Page 24 of Christmas With the Convict

“All I care about is this,” I whisper, teasing a kiss. “All I care about isyou—“

There’s nothing left to say as Chase seals his lips with mine, his short chin hairs tickle my chin and I rip his cardigan off.

I strip him down to the man he is.

To the tattoos and scars.

The rough hands and bulging arms.

Here in the quiet basement, the place where I found solitude all those years, I moan his name and do things on this sofa I never thought I’d do.

I stay down here under the blankets with him, soaked in sweat, panting until our heartbeats match step. With my face buried in his fuzzy chest, I fall into a sleep so peaceful that I know I’ll never spend another night away from him again.

I’ve found a new home in his arms, a new nook to lose myself in.

A safe place where nothing can touch us.

Chapter 6

CHASE

It’s Christmas Eve.

That never used to mean anything to me. It does now.

Wendy and I are up at sunrise. We spent the night warm wrapped in each other’s naked bodies. I could stay in the basement all day with her, but we know it’ll be for the best if we get up and moving before anyone finds us down here.

After everything that happened yesterday, I know I shouldn’t push my luck. It was pure chance that Duke took that wallet. If Rick had lost it somewhere and it never turned up, there would have been nothing to stop Wendy’s dad from pinning it on me.

I still feel like my life is teetering on the edge. One wrong move and, it won’t be just me that goes down, but I’ll pull Wendy with me. We’ve gone too far now, done and said too much for there to be a clean break if shit hits the fan.

And if Richard Bettencourt has anything to say about it, shit will come.

All I can do is keep my mouth shut, mind my manners, and survive the next couple of days. Wendy flirted with the idea of leaving in the middle of the night together, packing up her car and hitting the road. I won’t let her do that.

I know that she hates them all right now. I know that she feels betrayed, but this is salvageable for her. She doesn’t know what it’s like to be out there in the world without a family, without people to look out for you.

And I have nothing to give her but my love…

If I can still help it, I’ll do what I can to keep her old life whole.

We suit up and go for a walk in the snow. Uncle Rick loaned me a pair of boots and a coat while I’m here. The set is probably worth more than my long-gone truck.

Wendy skips along toward the trees, kicking up snow that catches the day’s first rays of sunlight.

Everything sparkles and shines when I’m around her.

Colors show secret shades they’ve kept from me all my life.

The smell of pine and pure snow is cool and crisp with each breath.

I feel present.Alive.My laugh even sounds different when I’m laughing with her.

But as we head back to the house and up that long, wide drive, the world reminds me how cold it really is.

“Don’t come any closer!”

Richard Bettencourt is standing outside in the snow.

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