Elf Against the Wall: A Holiday Romantic Comedy (The Wynter Brothers Book 2)
Elf Against the Wall: Chapter 44

The box of unused Christmas decorations thumped on the floor of the small guest bedroom.

“Are you moving out early?” Ian asked as I crawled next to him in the bed with the rest of the leftover Chinese food and some cake pops.

“It’s my thank-you present to Anderson.” I scooped up some of the sesame chicken. “I’m decorating his house.”

Sawyer pulled a cake pop out of her mouth. “I don’t think Anderson is that wholesome.”

“You think he’s not going to like the scarf I knitted him for Christmas?” I cried.

“I think he’ll like it if it comes with a blow job.” Ian grabbed a fork.

“I thought my mom threw out this Christmas tree years ago.” Sawyer pulled out a slightly dilapidated miniature Christmas tree predecorated with lights.

“Waste not, want not.”

“That man jumped into a freezing river and saved you from drowning, and in thanks, you ate all his food, let Granny Doyle ambush him in the front yard for an interview, and now you’re going to dump holiday garbage in his living room?” Ian raised an eyebrow.

“No, she’s not. I need him on my hockey team next year.” Sawyer picked up a hand-knitted Rudolph ornament made by yours truly.

“You need to make Christmas ornament of your boobs, not this. Where’s your Cricut?”

“Don’t you think that’s a little cheap? He did risk his life for me,” I argued.

“It’s a nudie pic,” Ian declared, pointing a cake pop at me. “It’s at the top of every American male’s Christmas list.”

“Anderson probably just saved you because his military training took over or whatever.” Sawyer stole a piece of chicken. “Didn’t you say he hates you? Anderson is not a good guy.”

“He’s a hero. The bad-boy stuff is just an act.” I was fervent. “All he needed was a woman to save him, and that woman was me. We saved each other.”

“It’s the shock and the cold.” Ian held a hand to my forehead.

“Evie, you’re blackmailing him, remember?” Sawyer shook me. “Anderson does not like you. You cannot give him your heart for Christmas.”

“He risked his life for me. What if…” I licked my lips then dared to say the words. “What if he’s in love with me?”

“Yikes.” Ian made a face. “Evie, you can’t show up at a man’s house in the middle of the night to tell him you’re in love with him.”

“Just surprise him with crotchless panties and the leftover steak,” Sawyer urged me. “At the very least, wait until he torches Braeden. Then you can scare him off with your declarations of love.”

“Too late,” Ian said. “She’s already planning their wedding.”

“Evie.” Sawyer clapped her hands. “You’re so close to finishing the year on a high note. Just keep it together for a few more days.”

“He rescued me!”

“You always fall too hard for the wrong men.”

“I know you think Anderson’s the wrong man, but I believe there’s something more there,” I argued.

“There is only sexual attraction. Now, let’s redirect.” Sawyer reached into her backpack and pulled out a pink bag decorated with white Christmas trees.

“Aww, did the bride give you thank-you gifts?” Ian cooed.

Sawyer snorted. “The bride fired the maid of honor in front of the whole wedding party and told me I could take her goodie bag.”

“Is this a butt plug?” Ian dumped the bag out onto the bed.

“Ooh, a cookie!” I grabbed it.

Sawyer slapped at my hand.

She clicked a pair of tweezers at me and plucked a stray hair off my chin.

“Ow!”

“You need to be on your A game.” My cousin ripped out another hair. “This is thank-you-for-saving-my-life sex.”

“Not I-want-to-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-with-you sex,” Ian warned me.

Anderson was shirtless and barefoot, black jeans slung low on his hips, when he opened the door. He stared at me blankly for a moment, then his eyes narrowed.

In the cold and after upping my blood sugar, I could see my cousin’s point of view. It wasn’t my best idea to show up at Anderson’s house with a used Christmas tree. Thank god Sawyer had my back.

I dropped the box and shoved it aside.

Anderson’s eyes slid off me.

“Ignore that.” I fumbled with the zipper of my coat.

The door slammed behind me as Anderson knelt down in front of the box. “What are you doing, Evie?”

“I was going to put a little down-home festive cheer in your life then let you fuck me in these crotchless panties.”

He inspected the Christmas tree.

“But if you want to decorate first, we can do that too.” I grabbed it out of his hand, fished for the cable, plugged it in, then fluffed out the branches. The lights warmed up the gloom, and Christmas carols filtered out of the base of the tree as it slowly spun. “Voila! Instant Christmas.” I set his present under the tree.

“No, what are you doing, Evie?”

“I also brought you your steak. Not your Chinese. Sorry. Ian and I ate that already.”

He regarded me, silent. He looked exhausted.

I reached up to run my fingers on his rough jaw.

“You might be the best thing that ever happened to me.” He nuzzled my hand.

“The tree’s not that nice.” My voice was soft.

Anderson kissed the tips of my fingers. “Evie, I’m falling for you.”

He stared at me a moment while I trembled, off-balance.

He sighed. “I am so fucked.”

“That’s my line.”