Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Later that night, when the other guests retired to their rooms, the three of us gathered by the fireplace. The crackling flames filled the room with warmth, and despite the snow falling steadily outside, there was something comforting about the way the inn felt now. It was more like a cozy winter wonderland and less like a place someone was trying to forget all about Christmas.
Mae had fallen asleep against my arm, her head nestled on my shoulder, and Ethan sat across from me, his face illuminated by the firelight. He looked softer, somehow, in the glow. Not like a grumpy innkeeper but like someone who’d been carrying a lot of weight for far too long.
"Thank you," he said suddenly, his voice low and hesitant, like he was trying to figure out how to express something he wasn’t used to saying.
I blinked, a little surprised. "For what?"
“For...” He paused, as if searching for the right words. His gaze shifted to the decorations, the lights twinkling, the stockings hanging, and the massive tree. "For doing all of this. For making Mae happy. She hasn’t been this excited about Christmas in... a long time."
I glanced down at Mae, her face relaxed and peaceful, and smiled. “She deserves to be excited. She’s a great kid.”
“She is,” he agreed, and for a moment, there was a silence between us, one that felt more comfortable than awkward. His gaze shifted to the fire, his expression turning distant. “It’s just hard, sometimes. Trying to keep things going, trying to be everything she needs.”
My heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice, and before I could stop myself, I reached out, placing my hand on his. “You’re doing great, Ethan. I mean that. Mae is happy because of you.”
He looked at me, and in the glow of the fire, his eyes looked so raw, so open, that it made my breath catch. "I don’t know about that," he said, his voice thick. "I try, but after her mom just up and left right before last Christmas, it’s like the holiday lost its meaning. I didn’t want to celebrate. Didn’t want to do any of this." He shook his head, his voice trailing off, like the words were too hard to say.
I squeezed his hand, my voice soft but steady. “I get it. And I know it’s not easy. But you’re giving Mae so much by just being here for her. And maybe it’s time you let a little holiday magic back in, too.”
Our eyes locked, and for a moment, it felt like the world had shrunk down to just the two of us. The fire crackling, the snow falling softly outside, and Ethan staring at me like I was offering him something he hadn’t even realized he needed.
Slowly, he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper, rough and vulnerable at the same time. "Maybe you’re right...and maybe you’re the magic I needed."
My breath caught in my throat, and before I could think, his lips were on mine. The kiss was tentative at first, as if he was afraid I might pull away. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Instead, I leaned into him, my heart pounding as his hand came up to cradle the back of my head.
The warmth of his mouth, the way he tasted like cocoa and something deeper, more intoxicating made my head spin. His other arm wrapped around me, pulling me closer, and I let out a soft sigh against his lips.
Suddenly, Mae shifted in her sleep, mumbling something unintelligible, and we both froze. Ethan pulled away, his breathing heavy, his eyes dark with want. I pressed my forehead to his, a smile tugging at my lips. “For a minute I think we forgot we weren’t alone.”
He let out a low chuckle, his hand still tangled in my hair. “Guess we’ll have to save the rest for later.”
I bit my lip, my heart fluttering. “Promise?”
He nodded, his gaze locking on mine. “Let me carry the little elf to her bedroom, and then…” His voice trailed off, thick with unspoken promises. His thumb brushed lightly over my lower lip, sending a jolt of heat through my body.
I swallowed, unable to tear my eyes away from him. “And then?”
His lips curved into a slow, wicked smile as he stood, carefully scooping Mae into his arms. His muscles flexed effortlessly under the soft glow of the firelight, and I couldn’t help but admire the way his body moved, so sure and controlled. He glanced back at me, his eyes smoldering with an intensity that made my pulse quicken.
“Then, I’ll see just how magical Holly tastes,” he said, his voice a low growl.
A rush of heat pooled between my thighs, and I watched as he disappeared down the hall with Mae, leaving me there, my heart racing, my skin buzzing with the memory of his touch. My mind whirled with all the possibilities of what was about to happen.
When he returned, his steps were slow, deliberate, his gaze never leaving mine as he crossed the room. The air between us felt thick, charged with desire, and when he finally reached me, he didn’t waste a second before pulling me into him. His mouth was on mine again, this time deeper, hungrier, his hands sliding down my back as he pressed me closer, every inch of him radiating heat. The world outside vanished, leaving only the two of us wrapped in the warmth of the fire, and the heat of the moment building between us.
“Let’s go to my room,” he said, breaking the kiss. “I’ve wanted to be inside you since the moment I saw you.”