Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
HUNTER
REAL REAL
Everything looks perfect. Everything is going perfect. I don’t want to jinx it, but fuck. Everyone is having fun.
The line for hot chocolate and snickerdoodles is longer than the wait for Santa. Happy laughter fills the air as kids take a ride through the trees on the train.
And here comes the person I’m most excited to see.
“Hunter. Wow.” The lights sparkle in his eyes. “This looks great.”
“Thanks.”
“Everyone looks really happy.”
“I’m going to take the train out here in a little bit. Want to go for a ride?”
“Sure. I’m going to grab some hot chocolate before.” He throws a thumb behind him. “Do you want one?”
I shake my head. “I’m good. Don’t go flirting with any other men while you wait.”
“Please. Do you think I’m going to go off and find anyone when your mom will be popping up any minute?”
“Just making sure.”
He rolls his eyes at me before walking over to take his place in line.
I linger a fraction longer than I should, staring at his ass, before I go help out with taking tickets.
The family fun night is something I started doing a couple of years ago and people love it. Train rides. Santa visiting. Free ornament painting for all the kids.
Everyone loves it—it’s one of the best nights of the year. I’ve always loved working this night.
Tonight? I wish I were walking around with Ollie. Holding his hand, pulling him close.
Shit.
For a fake relationship, I can’t stop thinking about Ollie in a very real way.
Thinking things I haven’t felt in a long time.
Since I dumped my boyfriend and moved home.
I locked all those feelings up. Everyone told me what a grump I was being about relationships.
Well, as Charlie said, I was being a dick about relationships.
Maybe it was because I needed someone like Ollie?
Again, not what I need to be thinking about right now. The repetitive task of taking tickets and talking to guests helps clear my thoughts.
“Wow, this place is hopping,” Charlie says, walking up hand-in-hand with Brooks.
“Always the most popular night,” I say, waving them in.
“Do you want some help?” Brooks ask.
“If you wouldn’t mind taking tickets for a bit so I can do one train ride, that’d be great.”
“Sure thing. I know you said I didn’t have to work, but I can.”
“I want you to enjoy your night.”
The way I wish I could with Ollie.
Brooks shoves me out of the ticket booth. “Go do some train rides and come back. You can at least have a little fun.”
“Thanks.”
Kids run by me as I head toward the small platform where the train rides start. Ollie is lingering by the front as kids squeeze into each of the cars.
“You ready to ride?” I smile at him.
“I don’t think anyone has ever taken me on a train ride before.”
A light snow starts to fall, catching in Ollie’s hair. I don’t think.
Grasping the back of his neck, I pull him in for a long, slow, sweet kiss. He tastes just like the hot chocolate from the cup in his hands.
“Mmm, delicious,” I whisper against his lips.
“Why’d you do that?” he whispers.
“Curious eyes.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
I don’t know if anyone is around, but I don’t care. Right now, I have to quell this burning need inside of me for Ollie.
It does the opposite. It stokes the fire.
Fuck.
Ollie’s eyes are wide behind his glasses as he slides onto the bench seat next to me.
I really shouldn’t have done that. Not right before getting into a small space with him. Inhaling the clean soap smell that is Ollie.
“You know, you’re concentrating awfully hard on driving this train.”
I peek one eye at him. “You know, safety and all.”
We come up to the first copse of trees. Inflatables light up the dark night as oohs and aahs come from the back of the train.
“It’s a lot more fun up here with you,” Ollie says, nudging me in the shoulder.
“Want to learn to be the train conductor?”
“More like I like hanging with the conductor as he is now. I would not trust me to drive a train.”
I rest my arm along the back. “It’s really not hard. It’s basically on autopilot at this point.”
“Either way. I like being a passenger prince.”
“You make a good one.” I wink at him.
“Will you let me do this next year too?”
“I promise.”
I turn my attention back to the train as we come around to the old barn that’s lit up with Christmas lights. The thought of not being with Ollie next year at this time, even though this is fake, shouldn’t sting.
“Are you okay, Hunter?” Ollie asks after a few minutes.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” My answer is short. Shorter than it usually is.
“You don’t seem okay.”
“Sorry, just focusing on the train ride.”
“Didn’t you say this thing could control itself?” He laughs.
“Alright, smart ass,” I say to him, trying not to let the thoughts of not being with him get to me.
I know this thing between us is fake, but I don’t know, maybe we could…maybe we could get it out of our system? Based on Ollie’s reactions to me, I think he might be into it.
But…how do I broach the subject?
The main barn comes into view as I pull into the platform and everyone starts to unload.
What better time than now?
This is my favorite night of the year. Everyone is happy. Painting ornaments. Telling Santa what presents they want.
Before I let Ollie get away, I grab his hand and drag him behind the barn.
“What are we doing?”
Lights shimmer all around us as the heavy smell of pine perfumes the air.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?” Ollie replies.
His cheeks are pink from the cold, his peacoat buttoned all the way up to his neck.
“I don’t exactly know how to ask this.” I scrub a hand down the back of my neck. Mainly because I don’t want to fuck it up because relationships aren’t my forte.
“Talk to me, Hunter.”
“Well, I know we said this thing would last until Christmas…” I start.
“Right.” Ollie fidgets with his glasses.
“Well, what about we made it a real thing until Christmas?”
I worry my bottom lip between my teeth as I watch a flash of emotions cross his face.
“Isn’t it supposed to be real?”
“No, I mean, yes. I know it’s fake, but what if we just played pretend for now? Like it not be fake, but real real.”
“I feel like that was a confusing statement.”
“Fuck. I am not explaining this well.”
“It seems you’ve turned into a bit of an Ollie.”
He smiles up at me.
“Look, I know we’re fake dating right now to get through the holidays. But instead of it being fake, let’s just, I don’t know, be real. Like a real couple.”
“You don’t like relationships,” Ollie points out.
“I like you.”
“Does this have anything to do with that kiss earlier?” he asks.
“I mean, it was pretty—”
“Nice,” he finishes.
“Only nice?” I fire back.
“I enjoyed it and would not be opposed to more.”
Pressing my palm into the side of the barn, I step closer to him. “Is this you agreeing to my plan?”
“Just until Christmas, and then we go back to being friends?”
“We’ll always be friends, Ol. Just friends who kiss now.”
“I don’t think you’re kissing me right now,” he says.
“Would you like me to change that?”
“Yes. I very much would like you to kiss me again.”
I cup Ollie’s cold cheek and wrap a hand around his hip to tug him close. I study his face, brushing my thumb over the apple of his cheek. His eyes widen in the low light.
If there’s one thing I know about my best friend, it’s that I can read him like an open book.
Oh yeah, he definitely wants this.
Leaning down, I suck on his bottom lip. Fuck. He tastes delicious. Even better than before somehow. His soft purrs and whimpers have me moving closer and deepening the angle.
I tease him, nibbling and sucking. I pull back and capture his mouth with mine.
When he gasps, I slide my tongue into his mouth.
I can tell he’s nervous, but he lets me take control.
Something that I gladly do. Light strokes, hard strokes.
I know he likes it because he sinks his fingers even harder into the front of my chest. I’m standing impossibly close to him.
I push my thigh between his legs and fuck. His dick is hard against my jeans.
“Fuck, Ollie.” I drop my forehead to his.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a better kiss in my life,” he says. Those lips of his are stung swollen.
“Oh, yeah? I haven’t even shown you the good moves.”
“The good moves?” His voice is breathless.
I love that I make him feel like this.
“If you think that’s good, just you wait.”
“What moves are we talking about?”
“More kissing.” I press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Maybe more.” I move my leg between his.
“I-I…I would be amenable to that,” he stutters.
“You would be amenable to sex?”
He nods, glassing fogging up.
“Well then, I think tonight has been a very good night.”
“Want to make it better?”
“How?” I ask.
“Kiss me.”
I smile at him. “I think I’m amenable to that.”