The access road, more of a widened path than a proper thruway, was as rutted and worn as when we’d traveled down it weeks earlier, only now there were piles of snow with which to contend. “I don’t think we can go much farther,” Adam said as the wheels began to spin. He placed the vehicle in park. “This should be as good of a place as any to start our search, right?”
Was that a hint of anticipation I heard in his voice? Adam was playing it cool, but I knew he was just as excited as I was to participate in such a timeworn tradition. I told him the area was indeed perfect—there were pines of all shapes and sizes everywhere, and then I hopped down from my seat. Adam got out and retrieved the rope and saw we’d brought along from the back of the vehicle.
If I’d thought the north end of the island where we lived was a snowy postcard, I was sorely mistaken. Our side of the island was nothing compared to the wintry landscape on display over here. Piles of snow—some taller than my five and a half feet, many even bigger than Adam’s more than six feet of height—lay in wind-shaped drifts everywhere. The sun bore down on the white landscape, making it appear as if glittering, rainbow-hued diamonds had been sprinkled in the snow. A cardinal let out a squawk, breaking the palpable silence that had thickened the air. It flew from one snowy branch to the next, billowing plumes of white dust down in its wake. It really was beautiful over here, peaceful even.
I watched the red bird, fluttering about, until Adam appeared at my side. “Maddy?” he began, touching my elbow. “Are you ready?”
I nodded, and he hoisted the rope higher on his shoulder. With the saw, he pointed to beyond the tree line. “There must be fifty evergreens over there.” He offered me his free hand, clear blue eyes sparkling. “Come on…let’s go find ourselves the perfect tree.”
I took his hand and leaned into his shoulder. Didn’t he know I’d go anywhere with him?
***
A few hours later we were back at Adam’s compound, a rather impressive fire roaring in the fireplace. We were almost finished with decorating the nearly seven-foot tree we ended up cutting down and hauling back atop the Range Rover. Getting it into the house had been an adventure, and we’d eventually had to enlist Max’s help.
But now, here in the high-ceiled living room, the tree looked magnificent. Most of the decorating was done. We’d adorned the soft-needled branches with strands of clear lights and then had taken turns placing a hodgepodge of ornaments—ornaments Adam had pilfered from his parents’ house over in Harbour Falls a week earlier.
“It’s not like they’re going to miss them,” Adam had said when I’d admonished him for taking them without first asking. “They’ll be in Vancouver on December twenty-fifth.”
The Wards traveled all the time, and from what I had gathered, were rarely home for any holidays. And Christmas was no exception. From the amount of dust on the boxes, it was clear the decorations had not been used in years. It made me kind of sad to think Adam had not had a proper Christmas in God knew how long. Sure, he said it was no big deal and he and Trina often traveled to wherever his parents were in order to celebrate as a family, much like we’d done for Thanksgiving. But I knew it wasn’t quite the same as a Christmas at home. So it warmed my heart to watch as Adam seemed to be so thoroughly enjoying this one.
He’d taken over the task of decorating the top level of the tree, which was fine with me. I was now curled up in a leather chair by the fireplace. “Have at it,” I said. “I’m taking a break.”
Adam laughed. “Lazy,” he replied teasingly as he climbed up a stepladder he’d dragged in from the kitchen.
“You bet,” I concurred, pulling the long sleeves of the sweatshirt I was wearing down over my hands. It was one Adam had been wearing earlier. It smelled like him, spicy, male, and just plain sexy Mr. Ward. I breathed in as I snuggled deeper into the chair.
We’d changed out of our winter attire as soon as the tree was up and situated. My clothes had ended up soggy and soiled from tromping around in the forest. But Adam’s had somehow still looked basically clean. Go figure. Anyway, I pilfered his sweatshirt the minute he’d taken it off. It was way too big, though, the hem hanging down to mid-thigh. But, to me, it was still perfect.
Adam was almost finished with decorating the tree. I watched as he placed the final ornament on the top, a gold star so shiny I had to wonder if it was plated with real eighteen karat. It wouldn’t surprise me; Adam wasn’t the only wealthy Ward in town.
Adam dusted his hands off on his jeans and then readjusted the star. “How does it look? Is it straight?” he asked, his focus solely on his task.
The navy button-down he was wearing—the one that made his eyes the deepest shade of indigo—rode up as he fussed with the star. I consequently found myself distracted, especially when the bare skin at his waist became visible. “Maddy?” Adam was waiting. “Are you even looking?”
Sure am, but not at the star. I forced my eyes up, which only served to heighten the lustful thoughts consuming me. Adam’s face, bathed in the warm glow of firelight, was just so beautiful, making me want him all the more.
He sighed, shifting on the ladder. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. I reluctantly eyed the star instead of Adam. “It looks great,” I said, but added under my breath, “and so do you.”
Adam smirked as he stepped down to the floor. Surely he knew what
