'Tis the Season for Love: A Charity Box Set

by Maggie Dallen

  Oh my gosh. He really is the sweetest guy on the planet.

  I touch my icy fingers to his face, wincing that they might be too cold. He leans into them with a smile, before taking them and kissing my palm.

  I’m melting.

  Or my heart is growing, or something is going on in my chest that feels amazing.

  Nate’s eyes light with a nervous grin, his nose wrinkling as he asks, “Can I kiss you now?”

  Words are impossible so I just bob my head, anticipation rushing through me as we slowly close the gap.

  His warm breath hits my mouth just before his lips do. They’re soft, yet confident, pressing against mine with a certainty that’s reassuring. Running my hand around his shoulders, I shift on his knee so our bodies are pressed together again. Our jackets rustle a gentle lullaby, contrasting with the fireworks exploding in my chest.

  I deepen the kiss, instinct taking over as I do what feels like the most natural thing in the world. Nate moves with me, tipping his head and running his fingers into my hair. He lightly grasps a handful at the nape of my neck and shivers race down my spine, igniting me and setting off another charge of rockets.

  Kissing has never felt this good.

  Tasted this sweet.

  Had this kind of effect on me before.

  After I don’t know how long, we ease away from each other, my eyes fluttering open like I’m coming out of a daze.

  White puffs of air punch out of our mouths, fusing together before dissipating.

  I study his expression, looking for any kind of clue on where he’s at with the whole kissing his neighbor friend thing. I can’t help cringing, and have to ask, “Was that weird?”

  “No.”

  “Do you want to do it again?”

  “Definitely.” His smiling lips hit mine and I giggle into his mouth before wrapping my arms around him once more and losing all sense of time.

  Chapter 16

  Is It a Ghost?

  NATE

  My phone battery dies, plunging us into darkness.

  I don’t notice at first because I’m too busy kissing Shay and riding the high that is her lips, her tongue, her sweet taste.

  My fingers are in her hair. My body is thrumming.

  I’m kissing Shay.

  I made my move in this disgusting cellar yet it’s perfect.

  Well, almost perfect.

  She’s getting cold. In spite of the rising heat between us, the temperature around us is dropping and Shay’s starting to shiver. I can feel her torso shaking against mine.

  “You’re cold,” I murmur against her lips, pulling her closer and rubbing her back with vigorous strokes.

  “It’s dark,” she whispers into my neck, curling into me like she wants to climb inside my jacket.

  I don’t know whether it’s fear or the chills making her voice shake, but when her teeth start to chatter against my shoulder, I can’t deny this dark sense of foreboding.

  “Has your phone got any battery left?” My voice is tight. I’m not freezing yet, but my body wants to quake and shudder as the icy air seeps through my jacket. I’m going to feel it soon. We need to get out of here.

  Shay wrestles the phone out of her pocket, and then there’s a soft thud beside my leg.

  “Oh crap, I dropped it. My stupid fingers aren’t working properly.”

  I grab them between my hands and try to blow some warmth onto her digits. They’re ice fingers right now. I hope what little heat I have left is working.

  “Here.” I unzip my jacket and tuck her arms around my waist, bundling her inside my winter coat to try and get her warm. She threads her fingers behind my back, and I rest my chin on her cheek while patting the ground in search of her phone.

  I find it a couple of seconds later and wake up the screen. She’s got twenty percent left, but it’s all but useless to us with no reception or Wi-Fi.

  My eyes skim the time, my insides clenching with worry.

  “It’s been more than two hours.” I try to keep my tone light, but Shay can hear the edge to it.

  “She’s not coming back, is she?”

  I clench my jaw, rubbing my hand up Shay’s back and hoping that I’m keeping her warm enough. “I can’t believe she’s done this to us.”

  “It seems kind of extra, even for her. You know?” Shay’s teeth chatter as she sits back to look at me, but it’s pointless. I can’t see anything down here. We’re trapped in this pitch-black icebox and I seriously cannot see us lasting the night.

  I’m not about to admit that, though.

  “Maybe something’s happened to her,” Shay murmurs.

  I tuck her back against me, not sure how to respond. Although Krissy deserves a little karma, I don’t want to find out she’s crashed and is bleeding out on a snowy road or something.

  “Aw crap! Now I feel bad for calling her baroness!” Shay’s voice is muffled against my sweater.

  I snicker and shake my head. “Hey, she was acting like it. And that’s a great title, by the way.”

  “Maya came up with it.” She whimpers and nuzzles her forehead into the crook of my neck. “If I’d just kept my mouth shut and not gotten so annoyed about everything.”

  “You haven’t done anything wrong.” I raise my voice, so I know she’s heard me. “She’s the one blackmailing you.”

  “But I shouldn’t have let her get to me. And now we’re stuck here and she’s not coming. I’m cold. Thirsty. Hungry.”

  “You don’t need to pee, do you?” I can’t help the joke and instantly regret the words as soon as they’re out of my mouth. Crap! I should not be teasing her about that.

  Thankfully, Shay snickers and lightly slaps my shoulder. “If I pee right now, it’ll be on you, so watch it.”

  I give her a grateful squeeze for reacting so well, then dig into my pocket and unearth my last two Caramel Creams.

  “Here.” I unwrap it for her, then fumble it into her mouth.

  My eyes are seriously not adjusting to this darkness.

  She laughs and sucks on the candy. It muffles her words a little. “I didn’t tell anyone I was doing this today. Did you?”

  “Nope.”

  “So, no one knows where we are then.”

  “Everyone at the party heard Krissy dare you. Once people realize we’re missing, it’ll only take half a brain for them to figure it out.”

  “Yeah, but will they think to look in the cellar?”

  I sigh, wishing I could counter that argument, but I can’t. “She might have told Alex.” My voice rises with a little hope, but it’s once again dashed by Shay’s cynicism.

  “Fat lot of good that’ll do,” she grumbles, her body doing a big shudder.

  I wrap my arms tightly around her, worry starting to eat at me. What if we are here all night? Will we last? It’s getting freaking cold, even for me.

  Shit. This is bad.

  We’ve been down here for way too long. My mom will be freaking out. I told her I’d be home for dinner and we’re way past that deadline now.

  “We need to figure something out. We can’t just sit—”

  My voice cuts off at this weird thumping noise above us.

  Shay jerks up, clipping my chin with the back of her head.

  “Ow.”

  “Sorry,” she whispers, finding my face in the dark and holding my chin. “What was that?”

  “Um…” I swallow, trying to battle off my fear. “Krissy?” I call, but it’s feeble.

  Terror pulses through me for a quick beat. Something’s off.

  It’s not Krissy.

  Someone else is opening that door.

  “Is it a ghost?” Shay’s voice is so high and tight I wonder if she’s about to pass out.

  The door creaks and groans, opening slowly to reveal a shadow man. His features are hidden, but wisps of hair dance in the icy breeze as he stares down at us.

  Shay screams, covering her face and burying her head against my chest. I cover her, bracing myself to fight wh
atever the hell that is above us.

  Ghost or not, this psycho isn’t hurting Shay.

  Chapter 17

  Are We a Couple Now?

  SHAY

  “Oh, for goodness sake, Thomas. Announce who you are!”

  Nell?

  My head pops up as a familiar voice that has never sounded so sweet reaches me from above.

  “Scared the living daylights out of these kids, just like you did with that poor Harvey boy.”

  A relieved sigh rushes out of Nate. I can feel his chest deflating against me as a bright beam of light is cast over us. I squint against it, my eyes struggling to adjust.

  “It’s just Nell, you two. Nothing to be afraid of.”

  “Dang kids need to stop trespassing,” Mr. Winters grumbles. “What the hell are you doing down there anyway?”

  I jump off Nate, suddenly aware of how bad me straddling his lap must look, but my legs give out and he has to catch me before I crash-land.

  “I’ve got pins and needles too,” he chuckles, rotating his ankles to try to get the blood moving.

  I scramble to put the photo albums away, but my cold fingers aren’t working very well. Nate comes in for the assist, but he’s not that much better. We end up laughing as we wrestle the lid back on the box and Nate lifts it into place.

  “Are you two coming or not?” Mr. Winters’ voice is only getting louder, so I rush for the stairs.

  Jelly-legs make the climb an awkward one, but then Nate’s hands are on my hips steadying me.

  Man, it feels good.

  I love that he’s touching me. That he kissed me. That he’s liked me for months.

  It still feels kind of unreal, having been pining for him for so long.

  We reach the top of the stairs and I wobble out into the open. Nell captures me in a hug.

  “Your mama is gonna be so relieved you’re okay.”

  I squeeze Nell back as a snowflake hits my nose. Glancing up, I grin at the light snowfall. It’s the soft, magical kind that makes you feel like anything is possible.

  “Told you it was going to snow.” Nate wraps his arm around my shoulders, and I snuggle against him, watching the snow dance toward the ground.

  “It always feels more like Christmas when it does.” Nell pats Nate’s shoulder. “We need to get you two warmed up. I saw your cars out front, but maybe you should come back and get them tomorrow. Neither of you look in a state to drive. Your lips are practically blue.”

  “How’d you know where to find us?” Nate’s voice trips and stumbles over the words. We both have a serious case of the chills and chatters. My jaw just won’t stop moving.

  “The sheriff called. He found some girl stranded on the highway out here. She was hysterical, saying she’d locked some kids in and they’d freeze to death, but she couldn’t get her car to start. It was some drama, from what I can tell.”

  “He asked us to come on over and check it out,” Mr. Winters grumbles some more, like we’re the world’s worst inconvenience.

  I guess we have kind of ruined his Christmas Eve.

  “I’m sorry,” I mumble. “I shouldn’t have come here.”

  “This is private property, you know.”

  His stern bark makes me feel small. I shrink against Nate, who squeezes my shoulder and looks just as admonished.

  “We’re sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.”

  He scowls at us and turns back to lock up the cellar. Nell gives me a wink, her friendly smile calming my frayed nerves.

  “Sheriff should be here in just a minute. I say you let him drive you home and we’ll get your cars sometime tomorrow. No rush. They’re safe where they are.”

  “Dad’s gonna kill me,” I mumble.

  “I think he’ll be too dang happy to see you alive, sweet girl.” Nell pats my cheek, then holds my chin. “We’re just glad you’ve been found.”

  Two light beams appear at the end of the driveway. Nate holds me a little closer, if that’s even possible. I’m wedged so tightly against his side I can barely move, but I’m not complaining. I like this spot. I think I could fall in love with this spot, actually.

  Sheriff Novak pulls up and gets out of his truck, zipping his jacket and adjusting the hat on his head.

  “Glad we found you two.” He nods at the Winters. “Thanks for coming over. I know it was a hassle for you.”

  “It wasn’t a problem,” Nell assures everyone, then nudges her husband to do the same.

  He mumbles something under his breath before taking his wife’s hand. “Come on, Nelly. Let’s get us home.”

  “Merry Christmas, Thomas.” Sheriff Novak waves the couple off.

  I watch them go, my heart softening at the way Mr. Winters puts an arm around Nell’s shoulders and helps her toward their truck. He then opens the door for her, and I start to see why Nell smiles at the man like she loves him.

  I bet he’s one of the grumpy types that only shows the ones closest to him his soft side. Kind of like Ray Barrett.

  Images from the photo album jump through my mind as I slip into the back of the sheriff’s truck. The instant warmth from the heater envelops me, making my cheeks tingle as I struggle to buckle up in the back seat.

  Nate’s long fingers take over, clipping the belt in and then reaching for my hands and rubbing them between his. He blows on them again and I can sense his gaze in the darkness.

  It’s impossible not to smile. Not to feel this overwhelming sense of glee.

  Nate and I kissed.

  We confessed how we felt about each other.

  Are we a couple now?

  Is my senior year about to go from an epic fail to the ultimate triumph?

  I wish I could ask Nate these questions as the sheriff drives us home, but we don’t really have a chance to talk because Sheriff Novak is too busy telling us off for trespassing and putting our parents through so much worry.

  “I’ll let you off with a warning this time, but if I catch you kids on that property again, there will be consequences.”

  I don’t bother arguing or bringing up the Krissy factor. I’m too cold, and too aware of the feel of Nate’s skin on mine, his long fingers encasing my small hands, warming me up from the inside out.

  Chapter 18

  Operation Comfort Hug on Standby

  NATE

  The second Sheriff Novak pulls up outside our houses, Shay’s front door flies open. Her mother and Maya run down the front steps, practically racing to get to her first.

  She opens the door and slips out of the car, away from me.

  I don’t even get to talk to her again as she’s wrapped in multiple sets of arms. She disappears within a weeping circle of women, including Mrs. Rhinehoff. I glance at Shay’s father, wondering if he’s pissed at me for putting his daughter in danger, but he doesn’t even notice me. He’s standing next to Maya’s dad with his hand over his mouth and a tortured look on his face.

  Is he about to cry?

  “Nathan!” Mom rushes out our front door, her dark hair flying as she runs through the snow to wrap me in a hug. I bend down and hold her.

  “Sorry for worrying you.”

  “Oh my gosh, when you didn’t come home or answer your phone, we didn’t know what had happened to you. Luke’s been going out of his mind, and don’t even get me started on Joy. I think she was about ready to call in the FBI.”

  I chuckle and give Mom a reassuring squeeze. “We’re fine. It’s all good. Nell and Thomas Winters found us.”

  “Nate! Bro!” Luke jumps off the stairs with Hailey in tow. They haven’t even put jackets on. Hailey’s winter pajamas have candy canes all over them and Luke’s standing out here in boxer shorts and a t-shirt. Crazy man.

  “Get inside! You two will freeze. All of you. Right now!” Aunt Joy stands in the doorway bossing us around.

  I wrap my arm around Mom’s shoulders and guide everyone to the porch. Hailey hugs me around the waist, clinging like a leech. It makes walking hard, but I don’t have the heart
to tell her. She’s sniffing into my shirt.

  Sharing a quick smile with my brother, I then turn to try and spot Shay again, but she’s being ushered into her house and still surrounded by an army of worried warriors.

  Aunt Joy kisses my cheek and pats me on the shoulder, ordering me into a shower.

  It takes a while to get there. Everyone wants to know what the heck happened. Angry words for Krissy fire across the dining room table while we sip hot cocoa. I get yet another reprimand for trespassing, but Mom can obviously tell I’m too tired to take it.

  “All right, you. Go take a shower and get into bed. If we don’t get some sleep, we’ll all be zombies for Christmas.”

  By the time I’m defrosted and in my winter pajamas, I’m about spent. Bed sounds good. Sleep sounds even better.

  As I snuggle under the covers, Luke asks from the other side of the room, “So, did you make your move on Shay? You were together a pretty long time. If you didn’t do something, I’m gonna be disappointed in you, brother.”

  A slow smile stretches my lips wide as I relive the feel of her in my arms, her soft lips trailing from my chin to my jaw, up to my ear and back again. Kissing her was sheer bliss, and I can’t wait to do it again.

  “Are you seriously asleep already?” A pillow hits the back of my head.

  I grab it and hurl it back. “Let me sleep! I’ll tell you in the morning.”

  “You better freaking tell me everything. I want to know about the house and if you finally found the balls to do something about your uber crush on Shanae Landers.”

  “Dude, I’m not an idiot. We were locked in a cellar for hours. It may not have been the most romantic venue in the world, but let’s just say we figured a few things out.”