Mistletoe Mischief (Falling in Mistletoe #2)

Chapter Forty

I still can’t believe we lost,” Pike grumbled for the millionth time. It was Christmas Eve, and still he kept bringing up the winter games and the horrible hockey game. Luckily, they hadn’t had to honor that stupid bet and give up their snowmobiles.

However, Ryler did have to follow through with putting on the reindeer blow-up and giving Pike a private dance, all because she’d jokingly bet against his team. At least the consolation sex had been worth it.

“I thought you were going to your parents’ tonight?” Ryler said, playing with a strand of his hair. They sat on the couch, snuggling as How the Grinch Stole Christmas played on the television. Kit was in his bedroom, talking to his parents about missing Christmas Eve with them, but he’d be home tomorrow. And Ryler, well, she would be spending the holiday with Neil and Alia, far away from Mistletoe and Pike.

The thought of leaving created a hollow sensation in the pit of her stomach, and she hated that after vowing to say exactly what she was thinking, Ryler was chickening out.

“I am going to my parents’, but I kind of thought you might like to come with me.”

“Visiting parents?” Ryler’s heart raced, emotions warring inside her. “That sounds like something a girlfriend would do, not the woman you’re casually hooking up with.”

Was Pike trying to tell her that he wanted more?

“I was thinking,” he said, running his hand over her thigh, which was curved over his lap, “that maybe when you get done after your next destination you could come back here and visit. Stay with me and Jo. ”

Her hopes deflated at the word visit . Pike didn’t want her to come back and build a relationship. He wanted a situationship, and while that had worked for her in the past, it couldn’t with him. “I would go with you tonight, but I have to pack. Kit and I are taking off early to make our flight in Boise,” Ryler said, noting his disappointment. Ryler leaned in and kissed him, wanting to wipe away any discomfort. This was their last night together, and if he needed to leave for his parents’, time was running short.

The kiss deepened naturally, as it always did between them, and before she knew it, Pike got up from the couch and carried her into the bedroom. Her suitcase was open in the corner with half her clothes already laundered and neatly folded inside, but she didn’t want to focus on that. Ryler wanted to be with Pike, to hold him and melt into him one more time.

He closed the door, and they both stripped off their clothes silently, watching each other from a few feet away. His blue eyes were heavy, and she opened her mouth, ready to tell him everything that had been building inside her since their first kiss, but if she told him now and he rejected her love, they wouldn’t have this. Their last time.

Pike reached for her, gloriously naked and stunningly beautiful, and they fell across the bed in a tangle of legs and arms. The usual passionate, hurried caresses and kisses had been replaced by slow, searching touches and butterfly-soft brushings of lips across skin. Tears pricked Ryler’s eyes when Pike leaned over her, his hand between her legs, and he never took his eyes from her face as he caressed her, circling her clit with strokes learned through complete trust. Despite their short amount of time together, Ryler trusted Pike with her body.

If only she could be sure of his heart.

As she crested, rocking against his fingers with a sharp, joyful cry, Pike dipped down and covered her mouth with his. His tongue circled hers in lazy waves before removing his hand and breaking their kiss with a groan.

“I didn’t expect this to be the last time. I-I’m not prepared.”

Ryler knew what he was saying, but nothing was going to stop her from having this moment with him. This memory, which was going to hold her, because who knew if she’d ever love anyone as much as Ryler loved Pike Sutton .

She reached for him, tugging him over her body, and moved her hands up and down the length of his muscular back.

“I understand, and I still want this. I want you. All of you.”

As Pike sank into her, Ryler’s eyes fluttered closed, memorizing his heat, the way her body stretched around his girth. She vowed to remember his mouth on her neck and the sweet sound of her name on his lips as he thrust into her slowly, long strokes that teased her to the point of madness. Ryler’s fingers massaged his shoulders when his motions quickened, his hips pumping against hers, and the pressure built in her core, rising with every stroke until she quaked beneath him, murmuring her love too low for him to hear, smothering her confession against the skin of his shoulder. Pike jerked against her, shouting her name, and she smiled, clenching her eyes shut against the tears escaping.

“Ryler, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

“Shh,” she said, opening her eyes and smiling up into his worried gaze. “I’m crying because that was amazing, not because I regret anything.”

“Oh,” he said, dropping his head to her shoulder with a muffled, “Thank God.”

Ryler giggled. “I picked up the pill after our first time together. So I don’t want you to worry that I’m trying to trap you or anything.”

Pike stiffened, jerking back to stare down at her. “I wasn’t thinking that.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to offend you.”

“Would you stop apologizing?” Pike snapped, rolling away from her and sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to her.

Ryler sat up and scooted over to him, laying her cheek on his back. “I had a lot of fun with you, Pike. Thanks for inviting us here.”

Pike’s laugh had a bitter edge. “I’m glad you came.”

You don’t sound glad .

Suddenly, he turned and pulled her into his arms, holding her on his lap. When he kissed her, locking his arms around her as if afraid to let her go, Ryler tangled her hands in his hair.

When he pulled away, she was ready to take back everything and agree to anything he asked, but that wasn’t fair. Not with how much she cared for him.

“You’ll call?” Pike asked, his forehead pressed to hers. “We can still keep in touch, right? ”

“Sure, I’ll call you.” Ryler extracted herself from his embrace and climbed to her feet. “We’ll still be friends.”

Ryler thought he flinched as he stood. “Yeah, friends.”

They dressed as quietly as they’d stripped, Ryler’s mind heavy with everything she wanted to say but was too scared to. She led him out the door and said good night again. When she shut the door after him, she almost crumpled into a heap on the floor. Kit’s door opened, and he came around the corner, watching her emotional meltdown grimly.

“You know we could stay, right?” Kit asked, leaning against the wall. “Come back after the new year and not renew our sponsor contracts. Hang out in the cold, snowy north and enjoy being with people who make us happy?”

Ryler laughed. “Let me guess. Ricki.”

“Yes.”

“What if they don’t want that, though? What if we stay, and after a few weeks or even months, they decide they made a mistake picking us?” Ryler wiped a tear from her cheek.

“Then we move on but know we tried.”

Ryler pushed off the door and headed to the bedroom. “We need to pack.”

“I’m already done, but while you stuff your clothes into a suitcase, think about what I said.”

Ryler closed the door behind her and sat on the bed, picking her phone off the side table. Instinctively, she called Alia, but when she didn’t answer, Ryler tapped on Neil’s contact.

He picked up on the second ring.

“Ryls? You alright?”

His deep voice, so filled with worry, reminded her why he’d always been her second-in-command. Her best friend and partner.

“No, but I wanted to see what you and Alia were up to. Have you told your parents yet?”

“Yes, and funny enough, they took it really well. We were going to head down and spend a week with them after we pick you up from the airport.”

Oh goodie, spending the holidays with my cousin, her boyfriend, and his parents. It didn’t matter that Ryler had spent plenty of holidays with Neil’s parents. This time, she wouldn’t just be the friend who had nowhere else to go, but the third wheel .

“Ryler? Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you and the outdoorsman, or am I going to have to guess?”

Ryler sniffled into the phone. “I think … I mean, I love him.”

“Yes, I got the feeling that was what this sad phone call was about. So what’s the issue? He seemed to feel the same way.”

“He doesn’t though. He asked if I wanted to visit and stay with him and Jo when I was on break.”

“Who is Jo?” Neil asked.

“His dog.”

“That doesn’t sound like a bad thing. He’s respecting your job but asking to be a part of your life,” Neil said.

“No, he’s suggesting a situationship, and that is the last thing I want from him.”

“Did you tell him that?” Neil asked.

“No.”

“And why not?”

“Because if he doesn’t feel the same way I do, then I don’t want to know.”

“I will never understand how someone so smart could be such an idiot,” Neil muttered.

“Excuse me?” Ryler gasped.

“You would rather say goodbye to the man you love and get on a plane tomorrow than take a leap of faith and tell him the truth?” Neil huffed into the phone. “You’re a scared little chicken! Scared of owning the podcast, scared of embracing everything that is great about you, and furthermore, you are scared of professing your love for a man who, frankly, I want to punch in the face, but who is so obviously gone for you I will forgive him for being an unbearable asshat at times.”

Ryler choked out a laugh. “He really isn’t an asshat. I think he’s just jealous of you.”

“As he should be, for I am taller and flyer than he will ever be, but let’s focus on the facts. You took a chance on bringing me with you and seeing where a busted-up van could take us. You chased your dreams with your whole heart. Where is that girl now? If you want him, tell him. Otherwise, when you get on that plane tomorrow, you’d better not act like a mopey sack, because you will have only brought it on yourself.”

“While I really want to hit you with something, I’ve missed these talks.”

“Me, too. ”

“Thanks for listening, Neil. It means a lot after everything.”

“I’ll always be your friend, Ryler. No matter what or who we’re with, that’s not going to change. But if that idiot does not immediately sweep you up and run away with you, I might find a mountain to shove him off of.”

“I appreciate the sentiment. Hug my cousin for me. Where is she, by the way?”

“Currently pouting in the bathroom,” Neil said, his voice exhausted.

“Why?”

“Because I got the wrong brand of cookie dough ice cream.”

Ryler laughed. “Oh, Neil.”

“Wish me luck?” he deadpanned.

“You don’t need luck. You’re Neil.”

“Thanks for reminding me. Whatever you decide, own it and be happy. Because if you lose your spark because of him, I’ll—”

“I get it. He’s toast.”

Ryler said goodbye, and as soon as she hung up, she called out for Kit. He poked his head in and said, “Yeah?”

“Feel like doing a little podcasting?”

Kit grinned. “Sure. Who needs sleep? Let’s work a Christmas miracle.”