Page 5 of Santa's Angel

I freeze, my hand hovering over the doorknob. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath before turning to face him. Grady is sitting up now, a blanket pooled around his waist, exposing thecolorful art on his chest. His eyes are heavy-lidded, his hair a sexy mess.

“I... I just thought it would be easier if I slipped out. I wanted to spare us an awkward goodbye.”

He narrows his eyes at me, the lazy smile slipping from his lips. “Do you think I didn’t mean what I said to you? Do you think last night was just a fling?”

I bite my lip, avoiding his gaze. “What else could it be, Grady? We had our chance, remember? And it didn’t exactly end well.”

Grady is on his feet. He grabs his jeans, slipping them on as he stalks toward me, his eyes locked onto mine. “When I left you, it was the biggest mistake of my life. I stayed away because I knew that I’d hurt you, and I thought you deserved a better man. But now that I’ve got my head on straight, I know I did the wrong thing. I should’ve fought for you then. I didn’t, and I will regret that mistake for the rest of my life. I’m here to make things right, Carla. I’m here for you.”

My heart clenches at his words. I want to believe them…I really do…but I’m afraid. “Grady, I’ve moved on. I have a life. I’m not looking to pick up where we left off.”

He closes the distance between us, his fingers tilting my chin up so I have no choice but to look into his eyes. “If you’ve really moved on, then why are you trembling?” He brushes his thumb over my cheek. “Why did you come with me last night?”

“Because I drank a little too much champagne, and I was weak,” I shrug, trying to keep my voice even. “It was a moment of weakness, Grady. That’s all.”

His jaw tightens, and for a moment, I see something raw flash in his eyes. Hurt? Anger? I can’t tell. But then he steps back, running a hand through his hair.

“Here’s what I think,” his voice is low and tight. “I think you’re scared. I think you’re in the place I was ten years ago andabout to make the same mistake I did. I’m here because I know you’re the one for me, Carla. You’re my other half. And I’m not giving up.”

I swallow hard, my chest aching at the thought of losing him again. But I have to protect myself. I can’t let him tear down the walls I’ve built around my heart only to leave me shattered again.

“One night doesn’t wash away ten years, Grady.” I force myself to look into his eyes.

He just stares at me for a moment, his eyes searching mine. Then he shakes his head, a resigned look crossing his face. “I see. Well, if you want to go, I’m not going to stop you, Angel. But know this: I’m not giving up. As a matter of fact,” he turns and grabs his shirt from the floor, pulling it on with a frustrated tug. “If you want to pretend you didn’t feel what I did last night? Fine, you do that. But you and I both know it was real, and I’m going to fight for you. I’ll start by doing you the favor of leaving so you don’t have to walk out on me.”

He storms past me, throwing the door open and disappearing into the cold morning air, leaving me standing there, my heart torn in two.

I sink down onto the nearest chair, my legs too shaky to hold me up. The tears I’ve been holding back finally spill over, hot and relentless.

What the hell am I supposed to do now?

Chapter Five

Grady

The cold air slaps me in the face as I storm out of the cabin, but it does nothing to clear my head. I run a hand through my hair, letting out a frustrated breath that fogs in front of me.Damn it, Angel.Why do you have to make this so hard?

I walk aimlessly through the snow-covered grounds, my boots crunching with every step. A fresh blanket of white covers everything. It’s beautiful here, but all I can think about is the woman I just left behind—the woman who has every reason to hate me.

But last night... God, last night was everything I’ve been craving for years. The taste of her, the feel of her, the way she melted into me like no time had passed. For a moment, I let myself believe we could have it all back. That I could fix what I broke.

Except for the way she looked at me just now; it was like she was staring at a ghost.

I stop in my tracks, staring up as snowflakes start to drift lazily from the sky.I can’t lose her again.I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, but this... walking away from her all those years ago... It was the biggest damn regret of my life. And I’m not about to make it twice.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out, squinting at the screen. It’s a text from Ben, an old friend who catered the event last night.I saw you kiss Carla last night and never saw you again. Are you two back together, or are you still on the market? I’ve got some women lined up for tonight. There’s a winking emoji at the end, and I roll my eyes.

Ben’s been trying to get me back in the game ever since my relationship with Carla blew up in my face. But he has no idea that this is about more than just moving on. It’s about getting back what I never should have let go.

I type out a quick reply:Thanks for the offer, but Carla is the one for me.

As I pocket my phone, an idea starts to take shape. Carla’s got walls up that make Fort Knox look like a garden gate. She thinks I’m here for a quick fling, and honestly, I can’t blame her. But if I’m going to prove that I’m serious, I need to go big—something that shows her I’m not the same man who walked away all those years ago.

I pull up my contact list, my thumb hovering over the name of an old friend who owes me a favor. If I can pull this off, it’ll be something Carla can’t ignore.

But first, I need to face a few demons of my own.

Two hours later, I’m back in my hotel room, showered and dressed, but my mind is spinning. It’s time to stop playing it safe. Carla deserves better than half-hearted apologies and whispered promises. She deserves someone who’s willing to put it all on the line for her.

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