Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Kace
How am I supposed to choose between honoring bro code and going with my heart? Bellamie must sense that something’s not right. I point to a seating area at the back of the venue, away from the lights. “We need to talk.”
She looks around us.
“It’s just us. Your brother went to do his Santa thing.” He can’t see us from where he’s working.
My heart races when she complies, and instead of giving her a chance to sit, I pull her close. It’s a risky move, but I need to feel her reaction when I tell her who I am. Embracing her into my chest, I lift, straddle her legs around me, and sit.
“I thought you said talk.” Confusion laces her words.
I have to come clean. “It’s about Santa.”
She puts a finger on my lips. “Shhh. I don't want to talk about him.”
Her bright eyes hold so much agony, yet she allows me to keep her close. I don’t want to ruin the moment with facts that she might already know. Maybe he already told her. Maybe she's known who I was the whole time.
But when her lips part, I can't stop myself from slowly lowering my face to cover the inches between us. I pause, a breath before touching her lips and watch her eyes.
There’s a confidence that wasn’t there before. I tighten my grip around her hips as I pull her into me, closing the gap between our bodies. She stretches the tiny bit upward and her plump lips press against mine. I’m ravenous for her.
The cost of making her mine could be huge, but I’ve never come across a better deal.
As our tongues mingle and she grinds against me, I can't worry about Loren anymore. Her arms wrap around my sides, as if they’ve done it a million times. Embracing her tightly, I enclose her in my world.
I have to get her alone. We can’t go to the Airbnb or her parents’ house. We could get a hotel. We mutually pull away from each other, gasping for air, our gazes locked. “Let's get out of here.”
She hesitates. Worry floods through me that she wasn’t ready for me to take our first-date make out session to sex. I forgot how much younger she is.
And I'd totally respect it if she was concerned about going home with a guy that she's only seen a few times and her brother seems to hate.
“You don't have to be worried that I'm some crazy guy who dresses up like a Christmas monster who likes to–”
She puts her finger to my lips again then lowers her head. “That's not the problem.”
“What’s wrong?” I tuck a finger under her chin and lift. Looking into her eyes, I add, “It’s killing me not to know what’s bothering you.”
“Remember how I asked you not to laugh about my plan and you did?”
“Yeah, but only because…” I hold off on telling her I don’t want her taking care of other people’s kids. I want her to care for ours. No need to let my over-the-top thoughts out so soon. “I loved it so much.”
“That was only part of my plan.”
“Okay. What’s the rest? I won’t laugh.”
She shakes her head.
I take her hands and raise them between us. “You can tell me anything.”
“You have to promise not to judge.”
Kissing her forehead, I leave my lips in her hair. “I promise.”
“The daycare was just so I could have a job around kids. All I ever wanted to do was be a mom.”
I lean back, looking her in the eye. “I can…” Catching myself before telling her I can help her work on that dream tonight, I switch to something less insane sounding. “I can respect that. Kids are important.”
“And I have a three-date rule before sex.”
It sounds like she’s trying to convince herself, but I say, “Okay.”
“And you’re only going to be in town for a few days.”
The dilemma between honoring bro code and going with my heart is becoming less of an issue. “Bellie, I want to see you again. I have to see you again. The next festival is only an hour from here. I have events lined up all week, but I can come back Sunday evening.”
“You live around here?”
“No, but I’ll come back for you.”
Something is weighing heavy on her mind. Can’t say I’m very different since I have to figure out how to break this to Loren. I stroke my fingers over her rosy cheeks. “Would you feel better if we gave it a week then tried a real date?”
Her eyes fall shut. “I can’t make any promises.”
“What is it you’re not saying?”
“I have… some really big stuff planned. Give me your number and I’ll let you know how I feel before you make the trip back.”
She hands me her phone, I type my number in, and when I start to hand it back to her, she’s fidgeting with her bracelet. It looks like it’s made of thin rope, something that gets my heart racing.
I set her phone aside and lift her wrist. “What’s this?”
“I made bracelets for the festival.” She shows me the charms which include winter and Christmas things… and Krampus.
Studying the bracelet, I notice the very specific knot that leaves both ends of the rope loose. “Looks like we both have a thing for rope and knots.”
She giggles nervously. “It’s hemp cord.”
I tug the ends of the cord, snugging the bracelet to her wrist and gently pressing the Krampus charm into the soft skin of her wrist. “Keep me with you until I get back.”
She nods and swallows, distracting herself by grabbing her phone.
“Still no name?” she asks. “Krampus it is.” She adds it to the contact entry.
“You work on your secret. I’ll work on mine.”
She smiles curiously. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’ll tell you Sunday.”