Page 11 of Stolen Holidays (The Miller Brothers #5)

ten

Eli

Eight Days Until Christmas

The sun-soaked landscape comes into view along the horizon as Callie and I approach the top of the hill on horseback. Breathing through my nerves, I focus on the lake below lazily lapping at the shore while the snow-capped mountains surround the water and lush greenery. The sight is incredible.

My eyes search for Callie, and the wide smile on her face has my shoulders falling in relief as she takes in the scenery and breathes in the cool, fresh mountain air. This is the perfect setting for presenting Callie with one of the many gifts I have picked out for our first holiday together.

Today is the last day I’ll have Callie all to myself, and since the weather has held up nicely these past few days—sunny and only slightly chilly—I wanted to do something special for my girl.

I want to soak up the last bit of our alone time before my brothers and their families arrive for the first official Miller Family Holiday vacation and all the chaos starts.

While I’m excited about my entire family spending the holiday together, I’ve been enjoying this time alone with Callie.

Even though it feels like we’ve been together from the start, it’s only been a few months and, selfishly, I would much rather spend the holiday just the two of us.

Which is why I’m planning to whisk her away in the new year for a trip around the world for our honeymoon.

My girl spent the last decade caged and tied up in chains, bound by a woman determined to wring every ounce of happiness from her. Now, it’s my job to show Callie what the world is like free from those shackles.

Callie looks over at me, tears brimming her eyes, as she sees the surprise waiting for her. “Ohmigod, Eli. What did you do?”

“Do you like it?” I ask, already knowing the answer as her eyes eat up every inch of the sight before her.

Beneath the large white oak tree is a small cream-colored A-frame tent, sitting on top of a matching carpet and a variety of pillows in all shapes and colors.

A thermos of hot chocolate sits beside a large wicker picnic basket filled with sandwiches and a side salad, and a rustic wood platter filled with cheeses, meats, fruit, and crackers.

It’s perfect. When I asked the owner, Hilly, to help me set up this little lunch for me and Callie, she was thrilled, and it turns out she—like my sister-in-law—has a calling for setting up romantic dates.

“Are you kidding? It’s just like our first date. I love it,” she answers, her voice thick with emotion, as we approach our waiting hosts—the inn owners, Jeff and Hilly.

Our horses come to a stop at the edge of the camp area, where Jeff takes the horses’ reins from us and ties them to a hitching post.

I expel a breath as I watch Callie shift her weight and throw her leg over the horse with such grace.

Is there anything she can’t do?

She looks sexy as fuck in her tight blue jeans, creamy puffer coat and matching wool beanie with a pom on her head.

My blood rushes south at the thought of peeling her out of those tight pants and taking her right here on the top of the world for everyone to see. To know that she’s all mine, forever.

“Ready to get down, lover boy?”

I glance at Jeff, who is smirking at me with his arms crossed over his chest. He reminds me of Jace, with similar wise eyes and big, brotherly smile. Also like my brother, I’ve walked in on Jeff railing his wife, so I reply, “I feel like I know you well enough to tell you to fuck off.”

Jeff chuckles. “Touché.”

I climb off the horse and shake his hand, thanking him for his help setting this up for me and Callie.

After chatting for a few, Jeff and his wife ,Hilly, switch places with us and head back to the inn on the horses, leaving behind a golf cart for me and Callie to return in, along with the tent and the rest of the supplies.

Stepping behind Callie, I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her neck, where the cool metal of her collar meets her warm skin. I love knowing that, like me, the necklace is a permanent fixture on her body.

“What do you think, Cal? Want to have a picnic with me?”

Callie spins around in my arms as she wraps hers around my neck. “I want to have everything with you, Eli.”

“Yeah?”

“Mm-hmm.” She runs her hands over my pecs, feeling me up and turning me on. My body tingles, sensing her touch through the layers of fabric between us. “You know, this cowboy look is good on you.”

“Is that right?” I huff with a laugh. I’m wearing a pair of blue jeans, tan steel-toed work boots, a white long-sleeve thermal with three buttons at the collar, and a brown leather jacket, which was a Christmas present from my mom. Nothing about my outfit says “cowboy”.

“Yup. All you need is a cowboy hat.” She bites her lush bottom lip, peering up at me through her dark lashes with those big dark-brown eyes. Probably picturing me in the hat.

“Never gonna happen, Princess.”

She juts that same tempting lip out in a sexy pout, and my greedy dick jerks to life, imagining those sexy lips wrapped around its head. “Not even for a little bull riding?”

“Fuck,” I hiss, my cock now fully hard and painfully pressing against my zipper.

A mischievous smile tugs Callie’s lips upward as she trails one hand down the line of my abs and cups me over my jeans. She massages my dick, teasing me. The little temptress. “I think the bull in your pants wants me to take it for a ride.”

“Calliope,” I warn.

“Elijiah.” Callie’s sultry voice matches the low tenor of mine as she gives my cock another teasing squeeze.

Like the puppy dog I am, I give in. With one hand on her ass, I pull her impossibly closer.

With my other hand, I grip the back of her neck and tug her face to mine.

I smash my mouth to hers in a hard, demanding kiss.

Her taste explodes on my tongue like a sugar bomb, altering the chemistry in my brain and turning me into an even bigger addict than I already am.

Our tongues twirl and battle, alternating between fast and slow, deep and tender. Every emotion we feel for one another collides, and I fucking swear kissing Callie is like coming home. Every. Single. Time.

I break our kiss, resting my forehead on hers.

Her soft, quick breaths fan across my lips as she whimpers my name. “Eli.”

The way she needily says my name only makes it harder for me to extricate myself from her grasp. I want nothing more than to continue what we started. “Callie, please go sit your sweet ass on the blanket.”

“But—”

“No,” I bark a little louder than necessary. Stepping back, I unfold myself from her at my body’s utter disapproval. “Sit down. I promise to take care of you and your pretty little pussy if you behave like my good little princess.”

“Fine.” The little brat casually bends over and takes her time fluffing a pillow, then sits down with her legs out and leans back onto her hands. “Better, sir?”

I point at her in warning. She knows calling me sir is the ultimate “I’m going to bend you over and fuck you right here” trigger. “I swear you’re going to be the death of me, woman.”

“Maybe.” She shrugs. “Maybe not. We’ll have to test your theory and find out.”

“Smart-ass.” I run my hands through my hair.

Callie spreads her legs wide in invitation and crooks her finger at me. “You love my smart ass.”

I obey, dropping to my knees in front of her and slipping between her thighs. “You fucking know I do.” I lean down and run my nose over denim-covered pussy, inhaling the scent of her arousal through the fabric.

Her head falls back between her shoulders with a moan. She spreads her legs wider, thinking she’s won.

I nip at her inner thigh with my teeth.

“Ow, Eli. What was that for?” Her head shoots up, and she narrows her eyes at me in irritation. Her angry fire makes my dick hard. I fucking love when she gets all feisty.

“For being impatient.” I crawl out from between her legs and sit beside her on the fluffy floor pillows. “First, we eat.” I reach for a grape and hold it up to her mouth for her to take. She does, but not before nipping at my finger. I cluck my tongue at her. “Don’t even try it, Princess.”

She slowly chomps on the grape, never breaking eye contact. “What? I didn’t do anything.”

“Dirty little liar.” I grab a strawberry and pop it into my mouth.

As we eat, we stare at one another, neither of us saying a word, daring the other to break first. I’ve told her before that this little game won’t work.

I mimic her every move. She sips hot chocolate.

I sip hot chocolate. She licks her lips after letting strawberry juice dribble over.

I do the same. On and on it goes until she throws her hands in the air and pushes me in the chest. I barely budge. She’s so hot when she’s sassy.

“You win. Gah, you’re such a punk.”

“I don’t know why you try.”

“Someday, I’m going to win.” She playfully taps my cheek with her palm.

Grabbing her wrist, I turn it over and kiss her wrist. “You’ve already won.”

She crunches her nose and asks, “Won what?”

“My heart.” I kiss her nose. “My soul.” Her cheek. “My future.” Her lips. “All of me.” She leans into my kiss, but I sit back. The urge to propose bubbles to the surface, and I bite my tongue to force the words back.

“You have all of me too,” she breathes out.

Hearing her say she’s mine will never get old. I fiddle with the diamond-encrusted bluebird dangling at her throat. I can’t wait to put my ring on her finger and call her my wife. But first… “I have a present for you.”

She tilts her head to the side in confusion. “You do? Did I forget we were exchanging presents early?”

“No, nothing like that, Princess. This is something…extra.”

“Okay.” She bites her bottom lip in that sexy way I like as she tries not to smile. “You know you don’t have to buy me presents, right?”

I roll my eyes. I don’t need to be reminded, even though I know for damn sure she secretly loves when I give her presents. “Yeah, I know. But this is more of an ‘us’ kind of present.”

“Well, that sounds interesting. Is it some kind of kinky toy for the bedroom?” She holds out her hand and wiggles her eyebrows at me with a cheeky grin.

I bark a laugh. “No, but let’s put a pin in this kinky toy conversation for later.” I reach into my pocket to pull out the ring of master keys the realtor gave me and place it in her hands.

“What are these for?” Callie fingers the chunks of metal in her palm, attempting to decipher their meaning.

“These keys belong to 6 Sweetwater Bluff Drive.”

Callie inhales sharply, her gaze jumping to mine, as unshed tears fill her dark eyes. “My childhood home. But how?”

“I saw the address in your father’s estate file. Made a few calls, and with the help of a realtor, I made an offer the owners couldn’t refuse.”

“Is this for real? You bought my parents’ house for me?”

“For us,” I amend. “We can live there, or we can stay at our place in Santa Monica. Or both. Whatever you want. It’s up to you. I just want to give you the choice you were robbed of before.”

My heart hammers in my chest as I wait for her answer. I can see a variety of thoughts and feelings flash across her face, and yet she gives nothing away.

I hope she wants to keep it. Callie’s childhood home is beautiful.

There was just something about the place that called to me.

I knew instantly we needed to have the house.

I saw our entire future play out in my head the moment I laid eyes on it.

I saw our children playing in the yard. I saw Callie singing in the yard overlooking the ocean.

I saw us kissing in the kitchen. I saw us bringing her home back to life and creating new memories together.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Callie climbs into my lap and straddles my hips. She cups my cheeks in the palms of her hands as I rub her tears away with my thumbs. It fucking kills me when she cries.

“You are amazing, Elijiah Miller. I love you so much. I-I’m…” Her voice cracks.

“You’re what?”

She shakes her head and shrugs. “So happy. Are you sure you want to live there?”

I pull the beanie off her head so I can run my fingers through her silky long hair. “Never been surer.”

Callie stands up and takes off her coat, dropping it to the floor.

“What are you doing?”

“Stripping.” She kicks off her sexy little booties.

“It’s cold as fuck out here.”

As Callie walks backwards towards the tent, she lifts her sweater over her head and throws it on the ground. “Then I guess you better warm me up.”

“Baby, I’m going to do better than warm you up.”

I flip over onto my hands and knees, and crawl towards my girlfriend as she undoes the button and zipper on her jeans. I grip the waistband and slide them down her firm thighs, helping her out of them.

I shrug off my jacket and rip my shirt over my head as Callie tugs her shirt off. My mouth waters at the sight of her in a white lace thong and bra. She’s so fucking stunning.

“I’m counting on it, cowboy.” Her melodic laugh tinkles like bells in the air as she tugs my hair.

“I’m no cowboy.” I undo my jeans, and my cock peeks over the edge of my boxer briefs. Her eyes droop with lust as she stares at the tip of my dick and licks her lips. “But you can ride my face and my dick all you want, Princess.”

“I plan on it.” She moans, giving me the opportunity to pull her down onto the ground beneath me. Callie bucks her hips and wraps her legs around me, pressing her heat into my already stiff cock.

I groan at the contact as she twists her torso and flips us around to hover above me and dig her nails into my chest. “Go on then, take what you want. Ride me like a good little cowgirl would.”

Callie rides me alright. But not like a good cowgirl would. She rides me like a very naughty, very dirty, downright filthy little vixen, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.