‘Tis the season of Wicked Deeds (A Holiday romance Book 1)
‘Tis the season of Wicked Deeds: Chapter 19

WICKED DEEDS

1. Get risqué behavior in public.

I open the front door when there’s a knock.

Immediately, my breath seizes in my throat as I roam my gaze over Kingston. I force myself to breathe, but he’s making it so difficult looking devastatingly handsome. His hair is slicked back over his forehead, perfect brows slashed over soulful brown eyes, complete with striking cheekbones and a stubbled mouth that flies me to the highest peak of pleasure.

He’s wearing a black high-neck sweater that molds to his sinewy and powerful frame, paired with formal dark gray pants. A black funnel neck coat completes his eye-stopping outfit.

His rugged biker style is hidden tonight. In its place, is an elegant and intense yet laid-back James Bond.

The way he carries himself with so much confidence, makes him even sexier.

Inching closer, I run my palm up his chest, “You look amazing, Kingston.”

“Thanks, darling.” Circling my waist with both arms until there’s no inch of space between us, he skims his nose up my arched neck and kisses below my ear. “It’s going to be extremely difficult not having my way with you through dinner. You look gorgeous and all mine.”

“I love it when you call me yours.”

“Wait until I show you just how mine you are.”

Smiling, I tilt my head back and meet his mouth, falling into a slow and tender kiss. Our lips glide together, tasting each other. Our hands don’t stay idle either, caressing and feeling one another greedily.

Feeling his cock harden against my stomach, I pull away reluctantly. “We’re going to be late.”

“I know. Just a minute more,” he says gutturally, capturing my mouth by tugging my lip with his teeth.

Kingston kisses me so thoroughly, I forget my reality.

I loop my arms around his neck and rise on my toes to deepen the kiss. When I moan, he groans and pulls back. “Fuck, you consume my mind, Twinkle.”

I try and fail not to blush, burying my face against his chest.

Our feelings are so in sync it’s scary.

How am I supposed to walk away from him when our time is up?

Kissing my cheek once, he straightens. “Let’s go before I change my mind and skip the dinner.”

“No way we’re missing the dinner,” I warn.

He chuckles and grabs something from my right. “Here, I brought wine since you really wanted to bring one.”

“Then why not let me buy it earlier?”

“What difference does it make?” he casually counters.

I shake my head at his sweet gesture. “Thank you.”

Taking my bag with all the gifts, he intertwines our fingers and we walk down the cobblestone path lit with lamps. The lobby of his resort is beautifully decorated and a Christmas tree sits in the corner. I didn’t notice in the morning because I was too busy checking him out.

Outside, an e-taxi is waiting for us and I can’t contain the butterflies at his thoughtfulness. I’m wearing heels tonight underneath my slim maroon dress with a high neckline and a slit in the middle to show my cleavage.

With a hand on the small of my back, Kingston helps me slide into the back seat. He shuffles in next to me and tugs until I’m pressed against his side.

“I don’t like distance between us,” he murmurs possessively as an explanation.

I rest my head against his shoulder. “I don’t mind, King.”

His soft exhale ruffles my hair. He seems relieved to hear my answer. Was he worried I wouldn’t like it? His physical affection is one of the qualities I lov—

Shit.

I meant like.

One of the qualities I like about him.

Only a single day, not even a full twenty-four hours, and I’m unhealthily attached to him. It’s not just moving fast, it’s bullet train fast.

Desperate for a distraction, I ask him the first thing that comes to mind. “Tell me about your parents. Are you close with them?”

In retrospect, I should’ve gone with a less personal question.

He makes my brain turn to mush.

I twist sideways as I listen to his answer.

“I am close with them.” He starts, cupping my thigh and rubbing it back and forth absentmindedly. “They’re the best parents I could’ve asked for. They’re not perfect, and there are times we clash on a few things, but in spite of it, I know they’ll support all my decisions even if they don’t agree. Though, I make sure I don’t disappoint them, you know. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for all the little sacrifices they made while I was growing up.”

There’s a smile in his voice as he talks about his family, confirming my belief that he’s super close to them. His words are painted with nothing but love.

“They sound lovely, Kingston.” I ignore the pang in my chest, wishing I could say the same about my parents. I’ll never get over how easily they forgot about my existence. “They’ve raised you well and I know they must be so proud of you.”

“If they were here, I would’ve taken you to meet them,” he says, raising my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to it. “They would’ve loved you. My dad has a sweet tooth and would’ve been your fan after eating your desserts. While my mom would’ve adored you for making me work for a date with you.”

“Is that what you think I’m doing?” I tease. “Making you chase me?”

“Aren’t you?”

I sway closer to him, my body on a track of its own. “Yeah, but for only, like, a couple hours before I said yes.”

In the darkness of the cab, his pupils are intense pools of desire and yearning. “You’ve only allowed me a part of you. I want all of you, Twinkle.”

“Kingston,” I whisper, swallowing down the bubbling panic.

“Shh…” He presses one fingertip against my lips. “I know you aren’t ready. I also know something is holding you back. It’s not something I can command you to forget or overcome. I can only hope, give my all and earn your trust to think I’m worth it. Because to me, you’re worth every obstacle.”

***

My mind is stuck replaying Kingston’s confession as I cross the threshold of his grandparents’ home, and I’m immediately engulfed into a hug by his grandma.

“Don’t you both look lovely together?” gushes Nana with a sneaky grin that betrays her intentions. She’s not hiding the fact that she wants us to date.

I think she might be more tenacious than her grandson.

Meanwhile, every instinct screams at me to pull away from his hand at my back and distance myself from Kingston. My stupid heart, however, screams louder in agony.

“Thank you for having me, Nana.”

“I love that you came, honey. Otherwise, Kingston would’ve been in for an earful, and I would’ve sent my husband to drag you here.”

Kingston’s grandfather jumps in. “She’s exaggerating, sweetie. I simply would’ve convinced you to join us.”

“You spending Christmas with us also gave me a chance to cook a big dinner,” Nana says, completely ignoring her husband, whose eyes shine with nothing but mirth and love.

“You’re always cooking as though you’re about to feed a small country, Nana,” teases Kingston, who has been standing quietly behind me.

“I never hear you complain,” she mock scolds.

His grandfather and I hide our snicker behind our palms.

A minty breath teases my ear before Kingston’s deep voice whispers, “I heard that, darling.”

I shiver, which he notices too because his hand tightens around my waist.

The four of us make our way to the living room after Kingston and I discard our coats and hang them on the rack at the entrance. A large Christmas tree steals all the focus. It’s so beautiful lit up with colorful sparkling lights and toys hanging from the branches.

Kingston walks over and places our gifts at the bottom among the others already kept there. It reminds me of the other thing.

“We brought wine, Nana.” I pass her the bottle with a smile. “I’m guessing it’s your favorite since Kingston picked it.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to, Twinkle,” says Kingston’s grandfather.

“Thank you, honey. It’ll go perfectly with dinner.”

Kingston returns to stand behind my back and rests his hands on my shoulders. “She also got you guys presents.”

“Oh, Twinkle, you’re spoiling us,” murmurs Nana with a hand to her chest and stares at me like I’m an angel. Turning to her husband, she scolds, “See, I told you we should’ve gone shopping.”

He scowls and retorts, “You said not to disturb you in the kitchen.”

Rolling her eyes, she turns to me and mutters, “Stupid men.”

I laugh at her expression.

“Kingston, why don’t you give Twinkle a tour of the house while your grandpa and I set the table and bring the food?” she suggests, but is actually an order.

“I can help,” I offer, but she shakes her head.

“You can help bring the dessert later,” she says. “Spend time with Kingston.”

As soon as she and her husband disappear into the kitchen, Kingston turns me to him and tilts my chin. “Did my honesty scare you?” he asks point-blank.

I decide he deserves honesty too. So, I answer, “Yes. A little.”

He sighs and brushes his fingers through my curls soothingly. “I didn’t mean to. I don’t want to hide how I feel about you, darling. It’s impossible for me to do.”

“Why can’t we just enjoy the time that we have?”

“You know, I’ve spent most of my life living in the present. But with you, for the first time, I think about the future and wanting to spend it with you.” He shushes my lips with a finger when I open my mouth to say something. “Even if there’s an end date. I hate it, but I respect your wish. So, some time when I want to delude myself, let me.”

“I like you, Kingston. A lot. I’m not the kind of girl to spend months obsessing and crushing on a stranger I thought I’d never meet again,” I confess. “I’m just not ready for a commitment. I wish I was. And I’m not saying this to hurt you.”

“I know, Twinkle.”

“If you want to end whatever this is, I would understand.” I give him a choice to cut ties now, even though saying the words tastes like poison on my tongue. “Because I can’t stand the thought of hurting you. You deserve someone so much better than me.”

He shakes his head before I could even finish. He holds me tighter against him, like he’s afraid I’ll skip away. “I knew what I was getting into, Twinkle. We aren’t ending it. I only ask for one thing.”

“What?”

“Give us a real chance,” he says earnestly. “If by the end of our dates you still wish to part ways, I’ll let you go.”

I peer into his hopeful eyes, looking for any signs of deceit and replace none. Nobody has ever made so much effort for me. Treated me like a queen.

I’m not that heartless or stubborn to take it all for granted.

Besides, my feelings for him aren’t the issue. It’s the other obstacles standing in our path. In a movie or fictional world, we’d replace a way to overcome them. But in the real world, it takes more than just love to make a relationship work.

Despite all of it circling in my head and at the risk of falling for him, I smile and answer, “Okay. I will.”

All my reservations evaporate for a blissful second when his expression shifts. A breathtaking smile etches on his face and he picks me up and kisses me.

“Just the perfect Christmas gift I needed.”

“The night is still young,” I tease, thinking about his other gift.

Putting me down, he captures my chin and fixes me to the spot with a possessive look. “Also, never ever repeat you aren’t worthy or I deserve someone better. You’ve never led me on or been dishonest. Even now, you put me first and it shows what a wonderful woman you are, darling,” he rasps in a deep tone. “Whoever you give your heart to will be the luckiest man ever. I’m selfish enough to want it to be me.”

His heartfelt admission only affirms my belief that if anyone’s going to be the lucky one, it’ll be me.