Page 24 of The Santa of the Mountain

“But I bet you weren’t prepared for me.”

No, sweet girl. I’ve been preparing for you all my life. Never knew it until now.

“I don’t mind surprises.”

She toys with her sleeves. I want to grab her hands and pull her on top of my lap.

“Well, thanks for everything. I’m not sure what would’ve happened if…” She swallows. “Well, thanks.”

She yawns and I stand up. “You’ll be in my bed. It’s the warmest. Closest to the stove, and I think you’ll be most comfortable there.”

“I could sleep on the couch. Or take that back bedroom.”

I shake my head and then take her hand. Couldn’t stop myself this time. “I’ll be fine there.”

I pull her along with me as I guide her to the bedroom. It’s already a few degrees colder. The storm won’t relent, but we’ll bewarm. We’d be warmer together. No better way to warm up than with body heat. Friction…

“Okay,” she says. “But only for one night. I don’t want to impose any more than I have.”

I snort. “You’re no imposition. Not at all.” I turn to the bed. “Afraid I don’t have an extra set of sheets, but I can change out the pillowcases.”

“I don’t mind,” she says, turning to me. “You weren’t expecting guests. Although…” she lets the word hang for a moment. “I’m not sure you have many guests out here.”

“My sister comes here sometimes when she needs a break. But other than her and my family, the only visitors I have are furry and scurry around on four legs.”

“No lady callers?”

I snort. “Is that what they call them?”

She blushes, and I can’t help but smile. I can’t help myself as I brush my fingers against her cheeks and pin a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“But if I understand you correctly,” I rasp, my gaze becoming a little hazy as I look at Kate. Entranced by her. Mesmerized by her.Ownedby her. “No woman but my sister and mother has stepped in this cabin since I built it.”

“Oh,” she says, forming a perfect little circle with her lips. Puffy little pillows that I can’t stop thinking about wrapped around my—fffucck…

“I’ll go grab those pillowcases,” I rasp, even though the only thing I want to grab is her.

“Okay,” she says, standing there.

I stand there too, unmoving, barely breathing as I fight the urge to collect her in my arms and set her down on the bed. Bad thoughts. Dirty thoughts swirl in my head. The kinds of thoughts Kate wouldn’t want to know I have. She’d brave the blizzard all over again if she could take a peek into my mind right now,undressing her. Imagining her writhing as I devour her pretty little—I sigh.

“Okay.”

I finally rip myself away from her but I can’t tear these thoughts from my head. I move back into the room, doing my best to avoid looking at Kate because I know the tenuous grasp I have on my self-control would snap if I glanced at perfection one more time.

I replace the pillowcases and then head for the door, Kate’s scent filling my lungs, wrapping itself around me in a chokehold so tight it’s painful to breathe anything but her scent.

“Goodnight,” I rasp, bracing my arm against the door, refusing to look again. I can feel the beast raging inside of me. Feel it rearing its head. And I’m sure it’s in my eyes. She wouldn’t see me if I met her gaze, she’d see an animal and she’d be scared. Rightly so.

“Goodnight,” she says softly.

I wait a few moments before grabbing the handle and shutting the door behind me. I don’t even bother cleaning up. I turn off the lights, head to the back bedroom, and collapse on the bed, pulling out Kate’s sweater from beneath the pillow and shoving it into my face. Huffing it. Suffocating myself with her scent. I palm my cock through my jeans. Rubbing at it. Stroking it wildly. But it’s doing nothing to relieve the tension in my body, tightly corded and ready to snap.

I need her. I want her. And I won’t sleep until she’s mine.

7

KATE

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