devoured my reaction. I was smiling. I could feel the pull on my cheeks, and I
couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Christmas was my favorite holiday, and Darren
was going to exploit the shit out of that for his benefit. And I was totally content
with letting him do it. I wouldn’t fall for his tricks, but he was welcome to try,
especially if they resulted in this kind of effort.
“You did all this for me?”
“I did,” he admitted with a short nod. “I know how much you like Christmas,
and I thought you might like this.”
“It’s just …perfect,” I said, turning back around to admire it all. “How long are
we staying?”
“Until New Year’s Day.”
That’s it?
I dreaded the idea of going back to the estate, the place where my life felt like it
was at a standstill, never moving forward from a place I had once escaped from.
“Come on. I’ll show you to our room,” he said, reaching out for my hand.
“We’re sharing a room now?”
“You’ll always have your own space at the estate, but everywhere else will be
conjoined.”
“Everywhere else?” I asked as he led me up the staircase to the first floor.
“Yes,” was all he said, and I took that as my hint that he wouldn’t be revealing
any more information.
Leading me down the hallway, I couldn’t help but admire the continued
Christmas decorations and trimmings all along the log cabin walls. The lighting
throughout the house was soft and not bright, giving it a nice warm touch. Darren
stopped us at a door at the very end of the hallway and pulled out a key to unlock it.
Opening it slowly, he ushered me inside, and my jaw dropped for the third time
that day.
The bedroom was gorgeous and even bigger than my own bedroom at the estate.
Decked out in more decorations, the room held an endearing countryside
wilderness theme to it. A large canopy bed rested at the back of the room, covered
in burgundy red blankets and pillows, and I wondered how deep I’d fall into it if I
jumped on it right now. It looked that comfortable. A set of comfy dark brown
suede looking furniture sat in front of another massive stone fireplace with what
looked like a bearskin rug laid out in front of it.
But what caught my eye was the very bland, very naked looking pine tree
standing off by the heavily curtained windows. Next to the tree were a bunch of red
bins stacked on top of each other.
Well, this was interesting…
I took a few steps into the room; my mind was swimming with so much stimuli, I
wasn’t sure how to cope with the change in scenery. I could feel Darren’s eyes on
me, watching me intently as I took everything in. It only took him a few seconds of
deliberation before he took me by my shoulders and led me over to the windows.
Standing behind me, he reached out for the curtains and pulled them aside to
reveal the view outside.
I couldn’t help but gasp just a little at how unreal everything was. We seemed to
be somehow in the heart of the mountain because that was all I could see out that
window.
“God, this is amazing,” I said.
“I’m very glad to see that you’re happy.”
I bit down on my tongue. I hated that he thought he was winning something
here. I couldn’t lie and say that I wasn’t happy with the change of scenery and that
he was making an effort to please me, but it made me sick to my stomach knowing I
would have to reward him for his gift. If I didn’t, he would see me as ungrateful and
probably punish me somehow, and if I did reward him, he would think he was one
step closer to winning me over, and that I would eventually forgive him for
everything if he kept up this kind act. I sighed in frustration.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
“I have some work I need to take care of, so I’ve left a little task for you,” he said
as he moved me over to the naked tree. “I expect this thing to be covered from top
to bottom in decorations by the time I get back.”
I looked up and down the tree, my lips forming into a grimace. The tree was
easily an eight-footer. It could take me hours.
“I’ll need a ladder,” I replied.
“I’ll have someone bring one up,” he said. “And you are not to leave this room
until I return, understand? If you need anything, someone will be standing
outside.”
“Of course,” I said with a nod.
Darren stepped toward me, wrapping his hand around the back of my neck and
pulling me toward him. He dipped down and met my lips with his, kissing me with
a gentle passion I found endearing—the kind that took my breath away.
“You should know
