Page 7

Chapter 7

Lana

I toss another piece of wood into the stoked fire. I love the smell of burning wood, it brings me right back to the cold Christmas winters back in Canada growing up.

Snow falls. Cozy fires. Hot chocolate. Christmas lights.

I look around the near empty living room. Trevor is nowhere in sight. I told him to stay away, and except for bringing down a small tree for me to flock, it seems like he's doing just that.

Good. I'm glad he finally took a hint. Because I can't be around him without completely losing my mind, apparently. Nobody should smell that good. Nobody should feel that good pressed against me.

And now I find myself dwelling on the fact that Trevor Sincaid might actually be one of the most attractive humans I've ever been around. Which makes me dislike him even more.

He's not the kind of guy I'd typically be attracted to. I tend to go for a less playful type. More serious. More goal-oriented. Someone who knows what he wants in life.

My ex, basically.

But Trevor has this way about him. He's cool. Unbothered. Everything seems like a game to him.

There's a thump against the floor above me followed by a loud grunt. And it sounds like he just stubbed his toe. I grab the stoker and push around the firewood, watching the fire build.

There's another loud thump.

What the hell is he doing up there?

Annoyed, I make my way down the hallway. "Trevor?"

I don't hear anything.

Did he die?

" Trevor?" I call out again.

Another loud thump.

Nope, still alive.

I make my way up the small staircase that leads up to the creepy door of the attic. The light at the top is dim but enough for me to get a good view of him without him seeing me.

He has a pair of headphones sitting on top of his head and he's humming to something he's listening to as he shuffles some boxes around. All of which would be completely acceptable except that he's not wearing a shirt.

I watch as he takes a box down from a stack, his muscles coiling as he reaches overhead. He has a nice back—strong, toned and it's adorned by a giant tattoo scrawled across his skin.

I watch as he moves and I finally hear the words to the song he's singing.

Stargazing. Ugh. Way to ruin a moment. I move to go downstairs but I hear my name.

I turn just as I watch him take his headphones off.

"Were you just watching me, little grinch?"

"I thought you died," I blurt out.

He chuckles. "What?"

"The noise… I thought you died."

"Sorry to disappoint. Just looking for those damn decorations your brother was talking about. Whoever lives here doesn't believe in labels and I'm starting to think he just sent me on a wild goose chase."

I step through the tiny door, wondering how a guy of Trevor's stature—and especially my brothers—is even able to get through it.

"It can't be that hard." I eye the boxes he's already moved, then back to him. "Aren't you cold?"

He looks down at his abs—glistening like he just got done working out—then looks back at me.

"Does my half-naked body offend you, little grinch?"

"No," I scoff.

"Because apparently, my shirtless self doth offend the female species."

"It's very… shiny," I observe.

A small grin pulls at the corner of his lips and his dimple pulses. "Shiny?"

I toss my hand in his direction. "Mick will be here any minute. He'll wonder what the heck we've been doing all this time if he doesn't see decorations."

I pull down another box and open it—just books.

"Oh, right, and we wouldn't want him to think we were doing anything freaky."

I give him a look. "I don't think anyone would accuse you of being a freak," I say.

"How would you know, Lana? How would you know I'm not a closet freak?"

"Are you?" I ask him.

He seems to like that I'm digging because his eyes light up.

"Wouldn't you like to know, little grinch?"

"I wouldn't, actually."

"When was the last time you had sex?" he asks nonchalantly. I drop the book in my hand, and it falls back into the box.

"Excuse me? That's none of your business."

He lowers down another box from the shelves and pushes it toward me.

"So you can ask me if I'm a freak, but I'm not allowed to ask you when's the last time you got freaky?" He grunts as he shoves the box closer to me.

I sigh. "You first."

He straightens and places his hands on his hips. The pants he's wearing sit low enough on them to give me a good view of the 'v' shape of his muscles. It takes everything in me to pull my eyes away.

"I guess it's been… over a year? Maybe more." He goes back to moving boxes.

I cough on nothing. "Over a year?!"

He looks at me and shrugs.

"That can't be right," I say, pulling the box he brought to open closer to me—this one contains extra bedding.

"Why? Because it would go against everything you believe about me being a slutty hockey player?"

My eyes lock with his. "Maybe."

"I told you I'm not who you think I am. Your turn," he says.

I get flashes of that last night with my ex-fiance. I wouldn't have suspected a thing. I would've married him. And I would've been an idiot.

"I… can't remember," I lie.

"That bad, huh?"

"No, it was adequate."

He turns to look at me. "Adequate—sounds like the epitome of romance. I guess we can assume "freak" isn't included in your bio either."

I scoff, "It wasn't for lack of trying."

He pushes another box around and then turns to watch me.

"Oh yeah? What's the freakiest thing you've done, little grinch?"

I know what he's doing. He's baiting me. "I'm not about to tell you that."

Leaning on a stack of boxes, he slides his hands into his pocket.

“Because you’re scared I’ll like what I hear?”

My eyes flick to his. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that his presence does something to me.

I lick my lips. “I think my imagination is freakier than I am in real life.”

He straightens. “Is that right? Then what’s something you’ve thought about, Lana?”

My heart starts to race. Nobody’s ever asked me questions like this before. I hardly know him, but the way he watches me, head cocked and ready to hear what I have to say, it feels nice.

“Forget it; you’ll think I’m crazy.”

He laughs. “Sorry to disappoint you yet again, but I already think you’re crazy.”

I give him a look.

“You sat on the hood of your car to keep it from getting towed,” he reminds me.

“Ha! Yeah, speaking of that–”

He puts a hand up. “I’m paying for you to get it back. I already talked to John.”

“As you should!”

He’s still watching me. “Now, about those fantasies.”

“I want to be chased and tied up,” I blurt out. I feel my cheeks heating at the admission.

Trevor’s lips part as he takes in a breath. “Chased… and tied up,” he repeats thoughtfully.

“I told you I’d sound crazy.”

He walks over to me, where I’m seated on the heels of my feet on the ground. And reaches for my chin so that I’m looking up at him. He bends slightly.

“Like earlier… in the snow?”

I give a slight nod. Remembering how good it felt. The adrenaline coursing through my veins, fleeing from danger and then getting caught–his body pressed against mine. I haven’t felt that thrill in so long.

“And then what?” he asks lowly. “What would you want to happen to you once you’re tied up?”

I try to swallow, but it feels even more exaggerated because of the way he’s holding my chin.

“I-I haven’t thought that far…” I say.

Trevor chuckles deep in his chest. “Oh yes, you have, little grinch. Say it. What would you want to happen if you’ve been chased and tied up?”

His eyes hold my gaze so intently I feel like my insides are about to combust. I don’t talk like this. I don’t admit these things to men.

“I’ll help you out,” he says, dropping his hand from my chin and moving behind me. He squats, and I can feel his breath behind my ear as he whispers. “Would you want to be choked?... Spanked?... Fucked?” he says.

My eyes widen, and I swallow hard and croak out a weak, “Yes.”

Still behind me, his hand grabs a hold of my throat. He doesn’t choke me. He just puts a light pressure on it and forces me to look at him.

“You, little grinch… are quite the freak then.” He grins, his eyes bouncing across my features. He’s close enough to kiss.

The front door opens downstairs and slams. “Honey, I’m home,” my brother announces. “And it’s cold as shit out there.”

I scramble to my feet, nearly pushing Trevor down the stairs as I do.

“Where are you guys?” Vance asks, down the hall.

“Upstairs,” I say, a little too squeaky for my liking. I clear my throat, “We found the decorations.”

I look at Trevor who’s slowly rising to his feet and casually sliding his hands back into his pocket, heated eyes watching me.

“Put your shirt on!” I whisper-yell to him.

He looks down at his body. His pants are tented in such a way that he wouldn’t be able to deny what was just happening up here. Then he looks back at me.

“I think I’ll stay like this. But thanks.”

“Oh my god,” I say, grabbing some ornaments from a box and heading down the stairs.

I need to get it together. This is Trevor Sincaid. My brother’s teammate and friend. The neighbor that I can’t stand. And the man who just got me to admit that I might be a little sick in the head when it comes to the intimacy department.

Oh my god! Did I really just admit those things to him?

What if he tells Vance? Or the rest of his team? What if he uses it against me, and I lose my job?

Shit. I shouldn’t ever have fallen for his stupid trap.

I nearly run into my brother once I get down the steep steps.

“Hey!” I laugh nervously.

“Hey,” he says, looking behind me suspiciously. “You good?”

“Yep!” I hold up the small ornament box. “Just gonna go… you know, decorate.”

“Right,” he says. “I got some stuff for soup tonight and dinner tomorrow.”

“Awesome, can’t wait.” I push past him and nearly stumble into the living room.

“I’m just gonna take a quick shower and try to thaw out,” Vance calls out to me.

I’m already hanging ornaments on the tree when I hear him close a door down the hall.

Phew, that was close. What would’ve happened up there if Vance hadn’t returned just now.

What kind of things would Trevor and I be getting into?

The thought barely has time to formulate when I hear footsteps coming up behind me. A box is dropped beside me.

“Don’t you think we should start with the lights?” Trevor says.

“Oh… yeah, I guess that would make sense.”

He reaches into the box and pulls out a string of lights, unrolling them. “We should test them out first. Make sure they work.”

“Mmhmm,” I hum back.

“What’s wrong, Lana. You seem a little nervous,” he eyes me as he continues to unroll the string of lights.

“I’m not. I’m fine.” Ah shit. I did it again. I’m totally not fine. I’m currently imagining him using those lights to do things with me, and I really, really shouldn’t.

He watches me closely and hands me the end of the string. “Here hold this while I plug them in.”

I take the lights, and his hand brushes against mine. Briefly but enough to send a shiver up my arm. I’m way too on edge.

Why did I have to get so vulnerable with him? I wish I could just take it all back.

Trevor, who still hasn’t put on a shirt, bends down and sticks the plug into the socket. The lights blink to life and all the colors make the space instantly feel like the holidays.

“They work,” he says.

“They do. Listen,” I look back to make sure my brother isn’t around. “About what I said up there. Can we just keep that between the two of us? It’s not something I really want people to know. You know?”

Trevor licks his lips and walks over to me. He takes the lights in my hand and in one swift motion, takes my wrists and winds the string around them, creating a quick knot with them.

“What are you doing?” I breathe out.

“Testing the tie,”, he pulls it toward him. Then he takes one hand, backs me up against the wall next to the fireplace, and tugs the lights so that my hands go up over my head, exposing me to him.

“You’re telling me you don’t want people to know that you liked to get fucked well, little grinch?”

His hips pin me against the wall, and as he does, I feel his erection right on my stomach. Hard and thick as he watches my breath rising and falling. I try to pull my arms down, but he tightens his grip.

“You want to be tied up, you naughty girl. Admit that you like this. Admit that you want more,” he teases, whispering against my ear.

“No,” I breathe out.

“No, you won’t admit it? Or no, you don’t want it?”

I gulp. “I won’t admit it.”

A grin spreads across his face. “But you already did, little grinch.”

He’s looking down at me, his eyes flicking from my eyes to my lips, then back up.

I do like this. I like it so much. Nobody’s ever taken liberties like this… but then again, nobody’s ever just asked.

But Trevor did.

His chest is on mine and i’m sure he can feel my nipple hardening through my shirt.

He leans in and whispers against my lips. “Don’t play coy now, Lana. I can feel your heart beating against my chest. You love this.” He tugs harder and and I gasp against his lips. I squeeze my thighs together, craving friction. Wishing he’d press himself into me more.

“How wet are you right now, little grinch?”

“I’m not,” I say, defiantly.

He chuckles, taking his free hand and bringing it to my waistband. He slips his hand down between my legs and when he finds the moisture pooling there he whispers, “Liar.”

I gulp, shutting my eyes as he does the thing I want. He presses his body against me, pinning me into the wall. I’m helpless against the Christmas lights restraining my hands above my head as he takes the slickness in his hand and moves it in a delicious circle against my clit.

I shutter, opening my eyes to see his hungry on me. His lips part and he slowly and lifts his glistening middle finger to his mouth, his lips wrapping around as he sucks it into his mouth and licks the taste of me off of it.

Oh my god.

“You taste sinful, Lana. Wanna taste?”

I gulp but before I can say anything his lips are on mine and he takes me in a dizzying kiss. His tongue parts my lips, meeting mine. And I want nothing more than for him to just take me right here, right now with the fire roaring next to me.

But the bathroom door opens down the hall. Our lips break apart and he lets go of his hold on my wrists.

In no rush at all, Trevor walks to the kitchen and starts unloading the groceries from the two bags on the island just as Vance walks in.

Nearly busted… again. But this time, I’m in a much more compromising position.

Vance takes one look at me, my wrists wrapped up in the string lights, and laughs. “What the hell is wrong with you?

My thoughts exactly… what the hell is wrong with me?

“Uh,” I look down at the lights twisted around my wrist. “I got a little tied up,” I say, holding up the tangle.

“Better you do it than me, tangled lights are a bitch,” Vance says, going to the kitchen to help Trevor.

Trevor looks over at me with a smirk and I roll my eyes, trying to untie myself.

“Let me,” Trevor says, coming back over to me, and as he does my heartbeat picks up its pace.

He reaches for my wrists and unties the lights quickly.

“Got yourself into a little mess there, didn’t you, little grinch?” he says playfully.

“You know,” Vance says from the kitchen. “I thought for sure I’d come home to Lana digging up a grave in the backyard, but I didn’t expect to see this.”

Trevor and I both glance at each other quickly.

“A nice fire going, a tree about to be decorated, you two… being cordial. It’s nice,” Vance says. “It makes Christmas trapped in a random town in a random cabin just a little bit better.”

Right… cordial. That’s what’s happening between his teammate and I. We’re being cordial.

“Did you find out if we can stay the extra day?” Trevor says, backing away from me and stringing the lights on the tree.

“I did. And got a hold of mom and pops too.”

“What’d they say?” I ask him.

“They’re sad to miss Christmas but they’d rather we be safe.”

Vance grabs a pot from one of the cabinets. “We should play some music.”

“Maybe have some drinks?” Trevor says, swishing the bottle of vodka from earlier around.

“Fine,” Vance says grabbing it and taking a swig. “One drink.”