Chapter Fourteen
Nico
“Are you sure? It’s just sugar, salt, flour, and water?”
I laughed, harder than I had in quite a while, at Paxton’s amazement. “Yes. It’s homemade cinnamon ornaments. I make them every year. Didn’t you see them on my tree before?”
Pax nodded, his chin digging into my shoulder. His arms were wrapped around my waist. There hadn’t been a moment this morning where he wasn’t touching me. He’d held my hand during breakfast. We took a shower together, and this time, nothing about it was chaste.
He was mine. This place was magical. I knew it from the first time I saw it. It had changed my life once and now, it changed Pax’s life as well.
“At the time, I didn’t think about it. I probably assumed you’d bought them. Is there nothing you can’t do?”
I scoffed and pressed a Christmas tree cookie cutter into the dough. “There is plenty. You should know that better than anyone else.”
“I know no such thing. You’re perfect to me.”
The ornaments were almost forgotten. Paxton always had a way with words but before, they were friendly, because he was my best friend. Paxton as a daddy, romancing me and flirting… If I wasn’t already head over heels in love, I would’ve been after hearing him speak like that.
I got the ornaments into the oven. They took hours to bake but until then, we had a tree to put up.
With all the work to do on the cabins, I hadn’t gotten a chance to decorate the tree.
The couple who lived here before me left all their Christmas things in the attic.
I discovered them one day when I was searching for some old records of the cabins.
“We have to fluff the tree.” Paxton had already started as I came over. He’d decided to put the tree in the corner. Closer enough to the fire to make a scene right out of a movie but far enough away not to post a fire hazard. “Maybe, next year, we can get a real one.”
I stopped moving, my fingers tangled in plastic branches.
He said next year. Next year with me. Christmas here with me.
Yes, we were in love, and we’d had sex, and he’d confessed he wanted to be my daddy, but there were plenty of couples in love who didn’t end up together. Life happened. Work happened.
“What’s wrong?” He wrapped me up in his arms.
“Um, nothing.”
He kissed my temple and then nipped at my ear. “Liar. Tell Daddy what’s wrong.”
“There’s actually nothing wrong. You said next year we could get a real tree, and that had me thinking. What happens after the snow melts? What happens to you and me?”
It took only seconds before he answered, which was good for the state of my heart. “I’ve been thinking about that all day, and I wanted to talk to you about it. I’m glad you brought it up.”
“What have you been thinking about exactly?” The fluffing of the tree was going to have to wait. This was one of those moments in life where I had to give all my attention to what Paxton was about to say. Yesterday had been earth shattering, but what he planned to do with it would be life-changing.
“Before I mentioned commuting and well… I was thinking maybe that’s not the only option. A few months ago, I was offered a similar position to my own that was remote. I’m not attached to my apartment, and I don’t have a ton of friends there. I keep to myself. You know that.”
I did. Paxton kept a handful of friends. “Okay.” My voice shook.
“I could move here and be with you. I want to. I just got you back, and now you know how I feel. But all of these plans hinge on whether or not you want or would consider me living here with you.”
All the air left my lungs. Dreams came true, and mine was unfolding before my eyes. “I never wanted you to leave my life in the first place, Paxton. I love you. There’s no one else in this world I’m going to love as much as I love you. Could you be happy here with me, in this little cabin?”
Paxton pushed some of my hair behind my ear. “I could be happy with you anywhere, Nico. Anywhere at all.”
“Are we saying what I think we’re saying?” I needed to hear it again.
“After the snow melts, I’m going to go home and clear out my life there. I’m going to take the remote position and come back to you as soon as I absolutely can. I don’t want to spend another night without you. Not another day. Not another moment.”
I couldn’t have stopped the flowing tears if I tried. “I don’t either. I want you for the rest of my life.”
We made love again, right there in front of the fire and the sad-looking Christmas tree. Afterward, we cuddled and decorated the tree with ornaments we found in the attic, along with my cinnamon ones.
Once we were done, the cabin was in the spirit. The older couple had boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations. We even found a village set up that would look perfect in the office.
“We’re missing something,” I said, as we stepped back and stood in the glory of our work.
“What are we missing?”
“Cookies.”
“You never did teach me how to make cookies. Can we make them together?”
Thank goodness I stocked up on baking goods before the winter season. “Of course, we can.”
We made a batch of cowboy cookies, minus the coconut which I knew were his favorite.
I’d had many amazing Christmas Eves during my life, mostly when I was a kid, but this one topped them all.
I had the love of my life who was going to be my daddy now.
I had left the life that drained me, for this magnificent place.
What else could a little want?
“I had no idea that I would be here this year, but next year, I’m going to spoil you rotten.”
“My little side?” I bounced on my toes.
“Both sides. I’ve got some time to make up for.”