Under the Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis Read Free Book Online Page A

herself. He even set up the trees with Carlos. They didn’t speak much, but they didn’t brawl either, so that was a bonus. Halfway through, Carlos’s girlfriend, Theresa, showed up with a basket of cookies, which Carlos reluctantly offered to share with Nick.
    Not a martyr, Nick dug in. “If you have a girlfriend,” he asked, mouth full of delicious chocolate chip cookie, “what the hell was earlier about?”
    Carlos shrugged. “Still care about her.”
    “You have a girlfriend,” Nick repeated.
    “Yeah, but you never really get over your first love.”
    Nick chewed on that statement along with the cookie. His first love was Mia, too. And since he couldn’t imagine moving on or forgetting her, he finally nodded his understanding.
    The rehearsal dinner was a blur, and afterward Mia vanished with her mom and aunts doing…whatever girls did the night before a wedding. Nick was politely shown to his room at the B&B.
    He got up early the next morning, made himself useful some more, and knew he’d won over at least half the clan when Tara made him a big breakfast and Maddie hugged him for all he’d done to help out.
    By the time the guests showed up and the ceremony began, he was hungry for a peek at Mia.
    And then she was walking down the aisle in a beautiful forest-green dress, flowers in her hands, hair flowing behind her in the slight breeze, a warm smile on her face. Just looking at her, Nick ached. She was a part of him. The very best part.
    Halfway down the aisle, their gazes caught and held. He wasn’t sure he recognized the look on her face, but he couldn’t tear his eyes off of her.
    Tara was next, and then Maddie, holding her son. Her three-year-old daughter was walking at her side, carefully and precisely dumping a fistful of flowers out of her basket with each step. When she ran out of flowers, she stopped short, refusing to go another step. “I need more flowers!”
    Maddie shot her husband a desperate look where he stood with Ford and Sawyer. Jax jogged down the aisle and gave Maddie a quick kiss, and then picked up his daughter.
    “Daddy, I need more flowers!”
    “I know, baby.” Jax adjusted her in one arm and slid the other around Maddie, and they walked the rest of the aisle together.
    Then the crowd hushed and it was Chloe’s turn to walk toward Sawyer. Nick was struck by her expression as she smiled at her soon-to-be husband from brilliantly shiny eyes. And then it hit him like a one-two punch—it was the same expression Mia had worn only a moment before when she’d locked gazes with Nick.
    Love.
    Stunned, Nick sat there and missed nearly every word of the ceremony, which apparently had been incredibly touching because there wasn’t a dry eye in sight when it was over.
    Then the music started and the bride and groom had their first dance. Nick caught sight of Mia dancing with Ford, and then Sawyer. And then Carlos.
    Nick stood. Pocketing the swig of mistletoe from the table, he made his way toward the dance floor. He knew this wasn’t going to be on the top ten list of the smartest things he’d ever done, but he didn’t care. “Can I cut in?”
    Carlos looked at Mia, who nodded. Nick took her hand and brought it up around his neck, pulling her in close, drinking in her familiar scent and the warm, soft feel of her curves. He molded his body to hers and felt her react by melting into him.
    It was almost as good as being inside her. Unable to help himself, he ran his hands down the length of her back, closing his eyes to savor the feel of her.
    “Nick?”
    He opened his eyes and met hers, surprised to see a glimmer of uncertainty.
    “What are we doing?” she asked.
    “Dancing.”
    “It feels like a lot more.”
    “Good.” He held the mistletoe over her head.
    She let out a low laugh. “You want a kiss?”
    “To start,” he said, and leaned in and touched his lips to hers. “You are so beautiful, Mia.”
    “You really do have some pretty fancy words lately.”
    “Yeah.”