A Fool's Gold Christmas (Fool's Gold #9.5)

He drew her down next to him and kissed the side of her neck. “Enough with the serious topics. What are your plans for today?”


She snuggled close, thinking she would happily give up all her plans to spend more time with him. But she wasn’t going to push or assume.

“I have laundry,” she said. “I might go buy a Christmas tree later, and I have nothing to eat in the house but a loaf of bread and coffee.”

“Sounds like a full day,” he said, leaning over her. His blue eyes sparkled with something she would like to think was passion and maybe a little anticipation. “Any room for me in it?”

“What did you have in mind?” she asked, her voice breathless.

“A lot of things.” He brushed his mouth against hers.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave herself over to the sensations washing through her. His hand fumbled with the tie on her robe, then the silky fabric fell free. His fingers caressed her belly before moving higher and—

She stiffened, sure she’d heard something from downstairs.

“What was that?” she asked.

Dante raised his head. “It sounded like voices.”

“And footsteps.”

She wasn’t the type to hear bumps in the night. Besides, it was practically midmorning on a weekend. The sun was out and people were around.

“I’ll go investigate,” Dante said, sitting up. He reached for his jeans, but before he could pull them on, the bedroom door was pushed open and her brothers rushed inside.

“Are you all—”

Rafe had been speaking. Now his mouth fell open as he stared. Three pairs of eyes widened in identical expressions of astonishment. Evie had a feeling she looked just as shocked.

“You’re naked,” Clay said at last, obviously horrified by the realization.

All Evie had needed to do was hold her robe closed, but Dante had no such luck. He was caught, sitting on the edge of her bed, jeans in one hand, and that was it.

Rafe’s gaze narrowed. “You’re sleeping with my sister? We talked about that.”

Evie scrambled to her feet and stepped in front of Dante. “You so did not. Because there is no way you have the right to get involved in my personal life. And just because you’re paying for this townhouse doesn’t mean you have the right to enter unannounced.”

Rafe ignored her. “I told you to check on her. To look after her.”

Evie spun to face Dante, who was pulling on his jeans. “He told you that?”

Dante stood and fastened his pants. “He mentioned something about it.” His gaze settled on her. “You know that’s not why I’m here.”

She paused, then nodded briefly. “I do. It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” Shane told her. “Nothing about this is okay.”

She turned toward her brothers. “No. You don’t get to dictate my personal life. You gave up that right a long time ago and you know it.”

She expected them to back off. It wasn’t as if they could have much of an argument. But Clay actually stepped forward.

“Evie, don’t you get it? You’re our sister and we love you.”

* * *

FIVE MINUTES LATER Dante finished dressing. Evie had sent her brothers to the kitchen to wait. She drew a sweater over her head, then pulled her hair free. Dante pulled her into his arms.

“Freaked out?” he asked.

“A little.”

“Sorry that had to happen. Families are a complication.”

She nodded, knowing in this case, he didn’t have a problem with complications. She knew he would do anything to have his mom back. Because of that, she wasn’t about to complain about her brothers showing up the way they did.

“I’ll see you later?” he asked.

“I’d like that.”

“Why don’t I come over around five with takeout and a movie,” he told her. “We can have a quiet evening in.”

She stepped into his embrace and hung on for a second. Dante was strong and warm and the kind of guy she would find it easy to fall for. Not that it would be a smart move. After all, he’d made it clear he didn’t do long-term, and she had spent years loving people who wouldn’t love her back.

He kissed her and then stepped back. “Come on. You can walk me to the door so no one feels compelled to attack.”

“Probably for the best,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “Clay knows martial arts. I think he could kill you with a matchbook cover.”

Dante winced. “I really didn’t need to know that.”

She laughed.

Her good humor lasted until they reached the living room. Dante grabbed his jacket and left, while she had to go face her brothers.

She hesitated, confused by Clay’s seemingly earnest words.

They loved her? That was news, as far as she was concerned. They didn’t act as if they loved her. Until she’d been forcibly moved to Fool’s Gold after her injury, she hadn’t seen any of them in over a year. Except for Rafe, who had shown up in the early part of the summer.