Page 16 of All I Want for Christmas Eve

“It just looks like something you’d wear on Christmas morning to open presents,” Adam says with a smile that warms my insides more than the fireplace could. “It makes me feel like I get to see some soft, private side of you that you wouldn’t show to others in the outside world. Like it’s a secret just between you and me. Also, it just makes me want to cuddle you. You look so cozy, and I can’t help wondering what you would feel like in my arms.”

“Well, thank you… kind sir,” I say with a polite and awkward nod, as I retire to my bedroom. I shut the door behind me, and stand against it for a second, with a hand on my chest. These warm and fuzzy feelings need to just stop. This is too much.

I try to remind myself that I have no idea who this guy is. But I’m still sighing at the romance of his words, like an idiot. Buthe’sthe idiot who used up all the power cooking dinner. Unless it was intentional? Did he think that it would somehow make me more susceptible to all that cozy cuddling he mentioned, if he broke the heating of my house? If he made my house the freezing temperature of Alaska? This better not be part of hismoves.

I grimace. Well, I will not bend or break. I do not need any warm and cozy cuddles with any extremely handsome men who are excellent cooks, and I am fine here by myself, alone in my bed.

At least until we run out of firewood.

And then I’ll just send him to chop some.

But his leg is injured. Fine, I’ll chop some myself.

I tuck myself in, and place my head firmly on my orthopedic pillow. I wiggle around to get comfortable and sigh contentedly. I am going to try my best not to think about Adam or stress out about the power, and just get some good rest.

I’m from Minnesota. I grew up in goddamned Snowflake Creek.

My last name is Frost.

I can handle a little cold.

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