WHAT THE HELL is going on? ran through my head as I shut the door to my bedroom—oh, sorry, Beth and Sean/Aiden’s bedroom—and slumped back against it. I felt as though I’d stepped into the Twilight Zone.

The entire drive up here today, I’d been mooning over the sexy stranger Aiden who’d kissed my brains out last night, only to walk into my childhood home and find him on the arm of my sister.

I mean, yeah, I’d had crushes on Beth’s friends and boyfriends growing up, but never in a million years would I ever, and I repeat ever, want to kiss the same guy she was sleeping with. Ew. Just no. And now they were not only going to be kissing in front of me but sleeping in my damn bed.

This was officially a nightmare. A Christmas nightmare. All wrapped up in a big, shiny bow.

Shoving off the door, I walked to the chest at the end of the bed to grab the quilt my mom had made for me and tucked it under my arm, and just as I was about to turn around and get the hell out of the danger zone, I heard the door handle turn.

As if my feet knew something I didn’t, they froze in place as the door was pushed open, and when Aiden—excuse me, Sean—stepped through, I found I had no problem whatsoever speaking to this jackass. No. Unlike the night before, I had plenty to say, and none of it was nice.

“If you think for one minute I’m going to stand here and talk to you, you can forget it. So why don’t you open that door and go back downstairs to your girlfriend. You know, my sister.”

A grimace tightened Aiden’s lips, and as he squeezed the doorknob, I told myself to stay strong. Do not feel bad because he feels like an ass. That’s on him. But when Aiden turned around as though he was going to do exactly what I’d said, I took a step forward and blurted out, “Why?”

With his back still facing me, I took in the broad shoulders under the grey-flecked sweater and how the color made his hair look like black silk, then I chastised myself for even noticing.

“Why were you at that party last night? Alone? Why did you…”

He turned around, and when his face came back into view, I clutched the quilt a little tighter.

“Kiss you?” Aiden said in the same voice I’d gone to sleep dreaming about the night before.

But then I shook my head and reminded myself that my sister likely went to bed hearing it in her ear, and yeah, that was enough to bring back my ire.

“I’m not doing this,” I said, and as I walked forward, fully intending to storm by him, Aiden moved until he was in front of me.

“Miles…” he said, and reached out to touch my arm, but at the last second he must’ve thought better of it, because he dropped his hand back down by his side. “This is not what you think—”

“What I think? Please. Save your breath. I don’t want to hear it.”

As I went to shove by him, Aiden took hold of my arm and halted me. We were standing as close as we had been the night before, and as I glared into his dark eyes, I was reminded of how gorgeous he’d looked with snow clinging to his lashes.

“Don’t leave like this,” Aiden said. “Let me explain.”

I licked my suddenly dry lips and tried not to focus on the feel of his fingers touching me. “What do you need to explain? You’re my sister’s boyfriend, Aiden. You’re going to be sleeping with her in my bed.” My incredulity all came roaring back at that, and suddenly I couldn’t stop my rambling thoughts from spewing out of my mouth. “I mean, that’s where I wanted you, sure. But not like this. I can’t…” I yanked my arm out of his grasp. “I won’t do this to her.”

As I stepped around him and headed for the door, I took hold of the handle, but before I got it open, a large hand landed on the wood panel by my head.

“Move your hand,” I said.

“Look at me.” Aiden’s voice was a low growl that stroked the back of my neck and made me powerless to do anything but obey. My hand left the handle, and it was as I turned around that I realized he had me backed up against the door. His other arm came up on the other side of me, caging me in, but instead of feeling claustrophobic or angry at his closeness, I felt my cock stir. Traitor.

My eyes locked on his mouth as his tongue came out to wet his lips, and God how I wanted to lean forward the few inches separating us and taste him. Last night wasn’t enough, but it would have to be, because there was no way it could ever happen again—

“Oh, fuck it,” was all I heard before Aiden’s mouth was on mine. It took a few seconds for my brain to comprehend that he was kissing me, but that didn’t stop my lips from parting so he could tangle his tongue with mine.

I groaned into his mouth as he cupped my neck and angled his head for a deeper kiss. It was hot and desperate, almost punishing, nothing like it’d been last night. No, last night had been sweet and romantic, but the way Aiden was kissing me now, it was like he had something to prove.

Aiden… No. Sean.

I pushed against his chest, breaking our lips apart. His pupils were blown, and I’d already felt the evidence of his arousal when our hips had been pressed against one another. His hand still cupped my neck, and I reached up to cover it with my own before pulling them both away.

Why did I do that? Kiss him? Why had I let him do that? And for the love of all that was holy, why did he have to taste so good?

“Miles—”

“No,” I said, pushing against his chest again to keep him away. “You can’t do that again. We can’t.”

“But—”

I pushed myself off the door, forcing him back. “If you try to kiss me again, I’m telling my sister. Don’t think I won’t. Leave me the hell alone.”

And this time, before he could protest, I snatched the quilt I’d dropped from the floor and left without another word.

Once inside the safety of the guestroom, I locked the door and sat on the edge of the bed. My lips still tingled from the force of the kiss, and as I brought my fingers up to my mouth, I closed my eyes.

My mind whirled from everything that had happened in the last hour. I’d gone from being giddy over last night and spending the weekend with my family for Christmas, to the shock of my life seeing Aiden as my sister’s boyfriend—God, would that ever sink in?—to two minutes ago when I’d made out with said boyfriend.

I dropped my head into my hands and groaned. Great life decisions happening right now, Miles. Good job. The last thing I’d ever want to do was hurt my sister, and I’d gone and kissed her boyfriend twice now. It was official: I was a jerk.

But I wouldn’t let it happen again. Nope. I didn’t understand what Aiden was playing at, but that wasn’t on me. And if he kept on disrespecting Beth, I’d be the first to tell her.

Yes, good plan. Now I just had to work out how to get through the weekend with him.