Chapter 12

CHAPTER12

“What if we-”

“No,” Bryce said, biting back a wince when the move caused more pain to shoot through his side even as he couldn’t help but notice just how fucking adorable Cayley was as she adjusted the knitted reindeer cap that she’d bought to ensure that they were in the Christmas mood.

Nothing would put him in the Christmas mood, but he had to admit that it definitely made her happier. Then again, so did the Rudolph nose that she’d bought until it suddenly stopped working on the way back here and she’d been reduced to sadly mumbling to herself. He’d been tempted, more than a little fucking tempted, to go back and buy her a new one, but he really didn’t think that was a good idea, not after what happened once they went back to grab their hot cocoa and-

It was probably for the best if he didn’t think about that or the really disturbing things that he’d learned about his brother. Decision made, Bryce folded his arms over his chest, barely managing to bite back a wince when the move caused his arm to brush against his side and glared down at the small woman sending him hopeful looks.

“It’s fine where it is,” Bryce bit out with a glare that he hoped would be enough to get her to drop it.

Clearing her throat, Cayley gestured to where he’d placed the huge fucking Christmas tree that he’d tried talking her out of buying. “It’s in the hallway.”

For a moment, Bryce simply stood there and glared at her, hoping that it would be enough to make her let this go.

“You do realize that doesn’t work on me, right?” Cayley asked, blinking up at him until he released a muttered curse, turned around and made his way back to the door, grabbed the damn tree and-

“Shit!” Bryce snapped when the move caused the muscles in his chest and side to seize up as pain shot through his ribs, forcing him to grab onto his side as he tried to breathe through the pain.

“Are you okay?” came the panicked question as the small woman that he’d been thinking about all day rushed to his side.

“I’m fine,” Bryce bit out through clenched teeth as he tried to shrug off her concern as he pressed his hand firmly against his side. When she didn’t say anything, Bryce glanced down to find her eyes narrowing dangerously on him, her lips pressed into a firm line as she reached over and grabbed his other arm, giving it a yank as she headed back towards her couch, leaving him with no other choice but to follow the little bully.

“I’m fine,” Bryce said evenly, only to end up grunting when the little brat shoved him down on the couch and quickly crawled onto his lap, stunning him into silence. That was followed by glaring at her when she shoved his arm away, yanked his shirt up and-

“Oh, my God! What the hell happened?”

-saw the damage from yesterday’s touch football game.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine,” Bryce said, moving to gently push her hand away when the little demon slapped his hand away and traced the large bruise decorating half his ribs and side with her fingertips.

“This doesn’t look like nothing,” Cayley said, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as her gaze flickered between his face and the large bruise that looked a hell of a lot worse than it felt.

“It’s nothing,” Bryce bit out with a glare that was met with a blank look that had his eyes narrowing.

Cayley didn’t say anything as she sat there, blinking at him as she waited for an answer that she wasn’t going to get. When he didn’t break, Cayley simply shifted, blinked again, and waited. For several minutes, Bryce sat there, jaw clenched as he glared at the little brat and-

“Fine! The little asshole took me by surprise last night and knocked me on my ass. Are you happy now?” Bryce snapped, only to groan as he placed his hand back over his ribs.

Sighing heavily, Cayley absently muttered, “Ecstatic,” as she climbed off his lap and headed back to the door, where she spent the next two minutes searching through her bag until she had her keys in her hand and was gesturing to the door. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” Bryce asked, shoving his shirt back down.

“To the emergency room to get that looked at,” Cayley said, once again gesturing for him to move his ass.

“It’s just sore,” Bryce said, watching as she went still, sighed, and grumbled as she turned around and headed down the small hallway.

A moment later, she was walking back into the room carrying a familiar-looking metal tin and-

Made him sigh heavily when she crawled back onto his lap. “Take your shirt off,” Cayley said, not bothering to look at him as she removed the cover and placed it on the end table as the familiar scent of lemon grass and citrus teased him.

“Where did you get that?” Bryce asked, reluctantly doing as he was asked.

“Your brother is a pain in the ass,” Cayley said, dipping her fingertips in the salve that Uncle Ethan made that was a fucking godsend. It helped ease the pain in his sore muscles at the end of the day and helped on those rare occasions when they beat the shit out of each other for the hell of it.

“Meaning?” Bryce asked, watching her.

“He’s high maintenance,” Cayley said, placing her fingertips on his side and-

Tore a groan from him when she gently ran her fingertips over his ribs.

“Did I hurt you?” she asked, pausing to make sure that he was okay.

“No, it’s fine,” Bryce said, reaching to take the ointment from her before he lost his fucking mind. “I can do it.”

“And yet, you didn’t,” Cayley murmured with a pointed look as she ignored him and continued gently rubbing the ointment that was starting to help his muscles relax into his skin. Christ, that felt good, Bryce thought as he gave up trying to stop her and leaned back, watching Cayley as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth while she focused on what she was doing.

He couldn’t remember the last time anything felt this good, Bryce thought, biting back a groan as he relaxed back against the couch while Cayley took her time gently working the salve over his sore muscles. She felt so good on his lap, he thought, running his eyes over her, taking in her dark hair once again pulled up into a ponytail, her incredibly soft-looking plump lips that made it difficult to focus before shifting his attention down the rest of her body, wishing like hell that there was something that he didn’t like about her to make this easier.

“Can I ask you something?” came the softly murmured words as her small hands made their way over his chest and shoulders.

“Depends on the question,” Bryce said, looking back up to meet her curious gaze.

“Why do you hate me?” Cayley asked, taking him by surprise and found himself thinking about the real reason why he avoided her.

Because she chose Sean over him.

“I don’t hate you,” Bryce said, deciding that it was time to put some space between them. He gently picked her up and placed her on the couch next to him before grabbing his shirt and bit back a wince as he stood up, giving her his back as he pulled his shirt on and thought about the time when he was her entire world.

“No, you don’t, do you?” Cayley murmured, sounding thoughtful as he made his way back to the Christmas tree and grabbed it.

“I thought you decided that I was in love with you,” Bryce drawled as he carried the Christmas tree across the room and placed it in the tree stand that she’d set up in the corner.

“It’s one of several theories I’m debating at the moment,” Cayley said, sounding thoughtful as he knelt down to secure the tree and-

“What are you doing?” came the curious question that had him looking up to find Sean standing in the doorway watching him.

“Professing my undying love for the little pain in the ass,” Bryce said dryly as he finished making sure that the tree wasn’t going to fall over before he stood up.

“He really did,” Cayley said, nodding solemnly. “It was magical.”

“That would explain why he’s willingly touching a Christmas tree,” Sean said as he made his way to the kitchen.

“Why’s that?” Cayley asked, frowning in confusion only to glare when Sean helped himself to the rest of her chocolate milk.

“Because he hates Christmas,” Sean said, shrugging it off.

“You hate Christmas?” Cayley asked, sending Bryce a questioning look that he easily ignored as he made his way to the door now that the little brat had help.

“With a passion,” Sean added absently as he shifted his attention back to the fridge.

“How can you hate Christmas?” Cayley asked, looking adorably confused.

“Just never got into it,” Bryce said, grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair only to glare at Sean when the little bastard added, “It used to be his favorite holiday, but now he avoids everything to do with Christmas. He only shows up to Christmas dinner because our father would kill him if he missed it.”

“What happened?” the small woman that would never understand asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she watched him.

“Just outgrew it,” Bryce said, wondering what the hell he’d been thinking when he’d agreed to do this.