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Chapter 1We’re vacationing with Derek for the holidays, just like we do every year A tradition that I inherited with e to Grayson Every time Christmas rolls around, it’s an additional a complication I don’t need, a temptation I know better than to even consider He’s in to cover it They’re closer than brothers, close enough that I get jealous so at him like that?

I stare out theat the pristine white mountain Nor the holidays, but Grayson’s been feeling nostalgic for a “real” Christmas with snow and nature, so this year it’s Colorado He and Derek spent all day skiing, but throwingfor the best isn’t ood time, so I bundled up here in our cabin with e

Cabin

The descriptor is laughable This building, tucked as it is into the slope, is as much a cabin as our penthouse is an apart vaulted ceiling is s, and all the furniture is mountain chic It’s not a beach resort, but even I can admit that it’s cozy and beautiful

And I’ myself

I watch Grayson and Derek out of the corner of my eye They couldn’t be more different Both are white but that’s where the similarities end Grayson is built lean, courtesy of his hours spent running as he trains for one ot a head of curly black hair Derek is built bulkier with lighter brown hair and a full beard Every time I look at him, the word that co flannel, and he looks like a lumberjack that can rip down trees with his bare hands

They’ve both showered and changed and are wearing what passes for relaxing clothing Jeans and a knit sweater for Grayson Lounge pants and nothing else for Derek As if he doesn’t care that the lines of his body draw a person’s gaze down, down, down to the faint trail of hair leading fro of his pants

I jerk ht turns it into aroom back to me I can see myself, curled on the couch with a throw blanket, and thefarther back in the kitchen

“Emma?”

My skin gets hot with e wrong “Sorry, I was ”

Grayson comes and leans over the back of the couch to press a kiss to my temple “Would you like a drink?”