I give him a pointed stare and say, “Just don’t cheat on me or I might have to cut your dick off in pure, blind rage.”
He winces. “Deal.” When things fall silent between us, he offers, “I hate what he did to you, but for what it’s worth, I’m kind of glad Neil was a dickhead and therefore lost you. Because that means I get you now.”
“Oh, you get me? Am I prized possession?” I joke.
Not even flinching, he smiles broadly and says, “Yup. And you’re all mine.”
Hot chocolates in my hands, I hold them up while Knox drapes a blanket over both of our laps. We’re sitting outside a late-night coffeehouse on a deck that hangs over the lake, scattered with lounge chairs. Heat lamps warm the space while the water laps below us. We were able to secure a secluded lounge chair, away from the booming noise inside, and Knox takes no time at all snuggling in close and pulling me to his side.
The sky is completely dark. Faint stars dot the black abyss, and a few wispy clouds attempt to hide the moon. It’s chilly, but the heat lamps, blanket, and Knox’s warm body make everything comfortable.
I hand him his hot chocolate as he wraps his arm around my shoulders and presses a kiss to the side of my head.
“This place is so cool,” I say as gentle acoustic covers play in the background.
“I came here my freshman year with a girl. We didn’t hang out up here, but we grabbed coffee. I remember thinking if I was ever into a girl, I’d bring her to the deck.”
“And you saved it for me?”
“Nah, brought three other girls up here before you.”
“What?” I laugh and pinch his side. He yelps but chuckles as well.
“I’m just kidding . . . it was five.”
“You’re obnoxious.”
He cups my face and turns me so I’m facing his cheeky grin. “But you like it.” He lowers his lips to mine and places a soft, unhurried kiss across my mouth. He’s not looking to deepen it, just enjoying the moment of our lips locking. I swipe my tongue across his lips, and he surrenders a low moan before pulling away.
He leans back against the lounger and says, “What does Christmas look like in your house?”
I rest my head on his shoulder and stare at the water. “Probably like every other household: matching pajamas with my parents and sister; big Christmas tree with crazy ornaments; cookies made to be consumed throughout the day; an adequate amount of presents under the tree. We’re lazy all day, snacking and watching A Christmas Story on TBS.”
“Really?” he asks, getting excited. “You do the non-stop marathon?”
“Of course. It’s tradition.”
“So do we,” he says with excitement. “But we make cookies while watching it.”
“Your cookies aren’t already made?”
“Nope. Mom likes to make them that day as a family after presents are opened. We decorate them and watch A Christmas Story. I swear that poor mom in the movie was mine when I was growing up. I have two older brothers, and we were constantly asking for seconds. My mom never got a warm dinner.”
“Two older brothers?” I ask. “Oh, how hot are they? I might need to trade up.”
“One is married and the other is engaged. Nice try, Ealson. Plus, I’m the hottest out of the three, easily.”
I hold out my hand. “Let me be the judge of that. Show me a picture.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He takes a second to find a picture, but once he does, he shows me the screen. Standing at least four inches taller in the middle, Knox has his arms around two guys who look identical. Instead of Knox’s meticulously styled hair, theirs is scruffy and out of place. And instead of broad chests with thick thighs, they have the shape of a runner. They’re cute, they are Knox’s brothers, after all, but they’re nothing compared to the hottie next to me.
“You have twin brothers?”
“Yup, and telling them apart is a real bitch. At twenty-seven, they wear the same shit and have the same hairstyle. They fuck with me all the time.”
Oh, I can see it; a frustrated Knox trying to figure out which brother he’s talking to.
“And the worst part is, their girls get in on it. It’s a game they like to play with me. I once dotted Jack on the neck with a Sharpie while he was sleeping so I could tell who was who. That didn’t last long.”
“I think I’d like your brothers a lot.”
“You would get along too well, it’s scary. What about your sister? Do you get along with her?”
I twirl my hot chocolate. “We’re okay. She’s ten years older than I am so we’re not super close, kind of in different phases of our lives. She didn’t like Neil though, she made that quite clear when we were dating. I think it was one of the things that pushed us further apart. We’ve talked a little over the last couple of months, trying to build that relationship back up. My mom is adamant we do.”
“Did you tell her about me?”
“No. I haven’t told anyone about you.”
“Ouch,” he says on a chuckle. “And just last week I sent out a family newsletter with your face on the front and your name on the bottom, letting everyone know you’re my girl.”
“I hope it was a flattering picture.”
“Nope, sent a real woof bag picture to everyone.”
“That’s fair, you know, since I haven’t told my family about you.”
“And why’s that again?” He crosses his legs at the ankles, getting more comfortable.
“Self-preservation. I’m not ready for the invasion of my privacy. Don’t worry, they’ll find out at Christmas when I’m constantly hanging by my phone, waiting for a text from you.”
And here’s the truth I’m part terrified to share. He’s probably thought me indifferent at times, a girl with a tough exterior. But I’m not really. This is offering him something that makes me vulnerable. He’s awesome to joke around with, and I definitely love putting him in his place, but I can trust him with this.
“Are you saying you’re going to miss me over winter break?”
“Yeah, I am. Terribly.” I turn into him and run my finger over his jaw, the thick scruff of his five o’clock shadow pulling under my freshly painted fingernail. “I really like you, Knox, and I’ve become quite addicted to your random pop-ins and flirtatious texts. You make me feel special, something I’m not sure Neil ever made me feel.”
“Damn, Ealson. I wasn’t expecting you to say that.” He scratches the side of his head. “You kind of made my stomach do flips.”
“In a good way?”
He nods and brings his lips to mine, where he presses the softest of kisses across my mouth. “In a very good way. I like you a lot too. So even though we’re breaking rule number two and not doing all the oral”—he winks—“I’m fucking happy just getting to know you.”
“I think you’re the first guy to ever say that.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re right.” He laughs and presses another kiss to my lips. “But you’re worth it.”