Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 59022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Suddenly I feel really sorry for Santa. Losing the love of his life so young? That would be awful.
“Your poor dad… losing the love of his life,” I say in sympathy. “He must be a little lonely even though he’s surrounded by so much cheer.”
Stetson’s eyes become steel.
“His sorrow will never be mine.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
“Ithought you were going to be the next Dateline episode.”
Grace delivers this news to me with dramatic flair.
I’m back on Devon’s yacht. Stetson dropped me off after spending the rest of the afternoon in the village. After the moment in the first St. Nick’s library, everything seemed to deflate a little bit. I wish I knew if it was something I did or if it was the heaviness of all of it and how fast everything happened, I mean, that wasn’t just a one night stand that was a hell of a lot of—a lot.
A lot a lot.
The temperature went from hot and heavy to just strange. It was like some part of Stetson pulled back and I don’t even know why. One minute he was fire, then the next he was cold as ice and ready to get me away from him. It’s like a switch flipped in his brain. I want to believe that he was tired, and I’d taken up way too much of his time, but the insecure part of me wonders if I just came up short or if he just really wanted that, a contract for a no questions asked night of crazy magic fueled sex, then why share all the personal details? He could have just tied me to the sleigh, but he took it a step further. There was an emotional connection.
He’s the sort of man I want to love.
He makes me want to be the sort of woman capable of earning his.
He accompanied me back to the yachtand gave me a passionate kiss before leaving. He even came on board and had small talk with Grace and the rest of their friends. The women stared at me like I was the second coming.
And the envy.
Yeah, that part felt fantastic. I may have preened a bit, fluffed up my hair and clung to his shoulder like ‘yes, mine, back the hell off’, but again, I signed a contract he was as much mine as I was his right now, right?
Who knows? Maybe I’d feel the same if I was watching all of this take place on the outside.
“l’ll call you later,” he said as he placed another kiss on my lips before leaving.
“Bye,” I replied not knowing if I’d ever see him again.
There were no promises.
No assurances.
Just that damn clause staring me in the face like an ugly red pimple. So Stetson’s gone and Grace has pulled me away from the others so we can have our girl time moment alone.
She’s waiting for the details and from the look in her eyes I know I’m not going to get away with not spilling the tea. She wants to know everything.
I mean, she’ll never really know everything because of that damn clause, but I’ll try and tell her as much as I can.
“Well as you can see, I will not be on a Dateline episode, nor will I be the star in a Netflix crime doc.” I curtsy before her for good measure.
“I still think all that Christmas paraphernalia is weird, but we can talk about that later,” she tells me with the wave of her hand. “Now I want details!”
I fall back on the couch and cover my face with my hands.
“Oh no,” she groans.
“Yeah,” I tell her and nod my head. “It was unbelievable. Every part of it. Start to finish and everything in between. He’s kind of perfect.”
“He’s perfect adjacent,” she snaps. “The over-the-top Christmas fetish is a lot to take in at once.”
“I think it’s cute,” I defend him because I have to and because if she really knew his dad was Santa and he was the heir, she’d feel very differently about the entire situation.
“It’s not what you think,” I tell her and try my best to make it palatable for her. “It’s complicated. It’s a family thing that he grew up in so it’s kind of all he’s ever known.”
“Maybe,” Grace rolls her eyes. “So you had incredible sex, you had a great time, and you look satiated but dare I say a little sad?”
I run my hands through my hair.
“I’m just scared I won’t hear from him again,” I admit.
“Charlie,” Grace’s voice is firm. “There’s a strong probability you will never ever hear from the man again. We walked into this, eyes wide open, knowing full well this was going to be a one-night thing with a hint of the possibility of something more.”
“I know,” I admit in a small voice. A fever dream. A distant memory. Would I regret it?