “I was confused about us using condoms this week, but I’m always fine with what you want. I just want to be with you.” He paused. “But why did you let me come inside you if you weren’t pregnant?”

  She flushed. “Because I… Well, you made me feel so special. I felt so much for you.”

  “Love?”

  She didn’t want to say it yet. She couldn’t. And she hated that he tensed when she didn’t answer. “Deacon, I love being with you.”

  “You like my body.” He nodded and put distance between them, leaning against the wall.

  She felt cold. “No, not just your body. You’re funny, and you’re the only guy I’ve been with who isn’t boring after ten minutes.”

  He seemed to thaw a little bit at that.

  “I’m sorry if I’m not rushing to the altar, here,” she said, feeling defensive. “But we just had unprotected sex where I could get pregnant. And the thought of a baby with you is so freaking amazing, and that weirds me out.”