As we head back to my house with my mom, our designated driver, like we’re a bunch of teenagers again, I can’t seem to keep my hands off Ella. I suck on her neck, giving her a hickey as my fingers sneak up her dress. She breathes against my skin as she buries her face against my neck, trying to be quiet. She smells like vodka and vanilla and I bask in the scent, ready to get home because I’m seriously about to lose it.

The only time I get distracted is when we pass by a group of Christmas carolers standing on the corner near the park, bundled up in hats, coats, and gloves singing at the top of their voices.

“Wait a minute,” I say, leaning forward and slapping the console with my hand. “Stop the car.”

“Jesus, Micha.” My mom flinches in surprise but then starts to tap on the brakes. “What’s wrong?”

“We should go throw snowballs at them,” I say nodding my head at the carolers and then pinch Ella’s leg. “Like we used to do when we were kids every year. It was kind of like our tradition.”

“Micha Scott,” my mom says in horror. “That’s terrible.”

But Ella starts to laugh. “I completely forgot about that. Remember that one time I hit that guy straight in the face with one and then he chased us for blocks.”

“You always got us into so much trouble,” I say with a grin. “Let’s do it again.”

Ella starts to smile and even though we’re probably too old to keep carrying on that tradition, we’re both drunk enough that we’re seriously considering it. But my mom presses on the gas and drives down the road, sighing disappointedly.

“You two and your crazy ideas,” she mutters under her breath.

I’m disappointed that she’s not letting us, but I quickly forget about it and start kissing Ella again until we’re pulling up to my house and my mom is turning off the engine.

“Do you guys want me to make something to eat?” my mom asks as we hop out of the car. “It might be good for you guys to eat something.”

“We’re good. Thanks again for coming to get us.” I wave her off and she sighs as I lead Ella inside, not even bothering to wait for Lila and Ethan or listen when my mom asks me to come back.

By the time I get us to my room and the door closed, I’m burning with the need to touch Ella as I flip on the lamp. I don’t even give her a warning as I jerk her leather jacket off and throw it onto the floor.

“I’m going to have my hands full tonight, aren’t I?” she states with a wicked glint in her eyes like that’s exactly what she wants.