Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
T hat’s not a tree, Sara.”
“It’s perfect. It’s…whimsical.”
Thirty minutes later, after seeing a visibly upset Buck back on the road toward the farm, they stood inside the tiny camper staring at the limb Sara had chosen as her tabletop tree.
There were prettier ones among those available outside, and he didn’t know if she simply didn’t want to take a better tree from those provided or if it was a sympathy thing. He leaned toward believing it was Sara’s soft heart that did the choosing for her.
She’d seen the tree and instantly veered toward it. The smallest tree there, it fell over at the top like the Drakes’ tired toddler draped across his father’s shoulder. “Sara…”
“Rhys,” she said in the same tone.
He watched as she crossed her arms over her chest and angled her head to stare up at him, determination and fire in her beautiful eyes.
“It’s my camper and my tree. I get to pick.”
He couldn’t argue that. “Fine. Have it your way. But you know one ornament might make it fall over.”
A giggle burst out of her, and his heart warmed at the sound. This woman…
“Good thing I just want lights on it then, huh?”
Exasperated and yet willing to go along with whatever made her smile, he stretched out a hand and palmed her face, holding her still for a firm kiss. “Have it your way. But since the present is nearly as big as the tree, I want you to go ahead and open it.”
“Now? You said I had to wait.”
“I changed my mind. Open it.” He watched as she held the package in one hand and carefully unwrapped the box. “It reminded me of you, beautiful and sparkling and unique.”
A soft oooh bubbled out of her when she spied the gemmed raccoon. At least until a second passed and her expression faltered.
“The perfect keepsake to remind me of the humbling moment I asked you if your money was real.”
He frowned at her tone, at the shift in expression from pleased and surprised to…disgruntled as she stared at the gift. “Do you not like it?”
“It’s very pretty,” she said, her tone forced.
He stretched out a hand and stroked his fingers across her cheek. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of you that night.”
Sara blinked and inhaled before shifting her gaze to stare up at him. “Rhys…”
She sounded uncomfortable, and once again, he could see her physically withdrawing from him. But why? “The gift isn’t expensive if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“It’s not.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
A huff left her, full of recriminations and sadness. “It just—reminded me of how different we are. Opposites. And how none of this is real.”
He frowned at her words, taken aback by the vehemence behind them. “What do you mean?”
“This. Whatever this is, whatever’s happening between us… It’s not real. I-I think I need to stop this before it’s too late. It’s time we both remember who we are. That I remember who you are.”
He stepped toward her, but she backed away from him, shaking her head, fingers white over the raccoon in her hand.
“I’m sorry, Rhys. You should go. I-I can’t keep pretending in fairytales o-or that this is more than you…passing time.”
“Passing time? You think that’s all this is?”
“Isn’t it?”
“You’re seriously that biased against me? Because I’m rich? Sara, I’ve worked hard to have what I have, and that’s with out my family’s wealth.”
“I’m not arguing that.”
“But you think what’s happening between us isn’t real because of who I am? That I’m somehow less deserving of love because I have money?”
“No!”
“Then what is this really about? The truth, Sara.”
The way she stared into his dark gaze broke his heart, and Rhys fisted his hands at the expression on her face. “ Sara .”
“Do you really think I can’t tell?” She swallowed hard and lifted her chin higher, eyes glazed with tears. “You’re ashamed to be seen with me.”
He felt like his knees might buckle from the anger coursing through him. “That isn’t true.”
“Isn’t it? I googled you, and I saw all the photos of you with your— Of you with the women you’ve dated. But me? You’ve hidden me from the beginning. We take the service elevator to your suite where we stay in, and you took me to a remote beach just so you weren’t seen with me. And I get it. I’m the tree farmer’s daughter, and you’re you . We are worlds apart when it comes to literally everything. So why are you pretending? You want to sleep with me? Is that it?”
“I’m not ashamed of you, Sara. I’m trying to protect you. Do I want to be with you? Yes, of course. You’re a beautiful woman, but that’s not— If we’re seen together, the media will hound you from that moment on. They will invade every aspect of your life. I am not embarrassed of you, sweetheart; I am simply trying to keep you safe and to myself for as long as I possibly can because I don’t want to share you.”
She looked wary and highly skeptical, more than a little taken aback by his words as she remained quiet for long seconds. He inched closer, lifting his hands to cradle her face so that she wouldn’t look anywhere but at him. “The very moment I saw you, something clicked. I don’t believe in love at first sight, but I do know I felt something that night, something I’ve never felt and all for this beautiful… raccoon ,” he said, smiling at the memory.
Her gaze sparkled with unshed tears as she stared up at him, her expression flashing rapidly from longing to sadness to hope to despair.
“We’re too different, though. I’m not a socialite.”
“Sweet Sara, socialites bore me to tears. I don’t want anyone but you. I want to see where this can go. Where we can go. I’ve been trying to not rush you or draw attention to us but only because I’m feeling selfish when it comes to you. That’s why, and that is the only reason.”
A watery sound emerged from her, and she blinked rapidly. “Rhys, I don’t even have a job. I’m not some boss babe like your ex. You’ll be bored of me all too soon.”
“You’re wrong,” he said softly. “I don’t care what you do. Get a new job once the lot closes or focus on your writing. I don’t care, Sara. All I care about is you.”
“I have to do some thing. I’ll go crazy if I don’t.”
“Then take time to choose. Just do it with me.”
“But why me ?”
“Because you are sweet and kind, talented and caring. So much so, you wear ridiculous costumes you hate because you know it makes your parents happy. You’re good , Sara. You are comfort and quiet and…sanity. Laughter. Sweetheart, I am not ashamed of you. If you want to go out in public with me, let’s do it. But you have to be prepared. It’s hard. Quinley hated the media coverage, even though she handles things like that for a living and knows how to juggle it. It’s one of the many reasons we didn’t work, and—I want us to work.”
He gently tangled his fingers into her hair and tugged the silky length, loving the feel of it between his fingers. “I don’t want to lose you. That’s why I’ve kept you to myself. I want you for Christmas, sweet Sara. And every day afterward.”