2. Sunny

CHAPTER 2

Sunny

I ’d bitten my tongue, but what I’d really wanted to say was that whoever gave Gregory his nickname knew what they were doing. What a dickhead.

To be fair, Gray was a hot dickhead with the kind of winter-pale complexion that paired well with resting bitch face. I could admit—to myself—that I also enjoyed his rich, nearly-black hair and dark, disapproving eyes.

Like a perpetually disappointed vampire.

He probably liked to be in control in the bedroom.

Not sure why that was important.

Whatever. There was no way in hell I was gonna tell him how grateful I was that I didn’t need to fly back home. Nor would I ever admit how much flying actually terrified me.

To do my job well I had to be able to get to different parts of the country as quickly as possible. For a long time, I had a private pilot, Wayne, and that had worked well enough. When Wayne retired, however, I realized I didn't trust anyone else. I was eternally grateful when he’d offered to teach me how to fly. And he’d done a good job. He really had said that I was a quick learner, and that I made good decisions in the air.

Take that, you hot jackass.

That said, nobody warned me that conquering my fear wasn’t actually going to make the fear go away. Not one person clued me into the fact that there was a chance I’d have to push through this fear until the day I died. I deserved some goddamn credit for flying by myself. At night. In the snow. With faulty landing gear.

It’s possible that Gray had a point.

Another thing I’d never admit to that man.

I sat quietly in the customer lounge, petting Lunchbox while Miriam went back up to finish her paperwork and Gray shut down for the night. He worked efficiently, and the people around him seemed to have a lot of affection for his grumpiness.

“’Night, Cammy,” he said to the agent running the desk. “Careful on the road.”

“Will do, boss,” she said, smiling at him before leaving through the doors marked Employee Parking Lot .

I don’t think you could pay me enough to smile at a guy like that. Suck his cock, maybe, but?—

Thankfully that line of thought was interrupted when Miriam came back down from the tower.

“How are you doing?” she asked, placing her hand on my shoulder.

“I'm okay,” I said, shaking off the visual of kneeling in front of Gray. “Though . . . that thing with the landing gear scared the shit out of me.”

Unlike her boss, Miriam’s kind nature made me want to spill my guts.

“I know tonight rattled you,” she said, her eyes so warm. “But you're safe now. And yes, I know that Gray can seem like an asshole?—”

I snorted. “Seem?”

She gave me a so-so gesture. “Life has made him a little pessimistic. Not that that’s an excuse,” she amended. “But I wouldn’t let you stay with him if I thought he’d make your life miserable. Mostly, he’ll just ignore you.”

“I can handle that,” I said, hoping I was telling the truth. Honestly, he made me nervous.

And horny, apparently.

“I’m not supposed to tell you this,” she said, looking over her shoulder. “But he’s one of those guys who secretly donates to local causes and helps out when people aren’t looking.”

I barked out a laugh, then shut it when she narrowed her eyes.

“C’mon, Miriam. You have to admit he doesn't exactly seem like the kind of person who would live in a place called Christmas Falls, though.”

She chuckled. “Maybe not, but the people who live hear love it here. Including him.”

“That’s nice to hear,” I said, relieved. “I’m so done with Chicago and have been looking forward to checking this place out. It was listed as one of the state’s best-slash-most underrated places to live.”

“You've got to go to our downtown area—we call it Santa’s Village. Great food, fun places to shop, and a wonderful community space. You're going to enjoy it here, I can tell.”

“You can?”

“With a name like Sunny? Of course.”

“How can a town like this be great for both a guy named Sunny, and a guy named Gray?”

“Because the spirit of Christmas means we love and accept everyone right where they are,” she said kindly.

I took in the place again. I hadn’t thought much about the Christmas crap festooning every available space, until I realized that some of the decorations seemed permanent.

“So, this place really is about Christmas all year round?” I asked, a sinking sensation in my stomach.

“Of course! And you’ve landed at the best time—we go all out after Thanksgiving.”

“Great,” I said, hoping she wouldn’t pick up on the sarcasm.

Simultaneously my best feature and biggest issue was that I put a lot of effort into living up to my nickname. My mom had given it to me for a reason, that was for sure. But she had passed on Christmas Eve when I was just seventeen, and after that I didn't have it in me to enjoy the holiday.

Darling, if I could've waited for New Year’s, I would've.

No, I wasn’t hallucinating. It’s just that her gentle voice had never left me. Even if I tended to ignore her opinion on Christmas.

“You ready?” Gray said gruffly.

I startled, not expecting his nearness, or the fact that his voice was like sex on steroids. “Uh, yeah.”

His irritated expression was difficult to take seriously because he was wearing an oversized coat while cradling sweet Sweetie, whose expression could only be described as cherubic.

I put Lunchbox on my shoulder, grabbed my things, and stood.

Gray turned to Miriam and sent her a small nod. She winked up at him and gave him a side-hug. I didn't know the man very well, but I guessed he wasn't a hugging type of person. He seemed to take it in stride, though.

“Please text me when you get home,” he said. “The news report warned that the pass around the falls is icy.”

Miriam patted Sweetie’s head. “Honey, I've been driving on that pass longer than you've had a driver’s license. But, fine. I will text you when I get home.”

She turned to me, making sure to dole out the same amount of affection to Lunchbox. “Again, I’m so sorry about the cabin.”

“It’s okay,” I said, mentally making plans to have a driver come get me in the next day or two. “This will be an adventure.”

Or I’ll end up dead in a ditch.

“Just remember what I said. Don’t let this one’s growl fool you. Gray hardly ever bites.”

I huffed out a laugh, even though her words weren’t as comforting as she’d maybe hoped. Instead, now I was wondering if he likes to use teeth in the bedroom. Been a while since someone’s grazed my nipp?—

Jesus, Sunny. Get your head on straight.

Gray stiffened. “What?”

Miriam winked at him. “Oh, nothing.”

She sent me one more grin, then the three of us took off toward the employee parking lot.

Parking lot may have been too generous a description. It was more of a concrete slab with four-and-a-half spaces. While Miriam drove away in an impossibly tiny car, Gray walked up to the massive Ford F-350 Dually—which itself was gray and straddled the dirt and the half space at the edge of the lot.

Wordlessly, he pushed Sweetie into my arms and took my luggage, tossing it in the back before opening the passenger door for me.

“Damn, this is quite the vehicle,” I said, skirting past him to billy-goat up into the cab with the two dogs in my possession.

Once Lunchbox, Sweetie, and I were settled in, he slammed my door, seeming to curse under his breath as he crossed in front of the truck and got into the driver side. Lunchbox whimpered, pawing my thigh as he strained against my grip on him, desperately trying to reach Gray’s lap.

Not gonna lie; Gray was handsome enough that I understood the impulse. Still, Lunch needed to read the room because this guy was as prickly and uncuddly as it got.

After taking a moment to put on his seatbelt, Gray gave Lunchbox a suspicious look before he spoke. “I got a big truck because people sometimes get stuck on these roads. If our tow truck guy is already busy, he knows he can call me.”

I stifled a smile as I gripped Lunchbox’s collar. Miriam might have been onto something.

“That’s very kind of you.”

He curled his lip and started the truck. The large rumbling engine was a comfort as he adjusted the heater, pointing some of the vents toward me. “Let me know if this gets too warm for you.”

I’d already picked up on the fact that any response from me wasn't going to be appreciated, so I nodded and sat back.

He grabbed the gear shifter, then stopped. Slowly turning in my direction, he lifted his brows. “Seatbelt?”

“Oops. Sorry,” I said, grabbing for the buckle. Sweetie calmly angled out of path of the seatbelt while Lunchbox anxiously backpedaled, stepping on my nuts in the process. I was wrangling the dogs while attempting to slip the latch into the buckle, and nearly dropped both of them as a result. I needed to chill out, but it was impossible with Gray Frost glowering at me.

With a frustrated grunt, he took the latch from my hand and made the connection with a solid click . “Cannot believe that you thought flying at night was a good idea.”

I bit my tongue, distinctly unwilling to share my fears with him.

At least I had someplace to stay.

We remained silent as he drove from the airport into the charming town of Christmas Falls. Miriam wasn't lying. The people here really did love their holiday. Aside from calling the downtown area Santa’s Village, there must have been some city ordinance in play because every single business was in on the theme.

Frosty’s

Jolly Java

Jingle Bites

Season’s Readings

Not to mention the lights. I bet the folks in the space station could see this place from two hundred and fifty miles up.

The shops were busy, even this late in the evening, and people were happily walking up and down the sidewalks. As much as I’d come to dislike this time of year, I could appreciate the holiday cheer. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, genuinely. Not like the creepy forced smiles you saw at big theme parks, but as if they actually enjoyed what they were doing.

I chewed on my thumb nail, wondering again about my purpose for coming here. I’d grown up in Chicago and loved it. But the city had become too big for me—or maybe I had become too small. Either way, there were too many people, too much traffic, and too much going on.

As for my business, most of the staff worked from home, or in cooperative spaces. My employees lived across the globe, and there was no reason for me to stay where I no longer felt comfortable. After my brother Baz finally bullied me into therapy, I realized that I needed a place where my overworked nervous system could finally rest. Christmas Falls hadn't even been on my radar until that article, but I was glad I’d made it my first stop.

The drive through town didn't take long, and soon we were pulling into a heavily treed neighborhood with massive lots. We drove to the very last house on the very last street, and he turned into the long, cobblestoned driveway.

I wasn't surprised that Gray seemed to have built his house as far back from the street as he could. We bumped along under a mini forest of spruces, pines, and firs, and I realized that I should probably let someone know where I am. At that same moment, my phone started ringing.

I looked at the caller ID and smiled.

“It’s my brother,” I told Gray as he put the truck in Park. He gestured a dismissal, and I answered the call. “Hey, Baz.”

Gray took Sweetie from me, placing her on his shoulder. I did the same with Lunchbox, and we climbed down out of the truck. He was, unsurprisingly, far more efficient at exiting the vehicle than I was. I accepted the call as I went to grab my bags from the back, but Gray had already circled around to my side. Shouldering me out of the way, he took them down for me.

I nodded a thank you to Gray as I struggled to mentally keep his clothes on.

“Sunny? Why does your GPS have you across town from your rental?”

I snorted, ignoring the annoying man who was weirdly taking care of me. “This evening has been full of misadventures.”

Gray frowned and walked toward the house, my luggage in tow.

“Misadventures? Are you a pirate now?”

I laughed and Lunchbox licked my eyebrow. “No. But to answer your question, my rental was out by the falls and heavy snow caved in the roof.”

“While you were in it?”

“No. Unfortunately, though, there wasn’t any availability elsewhere.”

“So where are you now?”

Lunchbox and I took a moment to admire Gray’s home. It was a beautiful Craftsman, solidly built. There were no Christmas lights, and the main color was a deep, cool gray—of course—with white framing around the windows and rich plum details that matched the gorgeous door made of thick, dovetailed pieces.

Fuck me, even his house turned me on.

“Sunny?”

“Er . . . I’m at the house of the guy who owns the airport.”

“You mean the Reindeer Runway?” Baz said, snorting.

“Yep.”

“Why didn't you call me earlier?”

“I was going to call you as soon as I got settled,” I explained as I ascended the solid wood front porch steps behind Gray. “And you were already giving me shit for flying out at night.”

God, this man’s ass. Gray Frost was a pill-and-a-half, but my mouth watered at the way he filled out a pair of khakis.

“Look, I know you like to take risks,” Baz said, ripping my attention back to him. “I know you like to push past your fears, but this is ridiculous. Where are you?”

“I just told you.”

“No, Sun. Who is this airport guy you’re staying with? Is he okay? Is it safe?”

Gray opened the door and gestured for us to enter.

Chuckling, I answered, “Put it to you this way, he wouldn’t even put his truck in gear until I put on my seatbelt.”

“Oh . . . no .” I probably could’ve heard his sigh without the phone.

Poor Baz’d just broken up with the guy he thought he was going to marry. He kept the details close to his vest, but he wrinkled his nose whenever someone brought up dating or relationships.

“There’s no oh no ,” I said, walking into a surprisingly spacious living area.

“Please don’t fall in love with him, Sun. It never goes well.”

Baz can be so dramatic sometimes.

“Shit, Gray,” I said, temporarily ignoring my brother. “Your place is beautiful.”

I spun under the dark oak ceiling beams that matched the broad trim around the generous windows lining the front and rear walls, admiring the recessed lighting that highlighted everything so beautifully. He’d thoughtfully furnished the place with inviting couches and accent chairs, neutral tones against rich, deep pile Persian rugs and a singular, stunning piece of art over his fireplace.

“Sunny?” Baz asked. “The guy you’re staying with—his name is Gray?”

“Yep. Gregory Isaiah Frost, a.k.a. Gray. And he was kind enough to let me stay in his spare room.”

Gray primly set his key on the key hook by the front door as Baz began typing at his computer. I bit back a laugh. Both men seemed to be staying on theme.

Past the living room I spied an inviting dining area that seemed to bleed into—I took a few steps forward and poked my head into the space—yes. A warm-yet-bright kitchen with stainless steel countertops and a Viking range. It was nice to see that the high ceilings continued throughout the space.

Sweetie trotted past me with Lunchbox hot on her heels, and they went out the doggie door that led from the kitchen to a large, fenced-in yard.

“What do you know about this man?” he asked, still typing.

“Not much,” I said, admiring the well-crafted cabinetry. There was no way he’d ordered these from some massive warehouse-type store.

The dogs set off motion-activated lights in the backyard and I watched as they did their business in the snow.

“And Gray Frost? What kind of a name is that?”

The pups zipped back in, and I answered, “An extremely appropriate one.”

I returned to the living room with dogs circling my feet, only to be greeted by Gray’s pursed glare.

I was just glad he couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation.

“Is he standing there? Is that why you can't answer my questions?”

“Yes. But I am fine. Let me get settled in and I'll text you.”

“Okay, but if I don't hear from you in ten minutes, I'm calling the Christmas Falls police.”

“Yeah, go ahead and do that,” I joked as I leaned down and picked up Lunchbox, then popped him on my shoulder.

“This is not funny, Sunny. If you end up in a ditch somewhere in that hell hole of a town, lots of people will lose their livelihoods.”

“Thank you for reminding me of my responsibilities, Baz. For a second I forgot that I had any.”

“You know what I mean, Sun. You're important to us. To me.”

“I know, Baz. I'll chat with you later.”

“Ten minutes.”

“Okay, Baz. Ten minutes.”

Gray stood there with his hands on his hips. “Your brother making sure that you didn't accidentally stay with an axe murderer?”

“Something like that,” I said, amused at his offense.

“Doesn’t sound like you convinced him.”

“Honestly, if Miriam hadn’t vouched for you, I wouldn’t have been all that convinced, either.”

I didn’t know why I was poking at him, but he seemed to not mind it so much.

When he stayed quiet, I gestured around us. “So, did you design this place?”

“Yes,” he answered, curling his lip as I picked up Sweetie and set her on my other shoulder.

Whatever sliver of conviviality we’d had was gone in a flash. I couldn’t quite tell how I’d managed to step on a landmine, but the conversation had been blown to bits before we could even begin.

I decided to stop trying.

It took another awkward moment before he gestured to the hall that ran parallel to the living room. “Here, follow me.”

I silently followed him down the hall, realizing at the last minute that he was still carrying my things.

“This is my office.” He used his elbow to point to the first door on the right. “And this is the guest bathroom,” said, pointing to the next door.

He then elbow-pointed to the last door on the right. “This is where you'll stay. You can access the guest bathroom from your room. And while you’re here, I’ll keep to my bathroom.”

I held up my hands. “You can use the bathroom, Gray.”

He shook his head and gestured to the door at the end of the hall. “This is my room.”

“Thank you so much,” I said, going for gratitude instead of trying to convince the man that he was well within his rights to have full use of his own home. “I really appreciate having a nice place to stay.”

Gray shuffled his feet, obviously uncomfortable with the compliment.

“Hopefully you’ll find your bed comfortable,” he said, opening the door.

I walked in and let out a low whistle as Gray set my rolling suitcase in front of the closet and my duffel on the bed.

“This place is amazing.” I pointed to the painting on the wall above the high, fluffy bed. “Who painted this? It’s the same artist from the living room, right? I don't think I’ve seen their work before.”

Gray sucked in his lips like I’d offered him a lemon. After plucking Sweetie from my shoulder, he answered, “I did.”

My jaw dropped, and I was grateful that my pants didn’t. I was turned on by competency, and this painting had competency beat by a smooth mile.

“You painted this, and you own that tiny airport? Make it make sense.”

“No.”

I shivered at his abrupt tone

“No . . . what? No, you won’t make it make sense?”

“Yes.”

Yikes. I was clearly not going to land on a single right note with this man. He was bound and determined, it seemed, to live up to every part of his name.

“You're right, Mr. Frost. It’s none of my business.”

He rubbed Sweetie’s head as he stepped out of the room. “I have Fridays off, and I always go into town for breakfast at the Snowflake Shack. You’re on your own till then, but if you want me to show you around, you’re welcome to join me. That is, if you’re still interested in moving here.”

I blinked at him. The change in subject was so abrupt my spleen was still processing the shift.

“I’d appreciate that,” I managed, then zipped my lips tight.

He gave me a small nod, much like the one he’d given to Miriam, then turned on his heel and entered his room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

I looked up at the painting above the bed once more. Like the piece in the living room, it was a gorgeous impressionist rendering of the Chicago downtown skyline. This was set further back and done in dark pastels, purples and teals, hints of orange and lavender.

The focal point was a single road leading into downtown, with a single human being in the middle distance. The painting in the living room—full of light grays and bright yellows with chrome accents—had captured the life and shine of the city that so many were attracted to. This one, however, felt dark and lonely, and it made me wonder about the gruff man in the room next door.

Baz had been right. I’d taken a foolish risk, flying out tonight. And even though I felt perfectly safe in Gray’s house, something about sharing this space with him felt like a much bigger risk.