Page 4 of One Naughty Christmas Night

Victoria’s green eyes pierced him with a glance, but she shrugged and returned to her book.

She knows you lied to her.

He sighed inwardly and grabbed the book he chose, setting his feet on the small table next to the stack.

They were quiet for a long while, enjoying their reading together.

Something the two of them did often, the library was a safe space that they weren’t scolded for being alone in a room together. Usually, the door was left open, but Heath closed it this time to avoid someone coming in.

Heath’s head snapped up when they heard a couple conversing coming straight for the library.

“Who is that?” she whispered, closing her book.

“I don’t know.”

The voices grew louder as they made their way down the hall to the library.

“I think that’s Valentina,” Victoria said.

Quinn’s wife giggled. “Come here,” Quinn said, the sound coming through the library door.

“Quinn, wait until we get to our room,” Valentina said, Quinn’s reply too low for them to hear.

“Into the library,” Quinn said, their footsteps drawing closer.

“Heath? What do we do?” she hissed, her eyes wide.

“Come on,” he said, grabbing her hand.

They abandoned their books on the small table, but Victoria grabbed her shoes.

“Here,” he said, tucking them into a small alley between two of the large bookshelves.

The door opened, and Heath felt her jump.

He placed his hands on her shoulders, and she glanced up at him. He held a finger to his lips when Valentina’s voice floated across the room to them.

“Quinn, we can’t in the library,” she said, a throaty laugh pulled from her at her husband’s soft growl.

“There’s no one here. Who will know?” His voice reached them in their hiding spot, and Victoria fidgeted, pressing her fist against her mouth.

The door shut, and Heath’s stomach flipped, realization dawning that they were now trapped in the library in the middle of a rendezvous between his brother and his wife.

He watched Victoria lean out for a moment, then hop back into place, her jaw hanging open.

“Heath,” she murmured, her knuckles white against the bunched dark fabric of his jacket. “We need to get out of here!”

Valentina’s moan reached them, and Victoria’s face went white.

“Please. Get me out of here.”

“There’s nowhere for us to go,” he whispered. “Unless you want to see more of my brother and his wife than you ever thought possible, it’s best to let them… finish what they’re doing.”

***

“I can’t stay in here and listen to your brother make love to his wife,” Victoria stated, peeking out for the second time.

Valentina sat against the chaise, Quinn not to be found.