Page 16 of December's Ride with Scar

“Oh, I don't want to forget to tell you I have an interview at the school tomorrow. When I saw they were hiring, I had set it up before I even got here.”

He looks at me for a moment before he speaks.

“You don't have to work if you don't want to. But if you do work, I want to make sure it's at something you like.”

“I hated waiting tables, and I did that for the money. But I really do like teaching. Knowing that I made a difference in kids’lives was the best feeling ever. Plus, I think it will be a good way for me to get to know people here in Mustang Mountain and make some friends.”

“If you are sure. Just know you don't have to work and can quit any time you aren't happy.”

Placing my hand on his arm, I say a fervent thank you.

Once we are done with breakfast, Scar takes the tray and insists I take a bath. He even gets the water going for me and adds some non-scented bath salts. When I look at him, ready to ask why, he shrugs. “The salts are good for the muscles after a long day,” is all he says before heading out of the room and leaving me to take a bath.

When I sink into the gloriously hot water, it’s so relaxing, I close my eyes and let my mind wander. It's then I realize I can't remember the last time I had a hot bath like this. My muscles clearly need it because I'm starting to feel like Jell-O. I don't know how long I'm in the bath, but the water cools, and I don't open my eyes again until I hear Scar’s voice.

“Don't go falling asleep in the tub on me now,” he says with a chuckle before kneeling down beside me.

“This is exactly what I needed. Thank you,” I tell him as he drains the water, then stands and helps me from the tub.

After wrapping a big, fluffy towel around me, he pulls me in for a kiss.

“Get dressed in something warm. I have the fireplaces going, but it's still chilly in the rest of the cabin,” Scar says, kissing me again.

I just melt against his hard body, feeling his muscles, those hard abs, while enjoying his strength. In his arms, I feel safe and secure, and that's how I know I'm making the right choice by marrying him. I didn’t think you could fall in love this fast, but what I feel for him is strong and passionate. If it’s not love, thenit's pretty damn close. No matter what, I know I'll be safe with him, and happy.

“Get dressed. I already set up the Christmas tree, and it's time to decorate it,” he says, pulling away from me, then leaving the bathroom.

Getting dressed, I’m excited and also impressed that he already got so much done this morning. Maybe I was in the tub longer than I thought.

I pull on a pair of fuzzy socks because my feet are always cold and then head out to see what he’s done. The tree is in the corner of the living room beside the fireplace. The white lights are already on, and even without the decorations, it looks like something out of a holiday movie.

He has a few open boxes on the floor beside the couch, ready for us to dig into.

“I figure you can go through the boxes and decorate how you see fit. I'm here to follow your orders,” he says, smiling.

We spend the next few hours going through all the boxes and pulling out decorations. He tells me the stories behind some of his hand-me-downs from his parents, and the few he picked up over the years.

“Do you have anything from your parents you were able to save?” he asks.

“I have some boxes, Mom's jewelry, and some photos. They are in a storage unit back in Kentucky,” I say, inwardly cringing. “It's all stuff I couldn't get rid of, but I have no idea how to get it here.”

“Well, I'd love to see where you grew up. How about I pay for the storage unit for the next few months and this spring we take a road trip, and we can visit, and get your stuff?”

“You'd do that? Really?” I ask, completely shocked. I thought I’d have to get a part-time job to save money to have everything shipped.

“You will see I mean what I say and there isn't anything I won't do for you,” he says, catching me off guard.

“Thank you,” is all I say because I’m without words.

We finish up the Christmas decorating, then close the curtains and turn on the Christmas lights. The glow sets a romantic mood, and we end up making leisurely love by the fire before we finally make our way to the kitchen to make those cookies.

The whole time, Scar can't keep his hands off me. Not that I want him to. But it gives me pleasure knowing that he loves my body just the way it is.

It ends up taking twice as long to make the cookies as it did when my mom and I made them, but I enjoy every moment of the kisses between each step.

When the cookies are finally done and cooling on the counter, Scar holds up my coat.

“Let's go outside before it gets dark. I think there is enough snow to build a snowman, and it's supposed to be cold enough for a few weeks that he shouldn't melt anytime soon,” he says.

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