Page 9 of Chased at Christmas

Fuck! This was a mistake!

Mira: Why would I be upset?

I hover over my phone, scanning my brain for rational choices. There are none. I’m in way too deep.

I mean, I could tell her right now thatWolverineis me. I could set up a meeting and reveal myself to her then. It’s that or I could talk to Chevy and get his blessing before I do anything.

I’m not sure if I’m buying time or if I believe it to be true, but I decide to talk to Chevy first. I can keep this going with Mira as is, and after Christmas, I’ll tell her the truth about everything with Chevy’s blessing.

My heart pounds as I stare down at the screen, then toward Mira. She holds her phone anxiously waiting for a reply.

Fuck. She’s been hurt so many times by these internet assholes. I can’t have it happen to her again.

Me: We should talk… in person.

My heart slams against my chest and my throat goes dry the second I send off the message. I don’t want to look toward Mira right away, but when I do, she’s looking straight back at me.

Chapter Five

Mira

The snow hasn’t stopped falling. In fact, it’s falling harder and harder by the second.

“We’re never getting out of here, are we?” I glance toward Gabe who’s reorganizing the pile of wood in the back corner of the barn. It’s the third time he’s done it since we decided to get off our phones, but nothing seems to be good enough yet.

“Not likely,” he groans. “You hungry? We could fire up the snowmobile and take it back to the cabin, but with this much blowing snow, I’m not sure that’s safe either.”

I pull the tin from beneath the kiosk at the front of the barn. “Cookies it is. Who have you been texting all afternoon?”

“Oh,” he pulls off his gloves and grabs a sparkly sugar cookie shaped like a mitten from my hand, “I should ask you the same question.”

“What were you guys talking about?”

“Stuff. What about you?” I squeeze my thighs together as I think back at all the filthy things Wolvie was just sending to me.

He grins and looks away.“Stuff.”

“Well,” I clear my throat, “you looked pretty content texting someone aboutstuff.” The air between us is stiff and hot, like we both know what’s happening, but everyone is afraid to bring it to life. If what I’m thinking is true, then I’m not sure I want it to end. On the internet, in the world of make believe, Ican make anything make sense, and I can have whatever I want. There are no barriers, and reality exists only in the light that we make it.

A dull ache rests in my chest at the thought of my suspicion being wrong. I don’t know why. I should be angry at him for lying to me, for pretending to be someone I’ve wholeheartedly fallen in love with. Instead, my heart is eager to tell him I know. Eager to hold him close. Eager to keep this going as long as possible.

I pull my jacket up onto my shoulders as a cool breeze whips through a crack in the barn wall. There’s a soft whistle that follows as I watch Gabe brush his massive hand down over his long beard.

I need this man so badly. His big hands, his hard cock, his hot breath in my ear.

“So,” I sigh, “thisWolverineguy and I are going to meet up in person. I just need to text him back with a time.”

Gabe leans forward and readjusts his hat backward. I study his movements, wondering if he knows that I know his secrets. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I swallow hard and glance out the side window watching as the world goes static white. “I’m excited to know who he is, for real.”

Gabe stands from the stack of wood he’s been piling and walks toward me slowly, never taking his eyes off mine.

He’s going to tell me.

I’m not sure to be angry or to let whatever’s happening, happen. Maybe right here and now, we can live in the ether. The world is motionless. We’re in between dimensions. Nothing bad can happen here. Whatever we were to do right here… could be for us.

Heat fills the space, and where the cold breeze had been harshly whipping through, it’s now welcome against my hot cheeks.

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