Free Chrome: With a Heart Forged in Steele (Carolina Bad #4) by Rie Warren Page B

cardboard box oughtta do it,” Nick volunteered.
    “Yeah. We did that a couple times, remember, bro?” I said.
    Cara looked so excited by the prospect I didn’t have the heart to tell her she probably wouldn’t get very far. Besides, she probably didn’t care anyway. Christmas. Snow in the south. A dream come true for any kid.
    Brodie stroked his chin. “Oh yeah. We even had enough snow to make a jump that one time.”
    “Hey, Cole? Go into the garage and grab a box, will ya?” I asked.
    “Always the Probie,” he good-naturedly grumbled with a wink of marine blue eyes, sauntering off.
    “Wear a lifejacket,” Brodie shouted as Cara followed him outside.
    “Why?”
    “So I can fish you out when you hit the frickin’ river. And PS. Stop before you hit the river.”
    “Brodie?” Ashe’s silver eyes glowed as she toed up to my brother.
    “What’d I do now?”
    She dragged him down to her. “I love you, you idiot.”
    After she kissed him he got that foolish grin on his face.
    Everyone crowded into the living room, plopping presents under the tree.
    Brodie and Cat stopped at the threshold and stared at the stockings and the Christmas decorations we hadn’t used for years.
    “Wow.” Brodie pressed his knuckles to his mouth.
    “Kind of looks like it used to.” Cat blinked rapidly.
    I rubbed my hands on my thighs. “I just thought it was time, ya know?”
    “No. It’s good. You done good.” Knocking his shoulder against mine, Brodie swiped a finger under his eyes. “Just wasn’t expecting it.”
    Cat hugged me with an arm around my waist and kissed my cheek. “It’s perfect, Boom.”
    My heart swelled a little bit, but I played it off. “So, you think we could just have a nice, normal, semi-dysfunctional family holiday for a change?”
    “Probie turned up, didn’t he?” Brodie asked.
    “Present and accounted for,” came Cole’s deep voice as he returned from getting Cara sorted with her makeshift sled.
    “Dysfunctional it is then,” Brodie joked. Or maybe not.
    They tapped fists even though Cole rolled his eyes and muttered, “Dick.”
    “Yup. Got a big one.” Brodie was like a dog with bone when he found someone new to razz.
    Too bad for Cole. Very entertaining for the rest of us.
    “Don’t brag about your cock size, handsome.” Ashe wrapped her arms around Brodie’s neck. “It’s unbecoming.”
    “That wasn’t what you were saying last night when you were com—”
    She slapped a hand over his loose lips. “Broderick Steele! Family holiday,” she hissed.
    He wrenched free and smacked her ass. “You forgot the dysfunctional part.”
    Thankfully Cara missed the whole Big Dick talk—something the rest of us could only hope to forget. Several minutes later she marched back inside, shedding more snow, peeling off her sodden mittens, kicking off her boots.
    She stuck her head into the living room then scampered to the fireplace. Her cheeks were pink, and cold emanated from her.
    “Good time out there?” I asked.
    “Yeah, Uncle Boom. The best!”
    Brodie rapped me on the shoulder again. “Uncle Boom.”
    A smile spread across my face.
    Cara clapped her hands together. “Think we could make a snowman later?”
    “You got a tree full of presents here and you’d rather go out in the cold and make Frosty the Snowman?” Brodie scowled at her.
    “Don’t need presents. Just need you and Mom.”
    “ Pfft . That was not what you said when you gave us your Christmas list, young lady.”
    “Please may we build a snowman later, Brodie?” Cara fluttered her eyelashes.
    He caved, grumbling, “Yeah. We’ll make a damn snowman. After presents.”
    “Awe-some,” she sing-songed.
    “Dude, you done been whupped by two ladies.” Nick chuckled, his eyes alight.
    “Yeah. It’s freakin’ awesome.”
    The door busted open again.
    “Yo! Ho, ho, ho!” Josh Stone suddenly filled the doorway.
    Leelee was pressed to his side, she had Jolie in her arms, swaddled from head to tiny toes. JJ