8. Jeremy

CHAPTER 8

Jeremy

I tap at the door and wait impatiently. I hear the sound of voices inside and smirk. I know that Promise's car is out here. I'm sure that my Pet called for reinforcements.

Probably a good idea since I don't trust her not to make a run for it otherwise.

The door opens and Promise stands there and grins. "Well, good luck. I did what I could." She saunters down the stairs laughing her ass off.

"Thanks so much, Promise! Really appreciate the vote of confidence."

"I cannot do this. This is a mistake."

I turn around and spot Pet in the doorway, her pale face mottled with red and her mouth open, panting.

"It's not a mistake. Come on. Let's go out and have a good night and show these people that we're good. Finally."

Her hands are clawed on the doorframe and I roll my eyes. We're starting off really well here.

I wrap my hands around her ice-cold fingers and tug…hard. "Come on. Pet." I tug and pull and finally get her hands off the door and lead her away, shutting it behind her. Her eyes stray to mine and then shift away quickly.

"This isn't gonna work. Nobody will believe this for a second. We don't even like each other."

She keeps babbling and I sigh, pulling her against me and slamming my lips down on her open mouth, breathing in her rants until she finally stops and moans.

The whole world and all its petty problems drifts away immediately. My body lights up like the Fourth of July and tension drifts away one little iota at a time until we're sinking into each other and sighing, our hands roaming over each other. Her sweet curves meld into my harder edges and it's fucking heaven. I can't breathe. Can't think and I don't want to pull away.

Perfection. She is perfect for me.

But I pull back and smirk down into her stunned face. Then her face clears and she growls, "Back the hell up, Jeremy. Now!"

I grin and let her go one finger at a time until she backs away and licks her lips nervously. My dick jumps in my jeans and I'm sorely pressed not to turn around and march right back into her house and fuck her against the door as soon as I close it on the rest of the world.

But I shove her back in the door. "Get a coat, Pet. We're leaving."

Without another word, she grabs a coat and closes the door after herself.

I help her into my truck and then I start driving. She doesn't pay attention at first, lost in her own thoughts.

Then her head lifts and she eyes the passing scenery narrowly. "Where are we going?"

"We are going to the next town over. Or I guess someplace in between. They've got a sleigh ride and I thought you might like it. I remember you always liked horses when you were a kid. You even got some lessons for one of your birthdays."

She nods her head. "That sounds fun. But will anybody in town actually see it so it makes the rounds? Is it really worth it if nobody sees us? Defeats the purpose doesn't it?"

"There are other purposes. But trust me that someone will be there to repeat what they saw. It's too close to town not to."

"Fine," she huffs. "But these other dates better be more geared towards the people in town."

"Trust me, Pet."

She shoots me a suspicious look. "Not even if the town sheriff notarized what you're saying as the gospel truth."

I chuckle. This is going to be a battle. And yeah, I shot myself in the foot by firing her. But I couldn't think of what else to do. And she pissed me off. I finally give her a chance to do something special with the paper. Which she'd been bothering me about forever. And she doesn't trust me. She lies to me.

It fucking hurt. My stupid fucking pride reared up and took over and that was it!

I regretted it as soon as I saw the pain and loss on her face. It broke me and I never want to feel like that again.

But I can't forget it and I can't let her go.

We drive in silence for five minutes and then I reach out and turn on the Christmas music. I know my Pet. She won't be able to resist it for more than a few minutes. She loves her Christmas songs. This whole time of year is like catnip to her.

Sure enough, Last Christmas comes on and her head starts bobbing. I bite my lip when I hear a smothered, mumbled word or two comes out and then her eyes slide my way. I pretend like I'm not hearing any of it. Then the chorus starts and she starts belting it out and I pull my head in, laughing into my scarf.

"Shut up, Jeremy."

But she doesn't. She keeps singing each song for the next half an hour. Until we pull into the parking lot of the sleigh ride. Two sleighs stand to the side, along a lean-to and the horses stamp their feet, puffs of air coming out of their nostrils as they huff in the cold air.

Petra hops out and I can see the fascination on her face. "I didn't know this place was here. I've driven past here a million times."

"They're only here for a few weeks out of the year. Right before Christmas." My girl walks up cautiously to the bay horse with a white blaze and holds her hand out, smiling and giggling when it reaches its muzzle out and its lips whiffle along her palm gently.

"Hello, beautiful," she whispers gently, her hand smoothing along his face right between his eyes. He lowers his head and butts it into her.

"Well, look at that. Old Atlas never likes anybody. You must be a really nice person."

The old man standing to the side of the horse smiles and walks over. "You folks want a ride?"

I nod my head. "Yeah. I called earlier and took care of it."

He nods his old head. His wily smile almost makes me laugh out loud. Guy clearly loves his romances.

"Ah. Yes, Mr. Johnson. Old Atlas is all ready to go if you're ready."

He helps Petra up into the red-painted vehicle and nods. "The rugs are right there to cover up. All the other things you asked for are already in there."

I climb up and he pops into the seat and gently clicks to Atlas who takes off so carefully on the snow that the sleigh barely rocks. Smooth and steady he draws it along and the hush of the night air, the moon hanging over the frostbitten night is so peaceful and magical.

Atlas whinnies gently and a wolf howls off in the distance. Petra jumps and moves closer to me. I grin to myself and tug her up against me.

I think Mother Nature might be my partner in crime here. I pull out the thermos of hot cocoa with so many marshmallows that they're not even all melted.

I lift it to her and cock an eyebrow at her. She nods her head and I pour her a cup. Then I pour one for myself and lean back, smiling when her head ends up right beside my shoulder.

We don't talk but I don't think we need to. This is perfect. Four more chances to win her heart.

Four more chances to get the woman of my dreams and finally get my own happily ever after.