21. Maeve
MAEVE
A short while later, I find myself being bundled into a sleek black SUV with Ford, Hayden, and Gabriel. Apparently Elaine has commandeered an entire fleet of vehicles to transport us all into town for what she’s promised will be the most magical Christmas atmosphere we’ve ever experienced.
My stomach ties itself into elaborate knots at being trapped in a confined space with all three men.
The tension from last night with Hayden still crackles between us like a live wire.
This morning’s awkward moment with Ford over Brooke feels like an unhealed wound.
And Gabriel—well, Gabriel always makes me feel like I’m walking a tightrope between professional composure and complete meltdown, no matter how hard I try to convince myself he’s just my boss.
I have no idea what to say to any of them, especially not in front of the others.
Even though these three share everything with each other and operate like some kind of billionaire mind-meld, I’m not sure Ford wants a repeat of this morning’s emotional minefield, particularly not with an audience.
I definitely don’t want to risk another argument in front of anyone.
And as for what happened with Hayden last night—I’d rather die than have that come up in mixed company and reveal just how pathetically affected I was by his words.
I settle into my seat and keep my mouth shut during the drive, my stomach churning with nervous energy.
Fortunately, the men seem equally disinclined to make conversation.
Hayden is absorbed in something on his phone, his brow furrowed in concentration that could either be work-related or an attempt to avoid looking at me.
Ford stares out the window like he’s searching for answers in the passing landscape.
Gabriel looks relaxed with his eyes closed, but I can’t shake the feeling that he’s more aware of everything happening in this car than he’s letting on.
When we finally reach town and escape the suffocating tension of the vehicle, I nearly collapse with relief. Elaine practically bounces out of her own car, her face glowing with the kind of manic Christmas joy that should probably come with a warning label.
“Come along, everyone!” she calls, leading our little parade from the parking area toward what appears to be the town center. “You’re about to see something truly spectacular!”
The moment we step into the pedestrian zone, I actually gasp out loud. The entire area has been transformed into what looks like a fairy tale come to life.
“Oh my god, what is all this?” I breathe, unable to contain my amazement.
Elaine beams at my reaction like I’ve just given her the greatest compliment in the world.
“This town is famous for its Christmas markets, darling! Just like the ones in Prague and Vienna. It was started by German immigrants back in the late 1800s, around the time Dickens made Christmas fashionable again with A Christmas Carol.”
I turn in a slow circle, trying to take it all in. “This is incredible.”
A Christmas market with over a century of tradition?
That’s the kind of authentic magic you can’t manufacture.
I drink in the festive atmosphere—the thousands of twinkling lights strung between lamp posts and wrapped around every tree, the wooden stalls overflowing with handcrafted goods and the most amazing food smells, the fresh snow dusting everything like powdered sugar.
Even though my colorblindness means I can’t appreciate the traditional red and green decorations to their fullest, nothing can diminish the joy radiating from every corner of this winter wonderland.
We wander through the market like tourists in our own Christmas movie.
There’s an ice sculptor creating intricate figures with tools that look like they belong in an operating room, a violinist playing haunting classical pieces that make people stop mid-stride to listen, a puppet theater where children shriek with delight at a performance of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and carolers dressed in full Victorian regalia singing traditional songs with voices that could make angels weep.
It’s all incredible, and I can’t hide my delight even if I wanted to.
When I glance over at the men, they’re all watching me with expressions of mild amusement that makes the anxiety in my stomach finally start to ease.
At least they don’t seem annoyed by my obvious excitement.
I’m sure all three of them would rather be holed up in the office reviewing contracts, but they’re being good sports about Elaine’s Christmas extravaganza.
I glance to my right, and my heart nearly stops with excitement when I notice a massive sleigh that looks like it stepped straight out of a Christmas card, complete with real reindeer pawing at the snow and shaking their magnificent antlers.
A hand-painted sign announces that rides are available around the town for those brave enough to experience authentic sleigh travel.
I spin around to face the men without thinking, my face splitting into what I’m sure is a ridiculous grin. “Can we please go for a ride? Please?”
Ford rolls his eyes in that long-suffering way of his, but there’s fondness underneath the exasperation. “I suppose we could manage that.” He looks to the others for confirmation.
Gabriel’s answering grin is mischievous. “Why not? When in Rome. Or should I say, when in a Christmas market?”
“Sure,” Hayden agrees, although his tone suggests he’s doing this purely for my benefit rather than any enthusiasm for reindeer transportation.
We make our way over to speak with the elderly man in charge of the sleigh operation, who looks like he could be Santa’s brother with his white beard and twinkling eyes.
Just as we’re arranging our ride, Liam and Lydia spot us and hurry over, clearly wanting to join the adventure.
The sleigh seats six people apparently, which means we’ll fit perfectly.
We’re just about to climb aboard when Ford’s phone rings with the kind of urgent tone that means business is calling.
He pulls it out and I watch his entire demeanor shift into CEO mode. “Hello? Yes, of course. I see. Yes, right away.”
He lowers his voice and turns away from our group, speaking in tones too quiet for the rest of us to hear. After a minute that feels like an hour, he hangs up and turns back with an expression that spells trouble.
“That was Silver Start’s legal team,” he announces. “They’ve sent over some documents they need us to review and approve immediately.”
I don’t mean for it to happen, but my face falls.
The thought of going on this magical sleigh ride with just Lydia and Liam makes my stomach clench with anxiety.
Lydia is lovely, but spending time alone with Liam—without the protective buffer of the three men—sounds like my personal version of Christmas hell.
Ford catches my expression and glances between Hayden and Gabriel. “I can handle this myself. Why don’t you two stay here and make sure Maeve doesn’t accidentally set anything on fire.”
“You burn one batch of brownies at the office…” I mutter, then realize what he’s actually doing. He’s going to work so the others can stay with me, protecting me from having to deal with Liam alone.
That’s unexpectedly thoughtful of him, and my heart does a little flip at the consideration.
Ford nods at us and strides away before I can thank him properly. Hayden turns to me and jerks his head toward the sleigh. “Well? You were the one campaigning for this ride.”
He climbs in first, settling into the back bench, and I quickly scramble in beside him.
I notice Gabriel slides in immediately after me, effectively trapping me between them and forcing Lydia and Liam to take the front bench together.
I shoot both men grateful smiles—whatever else might be complicated between us, I can trust that they understand I shouldn’t have to deal with Liam’s presence alone.
The sleigh is more cramped than I expected, and I try to make myself as small as possible, acutely aware that I’m squeezed between two very large, very masculine men.
Lydia is petite and only sharing space with one person, while Hayden and Gabriel are both built like they could wrestle bears for fun.
Add in the fact that I’m definitely not what anyone would call tiny, and we’re basically engaged in an intimate game of human Tetris.
“What are you doing?” Gabriel murmurs as I try to contort myself into a smaller shape.
“Sorry, just trying to give you both enough room,” I whisper back, my face heating with embarrassment.
“For fuck’s sake,” Gabriel mutters, and before I can process what’s happening, his hands are on my waist and he’s lifting me effortlessly onto his lap, one strong arm settling around my waist to keep me secure. “There. Problem solved.”
My entire nervous system short-circuits. My face burns so hot I’m surprised I don’t spontaneously combust right here in front of everyone. I stare resolutely ahead, trying to act like sitting on Gabriel’s lap is a perfectly normal, professional thing that happens all the time.
The driver makes a clicking sound to the reindeer, and we glide forward into motion.
Despite my acute awareness of the man beneath me, I can’t help but smile as we begin our ride through the snow-covered town.
This is genuinely magical—being pulled by actual reindeer through a winter wonderland while people wave from the sidewalks and Christmas lights twinkle all around us.
Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to lose myself in the fairy tale atmosphere when I’m acutely conscious of every point of contact between Gabriel’s body and mine.
This close, I can smell his cologne—something sophisticated and masculine that reminds me of expensive spices and fine leather.
I can feel the solid wall of his chest against my back, the strength in his thighs beneath me, the way his arm around my waist feels like a band of steel wrapped in cashmere.
It’s been way too long since I’ve been this close to any man, and I’ve definitely never been this close to someone as devastatingly attractive as Gabriel.
Liam is conventionally handsome, I can’t deny that, but it’s nothing compared to Gabriel’s magnetism—or Hayden’s intense power or Ford’s commanding presence, for that matter.
I try to sit perfectly still and keep my thoughts appropriately PG-rated. There’s no reason for my mind to dive straight into the gutter just because I’m sitting on a gorgeous man’s lap during what should be an innocent sleigh ride. I can be mature about this situation.
Then the sleigh hits a small bump, jostling us all together, and I shift slightly on Gabriel’s lap to maintain my balance—and feel something that makes my breath catch in my throat.
Something distinctly hard is pressing against my ass.
I freeze, convinced I must be imagining things. Surely I’m just being ridiculous and reading way too much into an innocent situation.
But when the sleigh jostles us again a moment later, I can’t resist shifting purposefully, just to see if I was imagining?—
I inhale sharply. Nope, not my imagination. There’s definitely something hard pressing against me, something that suggests Gabriel might actually be…
His hands suddenly grip my hips with enough force to leave fingerprints, and he leans in until his lips are practically touching my ear. “You’d better stop that right now,” he murmurs gruffly, “or I’ll have to do things to you that will get us both arrested for public indecency.”
Holy. Fucking. God.