Page 13 of The Scrooge of the Mountain

I sigh. “Well, let the record show that I didn’t give him tainted eggnog. He brought that on himself. Besides, my eggnog is phenomenal. You’ll love it.”

“No one thinks eggnog is phenomenal.”

I don’t know why I’m fighting him on this because he’s not wrong. Eggnog isn’t even my favorite drink. I guess it’s the nostalgia of it. But now that I’m thinking about it, I rarely drink more than a mug of it a year—sometimes not at all.

“But that hot chocolate,” he says. “Thatisphenomenal.”

“You had some?”

“Another tax, Eva.”

And for a brief moment, all I can think about is his lips on this mug. Dipped in chocolate. His tongue, swiping away every last drop. His tongue, tasting…

Oh, no. I need to calm down. I don’t even know this man, and I’m already daydreaming about him doing… things. I need to get a grip if we’re going to share this cabin for—wait. I still don’t know why he’s living in the cabin I was supposed to be renting.

“Why are you here again?”

“The heater’s out in my home. Won’t be replaced until after Christmas. I’m building a different cabin for myself, but I’ve been working on cabins like this one all year, so I've been falling behind schedule. I’ve got nowhere else to go, Eva. You’re not going to kick me to the curb so close to Christmas, right?”

I cross my arms. “Only if you don’t mock my favorite holiday.”

He raises his hand. “Mountain man’s honor.”

“Isn’t it scout’s honor?”

“Nothing stronger than a mountain man’s word.”

“Is that what you are? A mountain man?”

“I’ll let you be the judge of that.” He smiles and then pats the spot next to him on the couch. “Why don’t we start the festivities right? I’ve got the perfect holiday movie queued up for us.”

Dasher hops onto the couch and then rests his head on Nick’s lap as he stares at me.

“Please don’t tell me it’sDie Hard.”

His smile deepens. “I won’t tell you it’s notDie Hard.”

I stare at him a bit longer, trying to unpack what he just said but it’s getting far too late for me to think straight, so I say. “No. I’ll pick the movie.”

“So long as you sit next to me, I don’t mind.” He pats the seat one more time. “I won’t bite. Neither will Dasher.”

He strokes Dasher’s head, staring at me as a small vein of jealousy opens up inside me. I wonder how that hand would feel on me.

I shake myself out of it. “I’ll be back.”

Nick nods as I disappear into the bedroom again and retrieve a DVD from my suitcase. It’s the first Christmas movie I watch once December rolls around. Well, I guess once Halloween ends. I can’t help myself, and it will be the fourth time this year that I’ve watched it.

And if I’m honest, I think it’s a fitting movie for Nick. He might learn a thing or two if he pays attention.

I slide it into the player, my body warming up as I feel Nick’s gaze following me. It’s unsettling how he can make my body react by simply looking at me. I haven’t found a Christmas tree for the cabin yet, but his gaze is lighting me up like one.

“Can I get you anything?” I ask as I press play.

“I can’t get enough of your cookies.”

Tingles radiate all across my body as I turn around and meet his gaze. He’s still stroking Dasher’s head. I’ve never seen him more at peace than he is on Nick’s lap.

“Okay,” I say before heading to the kitchen, surreptitiously splashing some water on my face before returning with a plate full of cookies.

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