#Holiday: A Hashtag Series Short Story (Hashtag #6.5) by Cambria Hebert Read Free Book Online Page B

she wasn’t. But I didn’t lecture her. I just drove her to near orgasm with my hands.
    When she was whimpering my name and I was so hard it hurt, I got out of the tub, lifting her with me like she weighed nothing more than a single feather.
    Since we were both soaking wet, I didn’t lay her on the bed. Instead, I spread out a thick quilt on the floor right in front of the hearth and laid her completely naked body out before me as a feast for my eyes.
    I made slow love to her right there beside the crackling Christmas Eve fire until we were both spent and weak limbed.
    We were completely dry and totally drowsy a long time later when somewhere in the room my cell phone started ringing.
    I didn’t want to answer it, but it wouldn’t stop ringing, so eventually, I found it in my discarded jeans.
    “Rome?” I answered, wondering why he was calling and not just knocking on the bedroom door.
    I wondered if we’d been loud and everyone knew what we were doing in here.
    I decided I didn’t care.
    “Need you, B,” he replied.
    I listened intently as he spoke quickly.
    “Be right there,” I said and reached for some clothes.

Romeo
    My pants were fully in place. We’d moved from the backseat to the front by the time B pulled up in the white Range Rover Evoque he’d bought for Ivy before she had Nova.
    I was still in a state of bliss.
    Damn, my girl knew how to keep me happy.
    Since she was cuddled up in my lap with her head on my shoulder and drifting off to the sound of the holiday music I’d found on a local radio station (hey, it’s her tradition, and now that I knew about it, it was going to be our tradition), I didn’t want to get up and wave them down.
    I settled for rolling the window down and flinging my arm out as they rolled to a stop in the center of the road nearby.
    The heavily tinted window of the Rover rolled down to reveal Braeden grinning like a smartass beneath the black beanie he was wearing. “Don’t get up or anything,” he called.
    I gave him the finger. “Took you long enough!”
    “I gotta say, Rome. I’m disappointed. I thought you were a better driver.”
    Trent’s laughter floated out Braeden’s window.
    “Fucking garbage collectors were on my ass,” I spat.
    Braeden’s face hardened, and he got out of the car, leaving it running. “Come on. Let’s get you out of there. I left Ivy and the baby at the cabin with Drew.”
    “Baby,” I murmured, and Rim stirred. “Over to your seat,” I said gently and reluctantly lifted her off my lap to place her in the passenger seat. “B’s here. I’m gonna help him.”
    “I’ll help, too,” she said, her eyes popping open.
    “No way. Stay here.”
    She gave me a hard stare, and I gave it right back. I wasn’t relenting on this. She could stay in the heat where I wouldn’t have to worry about her turning into a Popsicle or falling on the ice and hurting herself.
    “Fine,” she muttered, sensing the hard stance I was taking.
    I kissed her forehead and got out. B and Trent were standing at the back of the Rover, so I joined them. B lifted the floorboard of the trunk to reveal a place where he’d stashed half a hardware store.
    “Damn, you rob Auto Zone?” Trent whistled.
    “If there’s ever a zombie apocalypse, I’m riding with you.” I slapped B on the back.
    He held up both his middle fingers, one for me and one for Trent.
    “I ain’t letting my wife and daughter go driving around without the shit they need.”
    “Does she even know how to use a carjack?” Trent asked, doubtful. “Or a flare gun?”
    I snickered.
    B slammed a bag of sand in Trent’s middle, and he wheezed out a breath, then laughed.
    “Is that some dried astronaut food?” I guffawed and pointed to some kind of long-term food supply. “Got any dehydrated ice cream?”
    “I’m not the one stuck in the snow,” B muttered and shut the lid.
    “Aww, don’t be mad, B.” I followed him across the street to the back of the Cat.
    He leaned in the