Page 37 of Dollhouse

Bo squeezes my shoulder, kissing the top of my head. “Exactly. We’ll just pretend it’s a normal Christmas Eve. By the time they get back, we can be wine-drunk and wrapped in bows for them to unwrap.”

I try to match his wily smile. “That actually sounds kind of fun.”

The shine in my eyes must not match my words, because he tugs my back to his chest, wrapping his arms around me and setting his head on mine. “I know. I’m always here, Em. Don’t forget that. I’m always going to be here with you.”

I nod and Noah watches me from across the room. God, he is so handsome. It’s a rush when he looks at me, that someone likehimlooks at me the way he does.

“I love you,” I mouth the words silently.

“Love you, Angel,” he mimics, a soundless message meant only for me. Heat creeps into my face which only makes him bite his lip in that hungry way that makes my knees weak.

It’ll be fine. One night, and then we could go anywhere we wanted.

He promised me, and I believe him when he says he’ll unlatch the entire world for us.

TWENTY

Between the twobottles of wine we share over the next few hours, both Bo and I are a giggling mess as I paint a string of Christmas lights across his chest. He’s festively wearing boxer briefs with candy canes on them, and I’ve put on the pajama set that makes me look like a gingerbread cookie.

Snickering from my spot next to him on the couch, I try to catch my breath. “Should I paint gumdrops over these?” I ask, running my brush over his nipple.

He gasps, stomach curling at the sensation. “Get that fucking thing off me, you know I hate being tickled.”

I start laughing so hard that I fall off the couch, which makes him burst out again at my clumsiness. We’d decided to get wasted as a distraction from the nerves, and it’s working way too well.

“One more of these,” Bo says, leaning up and grabbing more of the Christmas wrapping supplies. “We won’t have any presents to wrap except ourselves, so lets make it fucking hot.”

I’m still lying on the floor when he pats a little bow on top of my head and wraps a ribbon around my neck. “X-rated Cindy Lou Who.”

My head falls back and I cackle, the first time I’ve really justlaughedin so long. Wine is great for making months worth of stress slip away, until I’m focused only on the thought of what tomorrow will bring. Christmas with my new favorite people and picking any place on the map for us to go.

“I need to get off the floor,” I say, not moving an inch.

“Here,” Bo says, reaching down to grab my hand. Yanking me up, I fly off the floor and fall across his lap. “We need to make a snack, I’m starving.”

The phone Jesse left for us starts vibrating and we both gasp, reaching for it at the same time. Bo grabs it first, sticking out his tongue at me and answering when Noah’s name crosses the screen.

The screen turns black, and I can make out Noah’s face from the inside of a very dark car, his outline barely recognizable in the light from his dashboard.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, searching the screen for any hint that he’s hurt.

“We’re fine. Just waiting for Landon to come back through. He texted they’re running about ten minutes late, so I thought I’d let you know. I can feel your stress from here,” he teases.

I look guiltily at Bo. “We’ve actually done a great job of distracting ourselves,” I admit.

“What’s that on your neck?”

“I decorated her,” Bo says proudly, reaching around me to play with the ribbon while I smile softly at the phone.

The dark view of the car shakes as the phone is snatched from Noah’s hand, and Jesse’s sharp eyes fill the screen. His head is tilted, tongue flicking his lip ring. “Let me see,” he hisses at Noah before turning back to me. “Oh, fuck yeah, Em. You look good wrapped up like that.”

I giggle and twist the phone so Bo’s on the screen over my shoulder. “I painted him for you, Jesse. We can't wait to see you.”

A wide grin stretches across his face. “Are you drunk?”

I nod. “No.”

He laughs. “Oh,fuckyes. You’re in for it tonight, Noah.”