Page 54 of A Very Daddy Christmas

Sebastian goes farther ahead, eager to reach the next checkpoint. We can all see the sign, along with a narrow path leading left and deeper into the woods. “And we’re here,” he says. “Our secret spot.”

“Secret spot?” I ask in slight confusion.

As we follow him along the path, it quickly becomes obvious that there is, in fact, more to this place than I originally thought. We’re about two miles away from the resort, somewhere on the western ridge. ATV is roaming somewhere nearby, and cameras and the motion sensors are mounted here and there. The guide signs and the night lights, as well.

“Behold,” Sebastian chuckles, presenting us with one hell of a sight.

We’re on the edge of a small clearing. Smack in the middle, a giant tent rises. A glamping-style tent, to be specific, with LED lighting, steel rods, and pretty much everything it needs to potentially withstand an avalanche. Torches burn near theentrance, stuck into the icy ground. Sebastian pulls the flap to the side, revealing one hell of a setup.

A table with four chairs. A lavish dinner sprawled on top, with fancy dinnerware and crystal glasses. Grilled chicken, a variety of pasta dishes, and colorful desserts are accompanied by a few bottles of red wine and a cheese fondue bowl. My mouth is watering, and my breath catches as the guys gently nudge me closer to the tent.

“You are insane,” I say, trying not to laugh.

“This is who we are, Cora,” Sebastian replies with a shrug. “You may not be a fan of the whole ‘spoil you rotten’ routine, but we love doing it. And we’re determined to make you love it, too.”

I tear up a little as Sebastian comes closer. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a grump. I just wanted something simple, sweet, and romantic. The poor people’s version, I guess.”

“Why, though, when we are happy and able to do this for you?”

“I know, I’m being ridiculous. Unnecessarily difficult,” I reply. “You haven’t exactly made it easy, though. You’re all so stubborn.”

“You love it, admit it,” Waylan quips and pulls me into a hot kiss.

As his tongue clashes with mine, as his hunger reverberates through my ribcage, my jumpsuit feels tight and hot.

“Tell me there’s a bed in that fancy tent,” I moan against his soft, delicious lips.

“There is. And there’s also enough wine to keep us warm until we go back to our suite,” he growls and bites the side of my neck, his arm quick to snake around my waist.

We step inside the tent. I hear a zipper come down, Sebastian’s jumpsuit. I steal a glance just as another, not-so-familiar sound comes through. Branches breaking. Snow crunching under something heavy.

“Wait,” I mumble and briefly pull away to look somewhere off to our right, then gasp, the blood instantly freezing in my veins. Dread takes over and I’m paralyzed, unable to look away from the considerably large bear that has stumbled into our clearing.

The guys turn around to see what has me terrorized.

“Whatever you do, Cora,” Sebastian whispers. “Don’t scream. And don’t run. Get behind us.”

It’s not like I’m able to object. He simply pulls me away and whirls me around until I’m unable to see the bear on account of my three men rising like a massive wall before me. I’m worried about my unborn child and my chances of surviving this insanity. I was concerned about how I’d say no to the wine I would’ve otherwise loved to enjoy, but this is a whole new level of screwed.

“What are you going to do?” I whisper, shaking like a leaf.

The bear lets out a heavy growl that reverberates across the clearing, prompting Riggs to take a step forward. The creature then gets up on its hind legs, appearing even taller and bigger. I hold my breath as I stare at those giant white fangs and the claws that could slice me like a chunk of salami without any effort whatsoever.

“Oh, God,” I whimper.

The guys start shouting loudly, waving their arms as they take cautious steps forward. They spread out slowly.

“GET AWAY!” Sebastian shouts.

“GO BEAR!” Riggs adds.

Waylan gets closer, irritating the bear. But the creature doesn’t charge at them. It stays upright, making itself appear as threatening as possible. The guys aren’t backing down, though. All I can do is watch with a mixture of horror and excitement as they manage to get the bear to move back.

Riggs takes out a can of bear spray from his backpack, while Waylan and Sebastian distract the animal. I keep taking steps backward until I nearly trip and fall into the table as Riggs charges the creature and releases a hefty shot of pepper spray in its face.

The bear whimpers and shakes its head before scampering away.

“Are you okay, Cora?” Sebastian quickly comes over and takes me in his arms.

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