The closer we were to Colorado, the bigger the ball of nerves in my stomach grew. I felt like I was at the top of a rollercoaster, but instead of a fun descent, I had a drop straight down into a fiery pit of briar patches. The alcohol helped. Until it didn’t. I had four of my own drinks and finished one of Finn’s, and my empty stomach did the rest. The handsome stranger didn’t seem to mind; he was almost as buzzed as I was anyway. Soon enough, the turbulence was getting to me, and I kept the motion sickness bags close by.

The distraction of Harry Potter was now over, and I didn't want to watch a cheesy Christmas movie like Finn. I leaned my head back in my seat and groaned.

“What is it?” Finn turned to me.

“I feel like I’m going to be sick, and I no longer have a distraction.” My shaky hands attempted to brush through my tangled hair.

“Let’s play twenty questions.” He said in a quiet tone, careful not to upset the cranky lady asleep catty-corner to us. I rolled my eyes and didn’t look his way.

“Ugh, no. I know how that goes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve done this before. What’s your favorite color? Do you have any siblings? What’s your favorite sex position? I’m familiar with this move.”

He chuckled deeply at my response. “Well since you’re asking. Red, only child, and—“

“Nope. Don’t tell me.” The last temptation I needed right now was this gorgeous man next to me talking about exactly how he wanted it in bed. He smiled over at me with his straight white teeth shining obnoxiously under his Cupid’s bow.

“How about we just talk?” He suggested quietly.

“Or we could just sleep like everyone else,” I countered and grabbed the opened eye mask in my compartment.

“Now what’s the fun in that?” He took the silk mask out of my grip, leaving warmth to spread through my palms where his touch lingered. “What are your plans for when you land?”

I hadn’t let myself think of plans yet; I was just trying to get past the fact that I was seeing my sister, and everyone else, for the first time in three years.

“Probably work. Go to the family dinners they’re making me attend. Avoid all the Christmas things they're going to do.”

“What is it with you and Christmas? Did someone give you a used candle or something? Maybe a bad meet-the-Santa experience?” He questioned with a laugh.

If only he knew.

“Just not a fan. The lights give me headaches, the cold is unbearable, the music is too loud, and everyone expects something from you. No thanks.”

He looked at me as if I had grown a third eye. “You are such a…curmudgeon. A little Grinch.”