The Black Friday Deal

by Dalia Aims

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE Mona

  CHAPTER TWO Kurt

  CHAPTER THREE Mona

  CHAPTER FOUR Kurt

  CHAPTER FIVE Mona

  CHAPTER SIX Kurt

  CHAPTER SEVEN Mona

  CHAPTER EIGHT Kurt

  CHAPTER NINE Mona

  CHAPTER TEN Kurt

  CHAPTER ELEVEN Mona

  CHAPTER TWELVE Kurt

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN Mona

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN Mona

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN Kurt

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN Mona

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Epilogue- Mona

  The Black Friday Deal

  Dalia Aims

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, names, places, locales or events are entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2019 Dalia Aims

  Written by Dalia Aims

  Cover Design by James, GoOnWrite.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author,except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  To those who believed in me

  CHAPTER ONE

  Mona

  “I can’t believe that you have me drinking stale coffee at a crappy diner on Thanksgiving,” Renee said pouring more creamer into the dark, stagnant liquid.

  “It’s ten o’clock so technically your Thanksgiving is over.” I roll my eyes at my dramatic best friend. “The store opens at midnight and we need be to in line soon if we’re going to get that figurine.”

  “Well-” Renee cringes as she takes a swig from her mug- “number one, you’re lucky I’m your best friend. And number two, your brother is lucky that your willing to wait in line for an hour in the freezing cold for some little toy.”

  I know it’s not just a little toy but I shake my head in agreement anyway. This would be my first Black Friday, but I was ready. Renee and I had been pouring over ads all evening with our thick, red permanent markers. We’d listed the stores we wanted to hit and the order in which we’d hit them.

  I just needed to get to one though. The rest were for fun. The only real thing I wanted was some limited edition, 25th anniversary figurine from my brother’s favorite movie. It was the last character in his collection. He said it would be his crowning achievement.

  And that is how I find myself packed like a sardine on a crowded, crumbling sidewalk in thirty-degree weather. I huddle with Renee to try to keep warm. We arrived an hour early and were still wrapped around the side of the building. I swore I saw a snowflake falling.

  The blistering wind bit at my reddening cheeks, making my eyes water. I wanted to jog in place for warmth, but I was saving my energy to make a run for my figurine once the doors opened. Nothing would stop me from getting my hands on it.

  “Is that who I think it is?” Renee asks pointing a mitten towards the back of the line. I follow her line of sight and spy a tall figure wrapped in a peacoat. The dark hair styled in his signature way was a dead giveaway. My heart races at the sight of him. I want him to wrap me in his coat and his strong arms to keep me warm. The things that man could do to heat me up was sinful. Not that I ever would. He was off limits. My brothers’ best friend.

  “Yep, that’s Kurt. No big deal. And please stop pointing before he sees us!”

  Now it’s Renee’s turn to roll her eyes at me. Being my best friend, she knew of my secret crush. And she also knows I’d never act on it. I’d known Kurt for years. He probably thinks of me as a little sister. And who knows what my brother would say?

  I hear a commotion of cheers and look to the front of the line. A tiny teenage girl in the store uniform is reluctantly unlocking the glass double doors. They slide open and the crowd begins to pour in like water through the Hoover Dam. I grab Renee by the arm and drag her behind me, so she doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. I know the store like the back of my hand but I’m not sure where the figurine will be located.

  “There.” Renee points toward the back of the building, to a bright display on an endcap. We can see that eager shoppers are already pulling them off the shelves. “We’d better hurry.”

  We push past some rude ladies already arguing with a poor employee about the details one of the deals. I slip on a spill of coffee that someone had dropped in their haste. A pimpled, teenage boy accidentally elbows me in the side trying to get past me to the electronics section. I hate Black Friday.

  I see through the crowd, only one more figurine left on the shelf. I’m speed walking, anxiety rising high in my chest. I’m zoned in. Sense of urgency is at an all time high. No one will keep me from this precious present for my sweet brother. I’m within arm’s length so I reach my hand for the box. As my palm rests on it, so does someone else’s.

  “Excuse me.” I muster what I think is my most intimidating voice.

  “Mona.” His voice is deep and silky sweet.

  “Kurt, hi.” I stammer. He’s gotten even more handsome since the last time I saw him. He was a household staple almost every weekend when we were in high school. Then he and my brother went off to college, and now we’re all adults always so busy with work.

  “I believe you still have your hands on my package” he says with a cocked head and a smirk.

  “What?” I don’t mean to, but my eyes travel down to his waistband. As he begins to chuckle I realize, of course, he’s talking about the figurine. My hand is still firmly planted on the box.

  “Guys, guys, guys. I’m sure we can figure something out” Renee pipes up. Her eyes shifted from me to Kurt, both of us still with a hold on the figurines box. I’d almost forgotten she was there. I’m glad I had her in my corner though.

  “I need this for Zach. It’s literally the last one he needs for his collection.” I say with a hand on my hip.

  “And I need it for Zach. Because it was literally the only thing on his wish list.”

  I won’t be swayed easily. I plant my feet and deliver my rebuttal. “I’m his sister. I’m family. I should be the one who gets to give it to him.”

  “Exactly. You’re his sister. He’ll forgive you. You can give him something else sentimental.”

  “Well, we’re going to be here until Christmas because I’m not letting this box go.” I resort to childish, empty threats because I’m tired and have run out of arguments already.

  “Yeah, I remember you being this stubborn,” he says, his smile widening.

  He sizes me up. I hold myself back from biting my lip as his eyes roll over me. I can see his wheels turning, licking his lips as he contemplates this conundrum. “Okay I have a proposition…..You say yes, and you can have the figurine…”

  I look at him with questioning eyes. What could he have up his sleeve that I would possibly say yes to? And what did he want so badly that he would give up this present for?

  “Come with your brother and me to my cabin for our annual holiday trip. Stay for the week. Do we have a deal?”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Kurt

  Best. Black. Friday. Ever. I didn’t leave with the present I wanted, but I got something better. A week with Mona Fox. Nothing but us, friends, the wilderness, some boozy eggnog, and a crackling fire. I could feel my pants getting tighter at the thought of having her captive with me for some holiday magic.

  I’ve spent countless nights thinking about how soft her skin would be when I caressed her. How silky her hair would feel when I wrapped my hands in it. The sounds she would make under me in bed. But she was off-limits. Which could have been a factor as to why fantasizing about her being mine was such a rush. A forbidden secret.

  I almost thought she was going to say
no to my little deal that day at the store. The thirty seconds she mulled it over felt like an hour. I would have felt beyond stupid if she had declined. But she said yes, with that mischievous smirk of hers. I wanted to kiss if off her face right then and there in the movie aisle.

  I’m able to put her out of my mind when I haven’t seen her for a while, but when we run into each other she’s on my brain for weeks. I want her. I’ve always wanted her. But I couldn’t ruin my friendship with Zach. You know, Guy Code and all that.

  But my desire for her since that Black Friday has been increasingly intense. I have always been a composed man. I wear a suit and tie to work every day. I think about facts and numbers. I don’t do reckless things. But something about Mona Fox makes me crazy. The sexy brunette makes me want to come undone in only the way that she can make me undone. By day I’m a mild-mannered businessman, but by night I’m a salacious animal who can’t get her out of my mind.

  I’m thinking about the way I want to lay her down on the oversize loveseat in my cabin. I’m thinking about its shower, big enough for two. I’m thinking about her body pressed against me as I take her out on the snowmobile. I’m thinking about licking her up and down on that fuzzy black rug that I have in front of the fireplace. I’m thinking about her hands all over these silk boxers I’m packing in my suitcase right now. I have to take a cold shower to contain myself just anticipating all the delicious scenarios that I might encounter on this trip.

  When I pull up to pick up Mona, Renee and Zach, the moon is battling the sun at the crack of dawn. He slides into the passenger seat as the girls pack themselves into the backseat with their purses, and bags, and overpriced coffees. I open the trunk to throw their other suitcases inside. Were they staying for a week or a month?

  Mona’s wearing a knee-length, fluffy olive coat and I spend half the trip wondering what kind of tight clothing she has underneath. Could it be the sexy red top she wore to my college graduation party? Or those tight jeans that complement the perfect curves of her ass that she wore to the bar for Zach’s last birthday bash? That memory has me gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turn white. I swallow down a growl.

  Every so often, I look at the girls in the backseat through the rearview mirror. They take turns leaning over and whispering into each other’s ears. I can’t hear what they’re saying because I’m making conversation with Zach, reminiscing about an epic tailgating party that we once had in college. But I can still hear the girls giggling after every other exchange.

  She catches me looking at her in the rearview mirror. I quickly look away, pretending to focus on the road even though I could drive to the cabin with my eyes closed. I’m hoping Zach doesn’t notice that I’m speeding. I may be in a hurry to get the girls to the cabin so we can unpack and start having a good time.

  Two hours in and the girls are begging us to stop for more coffee and breakfast. So, we grab a bite to eat at a mom and pop diner on the side of the highway. It sounds stupid but I could watch Mona eat breakfast all day. The way her tongue laps the stray drops of creamer from the side of her coffee cup is sinful. The sexy way her ample chest bounces as she cuts her pancakes into little bite size pieces is ridiculous. The way she sucks jelly off her thumb after eating her toast is thirst-inducing. How is every little mundane thing she does so infuriatingly intoxicating?

  After breakfast, I hurry us into the car so that we can get back on the road. It still smells amazing inside. I’m hoping the heavenly smell of her perfume will sink into the seats and live there forever. It’s something sweet and floral but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

  Three torturous hours later, the black BMW pulls up to my family’s log cabin. The excitement level is through the roof. Zach is already talking about a new drink he wants to make for us before we’re even parked. The girls are shrieking about how “picture perfect” the property is. I’m pleased that everyone is so happy, but nervous now that we’re here. I invited Mona on this trip so I can gauge how into me she is and how against it her brother would be. Would this be the best trip of a lifetime or would everything go wrong?

  CHAPTER THREE

  Mona

  The gravel crunches as we finally pull up to the cabin and it’s prettier than I imagined. It could have been something from a postcard. The glossy logs of the home, the expertly manicured shrubs in front, the painted red shutter screamed for a group picture out in front.

  “We should take a selfie! To commemorate this moment,” I yell to the boys breaking a sweat pulling out our overflowing luggage from the trunk of the car. We situate ourselves in a pose, Renee and I in front, with the boys behind us. I can feel Kurt looming behind me.

  I open my phone to take the picture and my heart jumps into my throat. I forgot I had one of his social media profiles open in the car so that Renee and I could discuss him. With the reflexes of a ninja I exit out of it and open my camera app and send a silent prayer that the boys didn’t see. I don’t hear any judgment from behind me, so I thank my lucky stars and try to get the four of us in frame.

  “You can’t see the cabin. Huddle in guys,” Renee suggests.

  Zach moves in closer as does Kurt. I can feel his sturdy frame pressed up against my back. He stoops down, his breath tickling the hair on the top of my head making me dizzy. I’m stretching my arm out as far as it will go but the picture still doesn’t look right.

  “Here, let me,” Kurt’s silky voice coos in my ear. I feel his arm reach past me, and he takes the phone from my hand. His wingspan dwarfs mine and he easily snaps the perfect picture of the four of us with the cabins exterior in the background. It’s perfect. I want it framed. I also want to lean into his arm that’s resting on my shoulder, but he pulls it back as soon as the picture is done.

  “Well let’s get inside. I’ll show you ladies to your rooms,” he motions for us to follow him onto the porch. He jingles a large key chain until he finds the one he needs. Renee and I let out a collective gasp as the door swings open.

  We step into the living room and I am in awe. It’s so much bigger on the inside. You’d never guess that it had so much space just looking from the driveway. There’s a large sectional and a love seat surrounding an ornate carved wooden coffee table. A tall cabinet with glass doors showcases a plethora of movies. Which is perfect because mounted on the wall is a massive television that I estimate to be at least seventy inches. Zach and I come from a movie loving family, so I know we’ll be spending a lot of time in here.

  The kitchen has a beautiful island in the center and rustic hanging lamps casting a dim fluorescent light glowing off the stainless-steel appliances. The contrast of wood to silver was actually striking. It was the perfect mixture of country and modern. Thoughts of Kurt bending me over that island crept into my thoughts. He had that effect on me. When I was around him, I had this delightful little alternate universe where I could play through all the things I wished we could do.

  “And if you follow me down the hall, you’ll see the bathroom,” he flips the hallway switch but nothing happens. “Light bulb must be out. Across the hall are the guest bedrooms. There are three. Zach usually takes the one at the far end of the hall. And across from that is the master bedroom where I stay.”

  We take a minute exploring each room. Renee picks the first room in the hall. I choose the middle. And we let Zach have his usual at the far end. I settle in, unpacking my things and throwing them into an empty dresser. Then a thought hits me like a punch to the gut. I wonder if Kurt has ever brought any other girls here. We’re not even together but the thought still brings a stabbing pain to my heart.

  “Knock, knock.”

  I’m pulled from my overwhelming thoughts and turn to see Kurt standing tall in the doorway. He’s taken off his coat and scarf and looks comfortable in a navy sweater. The material looks so soft it makes me want to run my hands across his chest. I gulp down the thought. “Yes?” I answer, my voice coming out with a crack.

  “Just checking in to make sure you’r
e getting settled okay,” he replies. I nod in silence. All I can feel is his intense eyes wantonly taking in my figure and I can feel the blush creeping up into my chest. If I wasn’t sure why he invited me on this trip before, I was sure now. I’d have to be crazy to think he wasn’t into me when he was giving me the elevator eyes like he was. “If you need anything please let me know,” he continues, enunciating every syllable of the “anything” part.

  He crosses the threshold and takes a step into the room and my breathing becomes erratic. He’s like a spider and I’m caught in his web. Helpless.

  And then my brother sticks his face in the doorway. He looks at us with furrowed brows, but quickly recovers. “Hey guys, I’m about to make some ‘Zach Attacks’ in the kitchen,” he says with a cheesy grin.

  Renee pokes her head in the other side of the door frame now. “You seriously named your drinks that?” she laughs at Zach with a raised eyebrow.

  “Ouch. That kind of judgment hurts, you know,” he replies, faking a dagger to his heart, which earns a giggle from all four of us.

  My brother could be a bit of a show-off so I’m glad I have someone like Renee who could put him in his place. I would do it but I’m just too nice. I can’t kill his confidence like that.

  They both disappear and head towards the kitchen for the show only a former self-proclaimed “professional mixologist” could offer. I step past Kurt to follow them, but I don’t make it far. I feel a firm grip on my arm and turn to him. He lifts his lips to my ear and his words come out in a gravelly whisper.

  “We’ll finish this conversation later.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Kurt

  We’d been in the house for less than thirty minutes and I’d already tried to pounce on her. I’m almost glad we were interrupted. I could have scared her off. I need to take it slow. I almost popped a boner in the car on the ride up here. She had no idea the things she did to me.