"I prefer it when you are."

"I didn't expect this. I made that deal with you, thinking you would show your true colors and disappoint me and save me from feeling anything for you. I figured the whole thing would eventually get boring and you would give up." It's mean.

"You're going to be very disappointed, if that's what you actually want." His eyes are on fire, blazing with determination. "I meant everything I said that night at my party."

I gulp back some more wine, not sure what to add.

Fortunately, the meal comes and I don't have to say anything.





Chapter 3





Christening





Dec. 31, 2015

Natalie

The sea of boxes is daunting.

"I think we have more shit than the last time we moved," Brady groans and carries another box to the bedroom. "When I say we, I mean you."

"The movers did offer to unpack, you said no." I sigh.

"I don't need to pay people to do things I am perfectly capable of doing." He's grumpy from the last few days of travel, even if they won their previous three games and he scored twice.

"Brady, you're traveling all week to and from games, we're moving, and it was just Christmas. Can we finish this later?" I glance at my phone to see the texts from Sami. We haven't spoken since Christmas Eve, which has her texting me every tiny detail of her existence as if I'm a log book. We never fight like this so I want to text her back, but I need to make a stand on principle. The time catches my eye. "Mike and Liz are going to be here in six hours."


      
        
          
        
         

"Then stop screwing around on your phone and finish the kitchen." He laughs bitterly.

I lift my gaze, glaring at his back. "You're sucking the joy outta this."

"Says the girl who ruined Christmas by pouting for a week straight. Your mom thinks I'm doing something to make you this way, and I can't tell her it's just you and Sami, as usual." He carries another box to the bedroom.

"I didn't ruin Christmas!"

He pokes his head out the doorway, giving me that look, the one where he's going to say something shitty. "Really? You didn't pout and cry and hide in my bedroom playing NHL 16 against my brother for hours? That didn't happen?"

"Whatever."

"You made us stay in a hotel because you refused to sleep at Sami's on the off chance she came home unexpectedly."

"It's fine. I ruined Christmas. I get it." I clench my jaw and start unpacking another box.

"Nat. Come on, babe." He puts the box down and comes to me, sweeping me into his arms. "I don't want to fight." He kisses the top of my head, taking a deep inhale. I want to push him away but the feel of him wrapped around me is exactly what I need. It's calming and forces reason down my throat.

He's right.

I've been hateful for days.

"I'm sorry." I say the thing I don't want to but have to. "I hate that I ruined our first Christmas."

"Don't sweat it, Banks. We'll have lots of Christmases." He kisses again, lingering and breathing me in. He smells like deodorant and a bit of sweat. It's him. The smell that gets me every time.

My hands drag up and down his chiseled back, slowly making their way forward to his chest. I slide them up his muscles, letting my fingertips dig in and scrape a bit on the way down.

He gets the hint I'm giving and makes the move I want him to. He lowers his hands to my butt, cupping and lifting me into his arms. I wrap my legs around him, letting him carry me to the bedroom, savoring the smell of him as he brings me to the bed. The new mattress is still covered in plastic but it doesn't stop us.

His lips make a trail from my neck to my cheek as he puts me down, stepping back and sighing. "Might be the best view I've ever had."

"What?" The comment makes my cheeks flush more than the humiliation of ruining Christmas like a jerk.

"You in our bed, wearing my Superman tee shirt, in our apartment." He bites his lip. "This is perfection."

"Then stop staring and get over here." I blush harder and reach for his belt, pulling him to me. He cups my face, like he always does, and lowers his.