Page 16 of Once Upon a Frosty Winter

* * *

Jax Frost is playing mind games with me. No, mind games isn’t the correct term. He’s confusing me with his penis. I thought once I was clear of my arousal fog and my sex wasn’t practically humming like some weird mating call, I’d be over him. But it’s only worse. I’ve never felt so confident and sexy, and I hate that it wasn’t until his penis came along that I felt this way. I know I’m beautiful. I’m not blind. I’ve had people fawn over and praise my looks all my life. They’ve also hated me for it. But when he looks at me, he sees me. As cliché as that sounds, he sees the real me. The ugliness, the truest parts of me… and he smiles. He’s ravenous for me even after seeing and knowing all of me. The way he devours my kisses and caresses my body is a new feeling of sexy.

I feel free.

When it’s just us in the bedroom, I’m not the widow, the wicked stepmother, the vain woman, or the beauty queen. I’m Hilda. I’m just me. Fucking me. I’m myself and he sees me. He’s withme.

And I didn’t experience this until his dick. That frustrates me to no end. I loathe the fact that I also enjoy conversations with him. His face is nice to look at, even when he is wearing that stupid cocky grin.

I need to get over him because he isn’t staying. There’s no future for us. Maybe in another seven years, I’ll find a man who can wave his magical penis and give me life-altering orgasms.

Despite my better judgement, I confide all this to Mira as she brushes my hair in front of her mirror at the salon. She nods, and her reflection smiles at me.

“What?” I groan.

“I told you that you just needed to get laid.”

“Stop. Don’t say anything else.”

“You needed a good dick. It’s been years, Hilda. I’d be called the Evil Queen, too, if I hadn’t gotten any in over a year.”

“La, la, la, la. I can’t hear you.”

“Do you know how many women I talk to that say after they’ve had good sex, they come back a completely different person?”

I sigh. “No. He’s opened up a different side of me. Therealme. Maybe because he’s a stranger and there’s no history. He had no perceived images of me.”

“He didn’t open up a different side of you,” Mira explains. “He just released all that tension. Cleaned out your pipes and got the plumbing—”

“You’re starting to remind me why I don’t like to leave the house.”

“Was it on the longer or thicker side?”

That does it. “I’m leaving.”

* * *

Jax told me he needed to check back in with his main base, so now that he’s gone back to wherever it is he goes when he’s not making my toes curl, I need to get caught up on some emails and paperwork. My study is my favorite room in this house. The window overlooks my orchard. Before I can begin, there’s a knock.

Eira stands in the doorway. She fidgets from foot to foot and picks at her thumbnail.

“Eira,” I say, unfortunately not keeping the shock out of my voice. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“I wanted to come tell you goodbye.”

I stand from my desk and quickly circle around to give her a hug. Progress! We’re making some headway. But before I can embrace her, she holds up a hand.

“Before you hug me, you should know I already signed the papers.” When I don’t say anything, she clarifies. “To Jax Frost. Frost Enterprise and Old Man Winter’s Diners could take your house.”

A sad smile tugs at my lips. “I’m not upset, Eira.”

“This is your home.”

“No, sweetie. This is your home and inheritance to do with as you wish. You’re a legal adult. I respect your decisions.”

“But they didn’t get the orchard.”

Damn right, they didn’t.“I know.” I’m annoyed I’ll have to move, and while I’ve lived here for years, this isn’t home. Eira should get the money and be free to live her life without any restraints.

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