Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Chapter 8- ❄️Christmas Eve❄️

"I don't have an ugly sweater," Red holds up his hands in defeat.

"Lucky for you, Nick has a bunch from years ago in his closet," I explain as we walk through the bathroom to Nick's room that Red is staying in to the closet. There's several hockey jerseys still hung up but I reach to the back for the garbage bag with a few folded sweaters.

"I don't know about that," he grimaced when I pull out the first one, a bright red and green with a giant gold bow on the center. Then hold up a colorful patterned with a tie and suspenders. He shakes his head no. Another with a gingerbread man holding a beer and Red is less than enthused. Last is a pine green with snowflakes and a large Rudolph the red nose reindeer. He shrugs at the last option and I toss it to him.

Red lifts his shirt over his head and I'm biting back my lip, trying to maintain the horny thoughts as I check him out. His abs and chest are masked in a light layer of body hair that only makes him more manly. The elastic of his boxers sticks out from underneath his pants held up by the belt, but hung low enough to expose his thick happy trail that lead to his v-line and elsewhere.

Calm down there Holly.

"How does it look?" He asks as he slides the sweater over his delectable body and sheaths himself with the ridiculous synthetic fibers.

"I liked it better off, not gonna lie," I tease him and he brings me in for a hug.

"We'll have plenty of time for that," he whispers and it sends tingles all throughout my body. "But we only have a few days left at your parents before you fly home. Which reminds me, but I need to ask Marco about changing my return flight to see about just going back to Fort Lauderdale for a few more days before I need to get back to New York."

"Wait, you said Marco booked your flight?" I ask and I'm starting to connect the dots. I don't know why I didn't think of it before.

"Yeah he did. I was in Fort Lauderdale for an exhibition for my work submitted in a gallery and I still have a few pieces on display unsold. I can go back and have a meeting with the director to submit more since he was interested in more of my work."

"Well, Nick booked my flight for me because he wanted me here early with the opening of the brewery. You don't think that they purposely booked our seats together?" I'm all too suspicious of the coincidence now. Almost like they planned for Red and I to meet.

I'm connecting the dots and starting to fume at the fact that my brother would go through such lengths to set me up. Am I really that pathetic?

I push away from Red who is confused at my sudden change in realization. "What's wrong Holly?"

"Did you know they booked us together? So us meeting wasn't just by some random act of fate. But in fact a set up." I'm retreating and backing away to close myself off. The tears threaten my eyes as they sting from how I feel so pitiful by my own blood for thinking I can't meet someone on my own. Maybe he's right.

"No I didn't, but I had a feeling. Marco kept talking up Nick's sister but he never said your name. What does that matter though Holly? I can see that we have an actual connection, don't you?" He's staring at me with a hope and wonder that I am starting to lose.

I'm shaking my head and I don't even know anymore. "Do we though? It all just feels like a set up now and not genuine." How silly of me to think I could actually get some kind of whimsical romance. I don't live in a fantasy movie world or Harlequin novel.

"What are you even saying Holly?" He challenges me dramatically with his hands on either side of his head and takes a step closer only for me to back away.