Kylie

I have been furious in acceptable amount of times like a normal person. Hell, I've kicked my boss' car tires to manage some of those aggravation. I thought I've won a medal for anger management then. But that was before Christian Parkinson. That was way before I went to grab Audrey her coffee and paid attention to the newsstands where pictures of the city's notorious playboy are a trend on cheap tabloids.

I should've just turned away, cross the street in my five-inch heels and never give it a second glance. But like an idiot, I bought a copy and reread the headlines all morning. Just the headlines.

I can't even get past the freaking headlines!

My hands kept themselves busy, sure. But my eyes kept dragging over to the stupid newspaper. To the all too familiar blue eyes and cocky smile with a skinny party girl on his arm. I've been cleaning my desk all morning. I've been scraping that one spot that was heating up with friction, I might as well start a campfire.

I am royally pissed.

Not sure how, not sure why; but it was clear as day.

As if it wasn't enough to go MIA for eternity – I'm pissed so I'm allowed to exaggerate – he goes rubbing his flings on my face. On top of that, I have these shards in my chest that don't go away. And I still have the newspaper splayed on my desk so said shards are there to stay.

I shake my head to focus on my "scraping." My fingertips started to heat up but I couldn't will myself to stop. If I stop, I might acknowledge the fact that I'm veerrry green with jealousy. Maybe there was a reason why I'm wearing a lime green top.

Crap. I may have just acknowledged it.

"Kylie? Kylie." Audrey's voice snapped me out of train of thoughts.

I leaped out of my chair and plastered a smile. "Do you need anything, Audrey?"

She stared strangely at me, shaking her head. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing," I answered quickly.

Her eyes dropped to the newspaper that was wrinkling on the edges. I kept the giant smile on my face that was starting to hurt. "Thought I keep up with the town gossip."

She lifted her gaze back to me. "Cheap tabloids are not credible."

"You're right, I guess I should throw this away." My hand crawled to the newspaper, deliberately folding the front page where the big fat picture of the expensive party girl cozied up next to Christian. "Oh, and Audrey," I swallowed as I very slowly crumpled the paper in my hand, "I think I'll be out of Vren's apartment by next week. Sorry if I may have overstayed a bit."

She waved a manicured hand. "You can stay as long as you want."

"I can't. That's too much." I winced when I dumped the newspaper to the trash bin. I can't guarantee that I won't be pathetically fishing it out of the trash later. "Jessica's neighbor just got evicted and I happily grabbed my chances for a living space."

"Good. Just keep your key, okay?" The corners of her lips quirked up.

"Mm-hmm." I nodded.

"And one more thing, Vren and I are going to the cabin for the weekend. You can come if you like. Matthew has taken care of the groceries himself so you don't have to worry about stocking us."

"Oh. I, uh," I sighed. Audrey and Vren are in a pre-honeymoon phase, and if they were not waiting for Kathie and Cade's triplets to be discharged from ICU, they would've had wedding plans and vacation halfway around the world for the honeymoon.

"Matthew and Miles' babysitter will be there." She looks down to her nude painted fingernails. "And maybe Christian, I don't know." She shrugged.

"I'll think about," I answered absently.

She shifted her gaze to me. "Okay. You look like you need a break too."

"I will be there. Unless you need me to—"

"Kylie, for once don't do your job and enjoy."

I bit my bottom lip. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." I could tell she still have something else to say but her phone rings. Her face softened as she answered the call, greeting her dad with that voice reserved for the ones closest to her. I sighed, staring at her office doors where she disappeared through.

I smiled. At least her day is better than mine. And speaking of, I crouched on the trash bin and pulled out the crumpled newspaper as I have predicted I would do. Like some sort of martyr, I put the paper on my desk, straightening it with my palms.

"What you go there?"

I jumped a little, glaring at the intruder. "Oh, my God. Don't do that."

An amused smile met me. "Sorry. What are you doing though?"

"Just trying to revive this paper." I kept my hands on the front page.

Vren nodded, regarding the front page with a shake of his head. "Bad decision," he murmurs.

"What?" I blink.

"Don't believe anything you read on crappy tabloids." He rakes a hand through his dark hair then gestured at the donut box. "You don't like anymore donuts?"

My hand went over the box protectively. "No. I love them. But you know, you don't have to spoil me with donuts every day."

"You deserve it. For taking care of my beautiful fiancée." He winked.

I froze, catching a glimpse of Christian from that friendly wink. Then I missed him all of a sudden. I wanted to see him. Badly. Maybe, desperately?

Definitely.

"She in there?" He jabs a thumb to her office door.

"Yeah."

His smile grew tender. Something that didn't make him look like Christian anymore. "Okay. Thanks, Kylie."

I dropped myself on my chair. I prop my elbow on the table next to the newspaper and rested my chin on my palm. I let my finger traced the picture on the front page. Please, let this be an old stock photo of him or just the tabloid's petty attempt for sales.

And if it isn't?

I puffed a sigh.

My heart could break.

What do you guys think? :) Don't forget to tell me on the comments below. Also, scroll down for a little preview of that holiday love story I've been so crazily excited to publish. You can find it on one my books called HEARTSTRINGS. Just head over the table of contents and you'll find it. Hope you like it. A little warning: I strongly don't recommend this to my young readers. Verryyyy steamy. Also, what dah yah think of the cover? 

EXES & HOLIDAYS

by: Ailee-bear

Preview

Kelly

"Mitchell, can you give me a minute? I need to freshen up."

The tree is secured on his pickup truck and I'm realizing just now that I'm a mess from cutting the tree. I'd like to think it was what happened. Nothing more. Because it was truly what happened. However it felt like grinding against his... nope. Not going to go there.

We just cut the tree.

"Okay. How long this time?"

I shot daggers at him. "A minute."

"Yeah, well. I'm highly doubtful about that. Don't make me come looking for you."

I hoisted the sling of my purse over my shoulder. "A minute. I'll be at the gift shop over there."

He nods. "Don't spend the entire afternoon in the bathroom, okay?"

"Ha-ha." I rolled my eyes and give him the finger.

I guess it took me longer than I should have because when I got out of the ladies' room Mitchell was inside the gift shop, impatiently waiting. He gave me an exasperated look when he saw me.

"What? I had dirts on my hair."

He shakes his head and held the door open. I stood level with him by the door, meeting his annoyed gaze. The only reason I broke eye contact was because I dropped my gloves on the ground and I had to bend down to get them off the ground.

"Kelly."

"God, we're you this impatient when we dated before?" I put on my gloves, freezing when I hear customers whooping.

I look over my shoulders and saw familiar faces grinning at our direction. "What's going on?"

I straightened up only to see Mitchell looking up a green sprig hanging above our heads. I took in the tiny twigs with a cluster of berries and a red bow.

Shit.

Mistletoe.

"Come on, guys. You know how it goes. Two people standing on the other ends of the mistletoe should make out." One of the cashiers called out.

Some customers whom I recognized as high school friends and acquaintances stared expectantly. It wasn't a secret that we were dating. And that we're no longer together.

"Come on. Kiss," one of them teased.

Tom Sullivan, one I almost didn't recognize with the dad mustache stepped out from an aisle to take a good look at us. "Wow. Kelly and Mitchell." He grins. "For old time's sake?"

There wasn't much of a choice when customers chanted, "kiss. Kiss. Kiss."

I turned to Mitchell who was speechless as I was, except he's calm and collected despite all the pressure. He always is. I never done well under pressure.

"For old time's sake, guys." I hear Tom repeated.

I gulped, stepping closer until he's within... kissing distance.

His eyes were midnight blue when they meet mine. Face stoic and guarded. My gaze dropped to his mouth, then flitted back to his eyes. There were sprinkle of snow on his dark hair and I couldn't help but find it adorable.

God, holidays and exes combined are a potential disaster.

I swallowed a gasp of surprise when Mitchell leaned in, his lips suddenly on mine. My eyes snapped closed. If the costumers were cheering us on, I couldn't hear anymore because all I could hear was my deafening heartbeat.

The feel of his lips is divine. More so when they started brushing against mine. It wasn't an intense kiss, but it was enough to make my toes curl.

Mitchell's hand slid to my cheek. And the contact was deliciously familiar. I allowed myself to think that this was still my sweet and sensitive Mitchell. Not the guarded one I helplessly couldn't read.

I never should've entertained the thought. Because I suddenly found myself surging forward and responding eagerly to his kiss, surprised that it doesn't feel the same like before. That having Mitchell this close is a whole other level of rightness. A whole other level of intensity. And a whole other level of want.

Mitchell eases back and I stared up to his face, still dazed from the kiss he ended far too soon.