Page 59 of Snowbound with the Santas

It’s shameful objectification and I do it without guilt. Watching three hunky men tear down a tree is a sexy sight I thought only existed in movies. Now it’s right here in front of me, and by the time the tree creaks and collapses down onto the snow, my thighs ache from how tightly I’ve pressed them together.

“Alright,” Archer pants, and he slings his axe up onto his shoulder. “Let’s get this beauty home.”

It doesn’t take long to carry the tree home, and I take their axes from them to free up their hands. The fake versus real tree debate ends when Frankie slips in the snow and ends up with a face full of pine needles. I laugh so hard I have to focus on notwetting myself, especially when Archer ends up the same way when it comes to getting the tree in through the door.

An hour later, the new tree stands proudly in the corner dressed in silver, blue, and pink tinsel and covered in as many lights as I could cram on. This, coupled with the lights on the ceiling, the tinsel around the door, and the paper decorations Nick found to hang on the walls, this place is really embracing its festivities.

“Ooh, what about this?” Frankie holds up a reindeer against the door. “I can make this fit here.”

“I like it!” I smile brightly.

“And this?” Nick steps up close to me and holds out his hand. Resting in his palm is a small robin. “Is there a place for him?”

The robin is almost featherless with age, but I spot the name tag on its leg:Freida. Whether this was a gift that was never collected or an heirloom passed down, I can’t be sure, but I take it gently.

“Of course there is,” I say softly, and I place the robin amid the branches right next to some sparkling holly. “How’s that?”

“Beautiful,” Nick murmurs.

I look back at him and he’s staring at me. His eyes sparkle with the reflection of all the lights, and my heart surges up into my throat when he places one hand on my waist.

“Thank you,” I whisper. “For the tree.”

“Of course.” Nick leans up and presses a firm, warm kiss to my lips as he pulls me close to his body. My eyes flutter closed and my mind finds peace amid the affection. “Merry Christmas.”

When our kiss breaks, I open my eyes and Frankie is next to us. He takes one of my hands in his and pulls me a little closer so I lean away from Nick. He leans down and kisses me hard, sending a flurry of excited tingles through my body. He leans back and beams so brightly at me with that gorgeous, lopsided smile of his.

“I hope the tree can make up for what you might be missing at the lodge,” he says, and there’s a warmth in his eyes that almost reignites my guilt.

The only thing that stops it is Archer’s fingers grazing my jaw. I turn to him on the other side of Nick, and when Archer kisses me, all thoughts of the ski lodge flee my mind. He kisses me sweetly with his tongue teasing over the seam of my lips. My eyes remain closed even as he pulls away, and I soak up the bliss of being held in Nick’s arms.

Suddenly, Christmas music fills the air, and I open my eyes. Archer is over by the old CD player, and he bobs slightly in time to the music pouring from the speakers.

I’ve spent countless days and weeks surrounded by Christmas parties, galas, balls, and events hosted by my mother, and none of them hold a candle to this.

This is Christmas. And I love it more than I can put into words.

Here, I feel like me.

And I’m going to make this last as long as I can.

22

RAYNE

“What is this place?”

The warmth in the air is unexpected, and I step forward cautiously. Archer, ever the gentleman, it seems, brought me out of the cabin not long after lunch and led me up a winding path through the forest and past several tall rocks that led all the way up to the nearest mountain face. He’d left me at the entrance and told me to follow the path and meet Nick on the other side.

The mystery of it all was exciting, but apprehension sang in my veins as I followed the sounds of trickling water and low music.

The sight before me takes my breath away. The rock alley led to a large pool of water that flows from right to left. The water disappears over the edge of the rocky floor, melting into a stunning view of the snow-covered evergreen forest stretching as far as the eye can see.

Nick is in the water, wearing only his boxers, and the music plays from a small radio sitting up on one of the rocks. Alongside Nick in the water are several lit candles resting in flora glass casings. They drift along with the movement of the water butseem weighted enough not to get carried away by the soft current. Among the candles are red flower petals, and a small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.

Nick holds the last candle in his hand and he lights it, then sets it down onto the last glass case and lets it float away from him in the water.

“Care to join me?” he asks, looking up at me.

---