Page 15 of Stuffing His Stocking

“I imagine you do, considering you grew up in a huge penthouse with an army of staff at your beck and call.” I smirk at him over my shoulder.

We head into the main living space, and after a few steps, I realize there’s silence behind me. I stop and turn on my heel to find Dylan looking around the massive living room.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all. It’s just… different from what I remember.” He smiles while picking up a glass decoration that adorns a small table.

“Oh, yeah. Mom made quite a few changes after Bruce left.” It wasn’t that she was trying to get rid of the memories she created with her ex-husband, but more like trying to make the space feel inviting and not like a museum.

“It’s warm and homey. I like it.” He carefully sets the figurine down and closes the distance between us. “It’s really nice, Liv. Your mom did a great job.”

My heart breaks a little at the thought of him growing up in such a cold environment. I can now see why he acted the way he did all those years ago. I’d probably have done the same.

I want so much to hug him in this moment, but I think better of it and stay put. “C’mon. I’ll show you to your room.” We ascend the grand staircase to the second floor, and I point to the third door on the left. “This is you.” I turn the knob and lead Dylan inside.

He drags in his suitcase and begins looking around the space. “Reminds me of my bedroom at home.” He nods in approval.

“Really? Mom decorated it just for you.” I watch him stroll over to the window that overlooks the garden.

“She didn’t have to go through all that trouble. I’ll only be here for a few days.”

I give him a wistful smile when I glance at him. “She did it when we moved in and never changed it.”

His eyes widen slightly at my confession.

“She’d always hoped you’d spend more time here, but I guess that just wasn’t meant to happen.” I think we all hoped things would’ve been different five years ago.

“I’m sorry, Liv. I never meant to hurt your mom.”

I can see the remorse in his eyes from across the room.

“But I’m here now and we can make up for lost time.”

My heart wants his words to mean more than they should, but my head warns me not to be daft. I doubt he thinks of me as more than an acquaintance, no matter how much I wish he didn’t. Still, it’s hard to not want to believe otherwise when he gazes at me so intensely, as if he could undress me with his eyes alone. Before I can fantasize any more about that, his voice breaks me from my thoughts.

“Where’s your room? I’ll carry your bag.”

“Oh!” I startle back to reality with a shake of my head. “I’m just right across the hall,” I state while hiking a thumb over my shoulder.

“Hmmm,” he hums, and the deep baritone sound makes my thighs clench. “That’s certainly convenient.” His smirk is wolfish when he struts over to my room, tugging my suitcase behind him. Then he freezes as soon as he steps over the threshold. “Damn, that’s a lot of books.” His eyes are as big as saucers, and a belly-laugh bursts free from inside me.

“What? I like to read!” I slap his shoulder and roll my luggage over by the bed.

“This isn’t a bedroom. This is a library.” Dylan makes a beeline for the nearest bookcase to examine my prized collection.

“I know it’s silly, but I wanted to be Belle when I was growing up. I dreamed of having a library like hers, filled with all kinds of books.”

“Does your library come with a beast too?”

A surge of flirtiness suddenly hits me. “I don’t know. You tell me.” Something flashes in his eyes, and I’m eager to see more of it.

“Maybe I’ll read you a bedtime story later… if you’re a good girl.”

I don’t know if Dylan has any idea the effect the phrasegood girlhas on smutty romance readers, but my insides just quivered.

“How ‘bout I show you around and then we can get something to eat?” I propose, taking a particularly spicy book from his hands and replacing it on the shelf before he has a chance to see the not-safe-for-work art that’s inside.

“I’m always down to eat,” he says, and I pinch my lips together in a failed effort to hide my embarrassment.

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