by K B Cinder
I held on the best I could, taking everything he had to give. The bed was smacking the wall so hard I was surprised Karine didn’t come running in with a bat, ready to strike down someone breaking through a wall. Fuck, I was surprised the headboard didn’t break.
Just as I thought I couldn’t take anymore, I was flipped, my hands holding me up as he hauled my hips in the air. I clutched the bedspread while he drove it home, the slap of skin joining the thumping of the headboard.
He gripped my hair, my head tugged back. I closed my eyes, bracing for the next thrust, but his fingers tightened in my hair. “No, look at me!”
My eyes snapped open, meeting his, seeing how hot he was burning for me. For this. For us.
“Tell me what you want, baby.” His voice was ragged, worn from passion.
There was a clenching deep in my abdomen, my body pulsing around him, begging for release. “I want to come.”
“Oh yeah?” He slowed his pace to a leisurely rhythm, stoking the flames rather than giving me what I wanted, the clenching unbearable. I was practically in tears within seconds, desperate for release.
And when it came, delivered by two skilled fingers applying pressure where I needed it the most, I lost myself.
I quickly found shore again as he joined me over the edge. The two of us drifted off in a tangle of limbs, wrapped within one another.
17
I woke up alone.
Not that I minded.
One, Dash was a total blanket hog and two, he had the most annoying alarm tone known to man. For real. Whoever told him that the dial-up internet sound mixed with the emergency broadcast tone was a good idea lied. Big time.
He kissed me goodbye at six in the morning, leaving me for the firehouse, a call summoning him.
It was a weird moment, my heart fluttering at him leaving for a real-life emergency, something he’d done for years. I’d never put much thought behind it. Somehow I pushed it to the back of my mind, almost thinking of him never leaving the station during a shift. Silly, I know, but that was Juni logic for you.
Now I was staring down the uncertainty of it head-on. The danger. It was now my new normal, and I didn’t know what to make of it.
I’d just drifted back to sleep when something hard and heavy landed on me.
Rather, someone.
I panicked and screamed, reaching for the nearest thing to whack it over the head with. It happened to be a hardcover of the first Harry Potter, and it met the attacker’s head with a sickening thud.
The attacker screeched, revealing its identity: Karine.
“Bitch, are you fucking crazy?” she shouted.
I sat up, seeing her cowering with her hands over her head, fending off another potential blow. She was still in the t-shirt and panties she’d gone to bed in, her hair a mess of frizzy curls from tossing and turning.
“You’re the one that jumped on someone while they were sleeping! You’re lucky I didn’t knife your ass!”
“With what? Your vibrator?” she growled, rubbing the back of her head.
“Sometimes I get why Sage wants to strangle you.”
“Speaking of that,” she started, eyes narrowing as a smile spread across her face like a hungry shark. “Who was strangling you last night?”
I clutched the comforter to my chest. “Um, what are you smoking?”
Might as well hide it for as long as I could. I didn’t need her running around with something to hang over Sage’s head. I needed to talk to him first.
“Don’t play that game with me, Junippies. Spill it. Who was ringing your bell last night?”
“My vibrator,” I lied. “Sorry you overheard. It was intense.”
She cocked her head, eyes narrowing all the more. “So intense it came in the condom in your trashcan?”
I immediately snapped my head to the can, seeing it was empty. Entirely empty. The condom wrapper wasn’t even there. Everything disappeared along with Dash.
When I looked back at Karine she was smiling like the devil. “Gotcha bitch. Now spill.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I rebuffed, stretching my arms high in the air, my neck giving a satisfying crack as I did.
“You’re so full of shit. You’re a disgusting whore, and I want to know every filthy detail. Spill it.”
“I don’t kiss and tell.”
She pointed a finger at me. “Bull-clucking-shit. I know about every dick you’ve sat on for the last ten years, Juniper Mullen. Spit it out.”
“There’s nothing to spit out!” I defended, wishing I was anywhere but there.
“Because you swallowed it, ho!” she squawked, hopping up on her knees. “Tell me, or I’ll tickle it out of you.”
“Don’t threaten me, witch. I have a book.” I wielded Harry Potter, ready to strike again.
She locked eyes with me, looking as serious as a heart attack. “Don’t make me be the one to say it, Juni.”
I swallowed, a sinking feeling striking my gut. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She stood suddenly on my bed, looming above like an angry garden gnome. “You fucked Dashiell Bane, Juniper! That’s big shit!”
Oh no. “What?” She was just messing with me. Maybe she saw me looking at him at the party.
She jumped up and down in protest, making my mattress rock like I was in the middle of the ocean. “Oh, come on. Don’t play games with me! I know you two were bumping uglies!”
“How? What?” I sputtered, dying inside when I realized I’d admitted to it.
“You just have that I fucked Santa look about you,” she teased, flopping down into a cross-legged position. “Also, he left his Santa coat on the couch.”
I smacked her shoulder playfully. “I hate you sometimes.”
“Bitch, you love me!” she laughed. “But how could you hide boning Santa Claus from me? That’s a perk you don’t hide. Can you tell him I want a Ferrari?”
“Shut up.” I knew my face was flaming red.
“Seriously? You’re getting all that Saint Dickolas and can’t share any of his Christmas magic?”
“Karine!”
She wouldn’t give in that easily, holding an invisible microphone. “I saw Juni fucking Santa Claus!”
“Karine!”
“Underneath the mistletoe last night!!!!” She was completely off-key, every word a worse note than the last.
“Enough!” I yelled, hopping to my feet. Luckily, I’d pulled an oversized t-shirt on when Dash left so I wasn’t butt-ass naked. Though if stupid Carol was working on her manger, she’d get a good look at my naked ass through my open curtains.
“What? You’re the one that fucked Father Christmas!” she defended.
“Can you keep it down?” She was still shouting every word and was overall way too loud for the morning. I didn’t know how she was even functioning with how much she’d drank the night before. I’d still be hungover and wishing for the sweet kiss of death.
“Only if you tell me all the goods. Did you swallow his North Pole? Rock his sleigh? Deck his balls?” She rested her face in her hands, looking up at me expectantly.
“Rini, I don’t want to talk about it.” With how much fun she was having with it, I knew she wouldn’t be able to resist rubbing it in Sage’s face.
“You will tell me about it. I had a silent night. You had a hole-y night with Dash’s Yule log in your chimney. He’s hot as hell, and I want to know the deets. Spill it.”
I took a deep breath, trying to alleviate some of the sudden pressure in my chest. “He’s amazing.”
“Oh, why? Is he freaky? Does he like fruitcake up his ass? His bells jingled?”
“No, because he’s a decent guy. I’ve always known him as a good friend, but I’ve never connected with him like this.”
“Sexually?” she asked with a raised brow.
“Besides that.” I couldn’t tell her we were an item. Yet. She could chew on the nugget about us having sex for a while.
&
nbsp; “Girl, get it. He’s fine as hell. I’m so happy for you.” She gave me a swat on the ass. “Go shower, champ. We’ll get a victory breakfast. You need to fuel up for next time.”
18
Week one of secretly dating my brother’s best friend went better than I expected.
We worked out creative ways to see one another between our crazy schedules, his 24-hour shifts colliding head-on with my hectic week before winter break. Late-night dates at the diner. FaceTiming on my lunch hour. Whatever worked.
And nothing exploded. The world didn’t end. We survived.
Of course, not telling Sage probably had something to do with it. But still. It was a win. I’d take it.
I swore Karine to secrecy to ensure everything stayed under wraps, brainstorming a way to spill the beans without it blowing up in my face. I was still working out how. Kinda.
Okay, more like I was avoiding it as much as possible while fending off Dash wanting to do the deed himself.
We wandered around the tree field, Karine leading the way in her shiny purple coat in pursuit of the perfect tree. If anyone could find one, it was her. She always had an eye for details.
The trip almost made me excited for Christmas, the scent of pine needles and sap heavy in the air. I hadn’t wanted to go. I never did. Usually, I waited until someone drug me out kicking and screaming. In a way, that is what happened, Dash declaring that morning over cereal that I was a weirdo for the lack of a tree. Karine agreed, and voila, I was outnumbered.
Fresh snow fell the night before, the crunch loud beneath our boots with each step. Another storm was set to hit that night, and I hoped it would dump a good foot on us to cancel out the last Monday before Christmas break. I would happily take another day tacked onto the end of the year in exchange for starting the winter vacation earlier.
With it so close, the week before with the kiddies was a nightmare. I couldn’t imagine how insane they’d be the actual day before it. They were already gremlins as is.
“How about this one?” Karine called, doing her best Vanna White impression in front of a full balsam fir.
I stepped over a stump to get closer, Dash catching my elbow as I tripped over another. I smiled at him in thanks before turning to Karine who was proud of her find.
“It’s too tall.”
I hated to turn it down, because it really was beautiful, a thick, full tree that was at least two feet higher than the ceiling in our living room.
Karine frowned, studying the tree. “Can’t we cut the bottom off?”
“You’ll ruin the shape that way,” Dash explained, scanning the field for a new target. “You want something more like that one down there.” He pointed to one in the distance, and I burst into laughter.
The tree was shaped more like a butt plug than a Christmas tree, a bulbous bottom narrowing sharply before flaring into a triangular top.
Karine hooted in delight, high-stepping through the snow toward it. “Get my picture with it!”
“She’s a nutcase,” Dash laughed, watching her arms flail wildly as she ran. “But there’s little wonder why you’re best friends. You’re both batshit crazy.”
“Hey, you signed up for all this crazy!” I defended, nudging him playfully.
“I did,” he agreed, leaning down to kiss me just as we reached Karine.
She grinned at us, her eyes darting between our faces. “You two are hella cute together once I get past the whole Flowers in the Attic vibe. I’m here for it.”
“Really, Karine?” I breathed.
“Hey, Dash, if I stand back a bit, can you lift me while Juni takes a picture? The tree will hide you, and I can pose like I’m sitting on it.”
He laughed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Whatever you want, Karine.”
They walked into the distance while I headed in the opposite direction, waiting until the position of each of us was perfect. I raised my hand to signal the lift, and Dash sent her into the sky, hovering perfectly over the tree.
In typical Karine fashion, she stuck her booty out, a cheeky hand of surprise over her mouth as she looked back over her shoulder. I took a few pictures and gave them a thumbs up, smiling as I checked out the results.
“I better look hot!” Karine yelled, trudging through the snow in the distance.
“You look like hot garbage!”
My stomach dropped.
Sage.
Sure enough, the ogre appeared from around a patchy pine, a petite brunette on his arm looking like a living, breathing snow angel in head to toe white. So much for Jessica Rabbit 2.0.
He pulled me into a hug, one he immediately released when he saw Dash.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, looking between Dash and I as he neared, Karine a few steps ahead and all but actively shooting arrows at Sage’s face.
“He’s helping us bring our tree home,” I blurted, beating Dash to the punch.
Sage’s lip twitched in irritation, eyes fixed on his best friend. “Why didn’t you ask me?”
“Oh, we ran into him in the parking lot. I was going to stick it on the Civic.”
Sage’s eyes drifted to me and narrowed. “I didn’t see your Civic in the lot.”
Well, shit. “Get your eyes checked, old man.”
Screw it. I might as well commit to the lie.
Sage was unmoved. “You’re a shitty liar, Juni. What are you doing here together?”
“Getting a Christmas tree, numb nuts. She’s not lying. I offered to help.” Dash was tense, and I could tell he was itching to dish on our news.
Sage’s date stood there awkwardly twirling her ponytail, her lips sunk in her lower lip as we had our back and forth.
“Hi, I’m Juniper.” I extended a hand, hoping to throw off the nasty rhythm of the conversation.
“Kimbry,” she greeted, smiling as she shook my hand. She cast a nervous glance at Sage and then back at me, sensing the tension still humming in the air like an electric current.
“Don’t mind my brother. He’s a rectum most of the time.”
Kimbry giggled, batting her eyelashes at my brother, joining the long list of women he’d courted that year. Unfortunately, I doubted she’d be the last. “I think he’s a cutie.”
I shrugged. “I guess he is, for a rectum.”
“He is full of shit,” Karine offered, nose scrunched in disapproval. “You might want to keep looking for your Christmas miracle, Kimbry. Sage is more of a mistletoe lurker.”
Sage’s face reddened, his anger over Dash and I suddenly shifting to Karine. “Don’t mind Karine. No one ever taught her how to not be a bitch.”
“Sage, come on,” Dash protested, his jaw tight with annoyance. “You don’t need to act like this today. We’re here having fun, just like you.”
“You still didn’t answer why you’re here with my sister, dickhead.”
My heart was like thunder in my ear, hammering with each breath. Maybe I didn’t know exactly how I planned to tell him, but it definitely wasn’t randomly in the middle of a snowy tree field with a goddamn hacksaw in his hand. A hacksaw he looked more than ready to whack or slash Dash with.
“He’s dating Karine!” I announced, both Dash and Karine’s heads snapping to me.
“Bullshit!” Karine screeched, her fists balled at her sides.
Dash looked particularly stricken at the lie, searching my face for an answer. “Juni, what the fuck?”
I didn’t know why I blurted it out, but in the heat of the moment, I felt like I had to. Now the damage was done, and instead of looking relieved, Sage looked angrier than I’d ever seen him, his chest seemingly puffing up a thousand times in size.
“Oh, is that right?” he snarled, eyes wide as he raged at Dash. “Have fun with that dumpster fire, buddy.”
Dash grabbed my hand in his, cocking his head at me. “Juni?”
Somehow Sage reddened more, his nostrils flaring. “Get your hand off of my sister!”
“Juni,” Dash began again, his eyes ca
tching mine. “Now.”
Sage shoved him hard against the chest, Dash staggering back a few steps. “I said, get your hand off of my sister! Did I stutter?”
“Sage, knock it off!” I grabbed him by the upper arm, my hands barely covering half of his bicep. “Stop acting like a damn ape for once in your life!”
He easily yanked away from my grasp, seemingly forgetting all about Kimbry, the poor girl looking scared out of her mind. “What the hell is going on?” He looked between the trio of us, continuing to ignore her entirely. “Someone speak up. Now.”
Here the poor girl thought she was going Christmas tree shopping, and she ended up meeting the abominable snowman.
Dash looked to me again, clearly losing patience. “Juni, tell him. You made the big deal out of it. Do it. Or I will.”
Wrong answer. Sage stepped toward him, but I slipped between them, Karine joining me a second later.
“I’m dating Dash.” As soon as I said the words, I felt a dump truck lift off of my chest, but that didn’t make the way Sage looked at me any easier.
There was more than anger in his eyes. There was hate. And damn did that hurt.
“Is that true? Or is he dating that tree over there? Seems like he’s dating everyone today.”
“It’s true.” I hung my head, ashamed that I’d botched something so important. “I wanted to tell you sooner, but…”
“You’re a coward,” he finished, before looking at Dash. “And you’re a sorry excuse for a best friend. I can’t believe you would do something like this.”
“We’re adults, Sage. We like each other.” Dash’s tone was calm, careful, and measured, the polar opposite of Sage’s deadly bite.
“No, you wanted to get your dick wet, and you know my sister is desperate right now,” Sage shot back.
He took Kimbry’s hand in his, shaking his head sadly. “A damn shame, too. You’d throw away all these years of friendship for that.”
19
Sage knew me better than anyone, and he knew exactly how to twist the knife.
He left me in tears in the tree field without so much as a second glance, stomping off with Kimbry, who was all too star-eyed for him to object.
