There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays Read online

  “That’s putting it mildly,” I said.

  “Hmm?” Karl raised an eyebrow and looked to Connor. He smiled. “And who do we have here?”

  “This is my friend, Connor Upton. Conn, this is Karl Gregory.”

  “Hi,” Connor said with a little too much enthusiasm.

  Karl’s smile widened and he shook Connor’s offered hand. “Is this your new boyfriend, Mackenzie?”

  Connor laughed. “Oh, Lord no! Mackenzie doesn’t do boyfriends. He’s something of a slut.”

  Well, yeah, I couldn’t really deny that.

  Karl’s lips twitched, the bastard. “Yes, I’m somewhat aware of that.”

  And now Connor frowned, so I decided to take charge of this nonsense before it went much further. “Shouldn’t we look for the bags?” I grabbed Connor’s arm and firmly turned his attention back to the luggage carousel.

  Karl stepped in front of Connor just as he reached for one of his giant bags, and grabbed it off the moving contraption.

  “Thanks.” Connor beamed.

  Rolling my eyes, I said, “Why’d they send you to pick us up? I thought Suzy was coming.”

  “Sure, she was going to come. But your mom wanted to go to a Christmas tea and she’d forgotten to tell your sister until the last minute.” Karl shrugged. “I was available, so you’re stuck with me.”

  We finally collected all the bags and headed out to Karl’s SUV which he had parked in short term parking. The temperature outside in Los Angeles was surprisingly cool. Of course living in Hawaii for as long as I had now, most other places were cooler.

  I let Connor choose the front passenger seat, so I sat behind him. I should have been prepared for Karl, really, because I’d had a feeling he would be there when Suzy declared the whole family would be there for Christmas. And really, I could handle it. Our three days together had been fun, but it would never go anywhere else.

  “How well do you know each other?” Connor asked just as Karl drove up the onramp of the 405 freeway.

  I decided then and there I was developing a headache.

  “Uh…pretty well, actually,” Karl said.

  “That’s cool. I know Mackenzie is pretty close with his family. And I guess you being his brother-in-law’s brother that includes you.”

  Karl nodded. “I guess so.”

  It was on the tip of my tongue to just blurt out the truth. But I decided, later, when Connor and I were settled in at the house.

  § § §

  My parents lived in a beautiful Los Angeles suburb called San Marino. It was close to Pasadena where the Rose Parade is held every New Year’s. My sister and I grew up there and they’d bought the English Tudor style home before California real estate got so ridiculous. Mom had designed the three English rose gardens in the backyard herself and Dad had hired designers to create the gorgeous pool with a waterfall spilling into it.

  There were only three bedrooms in the main house, but there was a guesthouse back behind the gardens that had its own bedroom, fireplace, kitchen, and little breakfast nook. It was there where Connor and I would be staying.

  As we turned onto the little cul-de-sac where the house was, I noticed all the homes around ours had been covered in Christmas lights. It was nearing dark already so most of them were lit brightly. Most had reindeer and sleigh lawn ornaments. Nearly every inch of my parents’ home had been decorated with colorful twinkling lights. And on the lawn was a fucking Santa’s Village.

  “It looks like the house is made of gingerbread,” Connor said, sounding as excited as a five year old.

  I snorted. “Trust me, it’s not. Suzy did say the folks were going to go all out.”

  Karl chuckled. “This is nothing. Wait until you see the inside.”

  He parked at the curb and we all got out and fetched the suitcases. We had barely begun to roll them up the walkway to the arched front door, when it flew open and Mom came rushing out at us.

  I barely had time to brace myself when she flung herself at me. “Oomph!”

  “I can’t believe you’re here. Finally.”

  Kissing her cheek, I smiled. “It hasn’t been that long.”

  “It has so,” she insisted. “I had a Christmas tea today but I left it early to be home when you got here. And this must be Connor.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Grayson.”

  “No, no, you must call me Lillian.” She embraced Connor, too, then looked at me. “Oh, he’s so cute.”

  I laughed at Connor’s blush. “Yeah, he is. Let’s go inside, it’s cold out here.”

  “Yes, and I’ve got dinner almost ready. Come on, come on.”

  And we followed Mom into the Christmas house.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “This guesthouse is so cozy,” Connor said, coming out of the bedroom and back into the living room where I had just lit one of those formed three-hour logs in the fireplace.

  I leaned against the mantel and idly played with the Christmas stocking my mother had hung above the fireplace.

  “Glad you like it. When I was growing up this place was a sort of playroom. Well, playhouse, I guess. We had a pool table, video games, that sort of thing in here. Wasn’t until we got older my parents turned it back into a guesthouse.”

  “Well, I really love it and I love the way your mom decorated it.” Connor waved his hand to indicate the seven foot fresh-cut Christmas tree decorated with gold and red decorations as well as all the other Christmas touches she’d done, like the stocking and a gingerbread house.

  I laughed. “She’s always been very fond of Christmas.”

  “There is one thing I wanted to ask you about, though.”

  “Shoot,” I said, straightening and heading into the little kitchen. I opened the fridge and peered inside. “Want some eggnog with some brandy?”

  “Yeah, good idea.” Connor followed me into the kitchen and opened a few cabinets until he found a couple of glasses. “I noticed there’s only the one double bed in the bedroom. Does the sofa in the living room open out to a bed?”

  “Afraid not. We’ll have to share the bed.” I grabbed the glasses from him. “That’s not a problem for you is it?”

  Connor took the glass of eggnog, seemingly reluctant to meet my gaze. “Nah, it’s fine. Where’s the brandy?”

  “Pantry cabinet over there.” I pointed.

  Connor took the brandy from the cabinet and added it to our eggnog. He took a sip of his and then wrinkled his nose. “Is this supposed to be good?”

  Smirking, I shook my head. “Lots of people think so. What do you want to do now? Mom left a bunch of Christmas DVDs.”

  Connor raised an eyebrow. “Your family really is into Christmas, huh?” He took another sip of the eggnog. “I might get used to this.”

  I ruffled his hair and said, “Come on, we may as well get in the Grayson family Christmas spirit.”

  § § §

  “This stuff is growing on me,” Connor announced from his end of the couch. There was only one big plush sofa in the guesthouse so we’d both curled up there on opposite ends to watch the holiday cheer.

  “Apparently since that’s your second one.”

  He nodded and stared at the television screen. Playing at the moment was Miracle on 34th Street. “So, Mac, I’ve been thinking.”

  “Oh? You want to know what to get me for Christmas?”

  “No.” He took another large swallow of his eggnog. “But now that you mention it, maybe we should go Christmas shopping tomorrow and you can pick something out for me to buy for you. I never know what to get you.”

  I nodded. “Okay, I need to get stuff for the family anyway.” He didn’t say anything else for a while, so I found myself watching him. It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen the movie before. Three hundred times or so.

  I liked watching Connor. I realized I actually stared at him a lot. He really was breathtakingly gorgeous with all that curly hair and long lashes. He had a spray of freckles across the bridge of his nose I found absurdly adorable. If he had a
flaw, and I didn’t think he did, it was that he was perhaps a touch on the thin side.

  Just now he pursed his plump lips and some part of me wondered how it would feel to sink my teeth in his full bottom lip. A part of me I suppressed quite deliberately.

  Finally curiosity got the better of me, and I said, “You were saying?”

  “Oh.” And I noticed the dusting of pink across his pale cheeks at once. Interesting.

  “Hmm?”

  “About Karl.”

  I frowned. Okay, I knew Karl was sort of handsome in a caveman sort of way. I mean I’d obviously been attracted to him and Connor had been semi-flirtatious with him when he’d met us at the airport, but really, the last thing I wanted was some sort of thing between my Connor—my best friend—and Karl.

  Absolutely not.

  “Yeah?” I inwardly winced, knowing the simple word had come out a little harsh.

  Connor seemed to find his eggnog very fascinating. “Well, I just wondered. Given the way you both acted all day if you two had been lovers.”

  Oh that.

  I took a moment to decide how I was going to answer Connor’s question. Karl and I had sex, definitely. But lovers implied a much more intimate relationship. At least to me. I didn’t even know if I especially liked Karl. Even at our dinner earlier with the family I found myself unimpressed with most of Karl’s opinions. Now that I thought of it, though, Connor had seemed rapt in his interest.

  “Last time I was in California visiting, Karl and I did hook up.”

  “I thought so,” Connor said. He took another swallow of his spiked eggnog.

  I shrugged. “It didn’t really mean anything though. Honestly, it was a mistake to do anything with him.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t usually mess around with someone I know. Since I don’t do commitment it’s best not to be faced with seeing someone I had sex with again. Karl’s related to my brother-in-law so that was stupid of me.”

  Connor nodded. “Yeah, I can see why that might make things uncomfortable. But I bet you made it clear to him you don’t do relationships.”

  “Of course,” I agreed. He now stared at the television screen again rather than finding his drink fascinating. But I wondered why he was so damn interested. “What’s your interest in Karl anyway?”

  He did look at me then, tilting his head to the side a bit, his whole face red now, which I suspected might be from the alcohol. Connor was not a big drinker. “Karl?”

  “Yes. You’ve been flirting with him since he picked us up from the airport. Honestly, Conn, I couldn’t care less about Karl or who he fucks, but I think you should know he’s not right for you.”

  “He’s not?” Connor frowned.

  I shook my head. “Absolutely not. He’s the rugged, camping, sports kind of guy. Doesn’t do culture or think much of music. Probably drinks beer and pisses in the woods, for God’s sake.”

  “Well, I—”

  I waved away his objections. “Besides I know what is behind this sudden interest in Karl.”

  “You do?”

  “Yep. You’re on the rebound from Micah. Honey, you do not need to find a new man right away. Give it some time. Probably months.”

  He sighed and shook his head. “I think I need more eggnog. You ready for more?”

  “I’m good. But go easy on that.”

  Connor grabbed the eggnog out of the fridge and refilled his glass only halfway. Then he added brandy until it reached the rim of the glass.

  “I thought I said go easy,” I said as he returned to the couch.

  “I’m not going anywhere, so why not?”

  “Because I think you’ve had three drinks in all the time I’ve known you. I don’t want you to make yourself sick.”

  “I won’t. Movie’s over. What next?”

  “You want another movie or a cartoon?” I pointed to the array of DVDs on the coffee table.

  Connor took several sips of his eggnog. “Maybe we should save some for the rest of our trip.”

  “Ah, come on. One more.”

  “All right, you pick.”

  § § §

  An hour or so later, Connor wiped a tear and sniffled. “Either Rudolph is better than I remembered or I’ve had too much to drink.”

  I turned off the DVR and television. “My guess is it’s the latter.”

  He struggled up from the sofa and stumbled a bit toward the kitchen so I followed him. He stood in the middle of the kitchen looking sort of lost, so I took the empty glass from him and put it in the sink where I had set mine earlier.

  I turned from the sink and noticed hanging directly above him was another one of my mother’s Christmas decorations. I squinted up at it and realized she’d put a sprig of mistletoe there. Not giving myself too much time to consider her motives, I walked the few steps to stand next to Connor.

  Putting my arm around his waist, I drew him close. He smelled like Christmas. Cloves, cinnamon, and oranges. And eggnog and brandy.

  “Mac?”

  I flicked my head upward and his gaze rose to the mistletoe. He returned his gaze to mine, his grass green eyes widened in surprise just as I lowered my lips to his.

  I had no intention of making it a chaste sort of kiss. No point in pretending otherwise. The mistletoe was the perfect excuse to taste those red plump lips.

  Pressing my mouth to his, I kissed him hard, pulling him against me. I shamelessly thrust my tongue into the moist heat of his mouth. At first Connor froze, stiff in my arms. Then his lips softened under mine and he began to kiss me back, his arms looping around my neck. I tasted the brandy and eggnog, but there was another sweetness there, something I suspected that came only from kissing Connor. It quickly became addicting.

  And then he pulled back, ending the kiss, stepping out of my arms, staring at me as though I’d lost my mind.

  Maybe I had.

  “I’m going to go take a quick shower before bed,” he said, deciding not to address the fact we’d just been kissing like we meant it.

  I didn’t know whether I liked that or not, but Connor didn’t give me a chance to ponder. He turned and left the kitchen and headed for the bedroom.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  For a moment or two I stood in the kitchen wondering if I should follow him into the bedroom or wait until I knew he was in the shower. I had visions of Connor naked dancing in my head. The image definitely beat sugar plums.

  What was wrong with me anyway? I didn’t do relationships, I reminded myself. And there was no way Connor would not be a relationship. He was far too precious for me to screw and cast aside, no matter how sweet and sexy and tempting he was.

  Maybe the alcohol in the eggnog affected me more than I thought it had. Or maybe it was Christmas.

  But I flipped off the lights in the kitchen and living room and walked into the bedroom. Connor sat on the edge of the bed. He had managed to get his shoes and socks off, but hadn’t done anything else yet.

  “Need help?” I heard myself ask. I mentally added, ‘You want me to strip you naked, spread that bubble butt of yours, and sink myself inside you?’

  He smiled a little as he turned his head to look at me. “I might be a little drunker than I thought.”

  “You were drinking a lot. And usually you don’t drink much at all.” I sat next to him, close enough so our sides touched. “How come?”

  “Why did I have so much?”

  I nodded. “Is it the breakup with Micah? Do you miss your family?”

  He closed his eyes briefly, pain marring his face for a second, then he opened his eyes and shook his head. “I really liked Micah, but we broke up for a good reason. I can see why he didn’t think it would work out between us. And I love my family, but I can handle a few days away from them.”

  I laid my hand on his leg, feeling his warmth even through the jeans. And I thought I heard the catch of his breath. Maybe I wanted to.

  “Then why so much brandy, Connie? You don’t even like it.”

&n
bsp; He wouldn’t look at me. “Because I…never mind.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I need that shower.”

  I watched as he slipped his fingers under the apple green T-shirt and then pulled it up over his head. If Connor had lived anywhere but Hawaii, his chest might have been very fair, his skin tended toward that naturally, and for the most part he kept his face free from sun exposure. But the golden kiss to his arms and chest gave testament to the fact Connor went shirtless a lot back home. Who didn’t in Hawaii really?

  And though Connor was thin and not especially muscular, I appreciated the slight definition of his biceps and abs. I never particularly went for bulging muscles, though I didn’t shy away from them either. I didn’t really have a type. My lust was equal opportunity.

  Just then my fingers on his thigh itched to move to the button of his tight jeans and I imagined myself sliding the zipper down with aching slowness.

  “H-hey,” Connor exclaimed with a gasp, pushing my hands away.

  Apparently I hadn’t imagined reaching for that button and zipper after all. Connor stared at me, his eyes wide, his cheeks flushed red. His lips were slightly parted.

  “Sorry, I—”

  Connor grabbed the back of my neck and smashed our mouths together, clacking our teeth. He tried to pull back almost immediately, but I decided not to allow it. I took charge of the kiss, framing his face and softening the contact of our lips.

  Hard, I was so hard. I wanted to rip off Connor’s jeans and tear off my own slacks as well. I needed him, I thought maybe I had for a long time and forced such thoughts away. All I knew was right then, pushing aside my feelings and my desire for him seemed completely stupid.

  I lay him flat on the bed and covered him with my body. I devoured his lips, now that I had him here with me, kissing me back, his body writhing beneath mine, I intended to take full advantage of the opportunity.

  “Connor,” I groaned against his lips. God, I wanted him. But did he really want me? I wasn’t that drunk. If I destroyed what we did have by pushing my wants and desires on him I would be devastated. Forcing myself to end the kiss, I looked down into his shining green eyes and my heart twisted. “Hey.”