Page 32 of The Mistletoe Mix-up

She shook her head, taking his joking in stride. “Nothing that dramatic. The day after graduation, I just left.” She paused briefly, swallowing as if it were painful to talk about. “That last year was pretty strained as it was.”

“Because of us?” Sam murmured.

Wren sat solemnly for a few moments without answering, playing with her potatoes. “Partially, but it went both ways. We were like passing ships, barely communicating except to give each other our coordinates.”

“That sounds . . . fun,” he said.

She shrugged. “It was better than screaming at each other and throwing accusations. When I got a scholarship and left the state to go to college in Arizona, my dad didn’t say much about it. When I graduated from Arizona State, I got a job on the police force, and I stayed there for a few years, but it was too hot for me.”

Sam could imagine, having been to Vegas a time or two. “That was one nice thing about the Oregon coast. The weather was usually amazing.”

Wren laughed. “Why didn’t I ever check the climate of a city before I moved there?” She smacked her forehead playfully. “Stupid.”

Sam chuckled. “Where did you go after Arizona?”

“Houston. That was fun. Lots of great bars and music places. Still hot though.” Wren paused, taking another bite of her food. “After that, I just kept moving any time I got antsy, until I guess I just decided there was nowhere else I wanted to be but back in Mistletoe.”

“Well, I’m sure your dad is glad you’re back.”

“I think so, but he’s not exactly the warm and fuzzy type.” Wren placed her forearm on the table, cradling her face in her palm, and fluttered her lashes at him. “So, what new experiences have you discovered?”

Sam chuckled. “I thought we were gonna talk about yours first.”

“Oh no, I figure if you’re curious about mine, then you should give me some dirt first. Gotta give it to get it!” She picked up her fork and pointed it at him. “Plus, I get the chance to maybe finish my food.”

“Ah, I guess I can hang with that.”

She lifted her face off her hand and waved it as if to say Get on with it, and he decided to give her the biggest, juiciest experience he’d ever had. “Fine, we’ll just dive into the time I learned that pegging was not something I was into.”

Wren dropped her fork onto her plate with a clatter, potatoes flying as laughter bubbled out of her. “Holy hell! How did that even come about? Were you dating someone, and things escalated to that point?”

“Haven’t you heard I don’t date?” he joked. “No, she was a pretty girl I met in a bar and had a few drinks with. She asked me to go back to her place, and then we were fooling around in bed. The clothes came off, and she reached into the drawer of the nightstand, and I thought, ‘Oh great, she’s got a condom; she’s prepared,’ but nope, she pulled out this belt and gave me this eerie smile as she asked, ‘Have you ever been pegged before?’”

“Oh my God, she just said it like that? And you agreed, like, ‘I’m gonna let a stranger put something foreign in my butt?’”

Sam shrugged. “I am an adventurous guy, and I’m willing to try everything once, but yeah, I learned that that was not my thing. Plus, I think she pulled the old switcheroo when I said to use the small purple one.”

“What were your other choices?” she asked, voice shaking with mirth.

“Mama Bear, which was this pink one that was about six inches, and Big Daddy, which was as big as it was round.”

“Noted. No ass play for Sam.”

“Your turn,” he said before putting a slice of steak in his mouth.

“I learned that you can make a man pass out by sitting on his face,” she deadpanned.

Sam’s eyes widened, and he slammed his fist into his chest when a piece of steak got caught in his throat. Wren got up and went around, banging on his back. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” he croaked, the steak flying back out onto his plate.

“Gross,” Wren laughed.

“Maybe you shouldn’t share that kind of stuff after I’ve put something in my mouth. Just to make sure I’m safe from unexpected choking hazards.”

“Should I not finish the story then?” she asked, taking a bite of potatoes.

“No, I’m invested now.” While he didn’t relish hearing about her with other men, this sounded too good to pass up. “You didn’t kill him, did you?”