Hers for the Holidays

Chapter Thirteen

“Vincent, this is my Mom, Celeste,”  Emily said as she grasped his hand in her own and turned to look at her mother with a hopeful smile.

“It’s nice to meet you,” He said tilting his head to the side in a subtle gesture acknowledging her in a sign of respect.  His wolf hated the action, he was an alpha and should bend to no one, but the smile that the older woman gave him let him know that it had been the right decision.  

“It’s so nice to meet you,”  Celeste said as she let go of his hand and moved to sit on the recliner across from the couch. She motioned for them to sit down.  Hannah went about serving everyone the hot cider in the autumn leaf colored mugs. Emily cupped the mug in between both of her hands as she blew on the steaming beverage.

“The cloves make this nice,”  Vincent said as he took a deep drink, grimacing at the heat of the beverage.  Hannah covered her smile with her hand as she shared a look with her mother as she perched herself on the armrest of her mother’s chair.

“So tell me all about yourself, Vincent,”  Celeste said before she took a sip of her hot cider with a raised eyebrow.  

“What would you like to know Ma’am?”  Vincent said sitting the mug onto the mahogany end table that sat beside the couch. He leaned back and Emily placed a hand on his knee.  He looked at her hand and then back towards her mother nervously.  

“Oh, just about the man my daughter brought home.  She’s never brought anyone home, besides the boy she was dating in high school.”  She said with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.  

“Mom, be nice.”  Emily chided.   

“I am, you’re one of my babies.  I need to know you’re being taken care of.”  She said smiling softly at Emily.

“I’ll always take care of her.” Vincent breathed out and Emily turned to look at him her eyes wide.  It hadn’t sounded to her like he was pretending and she felt her heart beat faster at the heat in his gaze.  Could he have been speaking honestly, she wondered as she glanced down.  

“Good.”  Celeste grinned watching the interaction between her daughter and the man she had brought home.  She smiled to herself and then squeezed Hannah’s hand.

The front door swung open and the loud voice of the youngest of her litter and his roommate filtered into the house.  

“You should start playing man, it’s so much fun.  I run with an awesome guild, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind you joining.”  A familiar voice said as they walked in.

“I don’t game, my sister does.”  Emily could hear her brother saying as they walked towards the living room.  

“Whoa, who’s the hot chick.”  The handsome blond man asked as he walked into the room, looking at Emily.

“CJ, this is my sister Emily.”  He said pushing his dark hair out of his eyes as he sat down the bags in his arms.

“Hey Mom, this is my roommate CJ, Trisha is parking the car I think being trapped with both of us for two hours was too much for her.”  He said as he sat down on the couch beside Emily.  

“I’m Brad,”  Emily’s brother said, leaning over his sister to shake her assumed boyfriend’s hand.  

“Vincent.”  He answered as he shook Brad’s hand, then looked back over at CJ, was this guy the same one they gamed with?  

“Emily and Vincent?”  CJ said with a smirk, “I guess I can’t steal the princess, like Bowser this time.”  

“Not this time,” Vincent said, leaning back to wrap his arm around Emily’s shoulders in a clear display of possession.  

“Small world, it’s nice to meet you in person CJ,”  Emily said with a laugh as she looked at her fellow gamer, he winked at her over his wire-rimmed glasses and she could feel her cheeks heating up in a blush as she looked down.  He was handsome, not in the same way as Vincent. With his boyish smile and a clean-shaven face, his deep blue eyes twinkled with mischief as he studied the two of them.  

“Will Commander be showing up as well?”  He said in a teasing voice as he sat down on a love seat that rested in the corner. 

“I don’t think I can handle any more gaming arguments,” A cute curvy woman with red-brown hair said as she walked into the room, she sat down on the armrest of the couch by Brad with an exhausted smile.  

“Celeste, thank you for having us.”  She said turning to thank her host.

“Think nothing of it Trisha dear, you are family,”  Celeste said to Trisha as she picked up her mug taking a sip, she stood up.  “I’ll fix you three some drinks.  Brad, why don’t you take up the luggage, you can put CJ into one of the spare rooms.”

“I’ll go help her,”  Emily said standing to follow her mother.  She walked into the narrow hallway and leaned against the wall, her hands on her heated cheeks as she closed her eyes.

“It’s all pretend, he just saying it for show.  After this, we'll go back home to being normal.”  She whispered softly to remind herself that this wasn’t real, she couldn’t fall for Vincent.

“Is it really now?  Good, I guess I’ve still got a chance to steal you away, Princess.”  CJ said as he leaned against the door frame.