Page 16 of The Detective's Secret Santa

I feel…complete.

“Good morning,” he says, a sated smile on his lips.

“Good morning.” Maybe this is what love is supposed to feel like. All warm, cozy, passionate, and safe. So what if he’s older than me? Yes, there’ll be some controversy about how we know each other. But I’m ready to face it if Bash is. Because I’m done panicking about Bash staying in Alpine Valley.

“Santa bring you everything you wanted this Christmas?” Bash asks, kissing the tip of my nose.

Santa. Shit. It’s nearly Christmas Eve. I’m almost out of time to get him a Secret Santa gift and fulfill my obligation to Wilma. I’ve already spent my next paycheck on snow tires. There’s nothing left for rent. Though I could move in with Mom, I’m not about to add eviction to my list of failures.

“Everything okay?” Bash asks, concern drawing his eyebrows together. It’s admittedly sexy.

“Just need to do some Christmas shopping today. I need to call Meg.”

Bash kisses me once more. “You do that. I’m going to hop in the shower.”

I watch him strut naked into the ensuite bathroom. Is this real life? I lie on my back for several seconds, tempted to join him. But I need to get that gift like yesterday. The rules were very specific about price, shopping local, and no gift cards. I need time to find the perfect gift and time is almost gone.

I reach for Bash’s t-shirt haphazardly tossed over the writing desk so I can retrieve my phone from upstairs. Mom may have gone straight to work today or she might be on her way home now. Either way, I don’t want to run into her while I’m naked.

I slip the t-shirt over my head, loving that it smells like Bash. It’s not until I’ve pulled my long, tangled hair from its collar that I notice a brown folder that was hiding beneath it. I don’t know what compels me to look closer. Bash is a detective. This is confidential. I shouldn’t pry. But before I can decide to walk away, a certain familiar name catches my attention.

It’s my old boss.

The one who fired me.

“What the hell?”

I yank the folder from the desk, knocking Bash’s wallet to the floor. A card flies out. His license. I pick it up, only intending to toss it on the bed. But the Texas license causes me to pause. The address is for Houston.

“You want to join me, Brook?” Bash calls from the bathroom, completely unaware that my head is spinning. Anger boils inside my chest. Another fucking secret.

“Care to explain why you have a case folder for my old boss?”

Through the frosted glass, I see Bash’s entire body go stiff. “I can explain, Brook.”

I rip off his t-shirt and toss it on the floor. My heart pounds in my chest, threatening to break through my ribcage. “Where have you been living all this time?”

“Brook—”

“Where have you been living, Bash?”

“Houston. Down the street from your old apartment.”

“Have you been stalking me?”

“I’ve been protecting you.”

This is all too much. I run out of the room, gathering my clothes, and hurrying upstairs. With my phone in hand, I lock myself in Mom’s bathroom as I get dressed with shaky hands. I’m relieved to see a string of texts from Mom about the tree being cleared from the road.

Bash is upstairs when I leave the bathroom.

“Don’t,” I demand when he moves to approach me. “Just let me go.”

“Brook, please let me explain.”

“Why do you have a file on my old boss? Did you have something to do with me getting fired?”

Bash lets out a heavy sigh. There’s pain in his expression I have an oddly unexplainable urge to fix. But I swallow down the impulse and hold onto my anger.

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