Under the Mistletoe

BREE

I’m
traveling home for the holidays and being squished between a man who doesn’t
smell too good and an adolescent boy, who can’t seem to stop grinning at me,
certainly isn’t my idea of fun.  I’ve been on the go since 4am, when I left for
the airport for my flight home.  My Dad had wanted to meet me when I landed,
but I really didn’t want him making the journey.  It would have been a six hour
round trip for him.

The
bus is now fifteen minutes out and the butterflies in my stomach have started. 
It’s been two years since I’ve been home.  Two very long years spent trying to
get Gabe out of my head and heart, but I have a really bad feeling he’s there
to stay.

I’d
gone home then for the holidays and stepped right off the bus in town to be
greeted by Gabe, all six foot six inches of him, to be hit with a surge of lust
and love so strong it frightened the life out of me.  It stopped me dead in my
tracks, because Gabe to all intents and purposes is my brother.

He
was three when my parents, Martha and David, had taken him in to live with us,
his parents having been killed in a car crash.  So although we’re not related,
we’d grown up in the same house as brother and sister.

I’d
always been aware of him, but until two years ago had never lusted after him,
and now I’m stuck on this godforsaken bus going home again to the guy I’ve
fallen in love with, who I can never be with.

The
bus is finally pulling into the stop in town.  Struggling through the throng of
people blocking my way to the exit, I finally descend taking some deep breaths
of fresh country air, “Mmm, home.”  Even better is seeing the town that I
haven’t realized I’d missed until now.

Looking
around the small town, which is always wonderfully lit at Christmas, I see that
this year is no exception.
 
The general store is covered in colored lights with a
Santa and his reindeer lit up on the roof.  Jacy’s Pharmacy has small Christmas
trees along the front of the roof with holly shaped lights in the windows and
the trees around the town square are decorated with gold lights.

“Are
you going to stand around all night sis?”  My brother asks making me jump.  I
turn and see him walking towards me with a big grin on his face.

With
a screech, I run slipping and sliding on the snow and ice straight into his
arms for a really big hug.  “You look good sis.”

“You
got one of them for me?”  My heart flips.  Gabe.

Trying
to act normal, and not let him see how much I’ve missed him, I turn and smile
up at him as I approach.  I can hear Travis in the background saying something
about getting my bags.

Reaching
Gabe he opens his arms, never taking his eyes from me, as I walk into them.  I
wrap my arms tight around his waist, inside his open coat, burying my face
against his chest just breathing him in.  He seems to be holding me just as
tight, as though he never wants to let me go.  “I’ve missed you Gabe.”  God he
feels so good and smells of the cologne he favors.  Every time he touches me I
get tingles that run all the way through me ending between my legs.

“I’ve
missed you too Bree.”  Leaning down he kisses me on the head and smoothes his
hand down my back making me shiver.

He
starts to pull away; I reluctantly let go of him and stand back.  Looking up
into his face, I briefly see the look of longing, for me, before he turns back
to the truck.

Clearing
his throat, “You better get in the truck before you freeze to death.”  He
reaches out and opens the door for me, taking my elbow to make sure I don’t
slip on the ice.

I’m
sitting in the warm cab as I watch Gabe climb into the passenger seat to wait
for Travis, who’s on his way over with my one bag of luggage.

 
Pulling out of town with Travis driving, I find my eyes keep moving to Gabe,
who keeps catching me staring at him in the mirror.   He seems to be doing some
looking of his own.

He still looks as handsome as always and
staying away hasn’t helped with my feelings for him one bit.  I’m still in love
with him; I guess I always will be. 
Why can’t he just be a friend of Travis
instead of my brother?
  My parents have never adopted him, they told him
that his parents had loved him and they wanted to
honor
their memory by letting him keep the name they’d given him.  If he wanted them
to, all he had to do was say the word, but he never had.

As
Travis pulls the truck to the front of the house my parents are waiting by the
door; no sign of my sister Beth though.  She’s probably around somewhere with
Simon, the boyfriend of the month or so Travis told me on the phone when I rang
the other day.

I
climb out of the truck and feel close to tears.  I’m an idiot for staying away
so long.  They’re my family and no matter how I feel about Gabe and how much it
hurts to be close to him and not be with him, I can’t stay away again.  I run
to the porch trying not to break my neck throwing myself into my parent’s arms.

With
tears in my eyes, “Mom, I’ve missed you and Dad so much.”

“Then
you shouldn’t stay away so long honey.  Now come inside and warm up.”

“Okay
Mom.  When’s supper?  Do I have time to stretch out for a few minutes?  I’m
exhausted.”

“It’s
in about an hour honey, okay?”

Coming
to stand beside me, Gabe has my bag in his hand, “I’ll take your bag upstairs.”

“Thanks
Gabe.”  I say as I follow him upstairs to my room.

Walking
into the room that has been mine since I was a small child feels odd with Gabe
standing inside, looking out of the window.  “It’s started snowing again.”

I
walk over to join him, “I love the snow.”  Standing so close to him feels real
good.  All I want right now is for him to turn and take me into his arms. 
Not
going to happen.

“I
remember…. I better go.”  Moving away from the window, he walks to the door and
turns back to find me looking at him and for a split second, he looks at me
with the same longing I feel for him.

BREE

I’ve
been left alone in my room for now, so I’ve spent the time unpacking and have
exchanged my boots for my favorite thick woolly socks.  Sitting on the seat in
the window, I look out at the snow, wondering what to do about Gabe.

A
couple of times I’ve caught him looking at me with heat in his eyes. 
There’s
no way I’m mistaken.
 In fact I’m convinced the only thing standing in the
way of us being together is my family.

An
hour has passed so I decide to head downstairs only to be introduced to Gabe’s
friend, Tracy.    How I manage to be polite to her I’ll never know.  I feel as
though my heart’s being ripped out.  I want to cry out that he’s mine and to
stay away from him.  Excusing myself, I head to the guest bathroom and lock
myself in.  Leaning against the sink, I take some deep breaths to try and stop
the tears which are threatening to fall.  He could have warned me he had a
guest coming for dinner. 
How could he do this to me?

Finally
having myself under control, I head back to the lounge only to have Tracy
appear to the side of me and all I want to do is run. “Hi Bree, is this your
first trip home for a while? I haven’t met you before.”  She asks.

Trying
to keep my voice steady, I reply, “Two years.   How long have you been in
town?”  I ask her, while she seems distracted watching every move Gabe makes.

“I
moved here about eighteen months ago….  Your brother is so hot.”

I
really can’t stay here another minute otherwise I really will be in tears, “If
you’ll excuse me a minute.”  I rush up to my room to get away and to try to get
my emotions in check before someone notices.  I can’t keep doing this.  I’ve
been home just over an hour and I’m already a wreck because Gabe has a girl.

I
haven’t been in my room long when I hear someone knocking on my door, “Who is
it?”

“Bree,
open the door.”  Jumping off the bed, I open the door to my sister Beth, who
throws her arms around me as we both hug really tight.  This is just what I
needed.

I
pull her into the room and shut the door behind her dragging her over to the
bed.  “When do I get to meet Simon?”

“He’s
downstairs.  No hundred and one questions when you meet him sis.  Promise?”

“Okay,
I promise Beth.”

Frowning,
I have to ask, “How long has Gabe been going out with Tracy?”

With
a puzzled look, “They aren’t going out.  Tracy works at the diner and she’s
been after him for ages, but he’s never accepted, until tonight.”

Feeling
slightly better, I look at my sister, “Really?”

“Yeah,
it’s a bit weird that he invited her here tonight though.  Anyway come on, Mom
sent me up to look for you, supper’s ready.”

Feeling
much better now that I know Gabe isn’t with Tracy, I manage to put a smile back
on my face and head downstairs with Beth.