Home for the Holiday Read online

  The house came into view, decorated with holly and tiny, white, glittering lights. It looked like something out of a Christmas movie. The big white farmhouse, done over in green and red ivy and white lights, Christmas tree shining out of the front window. It created a scene of welcome that made a tear appear in my eye. “Oh,” I said softly, “it's so beautiful."

  "Mom's been cracking the whip for two weeks now, ever since you said you were coming home. She wanted everything perfect for you,” Mara whispered to me.

  "It is,” I whispered back. “Just being back here with you guys is a slice of heaven."

  I heard barking and saw my dog, Riley, standing at the top of the porch stairs. I could barely wait for Nicky to open the door before I was pushing at the seat, wanting out. Riley came barreling at me, seventy pounds of lab and chow mix. I held out my arms and he jumped, knocking me backwards into the snow, my hat flying off and my red curls bouncing as I tried to keep my face from being swiped off by his big black tongue.

  Sitting up, I managed to get him to stop long enough to take Nick's hands and stand up. “If I bark and wag my tail, can I knock you into the snow, too?” he whispered in my ear, making me blush. Mara handed me my hat and I patted my chest. Riley was tall enough to stand on his hind legs and look me in the eyes. “Good boy, Rye. I missed you. Nicky, this is my dog, Riley. Riley, this is Nick, he's a friend,” I said, staring into my trusted companion's eyes.

  Riley sat, holding up his paw for Nick to shake before he began bounding around again, the picture of chaotic energy on four legs. By that time, my mom had come to the back door, wiping her hands on her apron, her red hair braided and curled like a crown upon her head. Her face was flushed from the heat of the kitchen and she shivered when she stepped outside. “Baby,” she said to me, her face lighting up.

  I ran to her, letting her gather me in her arms and holding on fiercely. Where Daddy always meant safety and security, Mom was comfort and care. She knew how to make every hurt better. Whether it was with a kiss and a caress or a scolding and a lecture, she knew what was needed the most. “Hi, Momma,” I whispered against her cheek, kissing her softly. “I missed you."

  "Well, we've always been at the end of the bus line, little girl. You know that.” She gave me one last squeeze and then stepped back. “So let me meet your Nicky."

  This was the ultimate test of Nick's acting skill. My Momma wasn't an easy one to fool. I'd been trying to do it for years but hadn't been able to, not once. I took a deep breath and held my hand out to Nick. He came, taking it and twining his fingers with mine.

  "Momma, this is Nicky, you met him at ... well you remember when. Nick, this is my momma, Evelyn McEwen."

  Nick reached out holding my mom's hand as he bent and touched his lips to her cheek. “Mrs. McEwen, I'm so happy to see you again."

  I squeezed Nick's hand as Mom's eyes turned serious, gazing into Nicky's sparkling blue ones. She narrowed her gaze for an instant and I felt a moment of panic. If not for Nick's hand on mine, I might have headed back for the car.

  "You'll do,” my mom finally said. “But you'll call me Evelyn and none of this Mrs. McEwen malarkey. I saved some dinner for you, it's on the stove.” She started to herd us through the door, Riley squeezing in past my legs. “Douglas, bring in their suitcases. Nick will be staying in Kenna's old room. Kenna's bunking with Mara."

  "Now, I want to hear everything,” she continued, taking my hat off my hair and pulling on my coat.

  She and Dad sat with us while we ate. Mom had made a pot roast, my favorite, with baked carrots and potatoes and huge fresh mushrooms. She'd even made fresh homemade noodles and cooked them in the juice from the roast. I was in heaven. Nick must have been as well. He ate everything on his plate and then had seconds, barely resisting thirds when he heard that Mom had made pie as well.

  "I don't know how I ever made it out of this house without gaining two hundred pounds, Mom. You are such a fantastic cook."

  "You're too skinny as it is, Kenna. Don't you eat in that big town of yours?"

  I glanced down at my voluptuous figure and scoffed. “Yeah, right, Mom. Besides, I don't know if I'd count Lapeer as a big city.” I looked over at Nick, my eyes begging for help.

  "I bribe her with meatball subs, Evelyn, but she's a hard cookie to break. She's right about one thing, this is fantastic. Thank you.” He shot me a conspiratorial glance.

  "You're welcome.” My mom almost gushed, her cheeks blushing prettily under Nick's admiring blue gaze. He had that affect on women and he used it whenever he could. I barely stifled a yawn, but Mom caught it. “You can tell us all about things tomorrow. Bekka and Stephen will be here in the morning and then we're going out to Pine's Pass to get the Christmas tree. Just like we used to do when you were a kid."

  "Sounds great, Mom, but what about the tree I saw in the window of the living room when we pulled up?"

  "That's just decoration, baby. The tree we get tomorrow will go into the family room. I hope you brought warm clothes with you, but if not, we probably have stuff around here that will work for you."

  "We did, Mom. I'm going to take Nick up, show him where he'll be sleeping and where the bathroom is. I love you,” I said, dropping a kiss on her head. I held my hand out to Nick, who groaned and pushed himself out of his chair.

  "That was the best dinner I've ever eaten,” he said, patting his lean belly. “Thank you, Evelyn.” He said his goodnights and then took my hand, following me out of the room. I pulled him up the stairs and opened my old bedroom door, a bit embarrassed by the signs of teenage girl that filled the room. The posters of boy bands and horses were still where I'd left them when I'd moved out. The books, most of them well worn, still filled the bookcases.

  I couldn't help but wrap my arms around his neck and give Nick a quick hug. “It worked,” I breathed quietly. Nick held tight, refusing to let me go when I tried to get away.

  "Of course it worked. I have a way with moms,” he teased, dropping his head to kiss me quickly. He lifted his head just a bit, his eyes boring into mine, full of questions I didn't understand. Then his lips were on mine again, his mouth doing things that had me moaning in pleasure. I felt him backing me up, his hands sliding down my back and over the curve of my ass, squeezing me through the denim jeans. I heard him moan and then felt him give a small push, knocking me back on the bed.

  He followed me down, covering my lips once more. His hands were on my waist, pulling at the sweater I'd worn. When he touched me his hands were hot, scorching on my skin. “I want you,” he whispered against my mouth, making me moan. He raised his head, staring down at me, the heat in his blue eyes making me shiver with want. “Come to me later tonight?” he asked, his hand covering my breast, touching me intimately for the first time. “Please, Kenna?"

  His fingers found my bra-covered nipple, tugging on the hard bud until my head fell back, my eyes closing to savor the pleasure. His mouth skimmed over my throat, stopping at the hollow at the bottom of my neck and licking my skin. “When Mara is asleep, I'll be waiting for you,” he said quickly, pulling his hand off of my breast and sitting up, dragging me with him just as Mom came to the door.

  "Did you show him where the towels were, Kenna?” she asked, her eyes noting my flushed face and the curls that were mussed around my face. “I've brought you another blanket, Nick. This room can be really cold."

  "Thanks, Evelyn,” Nick said, glancing down into my face. “I guess I got her caught up in telling me stories of when she was younger. We hadn't gotten around to the tour yet."

  I rose, pulling down on my sweater and giving him a narrowed-eyed look. “The bathroom's right there,” I said, pointing to the open doorway. Towels are in the first cupboard on the left side of the door. If you need anything, I'm next door in Mara's room,” I turned and dropped a light kiss on his mouth, under my mom's watchful eye. “Good night, Nicky."

  I could see Nicky wanted to say something to me but couldn't, not while Mom was there. I turned and ran, proving my
self a coward when what I really wanted to do was tell him yes.

  I used the bathroom first, brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed. Throwing on a pair of fleece pajama pants and a short sleeved shirt, I walked out of the bathroom and right into a wide chest. Nick's hands came out, holding me, keeping me from falling.

  "Nick, you scared me,” I breathed, looking up into his face.

  "You didn't answer me before,” he said. “I'm not going to ask that you answer me now. Just know that I'll be waiting for you.” He bent, his mouth going to my ear. “I've dreamed of finding out how you taste, Kenna. Please don't disappoint me.” Then he disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

  Mara was sitting on her bed when I went into the room. She was the only one of us that had twin beds. Mine was a full and Bekka had a queen-sized bed in her room. It was the one most often used as a guest room when Mom and Dad had company.

  "If you stay in the room with me all night,” Mara said, breaking into my thoughts, “you are a stupider person than I thought. He's a stud, Kenna. You know Mom and Dad sleep like the dead. How many times did you sneak out when you were a teenager and make it back without them knowing? I'm certainly not going to tell anyone.” She came up and gave me a hug. “If anyone asks, you went downstairs for a glass of milk to help you sleep."

  "How old are you?” I asked her, astonished by what she was saying. “When did you get so smart?"

  "Old enough,” she said. “I can see what he feels. It's in his eyes, Kenna. He won't leave you stranded at the altar and take off with your sister."

  "He'd better not, since you're the only other sister I have and Bekka's knocked up.” I gave her a mock scowl that elicited a giggle and then swatted her on the butt. “Go to bed, brat."

  "I'm just saying,” she said once more. “If I had a hunk like that in reach, I don't think I'd be sitting all alone in my little single bed.” She grabbed her pajamas as she heard the bathroom door open and went for her turn. I watched the door, expecting Nick to show up, to try to talk me into coming to him again.

  I wanted to, God knows I did. The man turned my body into putty with a single touch. When he kissed me, my toes curled. I'd never felt that before. But could I take another chance with my heart, with my body, after what Stephen had done?

  That was the big question. I didn't know. I pulled the blankets down on the small single bed and slipped between fresh-smelling sheets. Turning on my side, I punched my pillow and tried to get comfortable while my brain flip-flopped between decisions.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Two

  The door of Mara's bedroom squeaked just a bit as I snuck out, stopping to make sure her breathing didn't change. As I went to close her door, I thought I heard the little brat whisper a “Have fun,” at me, but I could have been wrong. My heart was in my throat and I felt sneaky, traipsing through the house at night like I was.

  But that was all part of the fun. I managed to step over the creak in the old wooden board outside my bedroom door. My heart jerked as I heard my father, in his room down the hall, snort and then start snoring again. I listened for a minute. Daddy's snoring always made me feel safe. As long as I could hear that, nothing bad could happen to me.

  Now here I was breaking their trust, sneaking into my pretend boyfriend's bedroom at night. I opened the door to my old room, stepping over the threshold before I even looked at the bed. The door closed with an audible click and I almost swallowed my tongue, waiting to get caught. When I moved away from the door and to my bed, I could have swallowed it again. “Holy hell,” I breathed.

  Nicky was asleep, the covers pushed down to his waist, his bare chest exposed. My hands itched to touch him and I had to stop myself from panting. He had a tiny line of chest hair in the small dip between his nipples. It trailed down to his navel, growing thicker as it went underneath the covers. Without conscious effort, I reached out, wanting to stroke that hair just once, to see if it were as soft as it looked. My fingers traveled down that small path, pausing at his navel to gather confidence before pushing under the covers.

  Nicky groaned, his legs shifting, pulling the covers further down. He was wearing boxers, the waistband pulled away from his lean stomach by the healthy-looking tent in the front. As my hand traveled further, under that waistband, I heard him gasp and whisper my name, moving just a bit in his sleep.

  Hearing my name gave me the confidence I needed. I slipped into the bed with him, carefully lying against his chest. My head seemed to find its own resting place and I snuggled close. He moved toward me and I found myself wrapped in his arms.

  "Kenna,” he whispered again, his eyes still closed, those amazingly black, thick lashes resting against his cheeks. His mouth moved closer and then covered mine and a low moan was torn from me, my hands lifting to his hair, digging my fingers in to keep him from leaving me.

  I loved the feel of his lips, the masculine firmness, the satiny softness as he parted mine, his tongue pushing inside, driving me mad. He tasted of toothpaste and of Nicky, a sexy taste that I never wanted to be without. I let my own eyes close as he pulled me even tighter against him, his hands roaming over my body, pulling almost angrily at my pajamas.

  When he lifted his head, his eyes were open, staring down at me. “I can't believe you came,” he whispered, his hand stroking my cheek.

  "I haven't ... not yet, anyway,” I smirked, trying to rid him of the serious mien.

  "Bad joke, Kenna, really bad joke,” he said, but he chuckled anyway. “We'll have to see what we can do about that."

  His hands found the bottom of my shirt, pulling it up and over my head, tossing it on the floor on the far side of the bed. I felt a strange kind of shyness, covering my naked breasts with my hands and glancing away from him.

  "Is this the same woman who just came in here and fondled me when she thought I was sleeping?” he asked me softly, his mouth pressing tiny kisses in the small hollow under my ear and along my jaw line.

  "You were awake?!” I put my hand against his chest as he made to kiss me again. “Why didn't you tell me?"

  "And miss having this little hand in my pants?” He lifted the hand covering my breasts, kissing my palm before laying it gently against his shoulder. “God, you're so beautiful, Kenna.” His voice grew husky, deeper. “You don't know how many nights I've dreamt of having you like this. I was so jealous of Steven. I wanted to kill him for what he'd done to you.” His hand cupped one soft, fragile mound, sliding around my skin until I arched, pushing my hard nipple into his palm.

  "What do you mean, for what he did to me?” I whispered, almost as enthralled by the feel of his hand on my skin as I was by the words he was saying.

  "He hurt you. Not only did he stomp on your heart, he took a huge chunk of your self-confidence along with it. I hated to see that. He wasn't worth a single tear that you shed, but watching you draw into yourself, watching you lose faith in yourself, I think that was worse."

  It was a strange conversation to have while we were in bed together, wrapped around each other. His voice was low-pitched and soft. It was somehow vastly more intimate than his hand on my breast, his fingers pulling on my nipple, though that was having an effect as well.

  "Do you know how gorgeous you are?” he asked softly, bending and sliding his lips over mine before I could answer. “How sexy you are?” He lifted his head, scooting lower in bed so that he could reach more of my flesh. “Men stare at you constantly, Kenna. It drives me crazy to see them watching you when I want you for myself."

  He lifted my breast to his mouth. My thoughts instantly went blank when his lips wrapped around my nipple, suckling on me. I arched, a low, keening cry escaping my mouth. “Nicky,” I whispered, wrapping my legs around his back as he lay between my thighs.

  "Yes baby, I'm here,” he moaned. He moved his head and I realized that I'd dug my hands into his hair. I drew him back to my breast, holding my breath until the fire-heat of his mouth enclosed my nipple once more. My hea
rt was beating frantically. Pleasure was tugging at my womb as he tugged on my nipple with his teeth. I could feel it gathering, the storm of my climax, growing stronger with every touch of his mouth, of his hand upon my skin. I was going up in flames and he hadn't done much more than play with my breasts.

  "God, Nicky, you're going to make me come if you keep that up,” I managed to pant, my voice so husky it sounded nothing like me. My hips moved against his stomach, searching for something to give me the friction I craved.

  I felt his palm flat against my stomach, my muscles tensing as he pressed it under the band of my pajamas, his fingers sliding into my pussy. I knew he could feel how wet I was, how needy. I felt a blush suffuse my cheeks. When he pushed one finger inside of me, I heard his low groan.

  "You're so tight, baby,” he whispered. “I want to be inside you."

  "Yes, please,” I begged softly, making him laugh.

  "So polite. What a turn on."

  I managed to grab the waistband of his boxers with my toes, pushing them down until they got caught where his knees met the bed. He lifted one leg at a time while I pushed them all the way off, grabbing them between my toes to bring them to my hand. When I drew the thin material out from under the covers, Nicky chuckled.

  "You do have the strangest talents, baby,” he teased. With a small grunt, he pushed down my pajama pants, taking the thong I wore with them. Teasing my other nipple with his fingers, he rose above me. “Are you sure about this?"

  "Are you having second thoughts?” I asked, needing to know his answer.

  "About you and me? No, never that. I just don't want you waking up tomorrow and feeling like this was the biggest mistake of your life.” He groaned because I had captured the length of his dick in the palm of my hand, stroking him gently, each pull bringing him closer to where I wanted him.