by Alexa Riley
I watch the kids running around while we eat and note that there’s a line for Santa.
“You think Dad will dress up as Santa when we have kids?” I ask Pumpkin. He always did that when we were little, and some of my favorite memories are from that time.
“Did you say we?” I stare at her, and she smiles. “Yes, I bet he will.” She dips her pretzel into her cheese and does a little dance in her seat as she stuffs her face.
“I was going to see if Lewis could use some help. It’s almost tax season. Don’t you think they might need extra hands?” After winter break I have one semester left to finish my accounting associate’s degree. Lewis has an accounting firm and lives next door to my parents. We’ve all been friendly over the years, and I’ve done some clerical work for him in the past.
“Maybe.” Her nose scrunches.
She doesn't look like she likes the idea very much, and even though I’m not sure I do either, I have to do something. I picked accounting because I’m good with numbers and needed a job. But it’s possibly the most boring job ever.
I’m flailing right now trying to grab on to something. I can’t live at home forever, but I think my parents have it very much in their minds that you don’t move out until you’re married. They can be a little old-fashioned at times, and traditions are a must for them.
* * *
We talk some more about what options I have, and it doesn't take us long to finish off our food. I start to pack up our stuff, not wanting to hold the table when the place is so busy. When I go to drop our trays, I see Nathan out of the corner of my eye, and a chill goes down my spine.
I dump the trays and look over toward him and see he’s staring right at me. This is the third time in the last few weeks I’ve run into him. Then I see the blonde he cheated on me with standing beside him.
I want to get out of here.
For a second I think he’s following me, because that’s too many times to run into the same person. I doubt someone would stalk me with their new girlfriend in tow, but I wouldn’t put anything past him.
I don’t feel anything toward him romantically, but when I see him I have this resentment I can’t let go of. I hate the way seeing him makes me feel—it ruins my whole mood.
When I get back to our table, Pumpkin is standing up and has a sour look on her face. She has all our bags in her hands, and I have no doubt she sees Nathan.
“Let’s roll,” I say, taking some of the bags from her.
She nods in agreement, but under her breath, she says, “He’s watching you.”
“I know.” I can feel it, and it gives me the creeps. So I do the only thing I can right now, and we go home.
Chapter 4
Frost
I hear Cookie and Pumpkin come into the house with packages, and I get up from the couch and go to help. Cookie scowls at me as if daring me to help her, and I smile at her as I take a bag, almost forcefully.
“Thank you,” Pumpkin says, moving between us. I’m not sure which one of us she’s trying to protect.
“Dinner will be late,” Miller announces when he walks into the kitchen.
“Why, what happened?” Pumpkin asks as she sets down her bags. “I ordered it to be delivered right now. My parents are on the way.”
Pumpkin likes to host family dinners at their home, and I like to be here because Cookie always comes.
“They have a sick delivery driver. We must pick it up.”
“I’ll go,” Cookie volunteers, grabbing her keys and going for the door.
“Good, you can help Frost,” Miller says, and Cookie stops in her tracks.
“I already said I would go.” I shrug, and she looks even more annoyed than she did when she came in.
“I’m sure you can handle it.” I can see her trying to get out of it, and I shake my head.
“It’s a really big order,” Pumpkin interjects. “Mom and Dad will be here any second.”
“Fine.” She grinds her teeth as she walks past me and out the front door.
I catch up with her, and when she sees the driver at the curb, she turns to me and scowls. “We can take my car.”
“Nyet.” I open the car door, and she hesitates for a second before deciding the fight isn’t worth it.
Once inside the car, I turn to her and smile. “Did you enjoy shopping?”
She shrugs and looks out the window. I can see something is on her mind, but Cookie isn’t one to be pushed into answers.
“Did you buy me a present?”
That gets a reaction, and she turns to me with a smile tugging at her lips. “No.” She raises her nose a little like a brat, and I get hard.
“I have a present for you.” Her eyes glance at my crotch and then back up at me. “Your mind is filthy. Although my present is…” I hesitate as I lick my lips. “Generous.”
* * *
“I don’t want anything from you.” She turns again to look out of the window.
“Perhaps you would like a repeat of the bathroom instead?” I take her hand in mine, and she flinches like she’s going to pull it away, but I hold her close. “Are you still bleeding?”
“No,” she snaps and tries to tug her hand away.
I make a tsking sound as I pull her close to me. “I am disappointed I didn’t get to enjoy you more like that.”
“You’re the filthy one.” She raises her chin again in that smug way, and I wrap my arms around her.
“Only for you, kiska.” When I lean in close, she turns her head away but reveals her neck to me. “Why do you fight this?”
I brush my nose along her throat before I trace my lips along the same path. She shivers in my arms and clings to my shirt.
“Because I don’t want it.”
“You lie to me and to yourself.” I put one hand behind her knee, and with just a slight tug she moves onto my lap and straddles me. “Is your body so eager to be rid of me?” I shake my head. “I think not.”
“If this is what you want, we can keep this simple.” She shrugs, and I try to hide my smile.
“An arrangement?” I raise an eyebrow at her, and she nods. Again I stifle my smile because there is no world that exists where she is not mine.
“You want to have sex?”
“Da,” I answer thickly, grabbing her ass and grinding her against my cock. She moans softly for a moment before she swallows and gathers her thoughts.
“Then what if we just do that? You know, get it out of our system.”
I place my hand at the nape of her neck and then tighten my grip in her hair as I pull her close. “Do I look like a man that is eager to get you out of my system?” I use my other hand to feel the weight of her heavy breast before I pinch her nipple. “Are you so excited by the thought of throwing me away?”
Anger takes hold, and I turn and pin her on the seat below me. Her eyes widen as I shove myself between her legs, hard and heavy.
“I will not pretend that you are mine while in my bed but you are a stranger when we are with family.”
I look down at her body under me and shake my head. “You are not disposable, kiska.”
* * *
Tears form in her eyes, and I lean down to kiss them away. Then my mouth moves lower until our lips touch and I can no longer hold myself back. She moans when I hold her possessively and thrust against her. Our clothes are an irritation between us, but right now all I need her to feel is my need.
Her hands come up to cup my face, and she opens her mouth for me. I feel her tongue touch mine, and it only spikes my excitement. We kiss for a long time, her body melting against me and our hands desperately clinging.
“I think the car has stopped,” she says softly between kisses, and I nod.
“Da,” I answer before kissing her once again.
She laughs, pressing her hands to my chest, and I lean back to look at her. “Let’s go get the food before it gets cold.”
I sigh and kiss her again quickly because I don’t want to stop. But then I sit up and op
en the door and then help her out of the car. I still have her hand in mine, and she smiles as we enter the restaurant. When we go in, I tell them the name, and everyone scrambles to help us carry it out.
“Damn, Pumpkin wasn’t lying when she said it was a lot of food.”
“I’m hungry,” I say to her, squeezing her ass hard.
She laughs as we exit, but then the sound is drowned out by the shrill voice of the woman in front of me.
“Frost, oh my gosh, of course I would run into you here. We were just heading into Pierre’s,” Chel says as she steps forward. I see my mother behind her, and I’m so busy scowling at her that I don’t realize Chel has run up and put her arms around me.
I can’t move fast enough and feel her lips on my cheek as I stumble back and try to get out of the way. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cookie watching the exchange with narrowed eyes.
“Darling, it’s good you’re here. Chel and I are going over themes for the engagement party and the groom really should be present,” my mother says, her voice as cold as ice.
The hair on the back of my neck stands up because suddenly this all feels planned. How did she know I would be here at this exact moment?
Cookie rushes past me and into the back of the car. I push away from Chel and my mother, desperate to get to Cookie.
“If you get in this car, I will leave and take a taxi home,” Cookie warns.
I stare at the hurt in her eyes and the wall she’s building even as I try to plead with her.
“This is not what you think. You must talk to your sister. She knows the truth.”
“Oh, I plan on it,” she spits as her hurt morphs into anger. “But I won’t chance another moment where you can put your hands on me.”
She gets into the car and slams the door, and as much as I want to rush in after her, I think of Pumpkin and her words. She told me to be patient and to not push Cookie. That the more I push her to be with me, the harder she will fight against it. Although it pains me, I don’t stop the car as it pulls away from the curb, and I stand there on the sidewalk watching it go.
“What have you done?” The question doesn’t come from me but from my mother.
I turn around and see her watching the entire exchange with a smug smile. She lifts a shoulder as she walks closer, and I begin to shake with rage.
“If you don’t start playing by my rules, someone is going to get hurt.”
With that, she takes Chel by the arm and begins to talk excitedly about party plans as they enter the restaurant.
Chapter 5
Cookie
“Where is Frost?” my sister asks as the driver helps me get all the food from the car. I hear her mumble something about Frost needing Christmas lights on his house as we go back inside.
I have the strange urge to know what the inside of his home looks like even though I want to smack him. I can’t help but wonder which side of Frost is reflected in his home. Would it be simple and without clutter, or would it be decorated? Of course, an unwanted longing to be the woman who gets to do that hits me hard. Even while I’m mad at him, I still have these thoughts.
“He ran into someone. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” I’m actually not sure if that’s a lie or not. I was surprised he didn’t force his way into the car but instead stayed behind.
“Ran into who?”
I shrug, not really wanting to talk about it right now. Mom and Dad are here so this isn't the time.
Why is it that Frost telling me to talk to my sister makes me not want to? I think it’s spite. I’m just being petty. It doesn’t matter right now anyway because our parents are here and everyone wants to eat.
“The food is getting cold,” I remind her.
She stares at me for a long minute, but then Mom comes in the kitchen and gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Little does she know she saved me from an interrogation.
“Did you order the whole restaurant, Pumpkin?” Mom says with a laugh as we start to open everything and get it placed on the table. Normally I love family dinners and how Mom and Dad have kept so many traditions alive. Now Pumpkin is doing the same, and it’s so special.
When I was younger they would drive me crazy at times, but now that I’m older I get it. I want to be able to carry them on too.
“Should we wait for Frost?” Pumpkin asks when everyone starts to sit down at the table. She tilts her head to the side, giving me a pointed look that is so much like Mom. I could do without that passing through the family, because Pumpkin is nailing it right now.
“We don’t know how long he’ll be. He seemed to have his hands full.” I try to keep the anger out of my voice, but again my sister studies me. She can read me too well, and I both love and hate it. I dig into the food so everyone else will too and so I can look away from my sister.
“I’ll be right back. Eat, krasota.” Miller kisses the top of my sister’s head before stepping out of the dining room. I have no doubt it’s to call or text his brother, so I eat faster.
I have a feeling Frost will be coming along soon. Part of me hopes he shows up, but the other part isn’t ready to face him. I expected him to call for another car, but what if he went back into the restaurant and stayed to talk to them? My mind is still swirling over the word engagement.
The older woman said the groom should be there, intimating that Frost was the groom.
There’s no way…but the woman named Chel seemed to know Frost well enough. It was like a stab to my heart when I saw her wrap herself around him and kiss his cheek as if she had every right to. She acted as if it was the way they always greeted each other. It wasn't the kiss on the cheek that bothered me the most but the way she tried to push her body into his.
He quickly pushed her aside, which made me wonder a few things. Frost might not be into public displays of affection, or he did it because I was there to see it. What if I hadn't been there at all? How would it have played out then?
One thing I do know for sure is that seeing that small gesture by this Chel person hurt more than when I walked in on my ex getting a blowjob. One he said he was getting because he needed the release. He’d actually tried to make me feel guilty about it, but it didn’t work.
Nathan said I was cold whenever he tried to move past a small makeout session. Men have needs, I believe were his words. When Nathan and I kissed, I didn't feel anything. I thought maybe I just didn't like sex or something, at least until Frost. When he kissed me, it was like my body was consumed with lust and need. I’d never felt more alive than when Frost touched me.
I’m torn between eating fast to get out of here or lingering to make sure he does come back. Both are ridiculous because I shouldn't care what he’s doing.
There’s nothing frosty about the way Frost kissed me. When he got mad at the idea of keeping us a secret, I almost broke right there. I think he might have weakened me, but I’m trying to quickly rebuild my walls with shaky hands.
“How was the mall?” Mom asks. “Did you get the rest of your shopping done?”
“I can’t wait for white elephant this year. With more people it’s going to be extra fun,” Pumpkin answers her, and I stay quiet.
“My brother is not engaged,” Miller says as he sits down at the table.
“Engaged?” my dad echoes, sounding mad about it.
“Nyet, my mother is up to her old games.”
Pumpkin rolls her eyes, and I wonder if that’s the older woman I saw. Wow. I know they don’t have a normal family dynamic from what I understand, but why would his mother do that? Pumpkin called their mom a snake one time, and I felt bad that they didn't have loving parents like we have. But maybe there’s more to this story than Pumpkin ever told me.
He might not be engaged, but he knew that woman, Chel. They have history, and for all I actually know they could have a present too. My head is too much of a mess to deal with more Frost today. I need to be on my A game with him, and right now I’m not.
* * *
I finish eati
ng and pop up from my chair. “Dinner was wonderful, but I really should get going. I have another present I need to pick up before the store closes. I couldn't pick it up before because Pumpkin was with me,” I explain, and it’s not a lie. I do need to pick up the gift that came to mind today when we were shopping.
I rush around giving everyone goodbyes because our family acts like we might never see the person again when we leave.
When I’m finally out the door, I let out a sigh of relief as I get out my keys and into my car.
I’m safe, for tonight at least.
Chapter 6
Frost
My driver pulls up outside her parents’ house, but when I look around I only see her car. I tell him to park down the street and wait for me because I don’t want them seeing us here in their home alone.
I walk around the back of the house and try the patio door. It’s locked, so I reach along the top edge of the doorframe for the key. My fingers graze it, and I shake my head as I unlock the door and put it back. I need to remind her parents about safety, but I’ll do it after I’m gone.
When I get inside, I stand in the kitchen and listen for a moment to see if I can figure out where she is. It’s completely dark downstairs, but in the distance I hear water running. I take the stairs nearly two at a time as I make my way to the noise.
The bedroom door is closed but isn’t locked. I sneak in and close it behind me. The door to the en suite bathroom on the other side of the room is cracked and the shower’s on. I hear her in there, and my cock swells as I move closer.
By the time I make it to the door, the water has shut off. I ease it open and it quietly reveals her standing there completely naked and soaking wet. I lick my lips as she reaches for her towel and quickly hides all of her beauty from me.
