Mistletoe Mischief (Falling in Mistletoe #2)

Chapter Thirty-six

O n Sunday, Ryler stood at the bottom of the hill watching Pike and Kit race down the slope neck and neck. Ryler could spot Pike’s yellow puffer vest from outer space, and although she’d mocked him for it, he’d waved her off.

“At least if something happens, they can always find me,” Pike had said.

Alia and Neil had left yesterday, having booked an early flight so she could meet Neil’s parents. Ryler was sad that this was the end of an era for Excursions , but Kit was staying on as her photographer and asked if he could have the chance to be her producer. Although he didn’t have any experience, Kit had been a huge part of Excursions ’ rise to fame. At least she could give him a chance and see.

Ryler had seen Anthony and Delilah show up earlier and watched for them on the bunny hill. Delilah seemed to be having trouble getting up the nerve to go down, and while Ryler’s first reaction had been to encourage her and cheer her on, she didn’t want to make her more nervous that someone was watching.

Ryler returned her attention to the two men racing down the hill closely, her mind wandering back to last night. After they’d left the den, Ryler had spent the night in Pike’s arms after he’d retrieved a blessed condom and finished what they’d started in that dimly lit room, but his words kept coming back to her.

I’d love to keep you.

What would that look like for either of them? Could this be more than a temporary holiday fling ?

Ryler shook her head. “No, absolutely not.” She hadn’t meant to say the words out loud, but it was hard enough to maintain a relationship with someone, let alone a man who could make her body burn with a word or a glance.

Pike was dangerous to her life and heart, and yet, she couldn’t bring herself to cut things off between them. She didn’t want to.

Kit beat Pike by a foot, and Ryler gave him a slow clap. “Wow. You’re supposed to be the guide, so shouldn’t that mean you’re better than the clients?”

“He’s lighter than me. Makes for a faster ride,” Pike said.

Ryler laughed. “I don’t really think that’s true but keep telling yourself that.”

Pike gave her a firm smack on the butt. “Smart-ass.”

Ryler blushed, her wide eyes flying to Kit at the same time that Pike realized his mistake.

“Shit,” he said.

Kit chuckled. “Please, the two of you aren’t exactly discreet. I’ve known for a few days now.”

“You have?” Ryler asked. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I mind my own business.” Kit pulled his goggles off and grinned at them. “On that note, I think I’m done for the day. Will you make sure she gets a ride back to the house?”

“Yeah, I will,” Pike said.

“I figured as much.”

“Wait, where are you off to?” Ryler asked.

“You aren’t the only one with a secret,” Kit said, gliding away from them.

Pike laughed at Ryler’s shocked expression. “He sure told us.”

“Who do you think it is?” she asked.

“No clue. I can’t remember seeing him talk to anyone.”

“I guess we have a mystery to solve, Daphne,” Pike teased.

“I prefer Velma.” Ryler placed a palm on his chest briefly, this need to touch him becoming a real issue with keeping their relationship a secret. “I’m going to the bathroom. Be back in a bit.”

“Okay.”

Ryler took off, relieved that there wasn’t a line. As she used the facilities, she thought about the last few days of sneaking around and grabbing illicit moments together. Now that Kit knew, they could spend the night together without worrying. Getting up and leaving Pike’s arms had become a real chore of late.

How are you going to feel when you leave him forever?

While she’d recorded the first of a two-part Mistletoe episode yesterday, Ryler thought about how different the show was going to look with just her and Kit. She’d thought about putting up another Instagram post but hadn’t felt the drive to go anywhere. It was odd, but in a short amount of time, she’d made friends here. Holly, she’d become especially close with, and then there was Pike.

There wasn’t a place she’d visited, not even her month-long stay in Ireland, that had ever felt like home. Not until she’d explored this quiet little town. But moving here and getting a place—now that Neil and Alia were taking over her lease—that would be insane, right? She’d have to talk to Pike about staying; what if he flipped out?

Alia and Neil tried to talk her out of moving, offering to share the condo with her so she didn’t rush into anything, but from the moment she’d arrived, Mistletoe had felt different. Like coming home. And even if Pike wasn’t feeling the same, this is where she wanted to be.

For the first time since she was twelve, Ryler was vulnerable, and she didn’t think that she liked it.

Ryler left the bathroom, looking for Pike, and she found him hovering over a prone figure.

“Oh my God, Delilah!” Ryler yelled, gliding over to where they stood, stopping next to Pike. Delilah blinked as if trying to place her, then flashed her a reassuring smile.

“I’m alright.” Delilah rapped her knuckles on the side of her helmet. “Anthony made sure I was wearing noggin protection.”

“Can you help me get her to that chair?” Anthony asked, pointing to chairs in front of the hot cocoa hut. “I’m going to run back and get my equipment. I kind of threw it in a panic.”

“We’ve got her,” Pike said, taking her hands from Anthony’s and gliding her over the snow to the closest chair.

“First time snowboarding?” he asked as she plopped into the seat.

“How’d you guess?” She laughed.

He chuckled.

Ryler put a hand on Delilah’s shoulder. “Do you want something to drink? Chocolate always makes me feel better. ”

“A water, please?” Delilah said.

“You got it.”

“Not gonna ask me, Kitten?” Pike called out as Ryler got in line.

“I already know what you want,” she shot back.

Pike chuckled again, the deep rumble shooting a spark of need in her, and Ryler looked at him, wishing she could come back with his drink and kiss him, admit all the things she needed to get off her chest.

Instead, Ryler blushed and hurried over to the hot cocoa shack, turning her back on them before either one of them saw it. Ryler kept glancing at them conversing as she stood inside, her stomach twisting up when Delilah smiled at Pike. Did he still have feelings for her? Ryler knew his beef with Anthony was about the lies rather than Delilah, but did he regret not getting a chance with her?

Since when did she get jealous?

Since you found someone you wanted to keep.

Oh, shit. How did she let this happen?

Ryler got their drinks and headed back, balancing them in her hands.

“Water for you,” Ryler said, handing her a clear cup with a bright pink straw. “Cinnamon roll latte for you,” she said, handing Pike his cup. His fingers grazed hers as he took it, his lips curving into a smile, his eyes warm and tender.

“Good memory.”

Ryler sat on the edge of Pike’s chair before her knees dissolved. Dang, she needed to get control of herself. She sipped from her coffee cup before asking, “What did I miss?”

Neither of them had a chance to answer, as a group approached them, laughing obnoxiously. They stopped a few feet away, a big burly man with dark hair at the front of the pack. The nasty sneer he leveled on Delilah threw Ryler off, as the other woman seemed so sweet. Why would this guy have beef with her?

“Guess you should have stuck with me, huh, Delilah? Not crashing at the bottom of the bunny hill is lesson number one.”

Ryler was tempted to throw her lukewarm coffee at him, but Anthony was already doubling back like a raging bull, snapping, “I’ve got a lesson for you, motherfucker.” He dropped his gear, his fists clenched at his side. Ryler stiffened as she realized that he might just throw a fist, and she almost took Delilah’s hand to move her out of harm’s way .

Pike shook his head with a smile. “You better uncork my boy soon. I think everything being pent up is what’s making his fuse so short.”

Ryler rolled her eyes and muttered, “Not helping,” but Delilah hadn’t seemed to hear her, her eyes glued to Anthony.

“Anthony,” Delilah called softly, trying to climb to her feet but dropping back down with a whimper.

“Pike’s got him,” Ryler said, patting Delilah’s knee with her free hand, trepidation making her chest tight as she watched Pike step between the two bigger men.

“You two wanna keep slinging insults or settle this like men? Brodie? Anthony?”

“What are you going on about?” Brodie asked.

“You two stop this pissing contest until the winter games. No more making moves on his girl,” Pike said, poking Brodie in the chest before pressing Anthony back with both hands, “and you stop trying to get yourself thrown in jail for assault.”

Ryler would have laughed at his attempt to hold Anthony back if she wasn’t worried about the idiot getting knocked out by mistake.

“What happens after the games?” Trip asked.

“Same bet we made at Brews and Chews,” Pike said, keeping a hand on Anthony as he addressed the other men. “Either we have a new boat, or you have new snowmobiles. Somebody’s going to be happy.”

“I want one more thing if I win,” Brodie said, smirking. Ryler caught Pike’s resigned expression and waited for the other man to strike the fuse that would send Anthony over the edge.

“No, we agreed,” Pike said.

Brodie pointed past Pike’s shoulder at Anthony. “That was before this prick humiliated me.”

“It’s really that easy?” Anthony scoffed, slapping Brodie’s hand out of his face.

“Stop it,” Delilah said softly.

“What did you say?” Ryler asked Delilah.

Delilah opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Ryler squeezed her knee reassuringly, freezing at the next words out of Brodie’s mouth.

“If I win, your girlfriend is going to give me a victory kiss,” Brodie said, puckering up at Delilah. Trip and the rest of his crowd laughed and jeered while Anthony tried to go over Pike.

“Over my dead body,” Anthony snarled .

Pike wrapped his arms around Anthony’s middle, hauling him back with a grunt, and Ryler started to climb to her feet, looking for something she could use to clobber one or all of them.

“Hey, you heard him, Pike.” Trip laughed. “Your boy’s got a death wish. You should let him go!”

“Um, hello! This isn’t the eleven hundreds!” Ryler said loudly. “Consent is sexy, and we don’t use women as bargaining chips.”

“Whatever, I don’t even need a prize,” Brodie said, cracking his knuckles like a bully from an eighties movie. “I’m going to enjoy kicking your ass on principle.”

“Stop it,” Delilah said, getting to her feet unsteadily. She hobbled over to the group of men, and Ryler followed behind, worried the other woman would keel over. “Whatever you guys have going on, grow up and leave me out of it.”

Brodie’s dark expression dissolved into one of malice. “Hey, no worries. I just wanted to see what it was like to fuck a fat girl.”

Delilah reeled back like he’d slapped her, and Ryler clenched her fist. Anthony was right. This dude was a motherfucker.

“Sorry to disappoint,” Delilah said dryly, and Ryler wanted to cheer her on.

“As soon as Anthony’s done with you, he’ll share with the class if you were worth the effort.”

Ryler watched Anthony take Delilah’s shoulders and moved her out of the way. “Take care of her for me, would ya?”

“Anthony, don’t—” Delilah told him, but it was too late. Pike wrapped his arms around Delilah and hauled her backward seconds before Anthony threw the first punch. Pike lost his footing and almost stumbled, but Ryler placed her hands at the small of his back, keeping him upright. Pike looked at her over his shoulder, his expression fierce.

“Both of you get out of here, alright? I’ll come get you when it’s over.”

Ryler nodded, catching Delilah when Pike dropped her out of harm’s way after Trip sent a swift upper cut into Anthony’s stomach. Pike yelled, “Ah, hell no! No tag teams!”

Pike grabbed Trip and flipped him onto his back. Another of Brodie’s crew went after Pike, and he cracked the guy across the jaw, sending him spinning away. Ryler’s heart seemed to stop when Pike turned back around with a grin, taunting the remaining men with a come-on motion with both hands. “Step up, kiddies. I’ve got plenty to go around.”

Ryler heard Delilah’s groan and noted the disgusted look on her face, wishing she could feel the same. Watching Pike’s cocky exuberance shouldn’t be turning her on, but as he took out one after another of them, Ryler wanted to whoop and cheer.

Delilah, on the other hand, whimpered, and Ryler followed her line of sight to Anthony, who had Brodie in a headlock, kicking at another goon.

Ryler put her arms around Delilah’s shoulders. “How about we go to urgent care while they sort this out?”

Delilah nodded, letting Ryler lead her away.

“Why are men such idiots?” Delilah asked.

“If I had that kind of information, do you think I’d be an assistant? Girl, I’d be president, saving the idiots of the world from themselves.”