CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX Killjoy
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Killjoy
It sure had been a day. A Christmas I’d remember for a long time to come, that was for sure. Hell, I’d probably remember this one forever. It wasn’t like Danny would be easy to forget.
And I really hoped I wouldn’t have to forget him.
“How was your Christmas?” I asked him as he snuggled up into my side on the couch.
We were full from the roast and sides we’d spent the afternoon whipping up together.
And cold from being out building a snowman.
The ice man with a carrot nose and a gold glitter cock got to wear my new scarf only long enough for us to get pictures of him.
I was still shaking my head at Danny’s dirty addition. Though I really expected nothing less.
Now, we were cuddling on the couch, steaming mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows waiting to be enjoyed on the coffee table in front of us.
With the damn candle that smelled like fucking hot chocolate and marshmallows burning right between them.
The fire was going. The Christmas tree lights were sparkling behind us.
And I couldn’t have asked for a better night.
“Fucking amazing,” he said, letting out a cute laugh. “Seriously, thank you.” He turned those hazel eyes up at me. “It was the best. I couldn’t have asked for more. And the candle…” He seemed to get choked up, so I leaned down and kissed the top of his head.
He settled back into my side.
“You’re ringing,” he said, kicking his foot out and moving my phone on the coffee table with his big toe.
“Yeah,” I glanced down, already having a good idea who was callin’ me. “It’s my brother. The second oldest of the bunch.”
“The one who you joined the club with?”
“Yep. That’d be him.”
“You should answer it.”
“Nah,” I said, pulling him tighter into my body.
“But it’s Christmas.”
I let out a long sigh, releasing him when he squirmed and tried to get up.
The next fuckin’ thing I knew, I had a phone in my face and my brother staring right back at me.
I sure as hell didn’t want to talk to anyone, and now Danny was makin’ me do a video call.
It was a good thing I liked him so much.
“You answered!” Crawler said. His rumbly laugh filtered through the phone, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Oh shit! Keys wasn’t kidding when he said you met someone. Carol! Come here. You’re never gonna believe this. Our big bro is fuckin’ smiling!!”
Then my oldest sister’s face filled the screen, her eyes bright with amusement.
“I’d always hoped I’d see it one day,” she said wistfully.
“See what?” I asked, brow twisted up in confusion.
“The day you finally let go and found your happiness. I wanna meet him. Is he there?” She looked around as if she could actually see beyond my screen. I rolled my eyes at her.
My gaze met Danny’s, who was still holding the phone. His face said he was damn happy to be witnessing this exchange.
“Go on,” I told him, pulling him back down. I grabbed the phone so my family could see both of us.
The image looking back at us was now full of faces. All of my siblings were there, and a little ache pinched in my chest. I knew I didn’t have anyone but myself to blame, but damn, it still hurt.
My nieces and nephews were growing up so fast. My sisters and brothers looked settled in their lives and happy. That was all I’d ever wanted for them.
So, then, maybe it was my turn.
“This is Danny,” I told my family, then proceeded to introduce him to everyone who was trying to crowd into the frame.
Danny laughed, told them “Merry Christmas” and chatted a bit. He basically charmed them like he’d charmed me, and I could tell they all loved him instantly.
Maybe one day, we could all get together in person.
But, wait, I was getting ahead of myself.
“Alright,” I said, feeling a bit emotionally overwhelmed. “Have the kids send me pics of what they got for Christmas. We’re gonna go. Love y’all.”
I let them get out their goodbyes before I ended the video.
“That was nice,” Danny said, placing a kiss on my shirt right over my heart.
“It was,” I easily agreed.
Well, here went nothin’.
Either I opened myself up, or I’d regret it for the rest of my life.
I couldn’t let him go tomorrow, I just fuckin’ couldn’t.
Clearing my throat, I stared real hard at the dancing flame sittin’ in the middle of the candle.
“So, uh, what’s next for you?” I asked, and hated myself when I felt him go stiff at my side.
“Oh, well, I need to find a place to live. I think I should have enough money for a down payment with the last few weeks’ income, which should drop into my account in two days, and the money you got back for me.
Jayden said I could crash with him and his boyfriend for a bit while I figure out where I actually want to move to.
Might do that.” He paused. “Thank you for getting my money back, by the way. And for letting me stay.”
“Well, what if…”
“What if…?” He turned to face me, blinking at me as he waited for me to spit it out.
Rejection was a scary thing. I really hoped he wouldn’t think I was off my rocker.
We’d barely known each other for a week, and the circumstances surrounding how we met were…
well, to put it frankly, really fuckin’ weird.
Was it fate? Or was I just wishing that there was more between us than there was?
“What if you stayed a little longer?” I asked, but it was really meant to be a strong suggestion.
“A little longer?” He sent me a small smile. “Yeah, that sounds nice. How long?”
“Like, how about through New Year’s Day. That was what you planned on anyway, right?”
“New Year’s, yeah. That could work.”
I mentally blew out a long, relieved breath. That had actually been a lot easier than I’d expected, though nothing had really been figured out other than I’d have him a little longer.
I really needed to get a grip and just be honest with him.
“I want you to stay,” I told him.
His eyes lit up, those hazel orbs practically sparkling with gold.
“I want to stay, too,” he admitted.
Damn. That hadn’t been too hard.
I realized nothing had truly been worked out, but he knew I wanted him here, and I knew he wanted to be here. I woulda said that was enough for now.
If he stuck around as long as he wanted to be here, then… well, maybe I could figure a way to make it so he always wanted to be here.
He snuggled back into my side.
“How about we watch a movie?” he suggested. “You pick.”
“I got the perfect one in mind. A Christmas movie that will make us both happy.”
A grin overtook my face as I thought of the perfect thing. Hell, I wouldn’t even mind if he tried to tear it apart and talk over it. I knew this one by heart, and there was not a single fuckin’ thing he could say to ruin it.
I found what I was looking for and started it up.
He turned his head until he was looking at me.
“This is not a Christmas movie,” he said, and I gasped playfully. The move must have taken him by surprise, because he blinked at me like an owl for a long moment.
“It certainly is,” I argued playfully, but even so, I meant it. “It takes place on Christmas Eve. And it has Christmas music in it. You don’t get more Chri—”
His hand covered my mouth, making the rest of what I was tryin’ to say come out muffled.
“You know what? I’ll accept it. We can make Die Hard our Christmas movie,” he said, releasing my mouth and settling back down.
I liked the way he said that. Like the “our” part a whole lot. By the blush in his cheeks and the way he was softly smiling, I think he liked it the same way I did.
I leaned down and kissed the top of his head, taking a long moment to bury my nose in his hair and breathe in his addictive scent.
Then I held him through our movie.
I kissed him when it was over.
I ended the day by taking him to bed.
And I slept like a baby with him wrapped in my arms, my dreams peaceful, knowing I’d be starting the next day with him.