Page 42 of Celebrating the Season

His fingers continued their meandering path, circling my nipple before drifting down to trace the lines of my abs. It wasn’t sexual, not really, just…intimate. Like he was mapping my body, committing every dip and curve to memory.

“You know,” Boaz said, his words slightly slurred with drowsiness, “I could get used to this. You, me, crappy Christmas movies… It’s perfect.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Yeah?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual. “Even with all the snow and quiet? Thought a city boy like you might get bored out here.”

He snorted, pinching my side. “Please. LA’s overrated. Too noisy, too busy. This…this is nice. Peaceful.”

I wanted to tell him. God, how I wanted to tell him he’d changed everything for me. That this cabin, once just a place to escape, now felt like home because he was in it. That the thought of him leaving after the holidays made my chest ache in a way I’d never experienced.

“I’m glad. I love… I love having you here.”

Boaz studied me for a few beats before settling back against my chest. “I love being here,” he murmured, his attention returning to the movie.

I tightened my arm around him, pulling him closer. The weight of unspoken words hung heavy in the air, but for now, I was content to hold him, to pretend this moment could last forever.

The credits began to roll, casting flickering shadows across the room. I glanced down at Boaz, taking in his relaxed features, the way his lashes fanned against his cheeks. “Ready for bed?” I asked softly.

He nodded, stretching like a cat before reluctantly pulling away from me. “Lead the way, handsome.”

We padded to the bedroom, the wooden floors cool beneath our feet. There was an easy silence between us, comfortable in a way I’d never experienced. Boaz disappeared into the bathroom while I turned down the bed, the rustle of sheets and the distant sound of running water creating a domestic atmosphere.

When he emerged, I couldn’t help but stare. His curls were tousled, his lips curved in a sleepy smile. He’d started sleeping in my T-shirts. They should look ridiculous on him, but instead, it made me go all soft inside.

We climbed into bed, our bodies finding each other. Boaz curled against me, his head tucked under my chin, our legs tangled together. I breathed in his scent—my soap on his skin, the lingering traces of our earlier lovemaking.

“Night, El,” he mumbled, already half-asleep.

I tightened my arms around him, savoring the feel of his warm body against mine. “Goodnight, Boaz,” I whispered, knowing sleep would be a long time coming for me.

14

BOAZ

Ipushed my eggs around the plate, stealing glances at Ellery across the table. His eyes were fixed on his breakfast, muscled forearms flexing as he cut into a stack of pancakes. The silence between us felt heavy, broken only by the soft clink of silverware and the crackling of the fireplace.

My leg bounced under the table as I tried to think of something to say. Usually, words tumbled out of me, but now my mind was frustratingly blank. I opened my mouth, then closed it again with a quiet sigh.

Ellery’s deep voice startled me. “So, when are you headed back to LA? I mean, you said you’d stay until after Christmas…and it’s now two days after, so I was wondering.”

I didn’t want to go, but how did I tell him that? “I… I could stay a few more days, if you wanted? Till after New Year’s?”

Something flashed over Ellery’s face. “I don’t think that’s smart.”

My heart plummeted. I’d been hoping, foolishly perhaps, that he might ask me to stay longer. But, of course, he wouldn’t. This had been a fun fling for him—nothing more. “Oh, um…” I scrambled to gather my scattered thoughts. “Then I should probably head out today and catch the early flight out tomorrow morning. It’s probably for the best. I do have commissions piling up and all that.” I forced a laugh that sounded hollow even to my own ears.

“It would only make it harder to say goodbye,” Ellery said softly.

“But…”

“I like you, Boaz. I really do. But something long-term between us could never work.”

Could he hear my heart break? Because it had just shattered into a million pieces, each one stabbing me like a knife. “Why not?”

“I’m too old for you, kid. I’m in a completely different phase in my life. And the life I have built here, this is not for you. You’re too young, too talented and energetic to be living like an old man in a cabin in the woods. You need… You need people around you and the fast-paced life that only a big city can provide.”

I swallowed thickly. “I love it here.”

“For now. But you’ll grow bored here, and then what would happen? You’d walk away anyway, so it’s better to say goodbye now, before we’d hurt each other worse.”

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