'If you want your family to think we're a couple then you need to loosen up,” he said. “Your spine is stiff as a board.'
Macy let her shoulders drop and leaned against him. He was so warm and smelled so good she wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to just stand there and not take what she wanted. When he smiled at her and raised his head, looking past her, she heard the shuffle of feet.
'Oh, break it up you two. This is the kitchen, not your bedroom.'
Macy was loath to step away but reluctantly took a step back and turned to face her mother. “Sorry.'
'Don't apologize,” Rose said, grinning. “Just mind the prying eyes of others. You know how your brothers are.'
They were all called to supper and like the night before, the entire meal consisted of everyone trying to talk at once. General conversation centered around Sean, and Macy's brothers teased her about some of the answers they'd been given. When the table was cleared and they moved into the living room, soft whispers turned into giddy laughter and every person Macy looked at was staring at her.
'Okay, what gives?” she asked. “Why is everyone whispering and looking at me?'
'Were we?” Gwen asked.
'Yes. You know you were.'
Gwen shook her head and moved over to the sofa. “It's just your imagination, Macy.'
Macy glanced at Sean who shrugged a shoulder at her. He looked as clueless as she felt but the looks on everyone else's faces caused her pulse to race. They were up to something and whatever it was spelled trouble for her. She felt it in her bones.
She moved to the doorway, almost scared to enter the room completely. They were still watching her and now her mother was smiling, beaming actually, and fear started crawling up her spine. When Sean stepped next to her, she glanced up at him and whispered, “Something's wrong.'
'I can see that,” he said. “What do you think it is?'
'Hard to tell with them.'
'Should we make a run for it?'
'Good idea.'
Sean put a hand on her back, leading her to the front door and grabbed her coat, helping her put it on before grabbing his own. Someone asking, “where are you two going?” stopped them both in mid-motion.
'Uh, just out for a walk,” Sean said. “We won't be gone long.'
The whispers grew, and the giggles, and Macy sighed before pulling the door open and stepping out into the brisk air. The sun was beginning to set and the top of the mountain glistened like diamonds as twilight crawled over the horizon.
They walked to the edge of the forest, dunking under a low-lying branch before taking the path worn into the ground by years of little feet beating against it. They were quiet, walking side-by-side without a word said for long moments. When they reached the clearing, Macy smiled. “We used to have a clubhouse here,” she said. “The guys built it out of scrap lumber and old tree branches. Of course, I wasn't permitted to enter. All I could do was sit by the door and look in.'
Sean smiled at her and shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “Must have been nice living up here. I can imagine what it looks like in the summer.'
Macy's face lit up as she nodded. “It's great,” she said. “There's a pond just beyond that line of trees.” She pointed out the direction. “We used to picnic there everyday when it wasn't raining. I can't remember a summer day that wasn't spent in these woods. Of course, the winter is good too. The pond freezes solid so there was always ice skating.'
'Sounds like you had an ideal childhood.'
'Yeah, I guess I did.” Something crossed his face then and Macy knew whatever it was, wasn't a pleasant memory. She knew he didn't have a family but why that was, she didn't know. She knew nothing about him, really. She wasn't even sure how old he was. Older than her, but by how much, she didn't know. Not that it mattered. Age was just a number anyway. He could be forty and her feelings for him would be the same. Feelings she'd never told anyone about.
He smiled at her and looked toward the sky. What little light was still shining through the trees left the forest in pale shades of purple. Snow still drifted from the branches and the quiet creaking of tree limbs swaying in the breeze was the only sound to be heard. Macy stared at him, wondering what he was thinking. His dark hair was covered in snow, his jacket shining as the snow melted and left the moisture behind. His face looked wistful and she had to wonder if he wasn't thinking of his family. He usually got a little moody around the holidays but she was never around the week of Christmas to know if it was her imagination or not. The thoughts of him hurting caused her heart to ache. Regardless of the reasons for him being here, she wanted to make sure this was one holiday he enjoyed, even if it was only for one year.
Taking a step backwards, she put a little distance between them and reached to the ground, scooping a pile of snow into her hands. She rolled it, packing it enough to keep its shape. “Sean!” When he turned, she lobbed it across the distance, watching it smack him square in the chest. His eyes widened as he looked down at the decimated snowball sliding down the front of his coat before he looked back up. She reached down, scooping another handful and smiled, slowly backing away. When he grinned and reached for his own snowball, she threw the one in her hand before turning and running.
It was an all out war by the time they reached the house. Her hands were frozen, her clothes soaked, and when Sean grabbed her coat and pulled it away from her neck, tossing a handful of snow down the back of her shirt she squealed and danced around the yard to try and dislodge it. His laughter filled her head and made her heart feel light. The front door opened moments later and the laughter of her family joined her own as they rushed off the porch and joined the fight. When they were all winded and soaked to the bone, Macy stared across the yard at Sean. He was smiling at her. His cheeks were ruddy red, his wet hair standing up in various angles and as unkempt as he seemed, he'd never looked better. He looked truly happy.
When they all returned to the house, shedding coats and running for the fireplace to warm their hands, Macy stopped in the doorway and took in the scene. The tree was lit, the twinkling lights filling the room with a kaleidoscope of color bouncing off the walls. The sound of laughter, and the loving voices of her family, making her sigh, contented. This is what she missed most. Being surrounded by people who loved her and would do anything to see that she was happy.
She looked up when Sean stopped beside of her. His cheeks were still red but there was a sparkle in his eyes she'd never noticed before. When he turned his head to look at her, the smile he gave her warmed her to the bone. She'd give anything to have him look at her like that every time she saw him. Like he wanted nothing more than to be in her presence. It was long minutes before she realized the noise in the room had died and she turned her head back to her family, shocked to find them all staring at her with funny smiles on their faces. “What?” she said. “Why are you looking at me like that?'
Derek laughed before nodding his head at her. “You're standing under the mistletoe.'
Macy looked up. There, hanging above their heads by a bright red bow, was the clump of mistletoe they brought home earlier in the day. The leaves were bright and shiny, clustered around the small berries clinging to it. She saw Sean shift his weight and looked down at him. He was staring at her. Her pulse started to race instantly.
'Well, don't just stand there,” her mother said, grinning.
'Kiss her, Sean. She's a mistletoe virgin too!” The round of laughter that followed Derek's comment caused Macy's cheeks to heat as she blushed. She glanced away from Sean, looking at the expectant faces of her family. Their smiles were still in place and the only sound in the room was the crackling of logs in the fireplace. Looking back up at Sean, she whispered, “Just do it quick. They'll badger us to death if we don't.'
What exactly Macy had been expecting, she wasn't sure, but when Sean raised his hand and cupped her cheek, threading his fingers into her hair before lowering his head, her heart skipped a beat. She thought a quick peck on the lips, maybe, or a hard press of lips to make it appear as if they were kissing. What she got was a slow, languid slide of Sean's lips across her own. Her eyes closed an instant later as her limbs turned to jell-o. His tongue swiped her bottom lip and with a small gasp, she opened her mouth, a little moan escaping her throat when he slipped inside, taking a lazy taste of her. His free arm wound around her waist and she leaned against him, tilting her head and returning the kiss with her own exploration. Tingles raced up her spine as his hold on her tightened and she
