Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Brax
My plan got us out of that reception hall and into my car. I started the engine, turned on the wipers because it had begun to snow, and turned to Mia. “I want us to celebrate, but I need a little help from you.”
“That sounds fun. Define ‘celebrate.’”
“Food…and you.”
“Nice.” She grabbed my hand. “In that order?”
Turned out we were both starving, so she directed me a few blocks away to Outta This World Burger, which was apparently the place in town for the best burgers. It was a drive-up restaurant, the roof shaped like a flying saucer. Cute.
We took our food a little ways out of town to a lookout Mia knew of. Our view was stunning—an iced-over lake with a full moon, surrounded by a forest of pines. I cranked up the heat to make it toasty.
In between bites, I looked around. “Where are all the teenagers with steamed-up car windows?”
“Ha. Stick with me, kid,” she said. “We locals know the private spots.”
“Too private for bears?” I locked the doors as images of hungry carnivores mauling our car figured prominently in my mind. Although it was snowing so fiercely by now that all the sensible ones would probably stay snug in their dens tonight.
She laughed. “Bears hibernate. You city boys are so suspicious. We’re literally the only humans for miles.”
I took note of the rapidly accumulating snow. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“I thought you’d like it.” She waved her hands around to demonstrate. “It’s peaceful. No parents, no brothers, no dogs.”
The windshield was already covered. “Wait a minute. Are you saying we’re going to do more than eat our burgers and enjoy the view here?” I imagined us having to answer a few awkward questions for the snowplow driver who showed up to shovel us out.
She flashed a knowing smile. “If you’re lucky. Now eat your cosmic fries. And relax…enjoy the Christmasy view.” She reached over and snagged a fry. “Once, I drove four of my college friends two hours just to get these burgers. I still dream about them sometimes. And the double-fudge shakes.” After taking a long pull on her shake, she offered it to me. “You like it?”
I gave her an enthusiastic nod and a thumbs-up. The food was good, but the view was great. The view on the inside of the car, that is. Mia was eating with the abandon of someone who hadn’t eaten in a few days, and her relief was palpable. I was happy she’d gotten through the party. But now I wanted time for us, but how and where? I didn’t know how to bring it up without sounding like a horny teenager.
Soon, we’d devoured everything and began balling up our papers and stuffing them into the white Cosmic Burger bag.
Mia sat back and patted her stomach in contentment. “I was starving. Nothing like stress relief to rev up the appetite.”
I chuckled. “Was it that bad, talking to Charlie?”
“It was good. You were right to encourage me to do it. And I realized something.”
I hope her answer involved telling me how much she wanted to kiss me. And other stuff. “What was that?”
“Do you really want to hear?” Her tone was cautious.
I crumpled up the bag and stuck it between my seat and the door. “Hit me.”
She blew out a big breath. “I realized that I may have been the one to check out of our relationship first. Mentally, I mean. Like, Charlie made his choice to stay, and I made mine to go, but neither of us had the courage to break things off until he pretty much forced them to end.”
I thought about that. “Cheating is not exactly the best way to end a six-year relationship.”
“That was pretty devastating. Looking back now, I think part of me was relieved. What I mean is, when I got to Milwaukee, I was so excited to be starting fresh. I think honestly that I’d started to check out even before he found Erin, and he sensed it.” She lifted her milkshake cup. “Anyway, to closure.”
Lucky me that things didn’t work out with good ol’ Charlie. That made me smile. “To closure,” I echoed, touching my cup to hers. “And new beginnings.”
Mia
My heart skipped a beat at Brax’s words. “To new beginnings,” I said.
We finished our shakes with the toast, then he reached over and took my drink, stacked it with his empty cup, and placed both of them in his door cup holder. Then he took my hands in his. “We’re a better match.” He rubbed his thumb along my palm, smiling at me as his words sank in.
I felt his words deep down. “You’re totally who I want,” I said with a huge grin.
The heat flared in his eyes. My heart gave a steady thump as it accelerated, and then I felt a dizzying rush as he quickly closed the space between us. But then he paused. He tucked a curl carefully behind my ear and sat back a little, and I was afraid he was having second thoughts. But then he spoke. “I haven’t slept with anyone since us. I just wanted you to know.”
Inside my head, cheerleaders cheered. Fireworks exploded. But I tried to keep my voice level and unaffected. “Why not?”
“Because you’re the only one I want.”
I must have stared dumbly because of those incredible words I never thought I’d hear, so sincerely and deeply said. I could barely believe something so wondrous was happening—to me.
Unbelievably, he kept going. “Didn’t you ever wonder why we’re on call so often together? I arrange that. I couldn’t stay away from you.”
Things like this didn’t occur in my life. He’d wanted me all along? He’d arranged for us to work together? My head was spinning.
His eyes turned soft with feeling. “I’m sorry I wasted so much time thinking I couldn’t—shouldn’t—be with you. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“You’re forgiven,” I finally managed, unable to stop smiling. “I understand your story now.” I knew how much it had taken him—and us—to get to this place of honesty. “What should we do now?” I flicked on the wipers so I could check out the pretty snow-covered pines, the iced-over lake. The night was silent and calm. The half of me that had closed a chapter in my life today felt calm and peaceful too. But the other half felt like a stadium full of crazed fans cheering on their favorite team. I felt that the next chapter of my life was just beginning, and I couldn’t wait for it.
“Hey, do you want to go somewhere?” He seemed a little nervous, raking a hand through his hair.
“Go somewhere?” The snow was falling in thick, fat flakes, covering the windshield, insulating us from the frozen world outside. I wanted to stay right here with him—forever.
“Like a hotel?” He sounded sweetly uncertain.
My brows lifted in surprise. “You’d do that for just a couple of hours?”
“Why not? I feel a little funny doing it in your parents’ house.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t mean it …I mean making love .” He glanced up, his eyes showing me…well, everything I’d ever want to see there. Honesty, vulnerability, want—for me. Joy filled my heart, sloshing over the edges like a too-full bucket. And the fact that I had suave, cool Brax fumbling with words was even more incredible. It was like I’d landed in the universe of my dreams, but it was all suddenly real. A wild Christmas miracle, for sure.
He looked tentative as he added, “I mean, if that’s what you want to do…Do you?”
“There’s one hotel downtown,” I said, “and guess who owns it? Charlie’s grandparents. They’re really good friends with my parents too. The whole town would know by morning.”
“Oh.”
“Also, I think that’s sweet of you to want to find a place for us. And yes, I want to do it.” I peered into the back. “I see a blanket back there. Looks pretty comfy, especially with those special seat liners.”
He gave a hearty laugh. “You sure this is a good idea? I mean, the snow’s really coming down and…I don’t know, do the cops patrol here?”
I reached down to oh-so-carefully unbuckle one of my ridiculous shoes. It clunked to the floor. Relief. I felt ten pounds lighter. The other one joined it.
I did even better. I pulled my dress over my head and tossed it over the seat. As Brax pulled his seat back, I crawled over the middle console and straddled him. “I’m not worried about it.” He just went with it, smiling as I undid his tie and tossed that behind me too. And then I put my hands on his shoulders, feeling their smooth contours, their breadth, their strength.
He let out a sound—an oomph —maybe because we were a little squished. Or maybe it was from relief that we were finally, finally together.
He rubbed his hands up and down my back, over the silky material of the one-piece, no-panty-line underwear. His gaze was hot and searing and made me feel completely worshipped. Thank you, Claudia . “I want you so much,” he murmured against my neck as he dropped featherlight kisses there. “I never stopped.”
Words that had me thanking my lucky stars. “Thank you for coming home with me.” I tipped back my head so he could kiss me more thoroughly. “For being so wonderful to my family. And for being so wonderful to me.”
“Funny.” He stopped kissing me and glanced up. “I think it’s you who saved me.”
At last, our lips met. The space was tight, but it suited us just fine. I got lost in the simple taste of him and the scent of his woodsy aftershave, in the way his hands roved over the pretty camisole. I pressed against the softness of his lean, muscular chest, hungry for him, barely able to focus on unbuttoning his shirt buttons.
Somehow, we climbed into the back, barely missing a beat. He took me down to the seat that was solid and roomy enough. Not that I was paying that much attention.
As he kissed my neck, he murmured, “Thank goodness for grandma’s seat liners.”
“I’d say they’re very comfortable,” I managed to add as I traced the smooth, muscular contours of his back.
“Mia.” The way he said my name—low and gravelly and full of desire—made me shiver. Brax looked at me, his beautiful brown eyes devouring me.
“What is it?” I said, breathless.
“Just—I’ve never felt like this before with anyone.”
As the snow gently fell outside and melted on the windshield, his words melted my body and my heart.
And then, Dear Reader, we steamed up those windows.
Brax
Sometime later, I carried Mia into her house, the heavy, wildly spiky, netted high-heeled shoes dangling from her hands. I tried to be stealthy going up the stairs and managed to get us into her room, closing the door with my foot.
“I was going to pitch these,” she remarked, tossing the shoes on the floor near her closet, where they hit with a giant thud, “but now I’m going to call them my get-lucky shoes. I may have to keep them forever.”
“You don’t need spiky shoes to get lucky with me.” I deposited her on the bed and then joined her. We folded back the comforter and climbed into the too-cool sheets, shedding clothes along the way.
“I’m freezing,” she said, curling against me. “Do you mind if I do this?”
“Do what?”
“Snuggle,” she said innocently.
I felt her doing something under those covers that technically was a bit more than snuggling. Did I mind? “Honey, snuggle all you want. Just know you might be lighting a match to tinder.”
She turned her pretty face up to me. Her hair was wildly mussed, her eyes bright, her smile wide, her joy completely contagious. “Why, Dr. Hughes, do you mean you’d consider breaking your I-don’t-do-it-at-your-parents’-house rule?”
I nodded solemnly. “For you, I’d make that sacrifice.” And then I kissed her.
Best. Early. Christmas. Ever.