Chapter Twelve
E arly the next morning, Sam found himself heading toward Holly Winters’ house on Evergreen Circle. It had been a few months since he’d done a drop by, and he missed his friend. He’d been trying to give Holly and her boyfriend, Declan, space after Sam realized he’d been spending more time at Holly and Declan’s than his own place. Well, Declan had helped him realize it when he asked Sam if they should just turn the guest room into his room.
Today the bigger man was going to have to deal with Sam’s presence. He’d sent Holly a text to be sure she was up and available for company, and she’d sent back a thumbs-up.
Sam hoped she might be able to talk him through what happened with Wren last night. After she left, he’d cleaned up the kitchen and taken a shower, but once he climbed into bed, sleep eluded him. Sam couldn’t stop thinking about how good she’d felt around his cock, the sight of her playing with her breasts, and the red circle on the pale skin of her neck his mouth left behind, branding her.
Fuck, how messed up was he? Thinking about marking her as his, like she was a damn cow. Nothing like it had ever crossed his mind before, but now, he couldn’t stop thinking of doing it again. Maybe in a bed this time.
What confounded him was Wren taking off like her pants were on fire, even though he knew damn good and well she’d had as good a time as him. Unless...
Nope, there was no way she’d been faking it. He’d tasted her orgasm the first time and felt her body clamp down on his the second, so he knew she’d come not once, but twice.
Most women would stick around for round two with a skilled, considerate man, but not her. She’d shot him a good-night text, and that was it.
Sam might not know much about relationships, but even he recognized that as a bad sign.
He climbed out of his Jeep, his little duck collection reflected in the windshield, and locked it before making his way toward the front porch. Holly’s home was a one-story with permanent Christmas lights placed along the trim and a giant animatronic Jack Skellington stationed in the middle of her lawn, wearing a Sandy Claws hat and suit. Other characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas were placed around the lawn, and Sam knew there were several scenes on the roof because he’d spotted them from a distance. Every house on Evergreen Circle signed a contract agreeing to put up elaborate displays during the holidays, which brought tourists from all over Idaho and even out of state to see them.
Sam stepped up onto the porch next to a bathtub with a giant sack inside, Santa’s legs sticking out of the open top. Lock, Shock, and Barrel, Oogie Boogie’s henchmen from the movie, were positioned around the tub with sinister grins on their faces.
The door swung open, and Holly leaned out, frowning at him. “Why are you standing out here like a creeper?”
“I was about to ring the bell. Were you watching me through the peephole?”
Holly swept her red hair back over her shoulder and rolled her dark eyes. “I got an alert that someone walked by the garage and came to greet you.” Holly stepped out onto the porch and gave him a hard, tight hug. “I miss your drop-bys.”
Sam squeezed her back. “I’m sure your boyfriend doesn’t.”
Holly rolled her eyes. “Declan still thinks you have a secret design on me.”
“I’ve told him that you’re too cheerful for me. What’s it going to take to convince him?”
“Stop giving her long, lingering hugs?” Declan’s voice echoed behind them. Sam swung around and saw the Ring camera on their doorframe lit up red, and he laughed, squatting down to get closer.
“Declan, are you spying on us? Jealousy is an ugly emotion.”
Holly kicked his butt, and he almost went face-first into the wall. “Hey.”
“Stop tormenting my man, and he’ll stop thinking that you want to get in my pants.”
“I’m not interested in her pants! Her head will do.”
Declan had barely gotten out a “What the fuck—” before Sam realized what he said and clarified, “For her brain! Jeez!”
“Honey,” Holly said sweetly, “will you just grab the burrito fixings and come home? It’s cold out here, and I’m hungry.”
“Uh-oh, what’s the slang for cold and hungry? Cungry?” Sam asked.
Holly groaned, pushing past him into the house. “You are such a dummy.” She stuck her face in front of the camera, speaking to Declan, “I love you, see you soon, bye!” Holly gave Sam a dark look, and he held up his hands innocently.
“What? I’m just saying, we could start our own language.”
“Sure, and we can braid each other’s hair and freeze our underwear, after you come inside the house.”
“What if I’m not wearing underwear?”
Holly checked the camera and then glared at Sam. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
“I knew he was gone. Don’t want to make Declan any more insecure than he already is.” Sam chuckled at her huffiness. “Thanks for letting me come hang out.”
“Anytime.” Holly held the door for him with a smile. “Want some coffee?”
“I’d love some.” Sam shut the door after crossing the threshold, trailing behind Holly down the hall. “I have to say, while I love the décor outside, isn’t The Nightmare Before Christmas more of a Halloween movie?”
“It’s both,” Holly grumbled.
“I don’t know, Hol. Something about a black and orange snake sliding out of a package to eat a Christmas tree doesn’t quite fit with the whole merry and bright theme the rest of the street is going for. How would Charlie Brown feel?”
“Like he dodged a bullet being created seventy years ago, because no one would watch his boring-ass cartoon now!” She stopped in his path and turned, hands on her hips. “Besides, when Santa goes missing and their presents try to eat them, it teaches people what the true meaning of Christmas is.”
“Shooting down fake Santa?” Sam teased, following Holly into the kitchen.
Holly flipped him off over her shoulder without looking back at him. She wore snowflake pajama bottoms, a white T-shirt, and blue slippers on her feet that made slapping noises against the floor as she rounded the corner to the coffee maker.
“I do not need your lack of Christmas cheer this early in the morning.”
Sam chuckled. “Maybe you should add a little Christmas cheer to my coffee?”
Holly grinned. “What time do you go to work?”
“This afternoon.”
She squatted down, disappearing below the counter, and stood back up with a bottle in her hand. “I guess a wee bit wouldn’t hurt.”
“I love it when you get all Irish on me,” Sam said, taking his cup of spiked coffee with relish.
“Hey, now, no flirting, or Declan will poison your burrito.”
“You’d think he’d have figured out by now that I never stood a chance.”
Holly shot him a warm smile over her steaming cup of joe, brown eyes twinkling. “Honestly, I love his grumbles. Who knew I’d be into the broody, possessive type?”
Sam took a sip of his coffee and shrugged. “They say opposites attract.”
“Whoever they are might be onto something.” Holly set her mug down on the counter. “I’ve got to grab the ring lights from the spare bedroom. Declan wanted to try this new recipe out this morning, so I hope you don’t mind being a live, studio audience.”
“Not at all.” Sam watched her disappear down the hall and return with her arms full of four different ring lights. Holly had given up her YouTube channel last year in favor of starting a new channel with Declan where he teaches her to cook, and they argue the entire time. Although it was a complete leap from her Adventure Elf channel where she would perform outdoor sports in an elf costume, millions of people watched their videos, and they even had a cookbook in the works that would release in a few months. It was Holly’s side hustle since she ran a year-round holiday shop called A Shop for All Seasons in town, so it was on Declan to market and promote their channel.
“Does Declan ever miss running the hardware store?” Sam asked, referring to his family’s store that Declan sold to Anthony Russo and Pike Sutton to become their outdoor sports store.
“Not at all.” Holly positioned the ring lights in a half circle around the kitchen counter, facing them toward the stove. “The store was his dad’s life, but Declan loves to cook and be creative. He’s such a loner that you wouldn’t think he’d like being the center of attention, but Declan thrives on it. He’s animated and funny—”
“Your grumpy, gruff, grumbling boyfriend?”
“Har har,” Holly said, flicking him on the arm. “You don’t get to see his good side because you are always messing with him.” Holly grabbed her cup again, arching a brow at him. “But I have a feeling that you didn’t come over to talk about Declan’s virtues.”
“Yeah, I’m gonna leave that one alone. Too easy.”
Holly grabbed a dish towel and tossed it at him. “Spit it out, or I might poison you!”
“Alright, but no mocking me.”
“Ohhhh, no promises. I have a feeling this is going to be good.” Holly took a drink from her mug, leaning her hip against the counter. “Hit me with it.”
Sam took a deep breath, his heart pounding. Talking about women wasn’t natural territory for him, and he wasn’t sure exactly how to begin. “I had an old friend over last night to catch up, and the minute we finished, she bounced out the door.”
“Annnnd we didn’t want her to?” Holly asked slowly.
“No, we didn’t.”
“Hmmm, interesting.” Holly leaned across the counter. “Tell me more.”
“I just... I’m not used to women not...” God, any way he said it, Sam was going to come off sounding like an arrogant jackass. “Enjoying my company.”
“What you mean is that you aren’t used to women bouncing before you do.”
Sam’s mouth thinned. “Yes.”
“I can’t be insightful if I don’t know who she is.”
“It doesn’t matter who she is. She came over, we ate, reminisced, had sex, and when I asked her to stay, she left to take care of her dog.”
“That sounds like a legitimate reason. Did she ghost you?”
“She sent a good-night text when she got home.”
“Then what are you tripping out about? Have you tried contacting her today?” Holly asked.
“No, but it’s early. We made plans for this evening.”
“Sam, this is all normal dating behavior.” She set her coffee aside, using her hands like she was lining up the series of events across the counter. “You hooked up, she had to go, but she texted you, and you made plans. What are you stressing out about?”
“I just . . . I wanted her to stay.”
“Welcome to the world of We Don’t Always Get What We Want.”
“I know all about that world, which is why I moved back here,” Sam snapped.
Holly balked and came around the counter, placing a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I forgot about the shop you wanted to open.”
“It’s fine. I just... Most of the women I’ve been with would have been down to go again.”
“It sounds like she had responsibilities and was behaving like a grown-ass adult.”
Sam scowled at her. “So, you’re saying that I am overreacting?”
“Without knowing her identity, my best guess is yes.”
“Did you mean to rhyme just then?”
Holly grinned. “I did not, but it sounded good, right?”
He chuckled, relaxing for the first time since Wren walked out the door last night. “Yeah, it sounded great.”
“Now, make sure you wait until three hours before your date to confirm. You don’t want her to know you were feeling insecure.” Holly patted his cheek. “Imagine the damage to your reputation.”
“Oh, I think that ship has sailed. I was lucky we have history, or Wr—I mean, my friend wouldn’t have given me the time of day.”
“Oh, I almost caught you slipping.” Holly rubbed her hands together. “And her name starts with R... Let me see... Renee.”
“No.”
“Rachel?” Holly asked.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” Sam said, abandoning his coffee as she followed behind him.
“Ricki?”
“Not going to acknowledge that.” Sam shut the door, muffling her last gleeful guess, and shook his head.
“Hey, Sam,” she called through the door.
“Yeah?”
“I hope she’s the right girl for you. Whether you believe it or not, you’re an amazing guy who deserves someone special.”
A lump seized in his throat, and he cleared the emotional ball with a cough. “Thanks, Hol. Now go away. I want to pee without you hovering and listening outside the door.”
“Didn’t you know that’s my kink?” She cackled, but Sam heard her footsteps retreating. “Declan is pulling in the drive anyway.”
Holly Winters might be a little wacky, but he was glad she was on his side.