11. Meggie

11

Meggie

T he guys have jumped headfirst into my family’s most sacred traditions. Especially today’s competition. As professional athletes, we’re all pretty competitive, so it’s not surprising, but I didn’t expect them to be as excited about it as I am. Ellis even made shirts for each team.

The doorbell rings, and I rush out of the kitchen to open it. Before the ringing even stops, my little sister Lily barges in. Without even a ‘ hello ,’ she hollers, “Ellis is on my team!”

I cut her off at the pass with a hug. “What am I, now, chopped liver?”

“Ew.” She makes a face and sticks her tongue out at me.

“I’ll be on your team, Meggie.” My other sister Vickie shimmies past Lily with an eager smile.

“Hi, sweetie.” My mom makes it through the door a step behind my little sisters. She’s carrying a bag of presents nearly as big as she is, red and green wrapped boxes spilling out the top. She loves going overboard on Christmas when she can.

Having heard the commotion, Dante comes down the stairs and takes the bag from her.

“Good to see you again, Mrs. Harper.” He gives my mom a hug while Ellis joins us and sweeps both my sisters into a bear hug that makes them squeal.

When he sets them down, Vickie rolls her eyes, which draws her attention up to the mistletoe in the entryway. She freezes, looking at Ellis, cheeks as red as cherries. Ellis notices how she’s stiffened. He winks at me. “Looks like someone needs a kiss.”

He bows gentlemanly to my sister. “May I kiss your hand, my lady?”

She giggles and holds out her hand. He kisses the back of it. Then, not to be left out, Lily jumps under the mistletoe and asks for a kiss too. “But I want mine on the cheek.”

Ellis complies with an amused smile.

“You boys are too sweet.” Mom sets her bag down on the couch and pulls me into another hug. It hasn’t been that long since I saw her, but she’s always been affectionate.

“Meggie!” Oz yells from the other room. “Is it supposed to smell like this? ”

I rush into the kitchen just as Oz pulls the pot of caramelized sugar off the burner. It smells a little burnt, which is fine since we won’t eat it, but we need it to stay soft a bit longer before we’re ready for it. I grab a carton of cream from the fridge and pour in a generous amount before turning down the burner and handing Oz a whisk. “Keep it moving.”

Mom smiles proudly at me from the archway between the kitchen and living room before stepping away to settle the presents under the tree. We’ve done this every Christmas Eve, but usually she’s the one in the kitchen trying to balance the timing of getting everything just right.

“I can help,” McQuinn says. “If your arm gets tired.” He leans a hip against the counter next to Oz, who shakes his head and looks away.

Oz has been a little jumpy today, and I don’t know what the heck I was feeling from his side of the bond last night, but we haven’t had a private chance to talk. He didn’t sleep in the nest, and that’s ok, but whatever he was doing… He felt good. He felt damn good. There’s a different undertone to his usual rain shower scent this morning.

It’s Christmas, so we’re all keeping secrets and surprises, but I wish I knew what made him so happy last night, and what’s making him so twitchy this morning.

My sisters plop down on the bar stools and promptly start popping pieces of candy into their mouths while peppering Ellis and Dante with questions.

“So do you think eggnog is a refreshing and delicious and amazing beverage or are you bizarre?” Vickie takes the lid off her peppermint frappuccino and starts using her straw to scoop out the whipped cream clinging to the sides.

“It’s so disgusting!” Lily shrieks as Ellis and Dante laugh. “Like mint and chocolate, it’s so gross.”

“I really like mint,” Ellis beams as Nils walks past the kitchen, gently wafting his minty eucalyptus scent as he passes.

Lily makes fake barfing sounds into her empty cup. “I love Nils, but I couldn’t pack up with a minty person.”

Dante jerks his head up like Lily just declared she wants to tattoo nutcrackers on her forehead. “Woah, little miss. You’ve got a long way to go before you worry about packing up.”

My littlest sister rolls her eyes with an attitude too well defined for her young years, and I can’t help but snort a laugh.

“You haven’t even designated yet, Lil. Just relax.” I try to keep my tone calm and not exasperated. She’s way too young to be thinking about a pack!

The door to the office opens, and Harrison comes out looking like he heard every word of our chat.

“Who is packing up with what now?” He crosses his arms across his chest. I love the protective vibe softly radiating off him. “Is there someone you’re seeing that I need to meet? ”

Lily rolls her eyes, but I can tell she loves the attention. Whenever my sisters start dating, their prospective significant others will have a whole pack of brothers-in-law to prove themselves to. My dad would love it, the way my men have stepped in to love my sisters.

I can’t wait to see Harrison as a father.

As if sensing my thoughts, Harrison moves toward me and places a kiss on my forehead. I pull him down by the collar of his shirt and kiss him, sending all my love through our bond before changing the topic away from my sisters growing up too fast. “You’re going down, you know that, right? We Harper women are pretty competitive.”

“I don’t mind going down, Meggie,” Harrison whispers in my ear. “In fact, I’d be happy to take you upstairs right now and—”

I backhand his arm. “Shhh! My family’s here.”

For someone who spent most of his life with little to no interest in sex, my reserved pack alpha has become remarkably insatiable. He’s also the one who most enjoys eating me out. Maybe it’s because the smell is more concentrated when his face is between my thighs. We all know how my apple pie scent does it for him. I don’t particularly care why he loves it so much, just that he does.

His eyes dilate, no doubt guessing exactly what I’m thinking about.

“None of that.” I push him a few inches away before my body decides to cancel this whole thing and drag him up to bed. “Are you ready to lose?”

“Oh, I’m not losing, because I’m not playing against you. I’m on your team, love. It’s my one requirement as pack alpha.” He leans in and kisses my forehead. “I’m always on your team.”

I feel the adoration he’s sending through the bond, and I know he feels mine, but I tell him anyway because sometimes it’s nice to hear. “I love you, Harrison Hart.”

“And I love you, Meggie Hart.”

“Get a room,” Vickie groans.