Submission Under the Mistletoe Read Online Free PDF

closet, he said, “None of
importance.”
    “ It had the best damn coffee I’ve
ever tasted.” Brian volunteered as he collected another load of
tins from their sister.
    Shut up, Brian . “No one makes coffee as good as Alesha.”
    “ It was a damn close second.”
Brian leaned over the box at the table.
    Alesha got the decoration items from him and
organized them before the plain sugar cookies she’d just placed on
the rack. “What was the name of it?”
    “ I can’t even remember.” Brad went
to fridge. “You have any eggnog.”
    “ When did you start
drinkin—”
    Brian cut her off as he walked back to the island.
“Good Blend, Rich Blend or something blend…”
    “ Strong Blends?” she
asked.
    “ That’s it. You been there?” Brian
asked oblivious to the storm he just caused.
    Giving up his search for the holiday drink he
couldn’t stand, Brad turned and faced his sister. He could
practically feel her eyes burning a hole into his back. When he
faced her, he saw he had been correct. Alesha had a single eyebrow
raised.
    However, she shocked him by simply smiling at Brian
as she said, “Yes, a time or two.”
    “ The coffee is so good, I don’t
know what the owner was thinking placing it way out
there.”
    “ One could only guess.” Alesha
started on her cookie art and didn’t go any further.
    Soon Mike and Josh came in and drew him and Brad
outside to put up the Christmas lights around the house. Brad was
happy to escape the kitchen.
    “ So, why are you all putting up so
many lights and things.” Brad asked Mike as he hauled the seventh
box out of the garage, this one filled with animated Christmas
figures; like a waving Santa and eating reindeer.
    “ You know your sister. She loves
Christmas and has to throw at least one holiday party.” Mike was
carrying out a ladder and angling it along the roof.
    “ You all are having a party?” This
was the first Brad had heard of it.
    “ More like a get together with a
few close friends from the community.”
    Brad stopped pulling out the wired figures and
glanced toward his twin where Brian was in the middle of the lawn
with Josh unraveling the lights and checking bulbs. Looking back at
Mike, Brad asked, “It’s not going to be one of those play party
things is it?”
    Mike chuckled. “No. Nothing like that. We normally
open up our play room upstairs for any guests that would like to
use it with their subs during the evening or for a demonstration,
but we’ve already let our friends know that will not be the
case.”
    “ Okay. That’s good, I don’t think
Brian would be able to handle all of that.” Brad continued his job
as he asked, “So, anyone that I met the night before
coming?”
    Mike pulled some lawn hooks out of his tool belt and
began securing the figures to the grass. “Uh, don’t think so. I
don’t recall any of them being there when we went the last time.
You might recall me talking about a guy name Ridge Nicholaus when
we were in college.”
    Brad thought for a moment. “You all did an intern
with him one summer?”
    “ That’s the one.”
    “ Does he know about your
lifestyle?”
    Giving him a wide smile, Mike said, “Master Steel’s
in the community too. He’ll bring wife/sub Swan. No, I didn’t get
him into it. He was already starting to flex his whip by the time
we met.”
    “ Got it.”
    “ Master Ursus.”
    Brad watched his sister walk out from the door that
led to the mudroom in the house and move through the garage.
    Mike stood up from what he was doing and waited.
When Alesha got before him she dropped to her knees with a graceful
skill. Keeping her head bowed she stayed that way until Mike
acknowledge her.
    “ Yes, Butterfly.”
    Tilting her head back, she gazed at the big man
before her with such love and trust that Brad almost felt as if he
were invading on their privacy. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen
his sister in such a position, when they were at their house she
did it often. When they were