Unmasked Love: Love Demands a Holiday Read online

  Unmasked Love

  Love Demands a Holiday

  McKenna Rogue

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Holidays with the Romance Chicks

  Dear Reader

  Also by McKenna Rogue

  1

  TRU

  “You want the last slice?” Brian Lowry’s voice drew me out of my daydream, and I shifted in my chair to face him.

  All night I’d been avoiding letting my eyes wander over to where my brother’s best friend lounged on the couch. His long, muscled form relaxed like a big jungle cat sitting in a tree. At the moment, his blue eyes were on me.

  Brian had been in my life for as long as I could remember. He’d been torturing me since my brother, Henry, brought him over to our house for the first time in elementary school. And the first thing Brian did was tug on my pigtails and tease me endlessly about anything and everything.

  Nothing had changed, except I didn’t really wear pigtails anymore.

  And he grew up to be a lot more good looking than I thought the snot nose punk would. He had that killer smile, twinkling blue eyes, and clean-cut jaw line. But I loved it more when he had some scruff going on like he did now.

  “I, uh, no, I’m okay,” I said, not meeting his gaze. His blue eyes were too intense to look directly into.

  “Come on, Gertrude, you’ve had one slice. No one is going to judge you for enjoying a second piece of pizza.”

  I glanced at Henry, on the other side of Brian, who was oblivious to our conversation; he was too absorbed in the football game we were watching. When I finally met Brian’s eyes my breath caught.

  I was always a hot mess inside around him. He was gorgeous. Like, stupid hot. He was a pain in my ass most of the time, but I still couldn’t help but get butterflies. Brian was a lot like my brother—a jock, a frat brother, and a nuisance. And yet I couldn’t seem to help myself.

  Not that it mattered. Brian thought of me as his chubby little sister or at least his best friend’s chubby little sister.

  He thrust the box toward me, and I accepted.

  “Thanks,” I muttered and took the box.

  I ate the pizza and tried not to think about Brian. This was the first time in weeks I’d had to sit down and relax. It was Mayor Bartell’s first Halloween Ball and I wanted to make sure everything went off without a hitch.

  I glanced at my phone to check the time.

  No rest for the wicked.

  I finished my pizza and grabbed a napkin and stood up.

  Henry glanced up at me, his eyes quickly returning to the television screen. “Where you going?”

  “I’ve got to get to Bizarro’s before they close. I’ve been so busy rehearsing and making sure everything is set up for the masquerade, I haven’t managed to get my own costume yet.”

  Brian cocked an eyebrow. “Going to get your sexy nurse on?”

  “It’s a Victorian monster masquerade, genius. No sexy nurses.”

  “Then what’s the point, Gertrude?”

  I rolled my eyes. “To dress up and have fun. Once upon a time, Halloween wasn’t about getting sexed up.”

  “Isn’t it great how things change?” He grinned and shot me a wink.

  “Brian, shut up. Feel free to dress up like a sexy nurse all you want. But I am the mayor’s right-hand woman, and I need to look the part.”

  “You couldn’t handle me dressed up like a sexy nurse…or sexy anything.”

  “I’m pretty sure I’m impervious to your long legs.”

  I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. “Have a good day, gentlemen.”

  “You love my legs! You know it’s true, Gertrude!” Brian called out after me.

  Just as I was about to head down the stairs toward the entryway of the apartment building, my brother called my name. I turned to find him strolling toward me.

  “What’s up?”

  “You doing all right, Tru? Mom mentioned that asshole you were seeing broke up with you or some bullshit.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. I didn’t like to talk about it. I hadn’t even talked about it with Angela since all the Halloween-masquerade stuff had started. Since I came back to Jubilee from college, she’d been my best friend. Though, I wasn’t even sure she knew that.

  But she confided in me too. I hoped she considered me a friend, more than her just executive assistant.

  The latest relationship suck-fest I’d been through ended with the guy telling me he thought he could overlook my fat ass, but it turned out he just wasn’t as attracted to me as he originally thought.

  “Yeah, I know how to pick them.”

  Maybe that’s why I lusted after Brian—because he would never like me, and therefore he couldn’t dump me because I wasn’t good enough for him.

  “Aw, Tru, that’s not on you. Guys are dicks. I know. Because I am one. I’ve broken a heart or two. He’ll regret it.”

  “I don’t think he will, but it’s nice of you to say so.”

  “I wish you would stop going out with these guys.”

  “I don’t go out with them thinking they’re assholes.”

  “I know. I didn’t mean it’s your fault. I just want you to be happy.”

  I nodded. “Thanks, I know. I’m pretty happy. I’m just not happy in love. I have plenty to keep me busy though. Don’t worry about me. What about you? Are you happy?”

  His head bobbed up and down slowly. “I’ll be a lot happier when I figure out what the hell I’m doing with my life.”

  “I know, you’re supposed to have all the answers after you graduate from college, but it’s not like it used to be. Things are so much more complicated. Women have more choices than marriage or marriage.” I rolled my eyes. “And men, well things are sort of the same for you. But you can be a nurse now or a nanny.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll keep those vocations in mind.” Henry glanced back over his shoulder and then back to me. “I know you like Brian, but it’s a bad idea.”

  Instantly, my cheeks grew hot. I was sure I resembled a tomato. “Henry, that’s not, I don’t even know where, or why, or…” I couldn’t find the right words to convince him that he was crazy.

  “From reality, Tru. I have eyes and I’m not as oblivious as you think I am. You usually eat two to three pieces of pizza unless Brian is around. And you always stare at him like you’re…”

  I held up my hand, cutting him off. “I get your point. Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s because he’s not even a possibility and when a girl gets her heart broken enough, she wants someone who will never want her. I daydream about Captain America too. I have about as much shot with him as I do Brian.”

  “You’re better off. I don’t think he ever knows what he wants the way he goes through women.”

  Not what I wanted to hear. I was ready for this conversation to be over.

  He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “I love you, Tru.”

  “Love you too. Go back and finish your game. I’ll see you at dinner.”

  And with that, I headed out of the building to my car. Bizarro’s wasn’t far from Henry’s. But nothing was too far in Jubilee Falls.

  Then I started the long process of trying to figure out what the hell I was going to wear to one of the biggest events of the year.

  * * *

  I tugged at the tight fabric clinging to my body. It was tighter than I would’ve preferred, but it was my size. Or maybe my size had gone up a little with all the candy and treats people had been bringing into the Mayor’s office all month. October was always j
ust the beginning of endless food. Thanksgiving would be next and then December was an endless party tray of desserts, candy, cookies, and food. Not to mention my post-breakup binge; but I hadn’t thought it had been that bad. I’d stayed away from most of them.

  But after an hour and a half of trying things on, this was the best bet for an outfit that would at least fit in a little bit into the theme. I didn’t want to go too Victorian in the Victorian monster masquerade. It just wasn’t my style.

  I tried to assess the dress with a skeptical but fair eye. So often I would buy clothes thinking they couldn’t look as bad as I thought they did, and almost always I was right. Compliments would flood in and I would see the outfit in a whole new light.

  But this? I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t opposed to wearing form-fitting outfits, but this was less forgiving.

  I just wanted something different. Something to make me stand out. I was tired of blending in and being the perfect student, perfect daughter, perfect assistant. Regrets plagued me. All the times I didn’t have fun or didn’t do something because it wasn’t proper or might hurt my chances of straight As. All I was left with was no fun, good grades no one cared about anymore, and an ache to be someone else. Pleasing people left me completely unpleased with my life.

  I opened the dressing room door to peek outside to make sure no one was around.

  I shouldn’t have waited this long to find my costume, but I had been so busy with Mayor Bartell that I hadn’t had a chance to get to Bizarro’s. At least it was Sunday and a lot of people were home watching the game.

  I slipped out to where there were better mirrors to get a better appraisal. I pulled the red mask onto my face to get the whole effect with the red wig I’d found. I knew the mayor wouldn’t appreciate the mask, but I thought it looked amazing.

  The low whistle startled me.

  I lifted my gaze to the mirror behind me to find Brian behind me. He wasn’t the one who whistled, was he? And if he was, did he know it was me? He had to. Brian and I had grown up together, he’d seen me at my worst and every plateaued weight I’d ever been at.

  His blue eyes remained fixed on me as he strutted over.

  Brian wore jeans and a Henley, a nod to the cooler weather. Usually when I saw him, he had a new girl on his arm or was talking about his latest skinny, perfect girl.

  I’d had a crush on him for much longer than I ever wanted to admit. But I was the sexless, nerdy, too smart, little sister he never had, and boy-oh-boy did he love to torture me.

  But as he came up right behind me, his body barely brushing against my backside, he was torturing me in a whole new way. A way I’d only dreamed about.

  He leaned down and spoke into my ear. “You, hot little devil, can come sit on my face any time,” he purred in a deep, husky voice, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror.

  There was no way he knew it was me. He would never say that to me in a million years. I cleared my throat and put on the best Meg from Disney’s Hercules impression I could manage. “You couldn’t handle me.”

  Brian’s eyes flashed with challenge and excitement.

  “How about you let me give you a taste in the dressing room?”

  The way his voice caressed over my skin made me shiver and I needed to squeeze my thighs together, reminding myself he wasn’t talking to me, he was talking to…who the hell did he think he was talking to?

  His hand hooked onto my hip and he gave me a little nudge toward the open dressing room. My lips parted to say something, anything, but then his arm wound around me and he twirled me into the fitting room, pushing me up against the wall, closing the door behind us.

  The room was minute with just me in it, and felt even smaller with his large, muscular frame surrounding me. My breath was shallow, and heat wafted off me. His gaze devoured me as he focused. His blue eyes were dilated and looked almost black. He traced every single curve and his mouth curved into a Cheshire cat grin like I was his saucer of milk.

  “Tell me, little devil, what sin would you like me to perform first?”

  His fingers went to the edge of my mask. I wrapped my hand around his and shook my head.

  “You want to keep this anonymous?”

  I nodded and swallowed around the lump in my throat. Any minute, he was going to say “Psyche” and it would all be over, and he would laugh his way all the way out of the costume shop.

  “That’s so fucking hot.”

  And then he kissed me.

  The kiss was a full assault. His mouth covered mine and his tongue plunged between my surprised and parted lips. My arms wound around his neck holding on for dear life. I pressed my body against his and moaned against his mouth when his hands slid over my ass and then dug into the fleshy globes. Everything ached. My core throbbed with need. Never had anyone made me so aroused so quickly.

  I was going to hell. At least I was dressed for the occasion.

  2

  BRIAN

  The little devil in my arms was going to make my cock break right through my zipper. One look at the sultry goddess in the mirror and I wanted her. Not that I would ever say it out loud to anyone, mostly to save my own balls, but she reminded me of Tru Manifold, my best friend’s little sister.

  Forbidden fruit.

  Henry was the best friend I’d ever had. He would kill me if I ever made a move on her.

  But that hadn’t kept me from fantasizing about her. Wanting her.

  The thing that sucked was I really thought I could make Tru happy. I’d watched her go out with douche after doorknob after butt-face, and she’d always end up hurt and crying. I’d supplied her plenty of ice cream, Oreos, and pizza rolls to help her get over the douchebags.

  I hated every second of her crying over guys who didn’t deserve her in the first place.

  Every one of my relationships fell flat, meaningless.

  None of them could compare to Tru.

  And this woman was the perfect specimen to help me get over my stupid crush. It was time to move on. To get over the fact that no matter how forbidden she was, I wanted her to want me too. Maybe Henry would get used to it. But it was all wishful thinking. Tru barely tolerated me most days.

  I couldn’t believe she’d let me escort her right back into her dressing room. I’d expected to get slapped. But I certainly wasn’t going to talk her out of it.

  I’d never instigated a quickie in a dressing room before. But this little devil’s curves were too much to bear. I had to touch her.

  I needed to get this dress off my little devil so I could feel her skin. I was itching to pull her nipples into my mouth, feel her wet pussy, taste her, before I fucked her against the wall. I broke our kiss and manhandled her around, so her ass was pressed against my crotch. I grunted and bucked against her.

  It was then I realized she was wearing a wig.

  I pushed the hair aside and found the zipper, dragging it down revealing her naked back, only blocked with a bra strap. I kissed along her shoulder as I pushed the dress off her shoulders.

  She panted and leaned back against me as my hands drifted onto her hips, pushing the dress down so it pooled at her feet. She was wearing a red strapless bra and lacy red panties to match.

  Fuck, she was a wet dream.

  I froze when I caught sight of a tattoo of a crescent moon on her hip. It was a tattoo I’d seen before. Not more than once or twice. I didn’t know why she got it.

  But the tattoo belonged to Tru Manifold.

  I looked up in the mirror to find her watching me. Recognition dawned on me—even with the mask and the wig, it was so clearly Tru.

  My heart raced in my throat and I swallowed, my mouth dry. My fingers lingered on the bare skin of her shoulder and hip.

  “Having second thoughts?”

  Fuck, did her voice always have to sound like she worked for a phone sex operation?

  Did I walk out right now? Or did I have these fifteen minutes in heaven with her and never think about her again?

  Wait a second… She w
as in a mask, wig, and an outfit the Tru I knew would never wear, but I wasn’t in costume. She knew exactly who I was.

  Fuck. That meant…

  She reached back, her hand sliding around, gripping the back of my upper thigh, her hand tightening on my jeans pulling me against her.

  And all the hesitation I had went right out the window.

  I leaned down and kissed her neck, wrapping my hands around the front of her. I felt her tense up. “You having second thoughts?”

  She shook her head slowly. She took a steading breath and her body eased back against me.

  My hands ran up over her stomach and cupped her through her bra. I found the front clasp and popped it open with a flick of my wrist. The red satin fell to the floor and I braced myself for seeing her in the mirror. My gaze drifted over her and my dick jumped. The sight of her mostly naked, flushed with need for me, was better than any wet dream I could’ve ever come up with.

  One quick fuck was never going to be enough.

  “Fucking hell, you’re gorgeous, little devil.”

  Her chest grew red and I imagined her cheeks were too. She was blushing. What I said mattered to her. Part of me wanted to tell her I knew it was her, but I didn’t want to ruin the magic of what was happening between us.

  How long had she wanted me too? Or was this some ruse?

  Hard to believe it would be some prank when I had her tits in my hands. And, fuck, did they feel good. Her nipples were hard and very responsive to my touch. She arched into me. I nibbled and sucked and licked at her skin, over her neck, and shoulders. I wanted to taste every inch of her, but time was not on our side.

  I pushed her back against the wall, so she was facing me again. She reached out to touch me and I gripped her wrists and pinned them to the wall. I needed her at my mercy. I leaned down and kissed her again. I took my time, enjoying her moans and the way she pressed against me. I was eager to feel her cunt. I wondered if she was as wet as I hoped she was. I pushed my leg between her thighs, making her spread them.