Chapter 21
BISHOP
After putting in a full twelve hours on the Christmas drive, I was well beyond my limit of seeing and talking to people.
But the celebration afterward was one of those events that no one missed.
I tucked my shoulder into the corner, sipped my spiked eggnog, and watched from the shadowed depths of the clubhouse.
Laughter and music created a dull roar in the back of my head.
I didn’t bother trying to drown out the sounds but let them flow through me.
My heart drummed in time with a beat blaring from Colt’s vintage stereo system.
Even though it stood on the other side of the room, the bass reverberated.
Couples danced on the stage in front of the speakers, their bodies a mass of leather and bare skin.
They’d changed from their kid appropriate holiday attire to their usual stuff.
Even I’d swapped out my green sweater for a thin black T-shirt.
Relief at the success we’d managed today lowered my shoulders.
I took several deep breaths, inviting the scent of peppermint schnapps into my nose and throat.
Tonight’s party was the one people–including myself–looked forward to the most.
After planning and struggling all year, we now had everything we needed to make Christmas a success.
And this year, we’d be able to help even more kids than ever before.
I took a long drink and held the eggnog in my mouth, letting the flavors seep in and expand.
A light buzz skimmed my nerves.
Dale must have been in charge of the drinks.
He always put in too much booze, which meant I’d stop drinking after one glass.
Good thing I’d hidden away a carton of eggnog just for me. It was one of my few indulgences.
Noelle danced past me, her arm up over her head as she shimmied her hips and bobbed her head in time with the music.
She wore a red sweater dress that hugged her curves and left my imagination to run wild.
I knew every dip and hollow of her body, and every part of me craved every part of her.
Rafe stood beside Colt at the bar, the two of them deep in conversation with their heads bent together.
Colt nudged Rafe’s shoulder when he spotted Noelle, picked up his schnapps, and walked away.
Noelle wrapped her arm around Rafe and hugged him.
Her face tilted up toward him, and she propped her toes on top of his boot.
The look in her eyes screamed happiness and lust.
Rafe almost smiled, a rare sight on any day.
But today was the kind of day that left me reeling after seeing Rafe dressed in his antique Santa suit.
I had no idea where he’d gotten it, only that I’d never seen him wear it, and the one time I’d seen it in the closet and asked about it, he’d snapped and ordered me to never mention it again.
My foot lifted of its own accord and tried to push me toward Noelle.
I gripped my mug tighter and forced my heel into the floor.
Rafe looked down at Noelle, and I’d never seen that expression on his face before.
He adored Noelle, and it showed.
Grinning, he leaned down and brushed a kiss over her cheek.
Looking at the two of them, no one would ever know that just a few days ago, he’d introduced her to bondage and Dom/Sub.
He’d given her a taste of the forbidden, and she relished it.
Where did that leave me? I’d barely spoken to her since that afternoon.
Noelle rose onto her tiptoes and whispered into Rafe’s ear.
His hand slid down her back in response, and he cupped her ass, hauling her closer to his side.
The moment remained PG for our crowd and no one else paid them any attention.
Colt joined Ash near the Christmas tree, and the two engaged in a spirited conversation that included a lot of laughter and hand gestures.
I finished my eggnog and set the mug on the half wall behind me.
The crack of the pool balls smacked together as a trio started a game.
I shifted my weight away from the pool table behind me and almost crossed the room to stand with Ash and Colt.
They’d welcome me without thought or question.
Noelle’s laughter bubbled up.
She hugged Rafe and shimmied from his grasp, snagging a second drink from the bar.
Her eyes caught mine as she headed toward Ash and Colt.
The look invited me closer.
I shook my head, breaking eye contact.
I preferred to stand outside the revelry and keep an eye on things.
Noelle stopped beside Ash, and his conversation shifted to immediately include Noelle.
Even when I didn’t look at her, I felt her presence, sensed her mood.
Pink infused her cheeks, and she waved a hand to fan her face.
Ash caught her when she took a step toward the tree and almost tipped right into its branches.
My lips quirked, my amusement spiking.
I could watch her all day, every day and never grow bored or tired.
She finished the second mug in an impressively short time and patted Ash on the shoulder on her way back to the bar.
With a third drink in hand, she locked eyes with me and headed my way.
My traitorous heart skipped a beat.
I crossed my arms, but no amount of leave-me-alone was going to convince Noelle to do shit once she made a decision.
She walked right into my space and tipped the drink to her lips.
Her throat dipped in a swallow, and she held the mug toward me. “Why aren’t you joining the festivities?”
“I like to watch.”
Her eyes narrowed, that wonderful brain of hers spinning to figure out if I meant more than what I said.
She knew I did. “I’ve noticed that. But partaking is half the fun.” She leaned toward me and almost lost her balance again.
“You know the drinks are spiked, right?” I worried about her in our environment.
No one here would dare to lay a finger on her. But she could unintentionally hurt herself. “There’s alcohol in the eggnog.” I tried again when she shrugged and took another healthy swig of eggnog.
“It’s good.” She placed a hand on my chest. “You’re so warm.” A sigh parted her lips. “Me too, but I think it’s the booze. I’m a little woo-hoo.”
She swirled her cup around in a circle, causing the creamy liquid to slosh up the sides. “I like it. And I like you.”
One finger poked me in the center of my chest. “You’re the only one I haven’t had alone spicy time with. Why is that?”
She tried to pout, but with her rickety balance and glassy eyes, it took all her effort to stay upright.
“I guess I’ve been busy.”
She walked her fingers up my chest and over the edge of my jaw. “Too busy for me? That’s a shame. I’d really like to spend quality time with you, Bishop.”
She stared hard into my eyes, and for a minute, I almost pushed aside the fact that she was drunk off her ass.
She kissed the underside of my jaw and pressed her body to mine.
I wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her from toppling sideways.
She grinned like that had been the plan all along. “Isn’t there anything you’d prefer to do instead of watch?”
Oh, I could think of plenty. “You’re adorable when you’re drunk.”
“Not drunk.” She tsked and ticked her finger back and forth under my nose.
Her eyes lifted from mine to the ceiling, and a smile dimpled her cheeks. “Uh-oh, Bishop. I think you’re in trouble.”
“Yeah?” I followed her gaze to the mistletoe hanging over us.
Damn.
I hadn’t even noticed.
“It’s bad luck not to kiss under the mistletoe.” That laugh of hers worked all the way through my body. “Can’t believe no one has done it yet.”
“I don’t think that’s true. And I don’t believe in bad luck.” I wanted to kiss her.
Desperately.
I pulled her into my arms despite my words.
The feel of her was better than I remembered.
Her curves fit against me, the softness of her skin and flush in her cheeks almost impossible to resist.
I kissed her cheek first, teasing her into a husky chuckle when I brushed my cheek over hers.
“Not what I meant.” The glassy look in her eyes cleared a bit, and she hooked her fingers in my shirt. “Kiss me for real, Bishop.”
I did what she said.
Her delicious lips met mine with that same hunger I’d felt from her our first night together.
Her innocence turned to excitement, and now she stood in the circle of my arms completely open to whatever we asked.
I ran my tongue along the seam of her lips.
She opened for me with a groan and tightened her hold on my sides beneath my shirt.
No lights reached us here, but if anyone looked hard enough, they’d realize what we were up to.
I ran my hands up and down her spine, relishing the curve of her shoulder and digging my hands into her hair.
The silky strands feathered over my arms and tempted me to bury my face in the cinnamon scent.
The kiss deepened further, and Noelle ground her hips into mine. I eased back when she did it again.
“Let’s go find somewhere more private.” She jerked her chin toward the stairs and the bedrooms we sometimes used.
The heady scent of her arousal clogged my brain and almost prevented me from thinking straight.
I brushed a kiss over her lips before I shook my head. “I’d love to, but I’m worried about you, Noelle. You’ve had a lot to drink, and I don’t want to feel like I’m taking advantage of that.”
Her lips parted in an indignant huff, and her eyes narrowed. “I know exactly how much I’ve had to drink.”
“No, you don’t.” I tried to make it sound light and easy, but that familiar hard note burned in the back of my throat. “It’s impossible to know with spiked drinks, and you barely made it over here without tripping.”
“I blame the heels, not my drinks.” She appeared more sober by the minute.
The heat that had built between us fizzled to nothing.
Hands on my chest, she pushed away from me. “If you don’t want to have sex with me, you can say that. You wouldn’t be the first one. Just be man enough to admit the truth and don’t blame the alcohol.”
“Noelle, that’s not what I meant.”
Her nostrils flared with her next inhale and she refused to meet my eyes. “I think I need some air.” She turned on her heel and hurried away, but not before I caught the flash of embarrassment in her eyes.
I’d seen it a few times before, and my concern increased when she began running her hands over her stomach and down her thighs.
I’d seen her do that before too, as a form of self-soothing when she felt self-conscious.
Damn it all.
I’d been trying to protect her, but I’d hurt her instead.
Fuck me.
I’d rather die a thousand deaths than let her think I didn’t desire her every minute of every day.