Page 60 of Mistletoe Mischief

“I love you, too.”

They broke apart, and Alia grinned. “So, out of curiosity, did I interrupt something between you and our tour guide?”

“If I say yes, are you going to come clean about you and Neil?”

Alia’s mouth dropped open. “How did you know?”

“Because for the first time in six years, you two aren’t at each other’s throats. He was sweet to you, and you didn’t insult him. It’s weird but a dead giveaway. How long has it been going on?”

“A couple months,” Alia said softly.

“Wow. I really am just a blind idiot.”

“No, you aren’t. It just happened, and once we crossed the line, we kept doing it and realized we didn’t want to stop. We did everything we could not to let it interfere with the podcast.”

“So, is it serious or just hooking up?”

“It started as casual, but now …” Alia trailed off. “Are you mad?”

“No, of course not. Is there anything else you want to talk about?”

“Honestly, there are probably several things we could discuss, but nothing that needs to get hashed out tonight.”

Ryler didn’t like the sound of that, but she also didn’t press the issue. “Rain check, then. Let’s get back inside. This courtyard is under some sort of spell where it makes people want to make out under the stars.”

“Well, dang, what’s so bad about that?”

Kissing leads to complications, and I feel like my life is already chock-full of those.

Chapter Seventeen

Oh my God, Dog, can you please do your business? It’s freezing out here.”

Pike stood on the little lawn in front of his apartment in his house slippers, sweats, and a jacket, bouncing from foot to foot. It was the third time he’d been up with the pup since he got home from the bar, and that was when the creature would let him sleep. The only time she’d stopped whimpering was when he’d taken her out of the crate and put her on the bed with him. At first, she’d pounced and attacked his face with kisses until he’d wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

“Be still,” he said.

She’d obeyed him for a few hours, and he’d fallen blissfully asleep until he’d woken up to her whining again and trying to get off the bed. He checked the time. It was six ten. He wasn’t due to meet the Excursions group until nine, and hopefully, he could get a few more hours of sleep.

Finally, the puppy pooped, and Pike gave her a slow clap. “Congratulations, you finally did it.”

Pike used one of the baggies his sister provided to pick up the poop, then he scooped up the puppy in his other arm. Pike tied the top of the poop bag and tossed it into the garbage can before going back inside. He carried the dog into his room and set her on the bed, heading into the bathroom to wash his hands. When he came back into the bedroom, Pike stripped off his jacket and slippers while the puppy bounced around. He lifted the covers to crawl into bed, and once he was under them, she laid in the crook of his arm and rolled over, gazing at him from her upside-down position.

Pike scratched her belly, fighting a smile. “You think you have me wrapped around your finger, huh?” She pawed at him, and he laughed. “Good girl.” He yawned, his eyes fluttering closed, and before he knew it, he’d passed out again.

Pike woke up when his alarm went off, and he took the pup out one more time before putting her in the crate so he could shower. He stood under the hot stream, washing his hair and scrubbing his body, his mind drifting to Ryler. They’d almost kissed, but once she and Alia returned to the table, he hadn’t had another moment alone with her. It seemed like everyone at the table vied for her attention, and she fit right in, teasing the guys and bonding with the girls. When their group had taken off around eleven, Holly and Merry had fawned over her, inviting their group to the Winters’ joint birthday party for Nick, Merry, and Holly the first week of December. Pike offered an awkward good night, and when they disappeared out the door, Holly had smacked him and called him an idiot.

I did all that work to keep Sam away from her, and you couldn’t close the deal. Stupid!

Despite their chemistry, Pike still had hesitations about getting involved with Ryler. What if they slept together and she regretted it? Anthony could always step in with them, but what if she decided to bail instead? She and Alia acted more like sisters than cousins. If Ryler wanted to leave town, would Alia really stick around without her to finish the podcast for Mistletoe?

Pike didn’t think so.

When he got out of the shower, the puppy was yowling loudly, and his upstairs neighbor was beating on Pike’s ceiling.

“Shut that mutt up,” the old coot hollered.

Pike flipped off the ceiling and opened the crate, freeing the puppy.