Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
A good laugh comes when Felix reads a card that starts, “My favorite sex position is …” and he chooses “In front of a live studio audience” as his answer. “Who put this card in?” he asks the group. When Rudy takes credit, Felix gives him a nod of respect. “Club Red joke. Good one.”
I silently will my cheeks not to turn red, as I can’t help but think about sex positions I’ve been in with these men.
“I found a Christmas one!” Nick says after we’ve been playing a while. He holds it up and reads, “Instead of coal, Santa now gives bad children …”
“I’m afraid to know how this is going to go,” I say as I look over my cards for the best choice.
When we’ve all given Nick a card, he reads the options. “A positive attitude. How wholesome!; hot cheese; irritable bowel syndrome; and … jobs.”
“That’ll teach those naughty kids,” Felix says, as we all laugh.
Cupid wanders in and walks among us as we play, getting her fill of cheek and butt rubs from all the men. Nick and Rudy seem to take note of how much Cupid likes Jasper and Felix.
“Do you have any pets?” Nick asks them.
“Not yet,” Felix says as Cupid flops down in front of him, her head resting against his knee.
Good smells are starting to come from the kitchen, and I’m feeling warm and happy, especially since the men are getting along so well. A refill of my champagne cocktail helps, too. I’m not so comfortable that I don’t blush furiously on my next turn, though.
“What’s my secret power?” I read when it’s my turn to be the judge. Unaware, I read off the men’s submissions, and the last card says, “Casually suggesting a threesome.”
“That’s the one,” Felix says, winking at me, as the other men laugh uneasily.
I’ve never loved my cookie-burning oven more than when its timer chooses this exact moment to go off, giving me a well-needed escape. “Sounds like the food is done!” I hop up, abandoning my cards, and flee the room.
Chapter 32
We all fill our plates in the kitchen and carry them to the living room, where someone’s boxed up the game and set it aside. Felix and Jasper take the chairs, Nick and Rudy sit on either end of the couch, and I fill the spot between them.
The food turned out great, and the potatoes are especially delicious. As we eat, Nick suggests we tell each other about our favorite Christmases.
After thinking for a moment, Rudy says, “Our parents took us skiing one year when we were in our teens. That was a lot of fun. We learned how to snowboard, too.”
“I’d like to try that sometime,” Felix says.
“Once you get the hang of it, it’s amazing,” Rudy says, with Nick nodding to back him up.
“My favorite is when I was nine,” Felix says, looking to Jasper. “You were ten. Our mom or dad must have gotten a huge bonus that year, because the tree was overflowing with gifts. Remember that?”
Jasper nods. “Yeah, that was my favorite, too, but they’ve all been pretty good.”
When they all look to me, I swallow the food I was chewing. “Maybe it’s weird, but no particular Christmas stands out. I’ve had a lot of good ones, too. This one is definitely turning out much better than I expected.”
All four of them grin at me, and Nick puts his arm around me. “Me too. In fact, this one might be my favorite.” He gives me a quick kiss, and I’m pleased when Jasper and Felix don’t seem bothered.
When we’re done eating, we all clean up together, then Nick announces that he brought whiskey, and asks if anyone would like an Irish coffee.
Jasper pulls me aside and gives me a kiss. “Maybe Felix and I should get going.”
“Do you have to leave? I want you to stay.”
He caresses my arm, looking conflicted and deep in thought for a moment. “We should give you up, so you can be with the Frosts,” he says finally. “But selfishly, I can’t bring myself to do it.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer. “Good, because I don’t want you to. I can’t bear to be without you … any of you.”
He kisses me, long and tender, and when he pulls away, Felix is beside us.
I look between the two of them. “Please stay.”
Felix slides his arm around my waist, hugs me to his side, and kisses my forehead. “We’re not going anywhere.”
“We’ll all have a coffee,” Jasper calls across the kitchen to Nick.
Nick holds out the bottle of whiskey. “Anyone want a shot while the coffee brews?”
I decline, but the men all do one after tapping their glasses together in a little toast.
When Nick and Felix decide to have another, Rudy comes to my side. He slides between me and the counter and wraps his arms around me, my back against his chest. When I twist to look up at him, he kisses me, his lips tasting of caramel and oak.