Page 17 of Fake Out Forever

“Mmmm… that sounds perfect. I’ll make two.”

“Good. You make the tea. I’ll turn up the Christmas music and add some more wood to the fire.”

I add some birch logs onto the smoldering embers, give the logs a jab with the poker, and get to work opening the packages of lights.

Maya sets two mugs onto coasters. “How many lights did you get?”

“A thousand.” I count the packages to make sure I’m right. “Yes, I got a thousand lights.”

“Holy cow.” She belly laughs. “We might need sunglasses.”

“Nah. I think it’s going to be just right.” I start to wind the lights through the branches. “Here, I’ll do this side and you do that one.”

“This is fun.”

We finish the first tree and move on to the second. After we weave the final string of lights through the pine boughs, we start hanging the ornaments.

“Cade?”

I stop humming along with the music and poke my head around the tree. “Yes?”

“Thank you for sharing this with me. I’m having an amazing time.”

“Me too, duchess.” I reach over to give her hand a quick squeeze. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“And here I was, worried you might kill me in my sleep.”

“Well, I thought you might chop my head off to add to your throne of skulls.” I chuckle.

She tosses her head back and laughs. “Throne of skulls?”

The glint in her green eyes steals the breath from my lungs.

She shakes her head. “You have a very active imagination.”

“I do.” I wink. She’s grinning at me and my mind drifts back to the kiss she gave me earlier. I want another.

“Tell me about hockey.” Maya hangs a painted reindeer on the tree. “Why did you pick hockey over other sports? I bet you could have played football if you wanted to.”

“Hockey chose me.” I grab a box of tinsel. “For some reason, I felt more at ease on skates than I did in shoes. One thing led to another, and bam, I was living and breathing hockey. It’s a great sport. I’m going to miss it.”

“Wait…” She stops tying bows on the branches. “What do you mean you’re going to miss it?”

Damn it. I didn’t mean to let it slip. Talking with her is so easy. Well, the cat’s out of the bag now. “I have to retire. Doc says it’s time. The sport has taken its toll on my body.”

“Oh, Cade. I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

“No one knows. I’m going to tell the team when I get back.” I take a sip of my tea.

“What will you do?”

“I don’t know.” I pick up her cup and give it to her. “Drink your tea while it’s hot.”

We sit down in front of the fire on the bearskin rug.

“Is this real?” She rubs her hand across the smooth fur.

“No. Synthetic.”

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