Page 8 of Stolen Holidays (The Miller Brothers #5)

eight

Eli

Nine Days Until Christmas

The road twists and turns as Big Mike drives up the low mountain range just north of Pine Hills.

I offered to give him the holiday off, but he declined.

Sometimes when he looks at Callie, I can see lingering guilt in his eyes.

Almost like he wished he could have done more to stop Silla and her sick, twisted games.

Both Callie and I have assured him we don’t hold him accountable.

Given the circumstances, Mike did his job the best he could.

The blame is all on the evil witch rotting in jail for the rest of her life.

Mike has been nothing but a loyal, solid security guard and driver.

Even before I met him, he was watching out for Callie and refused to assist Silla in her psychopathic need to control my girl.

For that alone, Mike will always have a place beside us.

He catches me staring in the driver’s mirror and tips his chin.

I return the gesture, hoping he knows how much I appreciate his presence and protection.

There is no one else I would trust to watch over my girl.

Not even my brothers. Those three are still on my shitlist for allowing Callie to confront Silla on her own.

It took me weeks before I could watch the video of Callie provoking Silla to confess while pretending to get shot. My girl was right; it was her finest work. But it didn’t make watching any easier.

I glance down at Callie as she sleeps curled beside me with her head on my chest. Tugging her closer to fight off the memories of her falling back and blood spreading across her shirt, I breathe in her delicious scent and suck up her warmth.

My usual mantra repeats in my head. She’s safe and in my arms.

Her eyelashes flutter against the top of her cheeks, and her breaths are steady. Fuck, she’s so beautiful. Every time I look at her, she takes my breath away. I press a kiss to the top of her head, and she sighs, digging her cheek into my chest.

I stay still for as long as I can and let her sleep.

Callie has been extra tired since the tour ended.

I’ve found her dozing off a few times while she was writing in her journal—something I’ve never seen happen before.

She loves writing. I’ve seen her sit for hours, jotting words and notes in her notebook.

This vacation is exactly what she needs to get some rest and recharge her battery before she returns to the studio to record new music. Callie thinks I don’t know about her possible shift from performing to songwriting. I just hope she makes the change for herself, not for me.

I took a step back from Blaze, but it’s not permanent. More like a small sabbatical. I spent the last decade throwing myself into my work, and it was lonely as fuck. The busy grind of work did nothing to fill the hole that was missing.

Callie fills that giant gap, and my life has never been more fulfilling.

Being with her has altered my perspective and priorities.

For right now, I want to focus on being happy, and being with Callie makes me happy.

She makes my life bright and full. Every single day with her is an adventure.

A step out of the dark, into the light, and into the future.

And let me tell you, the future looks amazing.

My cellphone vibrates in my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts. As gently as I can, I shift Callie and pull my cell from my pocket without waking her.

Pops: Your mom and I have spoken to the package. She is in. She will accompany us in six days’ time.

Mark freaking Miller thinks he’s so damn funny talking in code, like he’s in on some elaborate undercover operation. Shaking my head at my phone, I text him back a thumbs-up emoji.

Pops: Seriously, all I get is a thumbs-up? You’re no fun.

Eli: I don’t have time for your shenanigans.

Pops: What are you doing that’s so important?

Eli: Driving to the inn.

Pops: I bet your lazy ass isn’t even driving.

Eli: Why are you giving me such a hard time? Where’s Mom?

Pops: She left for her book club lunch. I’m bored.

I open a new text chat and add my brothers.

Eli: Pops is bored. Someone needs to entertain him. Callie is asleep beside me, and I don’t want to wake her up.

Jace: Where’s Ma?

Eli: At book club.

Cam: Is E being a buzzkill again?

Pops: You know it. I thought he would have lightened up now that he finally has a girl in his life. But he still has a stick up his ass.

Eli: Hey! I don’t have to take this. Mase has always had a stick up his grumpy ass, and you never bug him about it.

Mason: Leave me out of this.

Cam: But he’s always been a grumpy-stick-up-the-ass kind of guy. You USED to be fun.

Mason: *middle finger emoji*

Pops: *devil laughing emoji*

Eli: Stop bugging me. I have a proposal to plan.

“Who are you texting?” Callie sits up with a yawn and stretches her arms overhead.

I lock my phone and shove it under my leg. The last thing I want is for her to know my plan. Everything is a surprise, and I want to keep it that way. “Just my brothers and my dad. I’m sorry I woke you up. Pops was bored because he was home alone.”

“Aww. He misses your mom. That’s sweet.” Callie gives me a lazy smile, and my heart flutters in my chest. There’s a little crease on her cheek from where she was resting it against my rumpled shirt. She looks so fucking cute.

Gripping her neck, I tug her face to mine and kiss her. Her lips are soft and sweet, just like her. Her mouth parts, letting me delve between her lips and tie her tongue with mine. Callie meets me stroke for stroke.

She’s a breathless, melted mess as she pulls away. “What was that for?”

I run my thumb over the indent on her cheek. “Do I need a reason to kiss you, Princess?”

Callie laughs. “No, I guess not.”

“Good. Because I plan on kissing you any chance I get for the rest of our lives.”

Her eyes shine, and she sniffs back tears.

“Why are you crying? Are you okay, baby?” I catch the single tear running down her cheek.

She sobs a laugh. “I’m fine. You just…” Callie looks away.

“I just, what?” I turn her chin, forcing her to look at me.

She shrugs and rubs her cute little nose. “You just make me so happy. Sometimes, I get scared that I’ll wake up and find out this—you, everything—was all a dream.”

My beautiful, sweet bluebird. It breaks my heart that she still struggles with feelings of abandonment. “We’re living the dream. Asleep. Awake. Makes no difference. It’s just you and me forever. Over the rainbow, right?”

“Over the rainbow,” she repeats.

The car comes to a stop, and Mike cuts the engine. I look out the window to find us parked outside the familiar B&B. Aside from all the garland and the sixteen-foot-tall Christmas tree out front, the lodge itself looks the same as it did when Jace and Rylann had their New Year’s Eve wedding here.

After our first date, when Callie told me she would have said yes if I had given her a ring, I knew I had to plan something spectacular for her.

Something she would never forget. When I learned she hadn’t celebrated the holidays in years, a light bulb went on in my head.

Christmas the perfect time to get down on one knee.

I also knew I had to propose here in Oregon, where Callie and I finally came together and started our relationship.

This little town isn’t Pine Hills, but from what I remember of my brother’s wedding, it’s a close second.

Not only does this town hold memories for Jace and Rylann, but it’s also the place where Mason got his second chance with Emery. It just seemed like the perfect spot to ask the love of my life to marry me. And with Emery working her magic, this venue will look perfectly enchanting for my girl.

Movement on the side of the inn catches my eye, but it’s gone in a flash.

Was that an ostrich? What the fuck?

I must be more tired than I thought.

Mike interrupts my hallucination. “I’ll start a perimeter check.” As respectful as ever, he steps out of the car and gives me and Callie some privacy.

“Wow, it’s so cute here.” Callie stares out the window at the two-story inn in wonder, her earlier fears firmly in the rearview mirror, where they belong.

The main lodging has ten rooms, as well as five private cabins separate from the main building, a barn that they use as a ballroom, a hot tub, a firepit, and a wraparound porch in the back.

I pulled a few strings to reserve the entire place for the next two weeks.

Okay, I paid through the nose to take it over, but I’d have paid double.

The new owners were tough bargainers, but it will all be worth it.

Callie deserves the best holiday she has ever experienced, and I plan on delivering.

“Do you like it?” My nerves suddenly skyrocket. I need her to love this place. It’s going to be part of our story.

Callie looks over at me and grins. “It’s wonderful.”

“Stay right there.” I climb out of the car and rush to her side, opening the door for her.

Her hair whips around her face in the chilly breeze as she takes my hand and pulls herself up and out of the car. Callie shivers, but the smile on her face never leaves as she takes in her surroundings.

She’s dressed simply in a chunky-knitted lavender sweater, jeans that look painted on, and a pair of tan work boots, and she still looks like a fucking goddess. The sunlight catches her braided blonde hair and makes her eyes shine as she looks at me over her shoulder.

My breath catches in my throat at her beauty. I don’t think it’s possible to love anyone more than I love her.

I step behind her, wrap my arms around her shoulders, and pull her flush to my chest to keep her warm as we stare at the view.

The snow-capped mountains sit behind the inn, nestled in a sea of forest-green trees.

The fresh smell of mint and pine in the air fills my lungs with every cleansing breath.