Tangled in Tinsel (a holidates series)

Reed holds me in place as my body spasms, limbs tingling.

Goddamn, that was good.

You’re so fucking perfect, sounds like it’s coming from outside a fishbowl as I slowly pull from the haze of bliss. But the further I sink back into reality, muscles relaxed, body sated, my lazy smile fades.

Oh god, I just dry-humped the guy currently kissing my neck. The guy who’s best friends with the one I kissed last night.

What just happened starts shaking me until it slaps me dead.

I fucked my OTHER BOSS.

I open my eyes blinking too fast, my hands clumsily pushing Reed’s face away.

“What the hell?” he mumbles as I smush his mouth.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” I say over labored breaths. “Jesus. I can’t believe I let that happen.”

He frowns, dipping back to kiss me, but I dodge him.

“Reed,” I hiss, my palms pressed against his shoulders, keeping him away.

“Gimme,” he presses quietly, pushing back against my hold.

Jesus, the fucking gravel in his voice woven around the softness of that plea is too sexy. I’m instantly pulled right back in. Reed’s too good at this. It’s not fair.

But I say no anyway, shaking my head slowly. Knowing he knows I’m a big fat liar. Reed’s eyes narrow as he slowly presses his weight forward, buckling my arms more. Not that I’m trying to actually hold him away.

But before his lips meet mine again, a loud growl attached to a yawn blasts from the living room.

Oh shit.

My eyes bulge out of my head, and of course, Reed keeps smiling, even wider than before.

“Looks like we have company,” he whispers.

“Oh my god,” I shoot out, but he wags his brows, reaching under my shirt, tugging the soft tuft of hair I leave in the shape of an airstrip.

Immediately I become a mess of feet flailing and hands batting in his face, urging him off of me.

“Are you crazy? Get off. Get off. Get off.”

“You already did, sunshine. Or was it anticlimactic? Because we can try again, right now—”

I’m halfway off the counter as Reed grabs my waist, plopping my feet to the ground before he leans down.

“Aw, sunshine. I thought you liked an audience?”

Not just my cheeks turn red. I’m pretty sure all of me is the color of a tomato because I did say that. Yep, it’s all coming back. Jesus, it’s like being here made a fantasy floodgate break. And apparently, I’m trying to drown myself in bad decisions and off-limit cock.

His finger presses under my chin, forcing me to look at him.

“Don’t be shy, now.”

Whoever is awake is coming closer. Jesus, I can’t function. My brain’s malfunctioning. Because I can’t stop picturing everything I just did and said. I need to snap out of it. I need a distraction.

So I pinch Reed…hard.

Enough to make him stop talking and say, “Ow,” just as Jace comes into the kitchen.

Reed’s still facing me, amused as he mouths, you’re going to pay for that, blocking my view as Jace starts talking.

“Jesus, mornings are evil. And especially apocalyptic when my head is pounding. Fuck, I slept like shit. Where’s the Tylenol?”

The cabinet across from Reed opens and closes as Jace gets what he needs. He still hasn’t noticed I’m here yet, tucked between the counter and Reed’s massive frame. I thought my heart was beating fast before. Now, it’s pounding out of my chest. I can’t have any of the other guys seeing me like this. This is so bad. They’re going to think I’m that girl…a homie hopper—that’s what my sister calls it.

I’m too old to be a homie hopper. I’m thirty-two. Sometimes my back hurts when I work out too hard or if I lay in one spot so long that Netflix dares to ask if I’m still watching the show I’ve been binging.

Yes, I am, Netflix. It’s okay to have free time like four days a week. And on Saturdays. Shut up.

Reed says something over his shoulder to Jace, but I barely listen. I’m about to slide past Reed, hopefully undetected. That way, I can hide in my room again, but Reed nabs my side. His eyes tick down to the front of him, making my own follow.

No, no, no, no, no.

Forget about the fact that Reed’s still hard. The real story here is that I’ve left a big wet stain on the front of his sweats. He looks like a human slip n’ slide. Jesus, how much did I come? I mean, it’s been a while, but that feels aggressive.

I’m sorry, Virginia, I have neglected your needs. I promise to re-up my Amazon prime membership and get those batteries coming in monthly.

In the meantime, I whip my head around, searching for anything, like a paper towel or a kitchen towel. Or maybe a cast iron pan to hit Jace over the head. I would rather him go to sleep for like a week than see this. He’s got a head full of hair. Nobody would even see the dent.

Okay. Okay. Fuck. Am I sweating?

I look up at Reed, but he just chuckles.

I hate you, I mouth.

He pushes his bottom lip out, and it’s cute. Goddammit.

“What’s happening over here?” Jace teases, finally noticing I’m behind his villainous friend.

I swear Reed knows what I’m thinking because he’s staring into my eyes, a challenge in them, before he winks and starts to spin around. I all but throw my body in front of him, almost falling, following his motion.

“Oh,” I breathe out, arms splayed, a bit breathless from the amount of physical exertion I just gave getting my back to Reed’s front. “Hey, you…you, Jace.”

He smiles.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, he’s shirtless too.

All those beautiful tattoos on display, along with the shiny silver bars calling to my tongue from his nipples. For fuck’s sake, I’ve got one behind me with his dick hard and one in front of me, eyes raking down my body.

Is this some kind of sexual, social experiment? Maybe a pornographic prank show? Where producers got together and thought, lock her up, and we’ll watch her either fuck everyone or implode.

Currently, I’d take the latter. Jace grips the back of his neck, stretching it to the side.

Well, maybe not the latter…

Reed traces the hem of my shirt, and a vee immediately forms between Jace’s brows, making his sweet face stormier than usual. Jace’s eyes fall to Reed’s shirt on the floor, then to me in my more than suggestive outfit standing against Reed. His eyes volley between us before they stay locked on Reed.

“How was your morning? Wanna share with the class?”

My knees almost buckle from Jace’s Boston accent peeking out to flirt with me. Fuck. But Reed doesn’t answer. I discreetly flick his finger from my thigh as I bite my lip because the air feels like it’s crackling. Why is Jace looking at Reed like they’re speaking without saying a damn thing?

“So, umm—” I interject into the standoff, trying to make the awkward disappear. “How’d you sleep, Jace? Reed was saying he had wild dreams.”

Instantly, I shake my head, realizing Jace had already said that, so I snap my fingers, adding, “Crap…that’s right, you said that. What am I thinking?”

But instead of stopping there, I just keep talking like the bundle of nervous energy I am. It’s not every day you’re standing in what could arguably be called a job site, talking to people you work for, trying to simultaneously hide your fucking cum stain and your deep ho-bag humiliation.

I should get workman’s comp for this—Your Honor, my dignity’s been injured, and I’ll need eight to twelve months to recover.

Reed sweeps my hair over my shoulder as if he’s going to kiss my neck, but I startle, simultaneously spitting more words out.

“Hangovers are the worst, right? I’m lucky I never get them. Maybe it’s genetic. I can’t say I’ve ever seen my mom or dad hungover when I was younger.”

Somebody stop me. Hit me with the pan.

Jace’s dimples slowly reappear as I tuck my hair behind my ears, still fucking talking.

“My sister gets hungover, so I don’t know what that says. But then she just makes this amazing soup with intestines. Menudo. I used to hate it when I was a kid. I thought it was gross…she didn’t make it then. That was my mom. I mean…we weren’t drinking as kids. That would be weird. She’s just a foodie—”

Reed leans in, whispering in my ear, “Stop talking, sunshine.”

“Yep,” I say aloud, nodding my head.

His arm circles my waist, making my eyes grow wider. So I try to step forward, but I’m pulled back against his still chubby cock as he grabs his mug off the counter, taking a sip before saying, “So, Jace, how’d you sleep? I forget.”

I might need a bag to breathe into. What the fuck, Reed?

“Shitty,” Jace shoots back, giving me a wink.

I hate them. Mainly because I’m smiling. And I don’t even know how I feel other than amused that they’re amused.

And what’s also throwing me is that Jace doesn’t seem to give a shit about the way Reed is holding me.

“Stop making fun of me,” I say, pushing Reed’s arm off, only to have him put it back.

Grinning, Jace closes the distance between the three of us, getting too close for good manners as he plucks the shirt right below Reed’s arm. Instinctually, I lean back into Reed, staring up at Jace as he speaks.

“You look cute in Alec’s shirt. You should wake him up so he can see.”

I’m suddenly hyperaware of my breathing. Feeling each inhale and exhale.

“I wouldn’t want to bother him. Late night and all,” I say quietly back.

Reed presses himself against me from behind, splaying his hand over my stomach. I half blink as Jace keeps my eyes. But then he looks past me at Reed. Another something unspoken shared, he leans down, feathering a kiss on my cheek, making me gasp quietly.

“You’re sweet,” Jace offers, pulling away. “But I don’t think Alec would mind a wake-up call from you.”

I don’t answer because I’m almost completely sandwiched between them. But before my mind can wrap around what’s happening, Reed’s lips brush my temple, vibrating sexy taunts onto my skin.

“Get Cole up too. Three’s a crowd, four’s a party.”

Panic meets spiral. I can’t believe he just said that.

I turn my head away quickly to stare at Reed, but the motion makes me choke on my spit. The cough that leaves my throat doubles, then triples, before Reed smacks my back while Jace says, “Are you okay?”

I’m nodding, still coughing as I grab the coffee mug from Reed’s hand and down it, wincing because it’s black.

“Not even milk?” I muster, handing it back to him, clearing my throat as I push his arm off me. “Sociopath.”

I shift back to Jace with a plan hatched for escape.

“Sheesh, my throat’s so dry. Must be allergies. From like dust or pollen—”

Reed chuckles. “Damn, that high pollen count in the winter. Its only rival—summertime in space.”

I spin back around to Reed, shoving him to walk in the opposite direction from where Jace is standing, effectively hiding our version of the Monica Lewinsky dress.

“We’ll be right back,” I call out over my shoulder, hearing Reed’s coffee mug smack the counter as I push him again. “I’m just going to borrow Reed to show me where I can find a lozenge.”

Thankfully, Reed doesn’t fight much. Just laughs, trying to dodge my hands as I push and shove him all the way back down the hall to my room.

“Whoa, feisty.” He grins, holding up his hands as I close the door behind us. “What happened to ‘thank you’ and ‘make me come, Reed’? I’m feeling very underappreciated.”

I actually stomp my foot on the ground like a toddler, my finger already wagging at him. He’s turned me into an idiot.

“You,” I snap. “You’re a menace. What is wrong with you? That was so embarrassing. This isn’t funny. I work for you guys. And we shouldn’t have crossed a line.”

“Cole fired you, remember?” He did tell him everything.

“Shut up,” I shoot back at his grin. “What we did…that thing on the counter—” Reed’s still amused, making me want to punch him. “I just don’t want people knowing or seeing—”

I wave toward his crotch and the wet spot.

“Seeing what? Your juices?”

“Oh my god,” I bark.

But he comes back quicker.

“How about cream?”

“I’ll kill you.”

“Then what, sunshine? The evidence you like to be my pretty whore?”

Fuck. My eyes roll back involuntarily because I’ve fallen in love at first listen with that endearment. But I’m onto his trick, so I snap my fingers at him a bunch of times.

He laughs, rubbing his hands together, enjoying every damn minute.

“Dammit, Reed. Do not try to hypnotize me with dirty words. You can’t make jokes like that in front of the other guys. I don’t want anyone thinking that I’m—”

My mouth snaps shut because he’s stalking toward me, forcing me to take steps backward until I land against the door.

His eyes bore into mine as he hovers over me. No more grin. No more amusement.

The silence grows before he reaches up, skating a finger over my collarbone.

“You don’t want anyone thinking that you’re into what? Let me finish that sentence for you.” He traces the dip at the bottom of my throat as he speaks. “You’re into filthy shit you don’t tell anyone about? Am I close? Don’t lie.” He drags his finger up my throat, lifting my chin as he skates over it, grabbing my bottom lip. “Newsflash, I like the things you like.”

Wait. What? Reed tugs my mouth forward, sucking my lip into a kiss. His tongue invades my mouth as his hands cradle my head. I can barely breathe. Kissed until I’m breathless.

He pulls away, eyes on mine. And any embarrassment I felt is gone, replaced with intrigue, like body-on-fire intrigue. Reed likes what I like? But does he, really?

Just say it. Ask… shit. No, I shouldn’t.

This is Pandora’s box, and nothing good comes. Except for me, if I’m on the same page this time.

No matter the debate in my head, the devil on my shoulder wins because, in barely a whisper, I say, “You like to fantasize about sharing?”

He nods slowly, my face still in his hands. The way he’s looking at me, as if to say, ask more. It has everything inside me flipping over and over. Do it. Do it. Do it.

His lips meet mine again, softly speaking into them.

“Say what’s written all over your gorgeous face.”

“Have you ever?” I breathe out, sharing his air before he sucks on my bottom lip, letting it go with a pop.

“Ever what? Use your words, sunshine.”

My hands grip his forearms, needing support because I’m overwhelmed. Everything inside of me is quivering.

“Have you ever shared someone? In real life?”

“Yes, Samantha. We have.”

We? He said we. This isn’t a drill.

Holy fuck. Reed pulls back as warmth spreads over my body.

He tilts his head. “Do you want me to tell you how we do it?”

“Yes,” I say immediately. Oof, Samantha, the brazen hussy, has been unleashed.

But I’m cut off with words that still my whole body.

“Or would you prefer us to show you?”

I’m hallucinating. There was acid in his coffee. Any minute, mushrooms will begin to grow out of his head, and his face will spin like a kaleidoscope. My mouth opens and closes twice before Reed lets go of my face, tapping the tip of my nose once.

“Don’t look so surprised. We’ve been testing the waters and flirting with you for some time. Leaving breadcrumbs for you to follow. Then Mother Nature provided a window of opportunity. We’re all here. Snowed in. With nothing to do but each other. So here I am, asking the question.”

I feel so dumb. I wasn’t misreading yesterday. I had it right. But it was just so unbelievable. I didn’t trust it. I’m staring back at Reed, completely dumbfounded, nervous…and secretly giddy.

I bite my lip, staring at his mouth because to say I’m wet is an understatement. The minute he said “we,” I was soaked. Gone are all my worries, my reservations. Nature has taken over. He likes what I like.

No, scratch that. They like what I like. I rush out my words, looking up from under my lashes.

“So when Cole said, game on last night…he meant fucking me was the game.”

“Only if you want to play.”

I open my mouth because I have a thousand questions, but he grins, putting two fingers over my lips.

“No more talking.”

“Okay,” I mumble, tasting a hint of myself on them.

But I’m possessed, emboldened by this new information, and turned on, so I test the waters, still following the rules, slowly running my tongue between the seam of his fingers.

He takes a deep appreciative inhale before he grabs my jaw, halting me, and rumbles out his words.

“Such a brat. I hope Cole gets to turn that ass red.”

I shiver. If I’ve died, or this is an acid trip, mother may I never leave. He hums his approval as I stay in place.

“Consider this your formal offer, Samantha. If you don’t want to accept, we’ll never touch you. And if you never want to see us again, we’ll replace ourselves in your book with equally enthusiastic clients. But if you want this—one weekend, no strings attached—it’ll always be our secret. Make no mistake, you are our biggest wish, so no you will make for a very blue Christmas.”

One weekend. No strings attached. Unless they’re wrapped around my wrist. Can I do this? I know I want to, but am I brave enough to try?

“And if I do…want to be your present?”

“Then come out unwrapped”—his hand drops, fingers ducking under my shirt running through the hairs of my pussy—“just like this. In this T-shirt. And kiss me under the mistletoe. Then be ready because, sunshine, we really want a toy we can play with.”

Reed steps back, leaving me overheated. I move to the side, nodding, letting him pass me to the door. His head shifts to look at me before he goes.

“You still want my pants, sunshine?”

I smile in answer, holding out my hand, palm up, staring at the floor.

Reed hooks his fingers around the waistband of his sweats, tugging them off. Exposing his bare ass.

“Oh my god,” I say, laughing.

He tosses them to me, grabbing his junk to cover it as he opens the door.

“Wait, you’re going out there naked?”

“Don’t worry about it. They’ve seen my ass plenty.”

He leaves me standing by the door, mouth almost on the floor, as another laugh escapes. What the fuck just happened? And am I about to get railed like some kind of dirty porn starring Mrs. Claus and her elves?

Maybe. Definitely. Ho, ho, ho.