Chapter 7
Kennedy
I leaned against my door as soon as it closed.
My heart was beating at double time, my nipples were still aching and erect, and my pussy throbbed with need.
I slid my hand down beneath the elastic of my sleep shorts and underwear.
If I could just get off, I could relax and sleep.
It would only take a few swipes across my clit.
My underwear was soaked with my arousal.
I widened my stance and dipped two fingers inside and pumped, imagining they were Jack’s.
My other hand went to my clit. I still felt a void. I needed to pull out my toy to finish.
I opened my eyes and gagged a little. I kept hearing Gran’s vibrator.
Plus, I couldn’t masturbate in the bedroom my parents had slept in.
That thought led to me realizing what all had probably happened in that bed.
Plus, Harrison and Jack were just across the hallway.
I couldn’t risk it. I shook my head and decided a quick cold shower could calm my raging hormones enough to sleep.
“Kennedy!” Harrison’s muffled voice yelled. “Come on, get up. We can’t eat breakfast until you get down to the kitchen.”
I rolled over, pulled the comforter over my head, and ignored him. Gran would eventually feed them without me.
Harrison pounded again. “Kennedy Lee, don’t make me come in there and drag you downstairs.”
I snorted to myself at his words. He wouldn’t dare.
“All right, you’ve left me no choice.” The doorknob squeaked when he turned it. I didn’t move fast enough to avoid his hands. He found my ankles under the comforter and pulled.
“Harrison, you asshole!” I grabbed at the bed, only to slide toward him with my hands full of bedding. I kicked out at him.
He let go right before my ass would have fallen off the end.
“Don’t you ever do that again.” I sat up, my feet hitting the cold floorboards, and rubbed my eyes. “Gran would have fed you without me.”
“No she won’t, Kennedy. It’s Christmas Eve morning.”
I smelled the biscuits before he finished his sentence. Harrison was right. No one ate breakfast until everyone was at the table. It was one of Gran’s many traditions.
“Shit, I’m sorry.” I glanced at the clock. “Dude! It’s only six thirty. Breakfast isn’t until eight.” I whined.
“Not today. Gran got up early. The biscuits are ready, along with the eggs, American fries, sausage, bacon, and the breakfast casserole.”
“Fine, I’ll be down in a couple minutes. Make sure the coffee is fresh. I’m going to need a few gallons to make it through today.”
He turned and bounded out my door and back down the stairs.
I did what I needed in the bathroom, brushed my hair, and twisted it up into a messy bun.
Slippers and my fluffy Christmas robe complemented the dark circles and bags beneath my eyes.
I shuffled downstairs, the volume of voices getting louder as I approached the kitchen.
I cringed when I heard Harrison’s loud hiccup of a laugh.
I loved him. I really did. I loved my brother.
I repeated it to myself as I walked, to keep from strangling him.
First he woke me up, then he basically pulled me out of bed.
And now his infernal laugh was grating on my non-caffeinated nerves.
I wondered if I could sweet talk someone into bringing my coffee to the table, so I wouldn’t have to join the loud chaos before caffeine.
“Kennedy, there you are!” Gran greeted me at the doorway with a big mug and a hug. “I told Harrison to let you sleep.” She wrapped an arm around my waist and walked me into the kitchen. “You probably need it.”
I sipped at the liquid heaven in my mug and nodded. “I didn’t sleep well.” I leaned against the counter and drained my mug.
“Interesting.” Gran took my mug to refill. “Jack didn’t sleep well last night either.”
His eyes met mine as I finally acknowledged him. A mischievous smile tilted the corners of his lips. Our kiss last night was still vivid in my mind, my lips tingling as my mind wandered.
“Had a few vivid dreams that woke me up. It happens sometimes if the last scene I write before bed is sexy and spicy, even more so if I haven’t finished the scene.” He winked at me.
I felt the heat of a blush on my neck. “Sounds like maybe you should have stayed up a bit longer to wrap things up. Maybe you would have slept better.”
“Enough chitchat. Let’s eat,” Harrison said and brought a couple of the warm plates of food to the table.
Gran’s oversized biscuits were the last thing added.
They sat in the middle of the table on a large, elevated tray.
The table was in its small configuration.
We would adjust it and add in the middle leaves tomorrow, before our full-fledged Christmas dinner.
I filled my plate with the American fries, bacon drizzled with maple syrup, and a biscuit that took up half my plate. Harrison took two biscuits right off the bat. I knew he could eat those plus another full plate of everything else. That seemed to be one of his traditions.
Jack and Harrison were talking about something that had Harrison laughing again. I tried to tune them out but still cringed every time that laugh came from his mouth. Two cups of coffee and I was still annoyed.
“Harrison, can you not laugh like a jackass for one conversation?” I snapped and rubbed my temple as I debated another biscuit. I’d probably need the sugar to make it through until lunch.
“Why don’t you boys go get the tree decorations and bring them into the living room?” Gran asked. “You know where they’re stored, Harrison.”
“Okay. Still in the closet in your room?” he asked.
Jack glanced at me, his eyes wide for a minute, and it took all I had not to spit out the sip of coffee in my mouth. He mouthed to me, I hope she put it away! His animated face switched from fake fear to concern to mischievous devil all within seconds.
“Yes. While you do that, Kennedy, would you help me put this food away and load the dishwasher?” Gran asked, raising an eyebrow in question.
“Of course,” I replied.
It took two trips for us to get everything back into the kitchen. One for the plates and glasses and another for the actual food. I transferred the leftovers into storage containers while Gran rinsed dishes and... loaded the dishwasher?
She saw the question on my face. “Yes, I do use it occasionally. With all the cooking these next two days, it will be more efficient. It will give us more time to enjoy the magic of the season.” She dried her hands.
The boys’ mumbled voices echoed as they took trips bringing out boxes of ornaments and decorations. I refilled my mug and doctored it how I liked it before cleaning the percolator out and putting another on to brew.
“Hold on,” Gran said, placing a hand on my arm before she grabbed a small silver-and-black flask from behind the ground coffee. “I don’t think the coffee is cutting it.” She patted my cheek. “Your face gives away everything. Always has.”
“No, it’s really not.” I had tried to keep my annoyance and grumpiness off my face. I held out my mug, and she poured a generous shot into it.
I took my extra-special blend upstairs with me and changed into my Christmas Eve comfortable clothes: flannel pajama bottoms with gnomes in Christmas hats all over them and a T-shirt that said, “This is my tree decorating shirt.” It had a Christmas tree and three gnomes climbing a ladder to decorate it.
I grabbed my favorite chunky cardigan and went back down.
“No, that isn’t right. The red balls are the last, to fill in holes,” Harrison said as he pulled the red glass balls off the tree.
“I’m sorry, sir. You simply said to decorate. If there is an order, then please enlighten me so I don’t make another egregious mistake,” Jack said and gave me a wink as I entered the room.
“Harrison, dear, it really doesn’t matter what order the ornaments go on.” Gran sat in her favorite chair by the fire, watching the shenanigans go on.
“Oh yes there is, Gran.” I sided with Harrison.
“But it’s not Jack’s fault that you didn’t tell him, Harrison.
” I set my mug on the coffee table, removed my sweater, and walked toward the boxes.
“Here, we start with all the homemade ornaments.” I pulled out a cast of a handprint with the tip of each finger colored.
It was drawn with a face, and Harrison’s name and the year he’d made it were scratched into the palm.
I handed the ornament to Jack to place.
He gave me a once-over, taking in my gnome-themed outfit. He chuckled softly and shook his head. “Such a sweet little handprint. Are you sure it’s Harrison’s?” Jack teased.
Harrison straightened his shoulders and held his head high. “Let me tell you that my teacher just raved about how creative I was that year. I was the only one who colored and created people fingers.”
Jack and I burst out laughing. My body physically reacted.
The joy on Jack’s face melted my heart. His smile, the twinkle in his eyes, and how his body relaxed with each chuckle shouldn’t have turned me on, but it did.
It warmed me from the inside. I pulled another ornament from the box, this one a favorite of mine.
I walked to the ladder, passing Jack on the way. There was plenty of room, but he brushed against my ass when he passed me. The simple touch kicked my heartbeat up a notch. I climbed up four rungs on the ladder before I found a satisfactory spot.
“Hey, be careful!” Jack rushed to the ladder with an ornament still in one hand. His other settled on my ass. “I don’t need you falling and getting hurt.”
“Thank you, Mr. Prince Charming, but I don’t think one hand would make a difference in my fall.” I glanced down at him.
“Maybe, maybe not.” He winked and squeezed my ass cheek before letting go. My head shot upward to see if Harrison or Gran had seen. Harrison was in his own little world of ornaments and not paying attention, thank goodness, but when I looked at Gran, she smiled brightly and gave me a wink.
We continued decorating the tree for the next couple of hours.
Each time we passed each other, Jack became bolder with his touches and flirtations.
Between the alcohol and caffeine, the coffee was relaxing me.
I took a short break to make mimosas for everyone, but I downed mine quickly, trying to cool my attraction.
After about the fourth brush against my ass, I said fuck it to myself and started flirting back.
I tilted my hips and ass backward as I leaned down to grab the ornaments to place on the tree.
My flannel pants tightened over my ass. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Jack staring exactly where I wanted him to.
I winked when his eyes met mine. I made a show of reaching so my shirt would rise with each ornament placement, then stepped back from placing the last on the tree and tripped over my own feet.
Jack quickly stepped forward and grabbed me around my waist.
“Careful there, princess, unless of course you want me to give you CPR.” The warmth from his body lit my nerve endings on fire, and his breath across my neck had my nipples pebbling as if on command.
Jack pulled me completely flush against him, showing me that I affected him as much as he did me.
The thickness of his cock pressed into my lower back, and my pussy clenched in need.
“See what you do to me? One kiss—one touch—was not enough, baby.”
Harrison tilted his head as he watched us. His eyes went wide as things clicked into place in his brain. “No fucking way.”
Gran chuckled at Harrison’s reaction. “Yes fucking way.” She beamed at us.