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This time when she met his gaze, her expression was searching. Pleading. “You said yourself the magic thing still works without you actually doing stuff. So spend the holiday weekend with me. Be my Christmas date. We don’t have to tell my sisters the truth about you, I’ll make something else up to explain your touch aversion. Maybe if you meet my family you’ll learn something to explain our connection and make it worth your time.”
That suggestion seemed like a stretch, just as her request was clearly ridiculous. At least it should have been, if not for the haunting memory of Cassian’s words.
“If necessary, one of the others can eliminate them.”
Fenn had been opposed to that suggestion from the onset, but even the idea of it now, just a handful of hours later, sparked a genuine rage inside him. He actually had to remind himself that Cassian hadn’t said anything unreasonable, given the information he had. And if Fenn was going to look Cassian in the eye later and honestly say he’d thoroughly investigated the situation and determined it not to be a threat, he was going to need more information. Familial information would be useful for that.
He unlocked his jaw carefully. “I’m not the sociable type.”
Sienna blinked at him slowly.
Fenn released a breath and moved forward, stepping into her space. He tipped her chin up. “I don’t have people skills.”
A slow smile lifted her lips. “You’re in luck. My sisters are just as awkward as I am, and hypocritically single. No spouses or kids to deal with.”
Fenn leaned in and brushed his lips across hers in a light caress. His body ignited at the teasing contact and his heart thrilled at the way she responded, a soft gasp escaping her. “Then from now, until you return from your Christmas trip, I’ll stay with you.”
She pushed up on her toes to steal a wet, distracting kiss. Her hands latched onto the open lapels of his coat. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to extend that through New Year’s weekend?”
Fenn frowned and moved his hands to her hips. “Christmas.”
She pouted. “Scrooge.”
He grunted and slammed his lips to hers, pulling her flush against him. If they were going to agree to be together for the next few days, he was going to get every drop of ecstasy available from her before that damn day ended. He wanted to touch more of her and to feel her touch travel across his skin. As their tongues reunited in a wet, hungry dance, Fenn’s hands slid down and sank into her ass until he’d hauled her off her feet. Her legs curled around him, hooking on his hips, and he growled into her kiss. Which earned him a sultry giggle.
He’d taken a single step toward her sofa, nothing else on his mind but the feel of the sweet woman in his arms, when the doorbell rang.
Sienna was sure her face was still unusually flushed when she pulled the door open, a smile plastered on her face. She’d never been so easily riled up. There was a hunger in Fenn’s kiss that not only consumed her but seeped in and spread through her, until the attraction she’d felt for him from the onset became the only thing that mattered. At least as far as her hormones were concerned.
“Hey,” Sherri said. She offered Sienna a tired smile and held out one of the two coffees in her hands. “Sorry for dropping in. I know you’re probably last-minute packing for your drive, but I needed a sanity break. Peace offering?”
Sienna let out a short laugh, accepted the drink they both knew she was addicted to, and moved aside enough for her best friend to enter the house. “Well, since you brought a present,” she said, teasing. She turned with the intention to plow through surely awkward introductions and her breath caught in her throat.
Fenn was gone.
Disappointment twisted in her gut and Sienna busied herself with closing and locking the door. Maybe he’d only left to avoid Sherri.Or maybe he took a breath and changed his mind.It wasn’t like they’d made some sacred pact. No contracts had been signed or money exchanged. He had been resistant to the whole idea from the onset. She wasn’t stupid, recent actions aside. She knew she’d been pushy. Who wouldn’t be pushy when what could be their only chance at seizing their literal dreams was pulling away?
“One day I really am going to convince you to decorate for Christmas,” Sherri said as she moved deeper into the space. Then she made a sound. “Oh, I’m sorry, did you already have a cup?”
Sienna did her best to tamp down her spiraling thoughts. She could obsess about Fenn later. For one thing, Sherri was right, she had a sizable drive ahead of her that she’d have to be leaving for shortly. A timeline she would definitely have screwed up if Sherri hadn’t stopped by. “Huh?” She gave her head a shake, spotting the abandoned cup with her cold morning’s coffee on the table a little in front of her friend. “Oh, no. That’s from earlier. It— There was a thing, and it got cold. So I kinda forgot about it.”
“A thing?” Sherri sipped at her drink. “What happened? Are you okay?”
Sienna waved a hand, gulped down the still warm liquid in her new coffee, and plopped herself down on the sofa. “Totally fine.” She didn’t really feel fine, and in turn that made her feel stupid. “Anyway, what about you? Not that you’re not welcome anytime, but usually you at least text first.” Granted, Sienna hadn’t been paying any attention to her phone. She liked to think she’d have still heard it.
Sherri lowered to her preferred seat and tucked her partially dyed hair behind an ear. “We’re leaving for my in-laws’ place in the morning, right? Well, I just found out my mother-in-law threw a royal fit when she heard we’d booked a hotel for the stay.” She gestured with her free hand. “I mean, screaming that Christmas was ruined because she wouldn’t get to see her grandbabies and we were sabotaging all her plans for the holiday, the whole shebang.” Sherri turned a strained smile over to her. “So do you know what my wonderful husband did?”
That tone was never good and it made Sienna a little afraid to ask. Her lips twitched. “I think I’m glad I don’t.”
Sherri snorted, rolled her eyes, and said, “He cancelled our hotel reservation, even though we booked it at the cheaper price by choosing to waive the cancellation option. Because we were definitely going, and we’d agreed beforehand not to let her pressure us.”
“Oh no.”
“Oh, yes.” Sherri chugged whatever was left of her drink, probably tea, and set the cup on Sienna’s end table. “So we’re stuck paying a minimum one night’s fee, more if they can’t re-book,andthe four of us are sleeping together in his childhood room. All weekend.”
Sienna blew out a breath. “He’s totally lucky he’s not married to me. I’d call the hotel back to see if I could keep the reservation, and use it for myself.Andthe baby, because obviously mama gets to make that call, not grandma. I’d probably let him share with the toddler and call it a compromise.”
Sherri started laughing, the sound somehow sarcastic and tired, and wiped at an eye. “That actually sounds genius. I wish I’d called you when I first heard about this fiasco, instead of wasting time yelling at him and then driving around trying to cool off. It’s probably too late now.”
