Chapter 10 Ivan
IVAN
I wake up early the next morning. My limbs are heavy and languid, and I swear my body has never felt so damn relaxed. So sated. Hell, this might be the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had. Feels like I just came out of hibernation.
There’s an unfamiliar warmth on the bed beside me.
A lock of hair brushes my cheek as I turn my head, my heart clenching tight when I see Ruby.
She’s sleeping soundly, lips parted, her fiery halo splayed out across the pillow.
I should let her rest. Hell, after yesterday, she could use some time to recover.
I worked her out pretty damn good. Gave her all she could take, fucked her in every room, then in the shower before we fell into bed.
But I still can’t resist wrapping my arms around her, pulling her closer.
She lets out a sleepy mumble that sounds something like “guh-muh-ning”.
“Morning, beautiful.” I plant a kiss on her cheek, breathing in her sweet morning smell. “You don’t need to get up yet. Sorry I woke you.”
Her eyes flutter open, still bleary and unfocused. Then she meets my gaze. Suddenly she looks wide awake, her face glowing as she beams at me.
“Merry Christmas, Ivan.”
I smile at her beneath my beard. “Merry Christmas, Ruby.”
We lean in for a kiss, lips meeting just as North bounds through the bedroom door. He jumps up on the bed and barks with delight, almost like he knows it’s Christmas too.
“He sure knows how to make an entrance,” Ruby laughs as he zooms around the room.
We get out of bed and pull on some fresh clothes.
Ruby packed another festive sweater—a Fair Isle pattern of red, green, and white with the words “Ho, Ho, Ho” stitched on the front.
She looks so fucking adorable, the knitted material hugging her curves like a glove.
My closet isn’t exactly full of festive knitwear, so I pull on a red flannel shirt and a dark green jacket.
“You look so handsome,” Ruby says, grinning at me. “Christmas colors suit you.”
I take her hand as we follow North down the corridor and into the living room. Ruby turns on the radio while I get the fire going, and Bing Crosby crackles to life.
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…
Just like the ones I used to know.
When the hearth is roaring, I head for the window, trying to open the shutters.
They push open with ease, and I go around the room, opening every pair to reveal the snowy forest outside.
The blizzard has calmed down, the wind no longer raging through the trees.
But snow is still falling, fat flakes drifting to the ground.
Through the swaying firs, I can make out Sugar Creek, the frozen surface glittering in the early morning haze like a silver ribbon.
I turn to Ruby, my heart soaring at the wonder on her face as she looks outside.
“My first white Christmas!” She claps her hands together, beaming. “Oh, Ivan, it’s so beautiful.”
I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She’s right. Cherry Mountain is beautiful. It’s easy to lose sight of shit like that when you live somewhere and see it every day. But this place feels special now Ruby’s here. It’s like I can see it through her eyes, all the magic of it.
This angel is definitely rubbing off on me.
Suddenly she laughs, turning to face me. “I just realized something. We forgot to decorate the tree!”
I look over at the bare fir in the corner. “Didn’t forget, sugar. We just got…busy with other things.”
She giggles. “That’s one way of putting it.”
“Let me make you some breakfast. Then we’ll start decorating.”
“Sounds great. Thank you.”
She rises on her tiptoes, pressing a sweet kiss on my lips. I kiss her back, pulling her curves against me, my cock already stirring.
Fuck, I’ll never stop wanting her.
I promised her some breakfast, so I resist the urge to tear off the clothes she just put on.
Instead, I head for the kitchen, leaving Ruby on the couch with North.
I whip up some French toast with cinnamon, cooking it on the griddle.
But I’m not focused. Now that I’m alone, my mind is drifting, getting stuck on the thought that has been needling at me since I woke up.
It’s Christmas Day…
Which means Ruby’s flight leaves tomorrow.
I’ve been pushing it down, praying her flight gets canceled. Or hoping the roads stay blocked, so there’s no way of getting to the airport. Sure, it wouldn’t stop her leaving eventually, but it would give me more time with her. That’s all I want. All I’ll ever want. More time with Ruby.
I try to arrange my expression into something normal before I bring out the breakfast. But my natural scowl is impossible to shake. I can’t stop thinking about Miami. How damn far away it is.
“Thank you!” Ruby says as I set her plate on the table in front of her, the stack of French toast dripping with butter and maple syrup. “Wow, this looks so good.”
She tucks in, but my appetite has suddenly turned to ash in my mouth.
“This is the best French toast I’ve ever had,” Ruby says, humming with appreciation.
“Thanks. My dad’s old recipe.” I push my plate toward her. “Want some of mine?”
“Aren’t you hungry?” she asks, frowning.
“Not really.”
As I load up her plate with my French toast, I feel her eyes on me.
“Are you okay, Ivan?”
My heart tugs at the concern in her voice. I need to get it together. I can’t ruin Christmas for this sweet girl by acting like my usual grumpy self. She deserves better.
“I’m good, sugar.” I force a smile, reaching out to rub a spot of syrup from the corner of her mouth. “You excited to decorate the tree?”
There’s still a crease of worry between her brows, but Ruby goes along with the change of topic. We chat as she finishes her breakfast, and once the plates are cleared, we drag the boxes of decorations toward the Christmas tree.
“There are so many baubles,” she says, rooting through the boxes with a smile. “It’s a good thing the tree is so big.”
“What color do you want?” I look down over her shoulder, peering at the jumble of decorations. “Red and gold? Blue and silver? There’s some pink and white in there, too.”
She’s quiet for a moment, thinking. Then she grins at me. “Heck, why not all of them?”
“You’re the boss, princess.”
She’s already reaching for the decorations. Instinctively, I pull her back, wrapping my arms around her. Her hair smells like vanilla shampoo, and I breathe it in, pressing a kiss on her head.
“Sorry I was grumpy at breakfast.”
“It’s okay.” Ruby smiles at me reassuringly, her brown eyes twinkling. “You weren’t that grumpy.”
“No, but still—”
“I’ve definitely seen you grumpier.”
“Yeah, well that’s not saying much.”
She chuckles, shaking her head. “Honestly, it’s fine, Ivan. I know this time of year isn’t easy for you.”
The words are on the tip of my tongue. I want to let it all out. Tell her I’m dreading tomorrow. How I can’t stop thinking about her leaving me, heading back to Florida. But I don’t want to wipe that pretty smile off my girl’s face.
“I’m just…I’m happy you’re here, sugar. Want you to know that.”
“I’m happy to be here, Ivan. Really happy.”
She squeezes me tight, then with a gorgeous smile, she gets to work decorating the tree. I help her, leaving her all the best decorations. Another Christmas song is playing on the radio, Jingle Bell Rock, and Ruby sings along, almost crying with laughter when North joins in with a howl.
Fuck, she’s so cute.
I can’t stop staring. Hell, I’m not even looking at the tree as I hang decorations from its branches.
“That was the last one,” Ruby says eventually.
The tree is covered from top to bottom in baubles and lights of every color, wrapped up with strings of ribbon and tinsel. It looks like Christmas chaos, but it’s pretty charming in its own way.
“Looks great, sugar.”
“Agreed, I love it! Now we just need to find the star—”
A loud chirping sound cuts off her words, and she pulls her phone from her jeans pocket. I watch as she scans the screen, her face falling.
“What is it?” I ask. “Everything okay?”
Her gaze flits up to mine, then back to the phone. She pockets it with a sigh. “Yeah, all good. Just the airline sending a reminder about flight times.”
Something comes loose inside my chest, snapping apart. “They didn’t cancel it?”
“Nope. It’s going to be clear tomorrow, apparently.”
I feel the muscles in my jaw tighten. “You can’t drive all the way to Denver in that tiny little car. The roads aren’t safe.”
“I know. My brother is picking me up tomorrow.” She looks down at her feet. “His truck will get us there okay. Then he’ll come back here with his girlfriend for her car.”
She turns away from me, her shoulders slumped. I feel a fierce rush inside me. A burning possessiveness that has me in a chokehold. Ruby leaving tomorrow is no longer a vague possibility; it’s an imminent fact. I’m about to lose her.
I can’t let that happen.
I fucking can’t.
“Cancel it,” I say.
Ruby faces me. “What?”
“Cancel the flight. I’ll refund you whatever it cost.”
She blinks. “But…why? I don’t understand.”
“You’re not leaving, Ruby.” I close the gap between us, cupping her cheek.
“You’re my girl. Mine. This isn’t just some holiday fling.
” I’m breathing hard, coming on too strong.
Too intense. But I can’t help it. I need her to know how damn serious I am.
“I want you here with me, sugar. Not just for Christmas. Forever.”
Ruby’s lips part in surprise, but she doesn’t speak.
“I know you have a life in Florida,” I tell her.
“Your job, your apartment. But I promise I’ll take care of you, sugar.
Hell, there are plenty of weddings and events out here for you to photograph.
There’s always a wedding going on in Cherry Hollow.
I know it’s only a small town. Not exactly Miami.
But I’ll do whatever it takes to support you. Whatever it takes to make this work.”
It’s selfish. I’m asking her to uproot her life. Her career. A thought strikes me, and I add, “Or I can move to Florida. If you don’t want to leave Miami, you don’t have to. Hell, I’ll move tomorrow if you want me to—”
“You’d do that?” Ruby’s voice is soft. Almost a whisper. “Leave all this behind just for me?”
My response is emphatic. “Of course I would. Fuck, sugar, I’d do anything for you.”
She wets her bottom lip, her breath coming fast. Her eyes are misting over, clouded with emotion. “You don’t need to come to Miami, Ivan. I’d love to stay here with you.”
My heart jumps, hope flooding my gut. “I’m not just asking you to stay here, baby. I’m asking you to live here. Make this cabin your home. Our home. What do you say?”
She nods slowly, a tear sliding down her pale cheek. “I say yes, Ivan.” Then she beams at me. “Yes, yes, yes.”
It hits me all at once, an avalanche of pure joy that sucks the breath from my lungs. I reach for Ruby, grabbing her desperately, lifting her into my arms.
“You don’t know how fucking happy you’ve made me,” I tell her. “You won’t regret this, Ruby. I’ll spend my whole life trying to make you happy.” I smother her pretty face with kisses, my lips brushing every inch of exposed skin they can reach. “Fuck, princess. You’re all mine.”
“I am. All yours.” She laughs with delight, tightening her arms around me. “Oh God, Ivan, I was dreading having to leave. I’m so relieved.”
Her words send another buzz through me. I feel like I’m high on Ruby, high on this moment. I’ve never felt so damn happy. My heart races as I twirl her around in my arms, both of us laughing when North leaps up, trying to join in.
We stay like that for a long time, holding each other as snow falls outside the windows. A carol plays on the radio, the fire cracking in the hearth as I lean in to kiss Ruby, her soft lips melding against mine.
“This is the best Christmas ever,” she says when we pull apart.
“Best one so far, sugar. But we’ve got plenty more to come.”
She grins, her gaze flitting to the tree behind me. “Hey, we still need to add the star!”
I watch as she takes it from the box, a sparkly gold star to sit on the tree.
As Ruby raises her arm, I grab her hips and lift her up so she can reach the highest branch.
She slides the star on top, then I set her down, pulling her close.
Ruby admires the finished tree, but I only have eyes for her.
My sweet girl.
I fell for her the moment I saw her. The moment she opened that bathroom door and looked at me with those big brown eyes.
That’s when everything shifted. Hell, I never imagined I could enjoy the holidays again, but with Ruby by my side, it’s impossible not to.
She has driven away the darkness and flooded my world with light. And I’ll never stop being thankful.
“Merry Christmas, Ivan,” she says, my name like honey in her sweet voice.
“Merry Christmas, Candy Cane.”
And just like that, our forever begins.