Chapter 18
Chapter
Eighteen
T he next morning was the twenty-fourth. Christmas Eve day. The snow had stopped, but no one was going anywhere. They were buried, and Lucy explained over huge platters of waffles, bacon, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and cranberry orange muffins that it would take them at least the rest of the day and into tomorrow to clear the roads.
Theo didn’t mind a bit. In fact, he decided to enjoy every fucking minute.
He was snowed in here with the woman he was in love with, and who he needed to convince she’d rather be with him, no matter where that was, than without him. Might as well start right here where they were.
In fact, being here together, far from home, just the two of them was perfect. He loved their friends and family in Autre, but he wanted Savannah to know that when she was happy and felt comfortable and could be fully herself, it wasn’t just in Autre if she was with him. She would be loved and protected and taken care of and appreciated no matter where they were together.
They’d known that there would be snow and colder temperatures here than in Louisiana, so they had both packed coats, mittens, and scarves. And now he couldn't stop looking at her as he led her down the stairs and out to the back of the property.
She looked adorable. He always thought that she was beautiful. Gorgeous. Sexy as fuck. Now she looked damned cute.
She had a puffy white winter coat on, a pink hat and matching mittens, and a pink and white striped scarf around her neck. Within minutes of being outside in the cold weather her nose turned the same pink as her mittens. But her eyes were twinkling, and her smile was huge as they walked along the path that he had scooped behind the lodge.
"I can't believe you were out here scooping snow," she told him.
He grinned at her. "It was fun."
"So outdoors and doing manual labor is just your thing. It doesn't matter the temperature or the location? It doesn’t actually have to be the bayou?"
He shrugged. "I guess not. Scott let me drive one of the trucks with the plow on the front earlier when I helped with the front drive. But this back part I did with a shovel by hand."
"The only reason I'm not upset that I missed it is because you would've had a coat on, and I wouldn't have been able to fully appreciate all your big muscles bunching and working."
He grinned at her. “You don’t appreciate my muscles working when we’re back in Louisiana.”
“Oh, I most certainly do. And your ass.” She gave what sounded like a happy sigh. “I just used to be more sneaky about it. Now I guess I can just ogle you openly, though.”
Theo turned on her suddenly, moving in close, nearly standing on her toes. “Now? Why now? What’s changed?”
He knew what had changed for him. He felt like things had changed for them both. But fuck he wanted to hear it.
She blinked up at him, likely surprised by his sudden intensity. “Um…I guess…it’s going to be really obvious to everyone that we’re sleeping together, don’t you think?”
Right. Yes. He was sure it was. There was no way he was going to be able to sit with her in Ellie’s and not touch her. He wasn’t going to not kiss her when he saw her. And he was absolutely taking her home with him at the end of the night.
He nodded. “I’m not keeping it a secret,” he told her.
She swallowed. “Me either.”
He’d take it. For now. He leaned in and touched her lips with his. “Good.”
Then he took her hand and tugged her down the cleared path to the surprise he’d set up with Lucy and Henry.
They stepped into the huge outbuilding that sat nearly fifty yards behind the main house. This was where they kept the main pick up trucks, and a few ATVs that they used to maintain the property.
There was one four-wheeler sitting closest to the door. Theo grinned down at Savannah.
“What are we doing?” she asked, looking around.
“Well, I know that some of the things you wanted to do at the Christmas farm were seeing the Christmas trees, taking a sleigh ride, and seeing the reindeer. This is the best I can do in our current circumstance.”
He pointed at the ATV with the gigantic round plastic purple sled tied behind it.
Her eyes widened. “What?”
He grinned and nodded. “Get on.”
“This is…”
“Your sleigh ride. Kind of.”
“Oh my God!” She lifted onto tiptoes, pressed a kiss against his cheek, and then ran toward the sled.
He laughed and followed. He’d had a lot of help. Henry had found him a sled that could easily fit two women Savannah’s size or four to five little kids. He helped her step onto the sled, then tucked the fuzzy fleece blanket around her.
“It’s not perfect,” he said. “You can’t drink cocoa while you ride. You’ll need to hold on.”
“And you’re not on here cuddling with me,” she said.
“I’ll cuddle you double later,” he told her.
The smile she gave him from where she was wrapped up on the sled made his heart skip a beat.
Fuck, he was gone for her. Done. She was the one he wanted.
Do not tell her you love her. Yes, this moment seems pretty sweet and romantic and perfect, but don’t fucking say it.
He cleared his throat. “Hold on tight, City Girl.” Then he moved to the ATV, got on, and started it up.
Henry had told him the best path to take and he started off slowly, letting them both get used to how the sled moved over the snow and the rises and dips. But he was eventually able to increase the speed and they slid over the hills, laughing as the chilly air bit their cheeks.
He took her out to a small grove of evergreen trees Henry had directed him to.
It wasn’t officially a Christmas tree farm, but when he pulled up next to the one he’d decorated especially for Savannah and shut off the ATV, her happy tears, the huge hug she gave him, and the, “Theodore Taggart, I’m going to do anything you want in bed tonight,” he assumed he’d gotten this right.
“Well, I couldn’t get any reindeer,” he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin on top of her head as they looked at the Christmas tree. “I guess you’ll have to come to Autre to see those.”
She squeezed his arms. “I’ll definitely do that.”
I t was getting harder and harder not to just blurt out, “I’m falling in love with you.”
Savannah was snuggled up next to Theo in the arm chair where they’d sat the night before. The fire was burning, they had mugs of cocoa again—this time with caramel vodka—and they were covered with a cozy blanket. But they were just cuddling now.
They’d had a magical day.
They’d made snow angels and built a snow man out by the Christmas tree Theo had taken her to. He’d let her ride on the ATV with him back up to the house afterward.
Then they’d showered together to warm up, had sex against the shower wall, then gone downstairs for lunch, and board games with other guests. They’d watched two movies snuggled up in bed, made love again, then come downstairs for dinner.
And now she felt sleepy, and so damned content she almost couldn’t believe it.
This was…more than she could have come up with if she’d scripted this trip. Better than a TV Christmas movie.
Theo Taggart sure as hell felt like her boyfriend. And she wanted that. She wanted it to last. She wanted it when they got back to Autre. She wanted it when she traveled home to New York next time. She wanted it no matter where she was. Even if he wasn’t with her every time, she wanted to call him to check in. She wanted to text with him. She wanted to pick up little souvenirs to take home to him.
She was in so much trouble.
She was on the verge of becoming very clingy.
To a guy who not only seemed happily single but lived alone miles away from civilization on the Louisiana bayou in the dark with only alligators and mosquitos to keep him company.
Fuck.
“You okay?” he asked when he felt her heave a big sigh.
She looked up at him. “Yeah. I’m really…happy. Thank you for today.”
He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “It was my pleasure. Best day I’ve had in…a really, really long time.”
She loved hearing that. She loved the idea that she made him happy.
“Everyone!” Lucy called from the doorway that led to the main lobby. “The Lost Ridge Ramblers are playing next door in the pub. Everyone welcome!”
The Lost Ridge Ramblers were a four-person bluegrass band that was also stranded with them. Daisy, Isaac, Brooke, and Felix were a lot of fun and had entertained everyone with stories of shows they’d done.
“You up for a little party?” Theo asked.
But Savannah shook her head. “I’d rather it just be you and me.”
He gave her a smile that made her stomach flip. “Me too.”
They headed up to their room and Theo turned the fireplace on again. They settled onto the bed. He stretched out beside her, pulling her close, and Savannah happily moved against him, resting her head on his chest.
“What were Christmas Eve’s like for you as a kid?” she asked.
His hand stroked up and down her back as he started talking about growing up in Autre. Christmas at his house. Christmas with the Landrys. The different festivities in town over the season.
Savannah could easily picture it all and she found herself smiling and laughing.
“God, I love that place,” she said with a happy sigh.
Theo’s hand tightened on her hip. “Yeah?”
She looked up at him. “Of course.”
“I’m…” He cleared his throat. “Glad to hear that.”
She frowned slightly. He looked like he wanted to say more, but wasn’t speaking.
“Theo?”
“Tell me about your childhood Christmases,” he said, his hand stroking up and down her back again.
It was so comforting and she felt so good that she just did as he asked. She started talking about Christmas memories from her childhood. Then they both shared about favorite Christmas gifts. Favorite Christmas movies. Traditions they loved. Traditions they didn’t—for her, sitting on Santa’s lap, and for him, waiting until Christmas morning to open any gifts.
Savannah felt her eyes getting heavy as they talked. Theo’s hand rested on her back now, not moving. Their voices were quieter. There were longer pauses between questions and answers.
And soon, they were asleep.
T hey woke up a little after nine the next morning.
That was easily the latest either of them had ever slept on a Christmas morning, even as adults.
They giggled about that as they got showered and dressed and made their way downstairs, holding hands.
They hadn’t had sex last night before falling asleep, but something about not doing that and simply holding her as they talked and shared and then slept wrapped up in one another made her even happier. That made this all seem like more than just a sexy fling because they had nothing better to do while snowed in together.
The entire first floor of the lodge smelled like cinnamon rolls and coffee and Theo’s mouth was already watering by the time they joined a few other late comers in the dining room.
Everyone seemed in great spirits in spite of the fact that they were all stuck with a bunch of strangers on Christmas Day.
Honestly, everyone had been friendly and making the best of their situation. They’d all found things to do to stay entertained and Lucy was a fantastic hostess.
Tonight everyone was planning to head back to the pub after dinner for another impromptu party. Evidently the Lost Ridge Ramblers had put on a great show last night.
Everyone was apart from their families and loved ones, but they were all doing their best to make things festive and jolly.
During the day there were movies in the great room along with more board games and card games.
Theo and Savannah took part in many of the activities, including a craft activity where they made their own ornaments.
Which they decided to exchange as Christmas gifts.
Savannah felt her eyes actually stinging as she studied the ornament Theo had made her.
He’d drawn a bayou cabin that looked an awful lot like his on the piece of cardstock. He'd colored it in with colored pencils and surrounded it with a popsicle stick frame painted green. On the back, he'd written Taggart's Bed-and-Breakfast. You have a standing reservation. xo Theo.
“Thank you, I love it.” She clutched it to her chest. “Do I need to have it with me when I come to check in?”
He gave her a wink. “I think the owner will remember you.”
The idea for her ornament had come to her easily, but now that it was time to give it to him, she was suddenly struck by nerves.
She did not want to come off as too needy.
"Come on. Hand it over, City Girl," Theo said, wiggling his fingers.
"It's not very good. I'm not a great artist."
"This isn't about artistic ability," he told her. "It's the thought that counts."
Yeah, that's what she was afraid of. She was afraid that he'd know exactly what her thought was—that she was crazy about him and wanted him for good, for always.
She needed to relax. She'd be visiting Autre from time to time like she always had. If they could continue to see each other on her visits to the bayou, have some fun sex, laugh, talk, hang out with their friends, maybe this would naturally evolve into more.
She could definitely invite him on a couple of trips with her, and see if that was just as fun and magical as North Carolina and the Merry Falls Lodge had been.
Given time , they could figure this all out. She didn’t need to lay her heart on the line right now.
"Do you want me to come and get it?" He gave her a wicked little grin. "’Cause, you know, I'd really enjoy that."
She laughed. She should've made something sexy. Dammit. Finally, with a sigh, she handed it over.
It was like his—a four inch by four inch square of white cardstock with a drawing in the middle that she’d colored, then glued painted popsicle sticks to the sides to create a “frame”.
He studied it, not saying anything for a long moment. Savannah held her breath.
Theo finally lifted his gaze. He looked touched.
Her heart squeezed.
"I love this. I'm thinking I might hang it up somewhere in the house. Not just wait for Christmas."
She snorted. "Come on."
He reached out and snagged her hand, bringing it up to his lips and pressing a kiss to the back of her knuckles. "Seriously. This is perfect. The bayou trees, with their deep extended roots grounding them, and their branches reaching up to the sky.” He cleared his throat. “And the birds flying off, but knowing that those trees are home, no matter where they go.” He kissed her hand again. “Roots and wings."
Damn. He'd gotten the message, exactly.
The tree was pretty obvious. The bayou too, she supposed. Drawing tall grass and water hyacinth—mostly just squiggles on her drawing—weren’t terribly hard. She’d opted for simple Vs for the flying birds though. She definitely couldn’t draw birds.
She just looked into his eyes waiting for him to say something more.
He didn't. But he leaned over and gave her a long sweet kiss.
Well, that was good. At least he wasn't running and screaming.
L ATER IN THE DAY they each had a video call on Savannah’s computer with their families. Theo’s mom, dad, and grandma wanted to say hi to Savannah, but Theo sat at the foot of the bed while she talked to her parents. They didn’t know she was traveling with anyone and introducing them over the computer was not ideal.
They did, however, make a call together to the gang down in Autre. Everybody gathered around the computer screen at Ellie's and for about forty-five minutes, they felt like they were part of the party. Everybody was sitting around drinking, eating, laughing and talking. They exchanged gifts. Becca even opened the gift she'd gotten for Savannah to show her on screen.
When they disconnected, she looked at Theo. He gave her a grin. "We pick pretty great people, don’t we?"
"Those people might be my second favorite thing we have in common."
His grin grew. "Yeah, what's the first?"
"The way we fit together." She didn’t just mean physically. They really did just seem to fit. In the things they both liked, in the ways they were different.
But then she moved into his lap, straddling his thighs, and his big hands went to her ass, bringing her up against him, and yeah, she meant physically too.
And later after dinner, when he pulled her into his arms to dance, the way they fit then proved it just as well. It felt so natural to dance with him. Some of the songs were fast, and he twirled her around and dipped her back, and they laughed. Some of them were slow, and they swayed together, her head on his chest, and she just sighed happily.
It was all so perfect. These couple of days, just him and her, had been magical. She could stay here for another two days. Or weeks. Or months. Just like this.
So when they woke up the next morning and found out the roads had been cleared earlier than expected, and they could leave, she was actually disappointed.