Holly's Christmas Dom-Brieanna-final edit Read Online Free Page A

be,
idiot? No one wears a label saying virgin or non-virgin. It was more a feeling
he had. Or wishful thinking . He knew
she'd had boyfriends. Damn it, he'd even had a few warned off and wasn't
ashamed of it. Holly Winters was his until she said otherwise. With a quick
mental crossing of his fingers, Mac hoped to hell that wasn't going to happen
in the next couple of hours.
    He recorked the bottle, tucked it under his arm, and
snagged two glasses before following her into the lounge. To his pleasure, she'd
chosen not to sit in a chair but on a cushion on the floor in front of the
armchair he usually used.
    Behind her, the lights on the Christmas tree he'd
ordered especially in the hope of this meeting twinkled in the firelight. Her
namesake was tucked around each picture frame. Christmas cards were hung on
silk ribbons down each wall. He had a very cock-arousing idea for those ribbons
after the festive period. If...
    Don't even go there.
    "Wine?" He held the bottle up, and she
dipped her head. “It’s non alcoholic, just in case.” He didn’t say in case of
what and she decided not to ask. “I have merlot for later if we need it.”
    That dip of her head stretched his nerve endings to
the limit. I want that all the time, for
the right reasons.
    "Go on then. It’ll be champagne of the alcoholic
type tomorrow. It’s Christmas, after all. And it looks like we're snowed in."
Holly waved toward the uncovered windows where snow was gathering on the glass.
"My mum will go ape if I'm not there for dinner tomorrow." She took
the glass he offered her. "Ah well."
    "Hours until then," Mac said. "And she's
invited me as well. Cheers, Holly. Happy birthday."
    "Oh shit, yeah. Don't remind me. Twenty-eight,
and as my gran says, 'Oh lovey, you're getting on a bit to still be single.'
Gah. No. I. Am. Not."
    "No, you're not. Noel is the same age and
single—allegedly. And before you ask..."
    Holly rolled her eyes and crossed them. It was a trick
he'd been most envious of when they were kids. "I know, you're not
telling. That's different evidently. Gran says, and I quote, 'he's off all over
the world with that band stuff.' He needs to sew his wild oats before settling
down with a nice young lady, according to Gran. Poor love. When she was told he
was gay, bless her, she said, 'Ah, he's always been cheerful.'"
    Mac almost spewed wine all over her. He'd just taken a
mouthful as she spoke. Instead, he choked, and tears streamed down his cheeks.
Holly patted him on the back.
    "Oh dear, did it go down the wrong way? Did you
blow not suck?" Her eyes sparkled with mirth, and her shoulders shook.
    "Would you like me to show you the difference?"
Mac asked in a deliberately deceptive and innocent voice. "I'll be happy
to. If I do, though, all else is off. Including your clothes. Be careful,
Holly." He lowered his tone, and watched her eyes dilate. Oh yes, pet, you're more than ready for me .
"You can only tweak the tiger's tail so often before he rears up and bites
you. We're not kids anymore. It's not skinny-dipping in the river or peeking
into the boys changing rooms. I want you. In every way a man wants a woman and
probably in more ways than most. So now I'm going to sit over there opposite
you and tell you what I want." He paused. "What I am."
    The silence was absolute as he stared steadily at her.
A coal dropped in the grate, and they both jumped.
    "Okay," Holly said slowly. She straightened
her shoulders and spoke. As she did, her voice strengthened. "Yes, okay.
Deck me with it, Mac Hall."
    He grinned. "Yeah, and don't think I don't know
you lot were singing that little ditty at the carol service. You got me
suspended in high school for thumping Jason Harris for writing that on a notice
board in the student's lounge. Well, that in addition to the carol service 2
p.m. notice, he’d tacked on, ‘Who is servicing Carol?’"
    Holly gasped. "That was Jason Harris? I'll cut
his balls off with a blunt penknife. No, actually thinking about it, I'll