Page 46 of Wintertime Heat (Holiday 1)

When I try to move away to look for my purse, Steven wouldn’t let me budge, “She called you after you went to sleep, and I told her that you were with me.”

I narrow my eyes at him, “Is that all she said?”

He shrugs, “She also threatened to disembowel me if I upset you in any way and demanded that I feed you and tuck you in a safe warm place till this blizzard passes.”

“That’s very specific,” I shake my head. “She means well.”

“I could tell,” Steven says, mildly. “Especially when she decided to go into explicit detail about how she planned to disembowel me. If nothing, your friend is very creative.”

I bite my tongue to swallow my laughter, “She works in a publishing house. She’s an Editor. She’s also penned a few murder mysteries under her name. I would suggest you heed her warnings.”

“Dad!” Aaron rushes into the room. “Jarvis says that all schools are closed till further notice, and offices. You get to stay at home with me!”

I slip out from Steven’s hold and make my way to the living room which houses a massive flat-screen TV.

“…a massive snowstorm…Schools have been shut down, probably till Christmas, if this weather continues. Residents are advised to stay indoors…Bridges have been closed off…Emergency services are on alert…If you are in a situation….”

“How am I supposed to get home?” I ask, my heart in my mouth.

I feel Steven’s hand settle on my hip, as he stares at the reporter on the screen, “You’re not going anywhere.”

“I have no clothes, here! All my stuff is back home.”

“What’s wrong with what you’re wearing now?” He frowns down at me. “You look gorgeous.”

I blink at the compliment, blushing, “Uh, thank you. But I can’t spend the next few days roaming around your house in your clothes.”

Steven shrugs and drags me closer, “Of course, you can. It’s just Aaron and me here. You’ll hardly see anyone else. Jarvis and the staff reside in the east wing. They won’t bother you.”

I run my fingers nervously through my hair, muttering, “Easy for you to say.”

A tug at my hand makes me look down at Aaron who looks like Christmas had come early for him, “Are you spending Christmas with us, Miss Abby? Does that mean you’ll go to Hawaii with us?”

“Huh?” I look to Steven for an explanation. “Hawaii?”

He put his hands in his pockets, “Yeah, we go to Hawaii for Christmas. The weather is nice. And all the staff gets a vacation. It’s a win-win.”

I take a step back, “Christmas is about snow, and family, and Christmas trees. Where do you get a Christmas tree in Hawaii?”

“We don’t have a Christmas tree. We go to the beach and I take Aaron to amusement parks. And then we have a nice Christmas dinner.”

I gape at them, and ask slowly, “Are you telling me you’ve never had a Christmas tree and decorated it? That you’ve never done the whole hanging up stockings and the presents under the tree?”

Aaron’s eyes widen, “You mean the one on TV? Dad said that wasn’t real!”

“Did he now?” I glare at Steven, who mutters, “It’s a lot of work for two people.”

I stare at him, unblinking, “I would hate to spend Christmas in Hawaii.”

Aaron pulls at his father’s shirt, his eyes gleaming, “Can we have a Christmas tree this year, Dad? Can we?”

When Steven gives me an annoyed look, I raise a brow, “It’s not like you can fly to Hawaii in this weather. All the planes are going to be grounded for as long as this blizzard rages on, anyway.”

“Dad?” Aaron looks up, his eyes pleading.

Steven relents, “We can get a tree.”

However, I see a flash of annoyance on his face as he walks out of the room. I wonder whether I crossed a line, or there was something else about the idea of Christmas that he wasn’t on board with.

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