A Christmas Break

I turned back to the bar, ready to battle, but the queue had inexplicably disappeared for the time being. Only a few people stood waiting to be served, and one of them caught my eye, which was more than anyone had done in months. He leant on the bar, arse jutting out in a pair of black skinny jeans that left little to the imagination. The dark purple T-shirt he wore clung to broad shoulders, and I licked my lips, following the line of his back down to his arse again.

Alec, Christian’s cousin, slid a couple of drinks over to him, laughing at whatever had been said. The curl of jealousy was unexpected, but damn it, I was suddenly itching to be part of that conversation, to be included in whatever the joke was.

My feet were moving before I realised, and I found myself at the bar next to him.

“All right, Finn.” Alec shot me a warm smile. “Same again?”

“Yeah, please.” I glanced sideways to find blue eyes and a smirk staring back at me. Black hair, a little wild-looking, framed his face, his hot as fuck but vaguely familiar face. Faint stubble covered his jaw, and my gaze caught on the sharp lines of it as I struggled to remember why I recognised him. “Do I know you?” It sounded like a cheesy come on, and I winced.

The guy laughed, eyes dancing with mirth as he gave me a slow once-over that made my belly tighten. “It’s been a while Finn, but not that long. I’m wounded you don’t remember me.” He put a hand over his heart and gave me a pouty look that made me want to pull him into a kiss.

I licked my lips, gaze still caught on his mouth. “Erm . . . I . . .” Alec interrupted my floundering, setting drinks on the bar. He shot a quick glance between me and whoever this guy was and winked.

“Good to see you back out with the living.”

“Oh fuck off, you’re as bad as Christian.” He laughed as he took my money, then turned to serve someone else, leaving me with my handsome stranger. Who apparently wasn’t a stranger at all.

One-night stands weren’t my thing, so I was pretty sure we’d never fucked. I could count those I’d slept with on one hand. So where did I know––

“What the fuck are you doing here? You never go out.” An arm slung over my shoulder and my brother’s wide smile caught me like a deer in the headlights. I looked from him to . . . to . . . ahh fuck. “Jasper.”

Jasper laughed around the neck of his beer bottle. “At last!” His eyes were still full of mirth, but it faded as my dawning horror obviously became apparent. Fuck, that was my little brother’s best mate I’d almost hit on.