Under the Mistle-Foe (Christmas Falls: Season 2)

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

JETT

I woke up sleeping on my side at the edge of the bed. Warm purring snuggled into my back, threatening to push me closer to the ground. I turned around, trying my best not to squish the fur babies behind me. They did their big stretches and decided they’d rather lie on top of, instead of beside, me now.

I’d woken up a while ago when it was still dark outside to Remy leaving the bed. He’d softly told me he needed to go home to get ready for work before tucking me back under the covers. I had the faint feeling of a soft kiss on my forehead before slipping back into dreamland.

Though I wasn’t able to wake up with Remy, he’d stayed the night. We’d cuddled together and did so much more, and I think we’re boyfriends now too!

I hugged Sugar, squealing into her furry belly and kicking my legs like I was a lovesick teenager. Always the goodest girl, Sugar didn’t complain and simply slouched her body over my head. Meanwhile, I could feel Spice trying to tackle my flailing feet.

When I’d finally had enough of lying in bed, I did my morning routine while checking my phone to find a text message from Remy saying he’d made me some breakfast and left the plate in the microwave.

I was practically floating as I fed the cats, then warmed up and ate my own breakfast. I sent Remy a picture of me enjoying the meal he’d made me, and he immediately texted back that he wished he was there to give me a good morning kiss.

My phone almost flew out of my hands with how shocked I was to get that text, then I naturally took a screenshot of our messages to immortalize it forever. I quickly finished my meal, and even though I’d just seen him a few hours earlier, I was already missing Remy.

I made sure the cats had everything they needed and gave them some extra loving before leaving the house to head to the diner. I smiled when the mistletoe arch that stood in front of the diner’s door came into view. Remy and Adam must have started adding to it since there were now a dozen or so little ornaments and charms hanging from its leaves.

I’d witnessed this tradition happen years ago when Remy’s mom was still here. They’d fill the entire arch up with happy memories from throughout the year, and I always thought it was a beautiful thing to end the year with, so I was glad they were continuing this tradition to highlight the happiness life had to offer them.

Walking through the mistletoe arch and entering the diner, I suddenly felt a bit shy. We’d never really talked about how we’d act after last night. When we were in public, did he want to act like nothing had happened?

God, I hoped not, but I would respect his wishes regardless of how much it would kill me to stop myself from wanting to kiss him in greeting.

But maybe he wasn’t ready to tell his dad or wanted to keep this from our nosy little town a while longer, even though I wanted to shout to the entire world that I was dating Remy Trent, but we were two different people and I could respect his wishes.

There were already a handful of patrons having their breakfast when I made my way to my usual booth. I didn’t see Remy through the serving hatch, so he was probably in the back, doing inventory, perhaps?

Adam smiled when he caught sight of me and wobbled over on his crutches. My heart pounded harder in my chest. I wasn’t sure what I was and was not allowed to say around him. I knew I definitely couldn’t say I’d fucked his son last night, but did I tell the truth if he asked if I was with Remy?

“Good to see you, boy,” he greeted and plopped into the booth opposite me. “We missed you here yesterday. Thought we’d had a crisis on our hands by how hard Remy kept glaring at whoever sat in your spot.”

Adam chuckled, but I was in no laughing mood. “He really did that?” I asked, hopefully not sounding too happy about this piece of information.

“You bet! And he was in a grouchier mood than usual, though it seems like he’s all better after his night out yesterday,” Adam continued, and I tried not to squirm under his gaze. “Anyhoo, if you keep coming around like this, we might have to think about making a whole special corner for you,” Adam joked.

“I volunteer my corner as a tribute. Might as well repaint the entire thing and go with a new theme while you’re at it,” a grumpy voice sounded behind me. I turned around to find Remy’s cousin sitting in his usual spot, having breakfast with a man I didn’trecognize.

The stranger beamed at Gray, then said, “Oh, we can’t let anything happen to ‘ Gray with a chance of Frost .’ I think your corner is quite charming. Isn’t that right, Adam?”

“I’m so happy you agree, Sunny. At least someone appreciates my hard work and humor.” Adam nodded and admired his handiwork. He’d painted the wall Gray’s usual booth leaned up against in darker gray tones that didn’t match the rest of the diner’s teal and chrome theme. Not just that, he’d painted dark clouds over the table, some of them with little ice flakes, making it look like it might hail.

It didn’t help that Gray Frost’s perpetual scowl had him looking like he was part of a heartbreak film every time he sat in his corner. Though no matter how much he grumbled and complained, every time I saw him at the diner, he was sitting in his spot, so he couldn’t have hated it as much as he’d claimed.

Gray muttered something too soft for me to hear but had Sunny chuckling. They conversed quietly as they ate, and maybe I was seeing everything all sparkly and shiny from spending the night in Remy’s arms, but Gray seemed to almost soften as he spoke to Sunny.

I didn’t have time to think about it too much, as my attention was quickly diverted when someone slunk into the seat beside me and plopped a quick kiss on my cheek. My head flung to find Remy scooting close to me and slinging an arm behind me.

Did he actually just do that? Right in front of everyone in the diner…in front of his dad?

Speaking of which, I slowly turned to Adam to find him watching us with narrowed eyes.

“Is there something you’d like to tell me?” He pointed his eye daggers at his son. Remy smirked back, allnonchalant, like this was a random Monday.

“What? Can’t you see for yourself? Should we get your eyes checked, too, when we take you in for your leg checkup?”

Adam’s eyes narrowed even more. “You used to be cute, you know that? When did every single child in our family stop being cute?” I followed as his gaze went from Remy to Gray—who frowned in return—then landed back on Remy before he sighed.

“Maybe I’d be happier in my golden years if I had some cute grandchildren running around here.”

The louder Adam’s voice reached, the more noise I heard from behind me. I turned to find Gray stuffing the last of his food in his mouth before he shot out of his seat and rushed past us.

“Hey! I’m not done talking!” Adam called out, but Gray didn’t stop. Sunny strode leisurely behind Gray, all smiles, as he said goodbye to us. Remy looked bored as we watched his cousin make his grand escape.

When Adam couldn’t stop his nephew, he flipped his focus back to Remy, who was now avoiding his gaze and studying his fingernails like they were the most interesting things on the planet.

Adam sighed and turned to me. “Looks like you’re my only hope now,” he said and got up from his seat, leaving me with my mouth hung open toward his departing back.

“Hear that? My dad has high expectations for you.” Remy slid his arm around my waist.

I glared at him. “You do realize if I have a child, then it’s going to be yours, right?”

He raised a brow at me. Then it occurred to me just how those words sounded; like I was so sure we were end game and we’d wind up raising a child together, despite this entire thing between us being very new.

I knew where my heart lay—where it’d been for years —though I still wasn’t sure of Remy’s thoughts. I didn’t think he was one to play with someone else’s feelings, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t change his mind about wanting to date. Having sex with someone and dating someone were two completely different things .

“I don’t mean anything by that,” I quickly backtracked. “More importantly, how could you just tell your dad about us so casually. A heads up would’ve been nice, you know?”

Remy didn’t say anything and just let me ramble on, a soft smile on his face as he watched me and played with my hand. I shut my mouth, knowing that I’d just keep blabbing the most random things if I didn’t.

“Why aren’t you continuing? I like hearing you talk. You have a nice, deep voice. It’s almost as sexy as your moans.” He whispered the last part close to my ear. I pushed him away and looked around to make sure nobody was close enough to hear his words, then turned to glare at him.

He laughed, then leaned in close. “Do you have plans tonight?”

I shook my head, mostly on autopilot.

“Good. Should we go on the light tour? It’s the first night, after all. We could scope out the competition for your mom.”

“You’d really want to do that?” I asked. I’d planned on going to check out what the other houses had planned anyway, but I didn’t think Remy would be interested in something like this.

He shrugged. “I’m not going to lie and say it’s high on my want-to-do list, but I’ll be doing it with you. So, what do you say? Wanna go on a date with me tonight?”

“Yeah, I do. I really do,” I replied, feeling my heart in my throat.

“Cool,” he smirked and got up from his seat. But instead of leaving, he bent over to reach my ear. “Oh, and just so we’re clear, I’m totally down to see if you could have my child. Though we’re unlikely to succeed, at least the practice will be a lot of fun.”

I could feel my cheeks heat at his words. I was probably as red as a tomato from hearing him say something like that in public—in his dad’s diner, no less! Remy chuckled again at my glare and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before practically skipping all the way back into the kitchen.

I got out my laptop and tried to hide my face with its screen. I was too embarrassed to meet anyone’s eyes at that moment because, holy fuck. Remy just said he wanted to have sex with me. Sure, what we did last night could be considered sex, but not full-blown, go all the way, do not pass GO, sex.

Because, regardless of how sure Remy seemed about jumping into gay sex with both feet, I still had my worries. I was nothing like a woman’s softness. I was bigger than Remy. Taller too—even if it was only by an inch. But that meant when he held me, it was an undeniable fact that I was a man. So, to hear him imply he was interested in my body like that had my hopes rising way too high.

How was I expected to function after that revelation?