Page 9 of Yule Tied Up

I laugh because he’s not wrong. I shiver and look up at the sky, which is blanketed with heavy white clouds. The snow is coming in thicker and faster now.

“Should we get back for the night?” I ask.

Although part of me doesn’t want to leave the cheer of the fair, I know we need to cook, or at least warm up tonight’s food, and get the open fire roaring, too. The cabin also has an amazing bathroom. I’d love a soak in that tub with Kenzie.

Then there’s whatever depravity we are going to get up to tonight.

Mackenzie yawns, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. “I am quite tired.”

Tired? No, that won’t do. We need her awake and energized for later. As we head back toward the car, we pass a coffee stall, and I grab us all double shot lattes, with hazelnut for three of us, and caramel for Dom because he doesn’t like hazelnut.

The drive back to the cabin doesn’t take as long this time, now Kirill knows the road. I also get the feeling he hates thisdrive and the darkness pressing in on all sides and wants to get back. He takes one corner too fast and corrects as the car skids a little.

“You want me to drive?” I ask.

“No,” he snaps.

“Kirill.” Mackenzie puts her hand on his thigh and keeps it there. “We’ll be back soon, but if we have an accident, we’re going to be out here in the dark a lot longer.”

Headlights illuminate the road behind us, and I twist my neck to look out of the rear windshield. A car is following us, but, in the glare of the light off the snow, combined with the dark, I can’t tell anything more about it. I wonder where they’re going. They must have been visiting the market, like us, though I’m unaware of any other lodgings out this way. Of course, I don’t know this area, so there could be a whole other town on the other side of the mountain.

I don’t know why the car is bothering me so much. It’s keeping its distance. At least, if we were to have an accident, someone would be able to help us.

The thought of us careening off the side of a mountain road jumps into my head, and I squeeze my eyes shut. That isn’t the way things are going to go.

Dom speaks in a low voice. “You okay, dude?”

I release a breath. “Yeah, fine.”

I glance back over my shoulder. The vehicle that was behind us has gone. It must have turned off somewhere.

Ten minutes later, we arrive back at the cabin. We head inside, stamping the snow off our boots and unwinding scarves to hang up. I rub my hands together and blow on them, trying to warm them. It’s cold in here, plus, getting creeped out by that other car has chilled me from the inside.

Dom turns to Kenzie. “Why don’t you take a long soak in the bath, baby? Let us get everything ready for the meal.”

She grins. “Really? That would be so nice. You’re spoiling me rotten.”

“You gave us the most precious gift.” I kiss the top of her head. “You deserve it.”

I wanted to soak with her, but that can wait. Dom’s right. We should get everything perfect for her while she’s resting. There’s a chill to the air, even inside, and we need to get the fire roaring.

“And you know we want you all perfect and pretty so we can enjoy ruining you so much more,” Dom says with a snap of his teeth at her.

She laughs. “Well, I’ll make an extra effort to look all pretty, then.”

She heads into the bathroom, and I throw the massive stuffed toy on the sofa and turn to Dom. “Why don’t you tackle reheating the food? I’ll get the fire going, and Kirill, you can sort the wine and set the table.”

Kirill rolls his eyes. “So, you get to play the tough guy, lighting the fire, while I have to set the damned table?”

“I love a well-set table, Kirill,” Mackenzie calls back from the bathroom, clearly having overheard. “Men in touch with their feminine side get extra treats.”

I’m not sure anyone could ever claim Kirill is in touch with his feminine side, but her words seem to do the trick, as he races into the kitchen.

We all go about our tasks. I head to the sound system in the corner of the cabin. It’s old school and still has stacks of CDs next to it. I find one that has some old Rat Pack songs and put it on. The sound of Frank Sinatra fills the room.

“Really?” Kirill asks.

I shrug. “It’s festive.”

---