Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
The more I try to separate my thoughts, the more jumbled they become. Images come faster and faster, as if I’m swiping through photos on my phone as quickly as I can. Nick dressed as an elf, charming everyone in the line at the park; Jasper expertly wielding an axe at the tree farm; Rudy licking whipped cream from his mustache at the coffee shop; Felix sharing his grandma’s cookies with me.
I actually stop getting ready for my date and take ten minutes to sit peacefully and try to meditate to clear my mind, but it’s hopeless. I can’t fight it. I have to let all four men mingle freely in my thoughts, and it makes me wish they could share the same space as easily in real life.
Felix and Jasper arrive ten minutes early for our date and greet me with passionate kisses.
“We missed you,” Felix says when he takes a breath.
I reach for the door frame to steady my weak knees. “I can tell. We just saw each other yesterday.”
“We missed you then, too,” Jasper says.
The thought of them missing me while they’re at Club Red, where hundreds of women would happily throw themselves at them—and many of them probably did—is both sweet and surprising. Do they really think of me when they’re surrounded by adoring fans?
“It’s another cold night.” Jasper rubs his hand over my bare forearm. “Much as it pains me to say this, you should put more clothes on.”
“I’m planning to put on a sweater, but I figured you’d both keep me warm.”
“We will definitely do that.” Jasper pulls me in close, and it’s another several minutes before I finally go and get the sweater.
“I haven’t been ice skating since I was a little girl.” I’m holding onto both of the men’s arms as they lead me to the rink.
“It’s like riding a bike,” Felix says.
“Is it? Are you sure? Because my ankles don’t seem to remember.”
The skating rink is outdoors, in Whitman, and it’s only for the holiday season, so it’s not like I have year-round opportunities to practice skating in our usually warm climate.
Somehow, however, the men are smooth and steady when we hit the ice. I immediately grip each of their arms more tightly, and I’m certain they’re the only reason I’m not already flat on my butt.
The three of us circle around the rink—or rather, they skate and I hold on for dear life.
“Do you have her?” Felix asks his brother when we arrive back where we started. When Jasper says, “Of course,” Felix carefully transfers my hand to his brother’s arm, then skates off on his own in front of us, backwards, his hips smoothly swiveling, his eyes playful.
“Showoff!” I call after him.
He laughs as he turns in a couple of circles before returning to my side.
“Go on. Don’t let me hold you back,” I tease, waving him away before quickly clamping my hand back on Jasper.
“I’ll be back,” Felix promises, before skating off ahead of us.
“You doing okay?” Jasper puts one of his hands over mine and gives me a reassuring squeeze.
“As long as you keep holding me.”
He bends close, and I can feel his warm breath on my ear. “Nothing I’d rather do.”
He gives me some tips as we make another slow lap around the rink. Felix passes us a couple of times, as Jasper wraps his arms around me from behind and does the skating for us, while I just glide along.
The rink is festooned with holiday lights, and Christmas music is playing. I’m stunned when I realize Jasper’s humming along with “Jingle Bell Rock.” When I glance up at him, he’s full-on smiling.
“You look almost as happy as you did when you were playing Santa,” I tell him.
As if he’s been caught doing something he shouldn’t, Jasper flattens out his smile, but his eyes are still twinkling. Eventually, his mouth settles into a grin. “I did enjoy Santa duty more than I thought I would.”
“You were a natural. And such a sexy Santa.”
“Is that right?” With one quick movement, he twirls me around, and I squeal as I’m suddenly skating backwards. He has a firm grip on my hips though, and I have a view of his gorgeous face.
He steers us into a corner and brings us to a stop along the wall, wrapping his arms around me and giving me a kiss. It’s wonderful, but luckily it’s not as intense as the ones at my house, because my legs are already wobbly enough.
We rest there for a while, Jasper’s arms around me, and my back pressed into his chest, until Felix skates up, his cheeks flushed and his dark hair more attractively tousled than ever.
He holds out a hand. “Ready for more?”
I’m reluctant to leave Jasper’s warm embrace, but Felix is always a temptation. “I wouldn’t say ready, but I’ll do my best.”