Frankie's point of view:
His eyes rack from the pink towel on my head to my red painted toes, and only then did I realise I was standing in front of my boss, in a towel. A towel. My knuckles were turning white and felt like they would combust at any moment with the tight grip I had around the white fluffy material. His shy smile tightened and his cheeks flushed, descending down his neck.
"What are you doing here?" I squeak, feeling the rapid pulse pick up pace in my throat. I cough, although it was fake and move aside, hiding my exposed body behind the door. "Come in - uh, you know where everything is I'm just going too, uh - yep!"
Rushing off without a second though and swearing I could hear his cheeky chuckle following me, I pin myself against the closed bedroom door and try to calm my panicked breathing. I rummage back through my drawers, pulling on a pair of cropped leggings and a t-shirt, tugging a cardigan as I creep back along the hallway. He remained stood in the middle of my living room, pizza boxes and wine still in hand.
"Jason?" I speak, catching his lowered guard that caused him to crane his neck quickly. "What are you doing here?"
He holds up his gifts. "I heard you were having thanksgiving alone - and you also usually order pizza. I'm sorry for not warning you. I wasn't sure if you would have let me join you if I asked."
David.
He sets the boxes and bottle carefully on the coffee table, returning his hands to the pockets of his jeans. It was the first time in the three months of becoming inseparable, and the three years of working together, I had seen him in something so comfortable and effortless. Even on our night to Dave and Busters, although he was in jeans, he was wearing a buttoned shirt and boots.
We stand in silence, the cheers from the parade ringing out from the television but neither of us paying attention. Instead, we were staring at each other. Like we were longing for something, missing something so intensely but neither of us wanted to admit what.
"I'm sorry." He speaks first, though eyes never leaving mine. "I'm truly sorry, Frankie."
I tug on the sleeves of the thickly knitted cardigan. "You have nothing to be sorry for."
"I do." He tells me, those crystallised orbs never leaving mine. He heaves a deep sigh. "God Frankie, I'm so sorry that you had to see those photos before I could explain to you what was going on. I should have told you as soon as I left dinner that she was there. But I can promise you - there's nothing between Natasha and I anymore, Frankie."
He takes a step forward, closing in the gap that was between us. My heart rate quickens and a strangled breath gets twisted at the back of my throat, but again, never once does his eyes leave mine.
"I promise."
For the first time in a very, very long time - I trusted him. I trusted someone that wasn't family, or Hannah.
My soaring heart began to ache as the tingle starts wrap around my heaving lungs. A wave of goosebumps scatter across the nape of my neck, prickling my skin and sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. He wets his lips, as if he were wanting to speak again, but he doesn't.
So I do.
"Red's my favourite."
A overwhelming sigh of relief leaves his solid chest and he beams widely, showing of his perfect pearly whites and the crevice dimple on his smile line. The worried wrinkles that were forming above his brow bone drops and he nods. "Good. Mine too."
I scamper into the kitchen, reaching on my tiptoes for the hidden wine glasses in the top cupboard and tugging out two plates to return back to the living room where Jason had settled himself down ontop of my comforter. I blush. "Sorry - I'll move that."
"Don't." He says abruptly. "I mean - I crashed your lazy day, don't feel like you need to stop just because I'm here. Get comfy again." He flips open the two pizza boxes and smiles sheepishly, rubbing the pad of his thumb again his defined jawline.
You could grate cheese on that jaw.
"So I didn't actually know what to get so I kinda' just - uh, guessed." He mutters shyly. "I went for the safe opinion and got a pepperoni and hawaiian."
I smile and nod timidly, thanking him as he dishes a few slices of each onto my plate. I tucked my legs beneath my body, pulling the comforter over my lap and watched as he so effortlessly balances two glasses in one hand and pours with the other.
"How come you're not doing anything for thanksgiving?" I ask him, picking a pepperoni from the cheesy slice.
He shrugs. "I never do, I usually just work which is what I was doing before I came here. David called me, told me to put my big boy pants on and speak to you. He also told me you were alone and you wanted pizza, so I figured that if I brought pizza then you couldn't slam the door in my face." I giggle. "How about you? Shouldn't you be back with your dad and Flo?"
I poke at my pizza as I shake my head. "They're at Paul's parents. They've went there since my mom passed - his mom being persistent on my dad joining them."
"What about you though?"
"I never wanted to join them." I tell him honestly, feeling the restriction start to curl in my chest. "My mom got her diagnosis on thanksgiving, two years before she passed. It's not really a day I like to remember, although it's not one I can ever forget."
Before my lower lip starts to quiver, his comforting reach finds my knee rattling my insides and sending my brain into a frenzy. Only a few hours ago, my ways were set on keeping our relationship completely at a professionalism but now, with his touch burning my soft skin - it was hard to focus on anything else aside from knocking the glass of wine out of his hand and jumping his bones.
"Frankie?"
I blush furiously, my wet hair cradling my burning face like curtains. "Sorry - what were you saying?"
He licks his lips to disguise his evident smirk. His lips turn into a gentle side smile, his fingers still curled around my joint. "Did she enjoy thanksgiving?"
"Most years - there was a few years where she had to grin and bear it when Aunt May came with Jane. You remember her from Flo's party?"
"How could I forget." He grimaced causing a light laugh to flow from my throat. I lean forward, setting my plate on the coffee table and lifting the glass of wine. "Did your mom cater for everyone?"
"It was something she loved. She loved hosting parties, especially for her family. In the last few years since she got her diagnosis, it was just the four of us because my dad refused to put her under pressure - and for the fact that he wouldn't have Aunt May causing trouble like she usually does and stressing mom out. I preferred it when it was just us."
Still, his hand never left my leg. "I can't remember when we stopped thanksgiving. One year we went to my grandmother's, the next, we were in Dubai and that was it."
I gnaw on my lower lip as I watch his faint smile slowly fade. "How about Christmas?" That made his frown deepen. "Crap - I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be rude, or intrude. I just - I heard your mom saying that she and your dad were vacationing again and I just, God - I'm sorry, Jason. My brain doesn't process words before they come out-"
His head drops back and allows a loud, humorous laugh rattle from his throat. "Calm down, Frankie. It's fine. Yes my parents go on vacation now over Christmas and I stay here and work."
"But why?" I question. "Don't you spend it all together?"
He shakes his head. His body moved to get comfortable, the arm that rested upon my leg now slung across the back of the couch and I fought the urge to ask him to put it back. He tucks a leg under his other, now turned towards me more. "We haven't spent Christmas together in a long, long time. Growing up we usually went to my grandparents just mom and I because dad was always working. Then they both passed away, so my mom decided that she would accompany my dad on his work trips every year. I stayed with David, then I started the business and just started working over it too - just like dad."
"So, you spend Christmas alone?"
He nods with a slight shrug, running his index finger around the rim of his glass. "I'm used to it now. It just becomes another day."
There was a ache nestling deep in my chest, and not one that I liked. I was frowning unintentionally but with the thought of Jason locked away in his office on Christmas day, pained me. Even if he was twenty-eight years old, nobody should spend Christmas alone.
"Then spend it with me."
The words spilled from my tongue without process, leaving my mouth tingling and my mind waving flags of sheer panic. I could see the shock in his twinkling eyes, and his agape mouth gave away his state of surprise. I gave him a breathy smile, shaking my head as profusely apologises try to cover my lack of thought.
"I'm sorry." I say quickly, setting my glass carefully back on the table. "I didn't mean it - I mean, I did but I didn't. I just, I don't like the thought of you spending it alone and my family already love you - you've won over Vivian's heart already and well, I don't know if you would even want to but it was just a thought and -"
He interrupts my mid-panic by cupping both of his strong, masculine and slightly rough hands around my jaw and instantly sending my heart soaring to my throat. I could taste my pulse and I will the beads of sweat to stay away from my forehead from his close and intimate proximity. His pools of darkness flickers between my sea green eyes and ever so quickly glances down at my lips.
"I-I would love too."
Raspy. Dark. Deep - good God.
Like acid being splashed on his skin, he snatches his hands back and nervously rubbed them together. "I mean - only if I wouldn't be intruding."
"Of course not, as long as you don't mind playing board games and listening to very out-of-tune singing."
He grins widely, laughing slightly. "That's what Christmas is all about."
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I have so much amazing thoughts for the upcoming chapters that I cannot wait to share with you all! Like literally, the feels that these two are giving me are reallllll.
Also I just want to address a little issue that I've had with a few readers. As many of you know, I have a daughter - she's 20 months. I also have a fiance, a home to run, work to go too and Christmas to prepare for. I update when I can! I don't give specific days or times because I know that it may not be possible to update then. I write and update around my own life, mainly my daughter, and I apologise for those who don't think it's often enough but I've read a few books on here and months have passed (literally 4/5+) and there's still not been a new chapter so I do think I'm being generous and updating a few times a week.
Sorry for the ramble, I felt like Frankie there lol!
please comment and vote. I loooooove you all xoxo