“Good purchase, son,” Karl said with a nod, and when Lacey’s eyes met Karson’s, he grinned. Coming toward her, he took her in his arms, kissing her lips.

“Figured the most amazing woman in the world needed the best house money could buy,” he muttered against her lips.

“Oh, how sweet,” Regina cooed. “We did a good job with him.”

“Gag me,” Kacey added with a roll of her eyes.

“Fucking pussy,” was Karl’s answer as JT nodded.

“Yeah, he is,” he said as Karl grinned. “How you doing, King?”

“Good, how’s the leg?”

“It’s hanging on,” JT said with a wink.

“By a thread,” Karl said with a nod. “Be careful next time.”

“Will do,” he promised.

“Yeah, if you’re going to play hockey, you should probably know how to skate,” Kacey said, coming to the counter and grabbing JT’s sandwich before taking a bite. “Usually you push people into the boards, not run into them.”

JT glared. “I didn’t run into it. I was pushed, and my leg snapped.”

“Good story, bro. Keep with that,” she taunted and Lacey tried to hold in her laughter.

“Please, I could skate circles around you,” JT laughed as he sized Kacey up. While JT was a big dude, Kacey played dirty, and Lacey wasn’t sure who would win out of the two of them.

“Um, sorry, but you can’t,” she said, pointing to his cast leg. “You pretty much can’t do anything.”

His mouth turned up into a sinister grin before he said, “Oh honey, I can do anything I put my mind to.”

Kacey’s cheeks reddened and Lacey didn’t miss the way she looked at JT. Like she wanted to gobble him right up. Before they could say anything else, Karson said, “Thomas, stop looking at my sister like that, and Kacey, stop poking the bear.”

“Aw, are you the bear, Thomas?” she cooed, bringing his sandwich to her lips and taking a bite of it in a very suggestive way. Lacey couldn’t help it, she giggled before Kacey asked, “Am I supposed to be scared of you?”

“Yeah, you should be,” he said with a wink before snatching his sandwich back. “I’m very rough.”

“Okay then,” Karson said, taking Kacey by the back of her arm. “Let’s go. Baby, I’m gonna show them their rooms and then go get your family.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, leaning into him as Kacey shook her arm out of his grip. “I can go.”

“No, it’s fine. You’re busy. I don’t mind at all,” he said, kissing the side of her mouth.

“You’re the best,” she said before kissing his lips.

He grinned as he kissed her again. “Only for you.”

Her heart warmed as he winked before leading his parents and sister out of the room. Once they were gone, she looked back at JT as he watched Kacey walk away. Smacking his shoulder, she scolded, “Don’t look at her like that.”

JT laughed. “You her keeper?”

“No, I’m yours, and I’m trying to protect you from the wrath of Karson.”

JT continued to laugh. “I’m not worried about your husband. But his sister, yeah, I’m gonna get me a piece of that.”

She made a face, shaking her head. “Doesn’t it weird you out, though? She looks like Karson, just a girl.”

“Hey, Karson is hot, and if he were a girl, I’d do him. You aren’t a dumb chick, Lacey. You know how to pick them.”

“I think I just threw up in my mouth,” she muttered, holding her stomach. “It’s not every day you hear a straight guy say he’d do your husband.”

“If he were a girl,” JT reminded her with a grin.

She shook her head. “Whatever. I’m telling you it’s a bad idea. Stay away from her.”

“Nah, she wants it. Always has. We’ve been hot for each other for a while. It’s bound to go down since we are both in this house tonight.”

Lacey groaned, shaking her head. Karson was going to go ballistic if they did do something and he found out. Her Thanksgiving was already on thin ice; having JT shack up with Kacey was sure to blow the ice to hell if her family didn’t do it first. But she knew JT, and what he wanted, he got. Plus, she saw the way Kacey looked at him, and it meant nothing but trouble.

“Damn it to hell,” she muttered before meeting JT’s playful gaze. She then said, “Be careful and please don’t get your yuck on anything.”

Smirking, he teased, “Don’t worry, I’ll use lots of tissues.”

Glaring, she declared, “I hate you, Jordie Thomas.”

But by the look on his face, she didn’t think he cared.

This was going to be a great holiday.

Not.

After getting his parents settled, Karson went back toward the kitchen with Kacey on his heels. Looking back at her, he said, “What are you doing?”

“Going in the kitchen.”

“Why?”

“Because Lacey is in there, and unlike the old folks, I don’t need to settle down.”

He glared. “Stay away from Thomas.”

She laughed. “I thought I was gay.”

“You are, so stay away from him.”

She rolled her eyes as they entered the kitchen and then she called out, “So my brother says to stay away from you.”