Mistletoe & Kisses (23 page)

At the mention of Corbin, his eyes light up and a playful chuckle escapes him as he runs his fingers through his damp locks. “Oh, he has the face of an angel, but don’t underestimate him. He hides his little devil horns well.”

Rolling my eyes, I give him an
I-don’t-believe-you
look. “There’s no way. He is too adorable, and quite the flirt too.”

“Now that, I believe.”

We continue talking about Corbin and his mad flirting skills the entire walk back to the bed and breakfast. I notice when he talks about his son his face brightens, and he looks younger and even more attractive…if that is even possible. I notice a few times his gaze turns distant and darkness takes over his smiling eyes. I want to ask where Corbin’s mother is, but we only just met and I don’t want him to feel like I’m just being nosey.

My mind is working on overdrive the entire walk back to the house. I can’t wrap my head around what the hell happened up in his loft just now. I’ve been with Jase for a few years, and sure, I’ve gotten butterflies when he’s around and I love him, but I’ve never felt an uncontrollable attraction to someone like I did with Brody.

These next two weeks here are definitely going to be interesting to say the least. The only good thing is for the few minutes I was up there with him, I was just me—not Jase’s Callie, who gets sympathetic glances around town and who everyone talks about as the poor girl who got knocked up and then abandoned by her boyfriend.

When Brody looked at me, he saw just
me
.

The Callie I want to be.

Chapter Six

THE WEEKEND FLEW by. I spent all Saturday and Sunday with Ella. We went to Queensbury Saturday afternoon to get some groceries she’ll need for Christmas. She said she planned on going Monday, but now with the storm growing in strength as it makes it was towards us, she thought it was best to do it now. We had dinner at Olive Garden, where I put away an entire plate of chicken parmesan, when before I was pregnant, I’d have to box up half of my plate to bring home.

I couldn’t resist grabbing a few pairs of yoga pants and a couple more sweaters at the mall. A girl can never have too many, especially with my growing belly. I’ve been craving chocolate and candy canes all week, so I grabbed a few boxes of each before we headed home. We stopped by Starbucks on the way home, and I got a mocha latte and stirred that bad boy with a candy cane, and there was only one word to describe it:
Heaven.

Pregnancy cravings are no joke. When you’re craving something, you want it then and there—no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Ella just laughed at me as I moaned after enjoying the first sip. My lil’ pretty peanut happened to agree too. I only allow myself one cup of coffee a day because of the caffeine, so I savored the hell out of that latte.

Sunday, we spent the day baking apple crisps and tons of other fattening and way-too-yummy goodies in preparation for the storm. There’s talk of possible power outages in the area because of heavy snow and strong winds, so Ella said it’d be best to have lots of things made we can eat without having to use the oven.

Today is the day the storm is coming. Ella’s boyfriend Devin got here this morning and said it was crazy in town. Everyone was out getting last minute things before the storm hits. Devin tended bar all weekend, so he wasn’t able to come to the B&B, but he said due to the storm and Christmas, he was closing it from Monday until Thursday, giving himself four full days here to be with Ella.

I’ve never seen her smile as much as she did this morning while she waited for him to get here. As soon as he walked through the door, she practically tackle-hugged him. I offered to watch Corbin until Brody was done working, getting everything prepared for the storm. Corbin is the easiest kid to babysit, because he is always silly and playful. Ella and Devin didn’t fight me too hard before finally disappearing upstairs.

The house is empty right now. The elderly couple went snowshoeing, and the family with three kids ended up going out to ride the snowmobiles Ella has here.

Almost two hours after they went upstairs, I fell asleep on the couch with Corbin curled up against my chest. He had fallen asleep about twenty minutes before me while watching cartoons. I was fighting to keep my eyes open, but I lost the battle after deciding I would just ‘rest my eyes’.

The feeling of someone laying a blanket on top of me causes my eyes to snap open. Blinking through blurriness, a fuzzy image of Brody standing above me comes into focus.

“I didn’t mean to wake you. There’s a chill in here and um…I didn’t want you two to get cold.” He is adorable when he’s nervous.

I purse my lips and push my eyebrows together as I stare up at this gorgeous, sweet, and caring man. No guy has ever done something so kind just because. Normally with Jase, it was because he had an ulterior motive.

“That is really sweet of you Brody. Thank you. I’m actually hungry now that I’m awake, so I think I’m going to grab a snack.” I slowly slide down the couch and successfully get away from Corbin without waking him.

“While you do that, I’m going to start a fire to help take the chill out of the air in here.”

“Sounds cozy. I love sitting by the fire; it is so relaxing.” I pause for a moment and watch as he gets to work starting the fire. I don’t know why, but I love watching him. Just him doing the simplest things seems so intriguing and sexy to me. I keep blaming it on the pregnancy hormones. They’re making me behave like a horny teenager, I swear. “Do you want anything to eat? You’ve been working all morning; you have to be starving.”

Kneeling in front of the fireplace, he glances at me over his shoulder. “Umm, I guess. Yeah, I am kind of hungry. I’ll settle for a ham and cheese sandwich I guess. Thanks, Callie.”

My heart stutters in my chest again when he says my name. It sounds amazing coming from his lips—lips I’d really, really like to become acquainted with.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I need to stop these thoughts. I’m setting myself up to get hurt by getting ideas in my head that will never become a reality. Hopeful thinking only sets you up for devastating disappointment.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Brody since Saturday morning. I mean, come on. The first time I met the guy, he was shirtless, making every cell in my damn brain short-circuit!

We spent all of Saturday morning together with Ella and Corbin before Ella and I went shopping. Brody was very quiet, but what I found to be the craziest thing is that even when we’re not talking, I feel comfortable around him. Sometimes with people, if we don’t speak a lot, I get that weird, uncomfortable feeling. With him, it was more like we basked in the peacefulness of being around one another, even without a ton of talking.

Corbin is wiggling his way into my heart. He is so precious, and just the thought of leaving in two weeks and not seeing his big, bright smile every morning breaks my heart. I hate I’m getting attached to everyone already, because this is temporary. Before I know it, I’ll have to return to the real world, go back to dealing with Jase, and try to get some kind of support out of him for this baby.

I need to just chill out and relax. I’m here to get away and rest. I talked to Gia this morning for a few minutes. I texted her when I knew she’d be on her lunch break. She was all too supportive of me banging the hot handyman at my auntie’s bed and breakfast. She was a lot of help…
not.
I was hoping she’d be the voice of reason and make me see the things I’m thinking about are crazy, not encourage me!

I set to work getting the stuff out of the fridge and cupboard to make Brody’s sandwich. I’m craving hot cocoa, so I make myself a mugful and plop a candy cane in it. I balance Brody’s plate, along with my banana muffin and cocoa, and make my way back through the house and into the living room.

Corbin is still fast asleep on the couch, taking up a whole section of the L-shaped sofa. The only spot open is right next to Brody. I bite back a nervous smile as I hand him his plate. “I didn’t think to ask if you need something to drink,” I whisper before setting my muffin and cocoa down on the coffee table.

Patting the sofa, he gives me that damn makes-my-knees-weak smile
.
“Sit down, Callie. I’m fine. You’re the pregnant one, yet you’re trying to run around and get me everything. Relax and eat your muffin.” I let out a soft sigh and grab my snack before joining him on the couch.

Chapter Seven

WE SIT QUIETLY and eat while Brody takes advantage of Corbin being asleep and flicks the television off of cartoons. I become slightly giddy inside when he stops on the Hallmark Movie Channel, which is playing one of my favorite movies,
Christmas in November
. I love this channel, especially during the holidays, because it’s a continuous marathon of Christmas movies.

“I love this movie,” I tell him, breaking the silence as I pop a piece of muffin into my mouth. “I always cry though. It makes me so darn emotional. I think it’s because my mother had cancer, so I can relate to the characters. She passed away just before the holidays too. This time of year is always really hard.”

I turn my gaze from the TV to Brody when I feel his hand squeeze my knee. “I’m so sorry to hear that. I remember before, Ella mentioning her sister passed from cancer. I never put two and two together that it was your mother. Cancer sucks. I hope one day we’ll finally have a world that is free of it.”

“Me too…” My words tapper off as I start to eat again. I hate talking about my mom. Even to this day, it is so hard, especially at Christmastime. What hurts more is trying to remember the sound of her voice, or her laughter and smile. Slowly, it’s all faded from my mind, and I hate it. I only keep her face imbedded in my mind thanks to the pictures throughout my house. Without them, it would probably fade too.

I find myself relaxing beside Brody as we watch the movie. I look at Corbin every now and again and find myself wondering about his mother. Where is she? Why isn’t she here?

Cupping my mug against my chest, I watch the movie as I slowly stir my candy cane in the cocoa. I slowly suck the chocolate off of the peppermint and almost choke on it when Brody clears his throat beside my head. “What?” I ask with a hint of laughter in my voice.

“You really love cocoa and those candy canes, huh?”

I feel my cheeks flush as his eyes focus in on my lips. It never occurred to me how awkward it would be to eat a candy cane in front of a guy. I’ve been so focused on just the need to eat it I hadn’t paid attention. Now, all I can think about is how many guys watched me and got turned on from me eating a freaking candy cane.

I decide to play it cool and pretend I’m not freaked out. I take a sip of my cocoa and smile at him. “I love them. And the baby does too. I feel like I need to have it morning, noon, and night.”

His Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he swallows hard. I have to stifle a giggle. Men are so easy. Any double-entendre referring to their penis and they’re a mess.

“Are you having any other crazy cravings with your pregnancy?” he asks as he shifts beside me, now facing me more so than the movie.

I lay my head back on the couch and stare up at him as I try to think of the things I can’t get enough of lately. Number one on that list would be him, but I’m sure as hell not telling him that.

“Hmm. This is hard. I have been pretty much eating anything Ella has in the kitchen,” I joke, “but in all seriousness, right now I’m loving anything chocolate, mint, or pineapple-flavored. That’s about it.”

His hand finds its way to the back of the couch and comes to rest behind my head, and the casualness and closeness we are sharing with one another is making my body hum with excitement. It’s as if it craves to be as close to him as possible at every waking moment. When I’m around him, thoughts of Jase and all the stress disappear. His right hand comes to rest on my tiny bump that’s popping out a little more today than when I arrived on Friday it seems.

With his eyes focused on my stomach, he asks, “So…you and the father? I’m taking it you’re not together, seeing you’re here for Christmas alone without him.”

God, I can’t get emotional right now. In the two months since Jase broke things off with me for what feels like the millionth time, I’ve only cried twice. First was the night he broke up with me, and the second was my first night here. I cried myself to sleep as I thought about my ultrasound earlier in the day and how I messaged Jase telling him we were having a baby girl and he couldn’t care less. I keep hearing this little voice in the back of my head telling me maybe if we were having a boy, he would’ve cared more.

But that is just me trying to rationalize being treated like shit. There is no other reason besides I am having a baby with the world’s biggest douchebag.

I breathe in a slow, relaxing breath and then exhale it between my tightly pressed lips, and it seems to help. My heart slows down, and the nervous and sick feeling in the pit of my stomach begins to lessen. I stare into Brody’s relaxed and content face, and for some unknown reason, I trust him and feel like I can open up to him, free of judgment.

“The father isn’t in the picture, hasn’t been for the last two months, and at the rate we’re going, I doubt he’ll be anytime soon.”

I don’t realize it, but somehow my hand ends up holding my belly while I talk. I find myself touching it a lot, now that I can feel her moving around inside me. Rubbing my belly seems to always help me relax. I feel like I’m comforting her and me, all at the same time.

Brody reaches out and presses his hand on top of mine. It’s so much bigger than mine, and it practically swallows mine beneath it. The warmth from his large calloused hands penetrates through my shirt and into my stomach, causing a warmth to travel through my body and a nervous fluttering in my stomach.

My eyes flicker from his to my belly, where his hand is resting, and then back up to his gaze, and I have to keep telling myself,
Breathe, Callie!

For Christ’s sake, he’s only touching your stomach! It’s not like he’s down there petting your damn kitty, for crying out loud.

“He’s an idiot. Plain and simple. No other explanation for it. Children are blessings from God, and to hear this guy isn’t doing his part pisses me off.” His eyes move from mine to Corbin, who’s still sleeping peacefully beside me. “I love Corbin with everything in me and then some. It baffles me how anyone—a mother or father—could just abandon their child.”

Brody is extremely attractive. That’s a given. He’s also the sweetest man I’ve ever met. But just now, hearing him talk about his son has just made my ovaries combust, and I’m already knocked up! I feel like there should be a crowd of women surrounding me, all going ‘Awwwww!’ very, very dramatically.

Why couldn’t I have gotten pregnant by a loving and kindhearted man like Brody? Why did I let myself settle for less and stay with Jase? Yes, he is funny and has his moments when he can be sweet, but he was an asshole far more often than he was nice.

I can feel my eyes glassing over with tears, but I refuse to let them fall. Blinking them away, I stare at the fire and try to calm my emotions again. Me and pregnancy hormones do not get along very well. I am a ball of a million emotions right now—anger, sadness, disappointment…even contentment—and it’s crazy how content I feel sitting here talking to Brody about all of this.

Brody pulls his hand away and rests it in his lap, and my stomach immediately feels cold and misses his touch. I rub my belly one more time and grab my mug of cocoa, taking a long sip before sucking the chocolate from the candy cane again. I burst out giggling as Brody arches his eyebrow at me.

I crunch down, biting about an inch off of it, and savor the yummy minty goodness. Brody’s eyes grow large and he mouths,
Ouch,
then starts chuckling. His laughter is contagious, and I can’t help but join in. He has the sexiest laugh. It’s deep and rich and makes my scalp tingle as it caresses my ears.

“What?” I ask sarcastically. “Can’t a girl eat a candy cane in peace?”

Nodding, he gives me a sly, sexy smirk. “Yes. Yes, you can, but I can’t promise I won’t laugh watching you do it. Who knew eating a candy cane could be so sexy.”

Wow. That came out of left field.

“My fat butt eating a candy cane is the farthest thing from sexy, but I appreciate the kind words. You gave my ego the little stroke it needed today.”

He reaches out, tucking my hair behind my ear, and gives me a stern look. “Don’t ever call yourself fat. You’re growing a baby. That’s a pretty major thing right there,” he says, tapping my bump. “Anyone who even thinks of calling you fat, tell me and I’ll knock their ass out.”

I roll my eyes and ask, “If it was girl, what would you do?”

“Have Ella beat their ass. She’ll back me up on this a hundred and ten percent. In my opinion, I love a girl with a little meat on her bones. Who wants to snuggle up with skeleton?”

He has a point. I always find skinny guys a turn off. I like my men beefy and buff. I guess it’s the same for most men. One good thing with this pregnancy is my girls are looking really great lately.

I glance down at my chest and smile before taking another sip of my cocoa. Brody takes notice and cracks me another killer smile. “You’ve got a perfect set of…breasts? I don’t want to be creepy or come off as a perv,” he jokes, “but I’m a guy, and I can tell you right now that every inch of you is perfect.”

“You need to stop complimenting me before my face burst into flames from blushing so hard.” I slap his arm and have to fight the urge to squeeze his bicep. It looks like if he flexed his arm, the poor shirt would split straight in two.

“Okay, change of subject. Let’s see…what do you do for a living?”

I relax against the plush couch and find myself hyperaware of every single body part of Brody’s that is near me. His knee is brushing against mine, and it keeps making me lose concentration. Then, he keeps licking his lips every time he gets ready to say something. I am sitting here trying to have a regular conversation, when all I want to do is straddle his lap and taste his perfectly kissable lips.

“I’m a beautician. I mainly do hair, but I do acrylics too. I was employed up until Friday, but I finally just said life is too short to spend it working for the biggest bitch in all of Albany, walked into the salon, told her I quit, said a quick hello to my bestie, Gia, who also works there, and then walked out to head to my ultrasound appointment.”

“You quit your job when you have a baby on the way?” he asks, truly shocked.

“I agree my decision was pretty rash, but I’ve never felt more empowered than I did that day, like a weight had been lifted off me that I’d been carrying around. I have plenty in my savings, and I plan on looking into renting a small place to open up my own salon. It’s been my dream since cosmetology school, but I kept putting it off. I’m done putting off for tomorrow what I can do today. I want to be a great example for my daughter, just like my mother was for me.”

He nods in agreement with everything I’m saying and looks to be really listening and intrigued, rather than just amusing me.

We spend the next hour talking about what I want for my own salon and what I plan on doing once the baby comes. I really don’t know what I’ll do yet. My only hope is I’ll have about three months to get the shop going and have my client list I’ve built over the last few years follow me over to my own place. Once I have the baby, I hope Gia will come work for me and have her clients come to us too. At least with her running the salon, it’ll give me six weeks for maternity leave before returning.

The plus side of owning my own place is I can bring my baby to work. I can start out slowly, only working half-days or something. I’ll figure all that out once the time comes. For now, I need to just get my dream off the ground.

I kept trying to ask Brody about Corbin’s mom, but each time, the words got stuck in my throat and refused to come out. I feel so comfortable telling him everything about me. I was kind of hoping he’d just openly volunteer the information to me. But he never did.

If he opens up to me or not right now, I really don’t care. I’m happy with the casualness we have, without drudging up too much negative, heavy issues. I told him about Jase, and it felt good to get it out there, because I would rather he know my story than judge me from coming up with his own conclusions.

I was thankful he dropped it after that, and we didn’t talk about Jase again, because for the first time, I’m not worrying about him every second of the day. Instead of wondering who he’s with or what he’s doing and if he’s missing me, all I’m thinking about is how much I’m loving being around Brody and being here with Ella.

I hope things can stay this way for as long as possible.