Page 16 of Mail Order Bride for the Scrooge

And again.

And again.

I’m barely cogent, my hands running up and down the smooth skin of Lake’s back, when she kisses my chest and practically bounces off the bed and starts to walk back into the bathroom. She looks over her shoulder at me and grins.

“Come on, let’s get ready. We need to head to town for the parade,” her voice is full of joy as I groan.

But damn it, I do get up, clean up, and get dressed to take my woman to the parade.

She wants to go and I’m going to always do my best to give her what she wants. I just hope that the crowd doesn’t bother me too much, but it only takes one look at my woman to remind me I’m more than okay. I’m better than I’ve ever been in my life.

Hell, with her body pressed against mine at night, I haven’t had any more nightmares.

Because she’s fucking magic.

I knew I was in love with Lake already, even if I hadn’t admitted it to myself, but watching her meet new people as the town gathers for the parade has me falling in love with her all over again. She welcomes everyone with open arms, an open heart, and without judgement. Even me, who has years of Scrooge-like tendencies which would be so easy to fall back on.

The way she comes alive is beautiful to watch.

Hours later, after watching her eyes twinkling with excitement and holiday cheer, I take her light home so I can devour it all for myself. I’ve shared her enough for the day and the miser in me takes over.

But she gets hers too. I’ll always make sure of it.

CHAPTER 7

LAKE

Christmas is two days away and once the holiday comes and goes, I’m going to need to decide what is going to happen next. I’m either going to start the New Year with a husband or I’m going to move on.

Do I have any clue where I’m going to go now that I’ve fallen in love with Jasper Ridge and Gannon? Nope. I don’t have the first fucking clue.

Not only is the stress and anxiety of wanting to talk to Gannon about what is going on between us weighing on me, but I’ve been giving Nico the bare minimum to keep him off my back. I hate not being completely honest with my brother. This is the first time in my life that I haven’t been, and it feels like I’m fighting against quicksand with how emotional it makes me.

I know Nico would tell me to go home to Seattle, but the more days I’ve spent in Jasper Ridge, the less Seattle feels like home. I know I can’t go back. I don’t want to.

I want to stay here, but I don’t know if it’s possible.

Don’t get me wrong, being with Gannon blows my mind every time. Not just the sex either, but the small ways he takes care of me. The way he listens to me like he’s really hearing me. The possessive look in his eye whenever I catch him staring at me.

And I catch him doing it a lot.

It all adds up to a man that I think wants me, but we haven’t talked about what happens next.

I’m afraid to bring it up. What if the thought of marriage freaks him out and he tells me to go? It would break my heart.

What if all the things he’s said about knocking me up or about me being his have been said in the heat of the moment? If that’s the case, I’ll need to find my own mountain to isolate myself on because I won’t be able to face the world as I know it.

But none of the things he’s said to me felt like just words. They felt very real.

I just don’t know what to do with it all. How do I find a way forward if we keep dancing around the conversation? That elephant in the corner is fucking huge at this point and I can’t ignore him anymore.

My time in Jasper Ridge has changed my life, but if this is only a glimpse at a future and not one that I can hold onto, I want to know it sooner rather than later. I’m already gone for the man; that ship has sailed and almost circumnavigated the globe at this point. It would kill me to find out the rug is going to be pulled from underneath me and I’m only going to fall deeper if I’m not careful.

I might be able to recover at this point. I’ll have to go into hiding and lick my wounds, but I could do it. If I stay for another week? A month? Andthenhe tells me he doesn’t really want this? I’ll be broken beyond repair.

Maybe I’m over thinking things. And I know why.

Gannon went down to town today and when he asked me if I wanted to go with him, I gave him a half-assed smile and told him, “I think I’m going to hang out here and read for a little while. Is that okay?”

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