Chapter 16

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

FOX

Fuck this.

Halfway back to Evergreen Pass, I find my balls and turn the truck around. I knew Alida needed some time to cool off, but I’ll be damned if I’m giving her three goddamn years again.

I pull into her driveway and stomp through the knee-deep snow. I have half a mind to hire someone to plow just to piss her off. To show her that even if it drives her crazy sometimes, I will take care of her.

Before I can pound on the door, it opens.

“Fox?”

“When I told you I’m never leaving you again, Alida, I fucking meant it.”

“I—”

“No. You’re not kicking me out of your life this time. I’ll sit out here all fucking day and freeze my ass off if that’s what it takes for you to realize this thing between us has never, for one fucking minute, been fake.”

“Okay.”

I’m stunned into silence. I’d come braced for a fight. “Okay?”

“It means yes.”

“Why are you wearing a coat?”

“I was coming to find you.”

I glance back at her car that’s still covered in a foot of snow. Unless Santa worked some magic while we were gone, it’s still out of commission. “Were you going to walk?”

“If I had to.”

“Give me your phone,” Kayleigh says, peeping her head around Alida’s shoulder. “I’ll cancel your Uber. Hey, Fox!”

“Hey, Kayleigh. How’s school?”

“You can ask me later. Once Alida gets her head out of her ass.”

“Hey!”

“Bye!” Kayleigh disappears inside.

“Can I come in?”

Alida steps back, allowing me inside. I hear a familiar yowl from the living room, but Meatball seems to know his place right now and stays put as I close the door behind me.

“I’m sorry about this morning?—”

“It wasn’t your fault. I overreacted. And once I realized I did, I was too embarrassed to backpedal. Too proud to admit I was wrong.” Alida drops a hand to my chest, flickering her gaze up to mine. “I love you, Fox. And it scares the hell out of me. I’m used to being on my own?—”

“I love you too, Alida. And you’ll never be on your own again.” I comb a hand through her hair, dragging her face closer to mine. “I will never take your independence away, Alida. I love it too much. But I will take care of you like you deserve, whether you fucking like it or not. I will make you a priority, and you’re going to let me.”

“Okay,” she whispers seconds before my lips crash against hers. This kiss has nothing on any other. It’s a passionate promise of everything to come. A cry of relief from almost having lost the woman I love over the stupidest thing.

“You want to know something, Alida?”

“What’s that?”

“I had a Christmas wish too.”

“You did?” she wriggles her eyebrows.

“Well, maybe two.”

She licks her lips, and I really wish we had the time and opportunity for me to push her up against her bedroom wall and pummel my cock into her. But we’re due back in Evergreen Pass. I don’t think my family will let me back into the cabin without her. And I’m certain they’ll love Kayleigh.

“What’s your first Christmas wish?” she asks.

“To be with you.”

It’s a cheesy answer, but her beaming smile promises she doesn’t mind. “And the second one? You know, the dirty one?”

“I want you to sit in Santa’s lap. And by Santa, I mean me.”

She snakes a hand up my neck. “Are you sure? Because Santa, I’ve been a very naughty girl this year.”

I pull the silk blindfold from my coat pocket, rubbing the material against her cheek. “And I intend to show you exactly what happens when you’re on my naughty list.”