6 Mountain Brothers for Christmas

“I’m sorry, Dad. We stayed up drinking and I passed out on their couch.”

I saw him nod and the guilt in my stomach began to flutter. I’d never lied to my father before. Ever. I made it a point not to, especially after Mom died. He was a wreck and I was the only one here to take care of him, so I wanted to make sure I was as transparent as possible. The last thing he needed to do after grieving her death was try to figure out the mind of a teenage girl.

But here I stood, lying to him about the biggest thing that had ever happened in my life.

I knew if I told him what happened, it would break him. Not only that, it would break the relationship he had with the Trent Brothers. He trusted them like they were his own sons and if he ever found out what happened between us all last night, he’d kill every single one of them.

“Figured as much. You hungry? Or they feed your hangover?”

I could hear the grin in his voice as I shook my head.

“Harper already fed me,” I said.

“He’s always been the cook of the family,” he said.

“I’m gonna go get a shower, though,” I said. “I’m a sweater when I drink.”

“Gross,” he said. I stalked up to my room and peeled my clothes off my body. I stood in my bathroom and looked into the mirror, fingering the marks left behind all over my body. There were marks on my breasts and marks on my love handles. There were marks on the insides of my thighs and even marks on my back. While my skin tingled at the idea of what happened last night, I was still wary of the line I’d crossed with them. I didn’t expect things to happen so quickly and, as I turned on the hot water and let the steam surround me, I found my mind going a mile a minute.

What happened last night was unbelievable. As my muscles relaxed and the hot water poured over my sore body, a smile crossed my face. I’d always thought about screwing around with the Trent Brothers, but I’d never dreamed it would happen all at once. I hadn’t lied to them last night when I told them I couldn’t choose between the six of them. I hadn’t lied when I told them I wanted them all.

I just never thought in a million years they’d actually go for it.

I wanted them all, but the truth was, that wasn’t how it worked. I couldn’t just love six men and stick with them for the rest of my life. What was I, crazy? But the problem was, if I was with one, there was always something that reminded me of another. The way they melded into my life and intertwined into my memories would make it almost painful to be with only one, which meant if I couldn’t have all of them, I couldn’t be with any of them.

The thought brought tears to my eyes and I allowed them to rush down my face.

I didn’t want to ruin any relationship I had with any one of them because they were all unique and special. I had a bond with each of them and yet, none of them were more or less important to me. But last night harbored a line that had been crossed. A line none of us could come back from. What if it had gone a different way? What if I’d pissed one of them off? Caused a fight? It could’ve jeopardized my relationship with all of them.

I could’ve just as easily lost all of them last night with my antics.

I’d been a fucking idiot. A stupid, air-headed idiot. I got out of the shower and started brushing my hair, allowing my body to drip dry underneath my robe while I continued to chastise myself. No more. No more line-crossing with those boys. They were my boys… my Lost Boys… and if I lost them it would kill me inside.

Just then, my phone rang. I sighed in frustration as I put my brush down, but the moment I picked up my cell phone, I froze.

Landon was calling. And I was about to pick up the phone.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Thank fuck. Kyra. Please, just listen.”

I didn’t say anything but I didn’t hang

up.

“Can we meet for lunch tomorrow so we can talk?” he asked.

“I’m not in New York,” I said.

“I know you’re home. I’ll fly to you. Or wherever you are. Please, just… please sit down and talk with me.”

He was pleading with me. In all the years we’d dated, never once had he begged me for something. Was he hurt? Had something gone wrong? I knew his father was sick. Had something happened to him?

“Or I’ll fly you to me,” he said. “Whatever you want.”

Shockingly enough, I was actually considering it. Even though I thought our last fight ended things, the thing was, I did go a little crazy. I spun off at him and yelled things I shouldn’t have and the least he deserved was an apology. We didn’t have to rekindle things, but I did need closure.

I did need to look him in his eyes and tell him I was done.