Page 31

"Come on Archer, smile!" my mom laughed from behind her phone's camera. Oliver chuckled from his place next to me, loving every bit of Archer's discomfort.

It was an Avery family tradition to wear our matching Rudolph sweaters on Christmas day.

They were obnoxiously wonderful with the 3D reindeer face popping off the red knit with green specks.

My mom had surprised the Johnson family with their own set this year when they came over—much to the chagrin of Archer and his father.

Mr. Johnson had completely refused to put his on—resulting in a few awkward seconds when we all realized how serious he was. Archer had tried to say no as well, but he was much easier to convince. Annie and I had pouted for about two minutes, refusing to talk to him and he folded like a lawn chair.

Now all four of us kids were lined up in front of the tree, while our moms snapped pictures of us. I was tucked under Oliver's arm, with Archer holding Annie on my other side. His large hand was innocently pressed to my spine, but it still brought a rosiness to my cheeks.

"Arch, my man, the sooner you smile the sooner it's over," Oliver laughed as he punched him in the arm.

I looked up at Archer to see him grimace as he pulled at the collar of his sweater. I caught his eye and stuck my tongue out. He rolled his eyes but a tiny smile tugged at his lips.

"Get it! Get it!" Annie yelled, jumping excitedly in Archer's arms as we all laughed at her.

Christmas always made my heart happy and full, but this year really was special.

My grandparents were in Arizona all winter so it was just our family and the Johnsons.

It was surprisingly easy to be around Archer and my family without spilling the beans.

I guess because we would never usually be physical in front of them anyway, so besides not touching—we acted natural.

I had to deal with teasing from my mom and Mrs. Johnson the whole time, but they promised they'd keep it a secret.

Archer and his dad seemed to have some kind of unspoken agreement to not discuss what happened at Thanksgiving.

In fact, they didn't interact at all. I kept forgetting that Mr. Johnson was even in our house.

He was like a ghost, skulking around in the background.

But other than that, this was the best holiday to date; filled with laughing, eating, and love.

Before I knew it, it was New Year's Eve and time for the banquet.

The Johnson's would be at our house soon, so we could all leave together.

My foot tapped obsessively on the bathroom tile as I tried to do something with my hair.

I really wasn't good at going outside the box with it, but my usual style didn't fit my dress.

I grabbed my jar of bobby pins with a big huff. I just needed to start something. I twisted random strands of hair then pinned it to the back. By the time I was done my curls were all piled on top of my head. wispy pieces fell out around my face and a few around the curve of my neck.

Once I was dressed I was pretty impressed with myself. The deep green of my dress paired with dramatic lashes made the brown in my eyes seem brighter. This is so flipping elegant, I smiled as I spritzed myself with perfume.

Voices drifted up to me as I left my bedroom.

Everyone must already be gathering downstairs.

As I came into view my gaze was immediately drawn to Archer.

My eyes greedily scoured over him before anyone else noticed.

He somehow managed to make even a stiff tuxedo seem cool and relaxed.

The perfectly tailored suit accentuated his broad muscles and lean waist. I laughed lightly when I noticed that his unruly waves had gone untouched.

The sound drew attention to me at the top of the stairs. I made my way down to where my mom and dad were waiting for me. I returned their smiles as my dad pulled me into a tight hug. His lips were pulled into a tight line as he blinked several times and cleared his throat.

"You look beautiful, Lotty," he said as though there was a frog in his throat.

"If everyone could gather around we'll have a toast before we go," Dad added as my mom passed out champagne glasses.

I waited for the apple juice that Annie and I were both usually given but was surprised when I got the alcohol.

My dad cleared his throat again before putting his arm around me and leading the cheers.

As we walked outside I shuffled myself so I'd end up next to Archer.

I stood in front of him at the end of the line to climb into the stretch-limo.

My eyes fluttered closed for a moment as I felt his calloused knuckle brush against my shoulder blade.

I stretched my neck to release some tension as the slight scratch of his rough skin dragged down the edge of my dress along my rib cage.

The tiny hairs on my body stood at attention as heat pooled in my stomach.

A whimper almost escaped my lips when the line started moving and I had to step away from Archer's touch.

The party was in full swing when we arrived at the ritzy hotel.

The elegant ballroom was crowded with people in formal dresses and tuxes, eating finger-food and bidding on the silent auction.

A large banner hung in the doorway stating that this year, my dad's company was raising money for underprivileged kids to play sports.

We separated from the Johnson's as Dad paraded our family around the large room for introductions. I stood mostly quiet on Oliver's arm as pleasantries were exchanged until I felt someone bump into my shoulder.

"Ah, Manny! Good to see you, son," Dad smiled as we all turned to see the new arrival to our group.

"Good to see you too, sir," Manny smiled, "I was actually just coming to ask if I could take Charlotte out to dance."

Embarrassment flushed my cheeks at the attention of the group. Dad's business partners nodded approvingly at Manny's show of respect while Mom and Oliver tried to hold back their laughter.

My dad cleared his throat before nodding. "Just leave room for Jesus," he raised a strict eyebrow at us while Manny pulled me away.

"Real smooth," I whispered as Manny stopped us in the middle of the swirling couples. He settled his hand high on the curve of my spine then lead us into a waltz.

Having attended this event since I was a child, I'd become used to this. Usually, it was my dad or Oliver who would be spinning me around as we boxed-stepped but Manny was an easy partner to follow.

"Not bad," he praised as I stepped in unison with him.

I laughed lightly. "You do the same thing with your fingers that my dad does," I explained, having felt him press on my back softly every time he wanted me to step forward.

"So how's it going with the All-American?" Manny smirked. "Still friend-zoning him?'' A blush warmed my cheeks as I thought about Archer. "Well, that answers that," he laughed.

"We're... something," I laughed weakly.

"Ahhh the classic millennial relationship I see," Manny mused, taking a moment to flourish me in a circle.

"What does that mean?" I asked hesitantly.

"You know, the relationship without labels. No labels mean no real rules, which means no real commitment."

"That's not it," I defended. "It's all just still new."

Manny looked over my shoulder then smiled confidently down at me. "Maybe you're right. He does currently look like he wants to murder me."

I twisted my neck, straining to see around the other dancers to the crowd surrounding us.

My eyes found Archer almost immediately.

He stood right at the edge of the dance floor alone, his feet were planted wide as he crossed his arms and glared directly at Manny and I.

The second our gazes connected I wanted to go to him.

Archer must have felt a similar pull because he strode out onto the dance floor.

"Are you really gonna ask to cut in, man?" Manny laughed as Archer stopped in front of us.

"Nope," Archer deadpanned. He reached out and gently pulled me to his side.

"Ahhh I see," Manny chuckled, "so, you're more of a 'me man. She my woman' kind of guy." Manny's caveman voice and hunched eyebrows made me laugh.

"Bye Manny," I said pointedly. He shot me a wink then saluted Archer and walked away.

I turned to Archer and placed my hand on his shoulder as he rested his hand low on my back. "Real subtle you butthead," I chastised as we began to sway.

"I really don't like that guy," Archer muttered as he pulled me close to his chest. Sorry, Jesus, no room for you.

"I don't think I've ever seen you dance before," I smiled as we fell into step together.

Archer wasn't as grandiose with his moves as Manny had been, but he led well.

This also felt much more intimate than any of the other dancing I'd done.

I resisted the urge to rest my head on his chest, knowing we already looked a little too close.

"And you'll probably never see me do it again," Archer grumbled but a small smile played on his lips as he looked down at me. "I just needed to make a point."

"And that point was?" I prompted.

Archer stared heavily into my eyes, the heat in his pupils made my skin prickle. "That you're mine."

My breath caught in my throat as my pulse sped up. Archer's possessiveness made me feel hot all over but a small voice at the back of my mind reminded me of my mother's words.

"Actually," I mused, trying to keep my voice light. "I don't believe we ever discussed that."

The hand on my back brushed dangerously close to my bottom before running back up my spine. "Hmmm," Archer's voice was deep and slow. "I thought it was a given. You're mine Sweetheart."

"Not until you ask nicely," I smiled up at him teasingly.

A twinkle lightened Archer's dark features as he raised his eyes to the ceiling and pushed his tongue into his cheek. "Do I really need to ask? That's so lame."

"Yes, sir you do need to ask. Otherwise, we're just buddies," I laughed.

"Fine," Archer sighed, dropping his head close to my ear. I shivered with anticipation as I waited for him to continue. "Charlotte Avery, will you be my girlfriend?"

I don't know what came over me, but the only response I found myself able to say was, "Hmmm I'll think about it, Bud."

"Don't call me that," he pouted, as I fell into a giggling fit. My laughs subsided as Archer pulled me flush against his body. The skin across my collarbone burned as I felt every inch of him pressed against me. We were swarmed by other couples dancing but suddenly, no one else existed.

"Charlotte..." Archer warned.

"Yes," I sighed against my own accord. I was lost in the intensity behind his eyes as I whispered, "Of course I'll be your girlfriend."

We danced for a few more minutes before the music stopped for the MC to start talking. Archer pulled me back to our families' table to sit down. Everyone smiled easily with rosy cheeks from the constant flow of champagne this evening. Relief rushed through me that no one seemed to notice anything.

We all laughed at the MC as he told jokes and took some jabs at the businessmen in attendance. He then began announcing the winners of the silent auctions and how much money would be going to the charity.

"Now, for the trip to Whistler! This package is for a five-night stay at a luxurious mountaintop villa in one of Canada's most beautiful cities! And the highest bidder is... Tim Avery!"

Everyone at our table froze before turning to my dad. He had a smug smile on his face as he waved at his coworkers who were clapping for his donation. "Surprise!" He laughed at all of us. "It lined up perfectly with USC's spring break. I figured it was fate."

Oliver, Mom, and I all jumped up to hug Dad and thank him profusely. "Actually," my dad said over my head. "The villa has six bedrooms, so I was hoping you guys would come too." I turned to see the Johnson family all looking shocked. It was only then that I realized Mr. Johnson wasn't with us.

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Johnson asked sounding flustered, making my dad laugh and nod his head yes. "I mean, I'll run it by Bryan but yes! How exciting!"

The MC interrupted our moment by letting everyone know that the countdown to midnight was about to start.

Hoards of people rose from their seats to walk over to the large wall of windows or out on the balcony.

Every year the banquet ended with the most beautiful fireworks show to ring in the new year.

The crowd became thick as we all jostled to get a good spot.

A large hand landed on my shoulder and I turned to see Archer giving me a mischievous smile.

He tugged me back through the crowd towards the entrance to the ballroom.

The lobby was empty and quiet as he led us to a small hallway before spinning around and catching my waist. He lifted me easily onto an extra table that must have been stored back here.

"This dress," he almost growled, "is not playing fair, Sweetheart." He lifted it slightly around my knees so he had room to position himself between my legs. He bent his face to the top of my shoulder, dropping kisses along my bare skin.

"Archer," I breathed trying to steady my brain.

"hmmm?" He hummed as he ran the tip of his nose up my neck.

"I w-want to tell our families," I stammered.

Archer's movement stopped as he lifted his face to be level with mine. "You really have amazing timing," he grimaced.

"It's just if we are really doing this, I don't want it to be a secret," I said softly.

Archer kissed my forehead and I could feel his small smile. "I don't want it to be a secret either. But you have to protect me from your dad."

I laughed at the image that was conjured by his comment. "It'll be good." I hope, I added in my head. "Alright, now put the moves on me," I shuffled slightly exposing my neck for him again.

Archer chuckled but dipped his head back down.

It was torturous as he took his time kissing up my neck.

I gasped when his tongue flicked out against my earlobe.

I squeezed my thighs against him as a tightness began to stir between my legs.

Archer dragged his lips along my jaw, taking an agonizingly long time.

I could hear the countdown begin as everyone in the hall started chanting together. Archer kissed the tip of my nose, before pressing his lips to the very edge of my mouth. I tightened my hands on his suit jacket, trying to pull him closer to me but he was too strong.

Archer pulled back just as the crowd got to one. He smiled softly at me as the pop and crackle of fireworks blended with the shouts of celebration.

"Happy New Year, Sweetheart," he whispered huskily. Finally, he pressed his lips to mine, fulfilling the deep need that had settled in my stomach. I tangled my fingers in Archer's hair, determined to keep him close to me. A moan slipped from my mouth as I felt Archer's tongue swipe between my lips.

The sound made Archer's movements more frenzied. His hands dropped to my bum as he squeezed me close to his hips. I gasped into the kiss as I felt his arousal pushed against me. The pressure between my legs tightened even more as I locked my ankles behind his legs.

An uncontrollable need to have Archer as close to me as possible overtook my body.

I grabbed at him clumsily, desperate for him in a way I didn't even understand.

It didn't seem to matter how close I got to him, it wasn't what my body was craving.

Archer's hands shot to my waist as he pulled away, breathing heavily.

"Fuck we have to stop," he panted. A whine of disagreement left my mouth as I tried to pull him back to me. "Seriously Sweetheart," Archer's voice was thick with restraint. "I don't think you want me to take you right here so we need to stop."

I didn't tell Archer that his words sent a wave of desire through me. Instead, I weakly nodded and tried to catch my breath. Never before had I felt such an intense need for something. I truly wasn't sure that I was ready for sex. But for the first time in my life, I wanted it.