A Very Grey Christmas (4 page)

“Sure, but who’s the guest?” I tried to think about who in the family liked red wine.

“Eden, stop arguing and just go put this out there. We can talk when you get back. I have laundry to fold.” She shoved the bottle in my hands and brushed past me toward the laundry room.

So much for my hot toddy. I placed the mug on the counter, slipped on my sneakers, and crossed the backyard toward the guesthouse. The snow landed on my face, coating my nose and cheeks with big, fluffy flakes. This kind of snow left a velvety blanket wherever it fell.

I always loved spending time in the guesthouse. It was like a retreat away from home. I pushed the door open. The Christmas tree filled the window. Other than the tree and a few flickering candles, the lights were dim. I took a few steps to see what ornaments Mom had used to decorate it with when I noticed the branches were tied with shreds of red and white bandanas. There was a Texas flag, a cowboy boot, a steer, and a metal star mixed in with red and white balls.
What?

I turned to see the mantle below the television was lined with cinnamon candles, and there was Christmas music playing low on the stereo. I turned on my heels toward the kitchenette. I opened the refrigerator. It was fully stocked: bottled water, cheese, milk, sodas, and beer.

My senses were way ahead of my brain. I knew what all of this looked, smelled, and sounded like, but it couldn’t be possible. Grey was in South Padre. He was probably sitting on the deck drinking a beer or watching a football game like my dad. He wasn’t here.

“Darlin’? Did I find the right place?”

I whipped around at the sound of his voice.

“Oh my God. What? How?” I ran across the room and jumped in his arms. I didn’t really care what the answers were. The only thing that mattered was that Grey was here.

His lips seared mine. I didn’t care that we left the door open and that snow was swirling into the living room, or that my parents were just a few paces away. Grey was here. He staggered into the living room, clutching my back. His lips moved across mine with the kind of fever that melted all the sadness I had felt since we said good-bye at the airport. As my breath quickened, my hands slid against his neck, pulling him tighter against me.

“I missed you, baby.” He smiled.

“I-I can’t believe you’re here.” My feet landed on the floor, and I leaned against the counter to regain control of my heartbeat.

“If this is the one thing you wanted for Christmas, I couldn’t stay home, could I?” I loved how his eyes twinkled in the dim lights of the guesthouse. I loved everything about him.

“My parents? Did you meet them?”

“Yes. Your mom pointed me to the guesthouse. She knew I was coming. I called her this morning.”

“You did?” I stared at him in disbelief. “You talked to my mom on the phone?”

“You have that list of numbers on the fridge. I couldn’t just fly in and not get their permission. She seemed excited about it.” He stepped closer, wrapping his hands around my waist. “What about you? Are you excited?”

I was never big on surprises. I didn’t like surprise parties or having to wait weeks to find out some great secret. But this. This kind of surprise was the ultimate Christmas gift.

“I’ve never been more excited.” I tugged on the front of his jacket until his lips were a breath away. “Want to see the bedroom?” I winked.

Grey laughed. “I do, but I think we’re expected at the house for drinks.” He nodded in the direction of the main house.

“Drinks?”

“Your mom and dad want us to have a drink with them. I told them I’d bring you right back with me.”

My shoulders slumped. “Now? Can’t we have coffee in the morning?” All I could think about was shredding every piece of his clothing and showing him how much I missed him.

“Since I’m crashing your family Christmas, I’m not about to start off on the wrong foot.” He tugged on my hand. “Let’s get going.”

“But—” I couldn’t argue with his logic, but logic had nothing to do with how I was feeling. My Christmas wish was standing in front of me. All towering six plus feet of him. Spending time with my parents right now was the last thing on my mind.

Grey brought my palm to his lips and kissed it. “Darlin’, one drink, and then we have the rest of the night together.” He winked, and I felt a bolt of heat shoot down my spine.

“One drink,” I whispered.

It was a little unusual that this was the first time Grey would spend any time with my parents. Our relationship had never been labeled conventional though, so I guess it was fitting.

“Mr. Brady, thank you for having me on such short notice.” Grey accepted a bourbon and Coke from my father.

“Of course, son. I think you just made Eden’s Christmas a little brighter.” My father smiled at me.

My mother entered the room with two glasses of wine. “Here you go, honey.”

I took the goblet from her. My mother always switched out the china and crystal for the holidays. My wineglass was covered in painted candy canes.

“When you called me this morning, Grey, I just couldn’t believe it. It was the hardest secret I had to keep all day.”

“Yeah, you were acting weird, Mom. I knew something was up, but not this. I didn’t expect to see you tonight.” I turned toward him. “How did you manage to plan the trip on such short notice anyway?”

Grey chugged the bourbon. “I had been thinking about it before you left. I wanted to make sure I could wrap some things up for Mason before I left town.”

I stared at him. “You’ve been planning this all along?”

Grey might have blushed. “I didn’t want to spend Christmas away from you either.”

My mother smiled. She was obviously enjoying getting to see Grey in person. He was no longer the mysterious Texas boy who swept me off my feet and out of the state.

“What about Taylor and your uncle, Grey? Have you spoken to him about the trip?” My mother was full of questions.

“Mom, we don’t really refer to Mason as an uncle.” I had filled her in on the family backstory, but that didn’t mean she really grasped how sensitive Grey was about the topic. They acted like business partners, not family members.

“Oh, sorry.” She focused on her wine.

“That’s ok.” Grey shifted on his feet. “I told Mason I would be up here. He mentioned he was spending Christmas Eve with Taylor. It’s not like we match up our schedules or anything.”

Later, when we were alone, I would ask Grey about seeing him. Taylor only lived an hour away, so it wasn’t out of the question. She and I wanted to get together one night for dinner.

My wineglass was empty. I had fulfilled my one-drink obligation. I followed my mother into the kitchen. There was something I had to talk to her about.

“Mom, I-I don’t want to make things uncomfortable…” I wasn’t sure how to approach the topic of shacking up with my boyfriend. It was one thing for me to be out of sight doing it, but in their backyard was a different story.

“Ahh, you want to know about staying in the guesthouse.”

I nodded. “Is it going to freak Dad out?” I helped her rinse out the candy cane wineglasses.

She laughed. “Of course it’s going to freak him out, but we talked about it. We’d rather have you in the guesthouse for Christmas, happy with Grey, than in here with us and miserable. Besides, we already had to cross that mental hurdle when you moved in together.” She patted my back. “I think he’s great, Eden. I really do.”

“You do?” I didn’t realize I had been waiting for some kind of affirmation from her. I guess that was the bonus part of not knowing Grey was on his way. Otherwise, I would have been a nervous wreck all day.

“Yes. And I can tell Dad thinks so too. Now, go grab your bag and we’ll see you for breakfast.”

I looked at the clock. “It is late, and I’m tired after the caroling.”

“I’m sure.” She gave me one of those maternal looks that said she read right through my words.

“Goodnight, Mom.” I gave her a quick hug and raced to my room. My clothes were scattered. I could gather everything tomorrow. All I needed tonight was my toothbrush and a change of clothes for the morning. I wasn’t planning on sleeping in anything.

The guesthouse smelled like cinnamon and looked like something out of a movie scene. I couldn’t have set a more romantic setting. Grey closed the door behind us, shaking the snow from his coat, and then turned to secure the deadbolt.

“I like your parents. They’re nice, but I knew they would be.” He carried my bag to the bedroom. I was right behind him, not wanting to create a foot of space between us.

I threw my coat on the floor and pulled the sweater over my head.

“Well, hey.” He turned to see me shedding my clothes. He closed the distance as his lips crashed into mine.

“Hey.” My hands traced the zipper on his coat and tugged until it was off his arms.

I quickly worked the buttons on his shirt until I could feel the hard planes of his chest. He shivered as I worked my hands over his shoulders.

“It’s cold up here,” he whispered in my ear.

“Let me help with that.” I reached for the zipper on his jeans and wrestled with the snap. Grey stepped out of the jeans and kicked them to the side.

I felt the warmth spread through my body as his lips moved from my ear down my neck and along my throat. His breath was hot as he traced the line between my breasts. He slipped my bra off and tossed it on the floor.

I couldn’t believe this morning I woke up alone, and now here we were, together like this.

His mouth descended over my breast, and he began to suck and nip lightly until I was moaning his name. “Grey, take me over there.” I pointed to the bed. It was steps away but it seemed like a mile with the heat burning in my core.

He ignored my pleas and began the sweet assault on the other side until I was barely able to stand. My knees were like jelly, trying to support me. I moaned again, knowing I was completely at his mercy.

He stepped back and looked at me like I was a present he was about to unwrap. My chest heaved with anticipation. God, he was gorgeous and sexy. I couldn’t ask for a better Christmas surprise.

He led me to the bed and nudged my shoulders back on the mattress while he worked the button and zipper on my jeans. He alternated kisses along my stomach with short tugs on the jeans. It felt like they were moving down my legs a centimeter at a time. Each time his lips would move back to my stomach, he would press a kiss between my legs then give another little tug. I fought the urge to wriggle out of the jeans and just be done with them, but I could tell he was enjoying every second he made me wait for him.

My eyes flew to the blinds, realizing we hadn’t paused long enough to see if we were visible from the windows.

“Grey,” I groaned.

“Yeah, baby?” He crawled on top of me, planting a kiss on my neck.

“Blinds.” I pointed to the window. I didn’t think they could see in here, but it wasn’t worth taking a chance.

“Oh, damn.” He hopped from the bed and twisted the wand until the yard and my parents’ house was out of sight. “Better?” He returned to the end of the bed.

“Mmmhmm.” I resisted the need I had to grasp at him.

He tucked his fingers under the edge of jeans and started pushing them down again, working them against my hips. I lifted from the bed so he could strip them off my legs.

His hot lips pressed kisses into the soft skin above my hip and drew an imaginary line to the other side, crossing over my navel. I inhaled deeply with each contact his mouth made. He had started a fire in me that was already blazing at epic proportions.

I don’t know how he was showing so much restraint. Being this close to him was torture.

“You ok?” He raised his head and brandished a devilish expression, as he pushed the lace between my legs to the side and began a rhythmic motion with his fingers that had me bowing off the bed.

I wasn’t sure how to answer. Yes, I was over-the-top happy that he was here and we were going to spend the night together, but my body was aching from within to be with him.

I reached for his neck and brought his lips to mine. Our tongues lashed against each other with furious abandon. The kiss was fueled with passion and lust like I had never known.