Page 11 of Mail Order Bride for the Scrooge

I nod and then point outside. “We’ll take a little walk after breakfast, and I’ll show you some of the land so you’re familiar with it. I’ll show you where the generator is and where not to go, just in case.”

“I’d like that,” her sweet voice is like a balm to my ragged soul.

I nod and then we dig into breakfast, not talking, but neither of us seeming to mind. I’m eager to show her my land, a giddy excitement bubbling up in my chest I haven’t felt in years. Actually, have I ever felt it before? No, I don’t think so.

When we’re done, I grab our plates and put them in the sink before I disappear down the hall to my room to get dressed. When I come back, she’s wearing hiking boots and a jacket that looks weather appropriate. I almost fall to my knees in front of her to worship her.

Normally no one can read me, but Lake must be able to because she just giggles and waves a hand down her body. “I used to do some hiking around Seattle. I figured it would work here?”

“It’s perfect,” my voice is husky as I close the distance between us and grab her hand.

When I open the back door, Storm is off like a shot. He rolls around in any patch of snow he can find that hasn’t melted away yet. Lake laughs as she watches him, the sound lighting up the forest in a whole new way, a way I want to hold onto.

I show her the storage shed and how to work the generator, just in case, and then I show her one of the trails I walk often. She takes everything in, her brown eyes wide and reflecting the beauty of the only place which has provided me with a sliver of solace from my inner hell.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmurs, and I can only nod because my eyes are locked onto her, not taking in the surrounding forest or the view from the ridge where we’ve stopped. She glances at me and blushes. “I meant the view.”

I make a humming sound and give her hand a squeeze. I don’t remember the last time I held hands with a woman but having her hand in mine feels so fucking good.

“On my last deployment,” I surprise myself with the words I’m saying, but I don’t want to stop them, “I lost a few guys in my unit. It was the last straw for me. It was time for me to reenlist or get out anyway. I decided to come back to Jasper Ridge, but I couldn’t handle being in town. There were too many people who looked at me like a hero. I know it wasn’t my fault that not everyone came home, but…,” I trail off and squeeze my eyes closed.

Lake’s arms wrap around my waist as she tucks herself against my chest. “I can’t understand what you went through, but I do know loss changes you. Sometimes the people don’t even have to die for you to lose them. My parents taught me that.” She looks up at me, the pain in her eyes tugging at my heart. “It hurts and it’s okay to feel that hurt for a long time. Maybe forever.”

I cup her face in my palms and give her just a little bit more of me. Because she deserves it. Because I want her to know me. “My parents taught me that lesson too. I tried to protect Slade from it, but then I enlisted.” I shrug and look away from her, her eyes too probing and seeing too much.

She cups my jaw and turns my head back toward her. “You did the best you could. I don’t have to know the man to know he loves you.” She cocks her head to the side and grins. “How could he not, and if he doesn’t then I’ll kick his ass.”

In the forest I’ve called home for a long fucking time, my laughter echoes through the trees.

Yeah, I’m not letting go of Lake. She’s mine.

CHAPTER 5

LAKE

I’ve never gone grocery shopping with a man. It’s a new experience, but I’m not sure if this one is a normal one or not. I thought he would be rushing me through the whole thing and be annoyed because I want to go down every aisle so I can get a feel of what they do and don’t have a store that’s new to me.

He doesn’t seem bothered at all. Granted, it’s a little hard to tell with the scowl on his face. Then there’s the way he stares down anyone who comes too close to us, his expression turning downright murderous if it’s a man, but I think that’s just Gannon. It should probably make me feel like a piece of meat or a toy, but it doesn’t. It makes me feel like I’m special and like he’s watching out for me.

Which is kind of strange. Nico always looked after me, but when he would warn people away from me, I found it very fucking annoying. It felt like he was controlling me.

I smile up at Gannon who is grabbing another item I glanced at and putting it in the cart. I put my hand on his arm and suck in a sharp breath when his dark blue eyes swing down to meet mine. “I barely looked at that, Gannon,” I chastise him gently.

He flashes me a sheepish smile and my heart starts to pound in my chest. I don’t think he’s the kind of man to hand out smiles often. I find myself hoarding each one I get and holding it close to me, like a dragon with anything sparkly and pretty.

“If you want it, now is the time to get it, little present,” he murmurs softly.

I want to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him, but we haven’t crossed that line since I had his cock in my mouth last night. We haven’t talked about it either. I don’t know if he’s ignoring it because he regrets it or what is going on in his head.

I glance at his lips, and he lets out a low groan as his arm bands around my waist and pulls me flush against his chest. “You can’t look at me like that, Lake.”

I watch his mouth form each word, soaking up how his lips look soft and plush. “Look at you like what?”

“Like you’re desperate for me to kiss you,” he growls softly.

My cheeks heat and I try to step back out of his hold. Desperate. I do feel desperate, but it’s probably not a good look for anyone, least of all me since I’m the one who walked away from the life that I was living to marry a stranger. A stranger who had no idea I even existed.

Yeah, desperate is not what I’m going for.

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