Fearless Like Us (Like Us 9)

Her fingers curl around my shirt. “What else are you weak for?”

“Water ice,” I breathe. “Pizzelles during Christmastime.” I dip my head to whisper huskily, deeply, “And the smokeshow right in front of me.”

She drinks me in. “I’m a weakness?”

“You make me weak at the knees, strong at the heart.”

Sulli chews on the corner of her lip that grows in a giddy smile. “Fuck, you…you do this thing where you look at me like I’m…” She expels a shortened breath. “Banks.”

“You are fucking gorgeous, Sulli.” I skim her strong features. “And if you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m the poor bastard you’ve devoured whole.”

Her eyes build with emotion. “I’m really glad you came here. I know you could’ve spent Christmas with your mom and grandma—who wouldn’t rag on you like my dad might—and I just…I’m just really fucking happy to have you here. With me.”

I slide my hand against her cheek, holding her face in a sturdy grip. Her breath hitches, and it takes everything in my unholy soul not to pin her against the fridge and lift her leg around my waist.

Don’t let this end. Don’t let her go.

I know Ryke Meadows wishes I’d just fuck off already, and that constant reminder is gonna be up-close-and-personal this holiday season.

But I’m not a coward. I wasn’t going to bail out of fear, and Sulli wants me here. She wants both of her boyfriends here.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” I cock my head to Bilbo’s home. “And from now on, I’ll give you the cakes to carry.”

Her chin raises to meet my eyes better. “You really trust me with cake?”

I almost laugh. “No. I know you’ll either eat it or throw it.”

She matches my smile. “Then why give it to me?”

“Because you love cake,” I breathe, my hand still encasing her cheek. “And I want to give you everything you love. Even if you devour it all in the end.”

Her green, green eyes drop to my lips.

I lower my head more, so close to kissing Sulli. And then a shape enters my peripheral. Someone’s here.

They clear their throat.

Sulli jumps. “Fuck.” She holds her heart, stepping out of my embrace. “Fuck, Moffy. I thought you were my dad.”

Maximoff places a plastic tub on the floor. Sharpie on the side reads Christmas Garland. “Last I checked, I haven’t been body-snatched.” He straightens up. “So nope, not Ryke.” He nods to me in greeting, but a slight toughness lingers behind his green eyes that says, don’t break my cousin’s heart or I’ll fucking destroy you.

I remember Thatcher being gifted that treasure of a glare, and Maximoff Hale thinks he’s being all tough with me. Little does he know, I’m honored to be on the receiving end of his protective threats.

Means I’m with Sulli.

So I slip a toothpick between my lips and bite down, trying not to smile.

“This is all the garland I could find in the attic,” Maximoff tells her.

Sulli explains to me, “We all pitch-in and decorate the house on the first day. I always do the garland and wreaths. Which is a good thing you’re here—because last time I tried to hang a wreath on the highest window, I had Tom hold my ankles while I was halfway out of a windowsill. Let’s just say I dropped the fucking wreath and Tom almost dropped me.”

Jesus.

“Rest assured, I’m not dropping you out of a fuckin’ window.”

“Totally fucking assured.” She grins.

Maximoff moves to leave and tells Sulli, “Fair warning—if you want zero conflict this week, then you probably need to keep the PDA on the negative-hundred level when my dad shows up. He’s still not really cool with you three dating each other.”

No surprise there. Loren Hale is the most overprotective of all the dads. And he’s Ryke’s half-brother, so I’m sure he’s waiting to boot-kick my ass out of the lake house.

Sulli nods stiffly, smile gone. “Thanks for the heads up, Moffy.”

We wait until he leaves, and then Sulli pulls back into me. “Where were we before…you know?” She motions to where her cousin left, her yearning eyes never leaving mine. Never wanting this to end.

“Right about here.” I discard my toothpick. And I lean down. Clutching her cheek in a strong hand, I close the distance like I’m crashing through a door.

I kiss Sulli with all the desire erupting inside me. Our lips meld, and she melts and arches and I hold her closer. Feeling her eagerness to journey fast and far up against my tongue, I urge deeper. Soulful force bridges us together.

Her hands don’t stay still. Can’t stay still. They roam all over me like they never want to land, and my pulse beats in a rushed, heavy fucking rhythm.

I take her ass in my palm.

She gasps in a breathy, raspy wanting sound, pummeling me.

Our eyes cling tighter than our hands, and Sullivan Meadows is eating me alive. We crash into another mind-blowing kiss that screams and claws. Her fingers clench around my shirt, and my hands are snared in her wild hair.