Page 16 of 27 Kisses

A warning bell goes off and my heart jumps around like the stock market after a political scandal. “I don’t— What’s happening?”

“Help your father get the bags from the car, dear.” Mother lightly slaps my arm like I just made a joke. “We’re staying here with you.”

Four

AIDYN

Twenty Days until Christmas

I givein and text Garrett around ten. Surely his parents are gone.

Everything okay?

Define okay.

Give me five minutes.

His minutes usually take hours, so I’m surprised to get a call after only a few minutes.

“Hey, love. How did things go with your parents?”

“Not great,” he says with a sigh. “They’re still here.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure. They say they’re here for the holidays, but I’m not buying it.”

“That’s fair. How’re you holding up?”

“My parents are staying with me. In my house.” The panic in Garrett’s voice spikes. “My mother wants to rearrange my office to make it more efficient.”

I laugh.

“My sanctuary, Aidyn.”

“I get it, love. I didn’t mean to laugh.”

He takes a few breaths, and I lean against the headboard and close my eyes, just listening to his breathing. “I don’t think I can take three weeks of my parents being in my space.”

“That’s a long time.”

“I’m sorry about tonight—about leaving. I miss you.”

My relief that he doesn’t bring up Christmas feels disingenuous. “I miss you too?—”

“It’s been too damn long,” Garrett says with a growl that my body enjoys quite a bit.

“Practically hours,” I agree with a chuckle.

“I mean since your cock has been in my ass.”

I groan. “Garrett?—”

“Hold on,” he whispers. Then silence.

His room is upstairs. Is that not where he is? “Garrett?”

“Yeah. Just checking that Mother and Father are in the downstairs guest room.”