Chapter 3
3
HIRO
M y fingers curl into my palms as I watch Noelle sleep.
She’s always been a beautiful girl, but it was easy to ignore it when she was sixteen and wild. Now she’s all grown up and I can’t deny the fear that slid down my spine when I think about what might have happened to her last night if I hadn’t shown up.
Her auburn hair is tangled, her makeup is smudged and she’s wearing some bizarre mash-up of an outfit that’s somewhere between a sexy schoolgirl uniform and a cheerleader elf. I didn’t notice last night until I heard the faint jingle of bells, but even her earrings are Christmas-themed. Little dangling bells with red and green plaid bows.
I’m the farthest thing from a Christmas-lover, but something about the way the bells tangle in her long hair tugs at my heart.
It’s just for a few days. I can manage a few days.
I definitely can’t manage a few days with her in that outfit however, which is why I’m sitting in the parking lot of a big box store about two hours from my cabin waiting for Noelle to wake up. I lean across the console and gently shake her arm. Her lips part and a tiny snore, almost a snuffle, escapes.
I reluctantly smile. She’s so damn cute it makes my chest hurt. I’ve always been in awe of her. She’s always been the coddled baby of the Black family, and all that adoration resulted in a confident, smart, funny person who could talk to anyone and charm everyone around her.
As a shy, quiet introvert, being around Noelle was like a day at the beach. Sometimes loud, sometimes too bright, but you couldn’t make yourself leave, because the sunshine felt so good, and then by nightfall you were exhausted.
Her lashes flutter and she opens her eyes, smiling at me sleepily. My heart stutters. I try to think about the last time I woke up with a woman and I can’t. Sex is necessary, transactional, but it doesn’t have to be all-night affair. Of course, Noelle and I didn’t have sex, but that sleepy smile does something to me anyway.
Recognition sets in and the smile fades from her face. “Hiro?” She roughly massages her temples. “Are we at your cabin?”
I shake my head. “No.” I point out the window. “We’re going shopping.”
She turns. “In there?” She glances down at herself, still covered by my jacket. “In this?”
I shrug. There’s no help for it. I couldn’t stop by her apartment, and she needs some stuff. “I’d prefer not to be too long, but you need some essentials.”
We get out of the car, and she stretches. At least there aren’t too many people here this early, but her outfit is going to raise some eyebrows, especially here where the customers look to be seniors and people getting an early start to the day. I shake out my jacket and drape it around her.
Inside, I’m accosted by more Christmas music and large inflatable decorations. I should be at my cabin already, surrounded by snow and silence.
Instead, I’m following a curvy, red-headed elf into the seventh circle of hell as she walks right past the snowsuits and into an aisle filled with stuffed toys gyrating to “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”.
I wince and plunge after her, trying to block out the noise. I distract myself by trying to catch a glimpse of her peach-perfect butt, but alas, it’s covered by my jacket. I shouldn’t even think about her in that way. Henry wants me to protect her, not lust after her.
“What kind of Christmas décor do you have at your cabin?” She turns her big, baby blues up at me, those long, dark eyelashes fluttering. She puts a finger to her cheek, tapping as she considers. “Is it après ski? Lots of Nordic influence? Or maybe country Christmas, with lots of rustic wood pieces?”
“I don’t have any.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
I shrug. “It’s just another day and I’ll head to see my family just before New Year’s, so I don’t bother.”
“Just another day?” Disbelief colors her words. “Christmas isn’t just another day, and it’s not just one day either. It’s the anticipation of all the days leading up to it. Decorating, listening to Christmas music, watching all of those cheesy Christmas movies, eating all the holiday baking.”
I reach out taking her arm. “Alright, I get it. You love Christmas. But it’s just not my thing. Now can we please get you a few things so we can be on our way?”
Noelle looks down to where I’m holding her arm. I’m not squeezing her, hell I’m not even touching bare skin, but there’s something there. Something palpable. Her gaze drifts back to mine and I should let go of her, but I don’t.
I’ve always been drawn to Noelle. I’ve always felt protective of her in a way that was easy to gloss over when she was younger – too young for me – because she was Henry’s little sister and he’s my best friend.
Of course, I was going to watch out for his family. But as she’s gotten older, that protective instinct grew to something more. An attraction I shouldn’t feel. I covered it up by being distant and aloof whenever she was around, and I know she sees me as nothing more than a giant wet blanket on her sparkly flame.
I drop her arm, telling myself I must be imagining the disappointment in her eyes. “Snowsuit,” I practically bark. “And I’m sorry it’s not Dior but it’s the best we’ve got.”
Noelle’s shoulders straighten. “Did I say anything? I’m not a designer snob either, but you always think the worst of me, don’t you?”
Heat crawls up the back of my neck. The Blacks have more money than they know what to do with, but they give plenty of it away and I’ve never known Henry to be a snob.
“I’ve been staying under the radar while at school and trying to live as normally as possible. I don’t have to worry about money, and I’m grateful for that, but I don’t take it for granted either,” she says stiffly.
“I’m sorry, Noelle.”
She looks at me in surprise. “Hiro Abbott apologizing? I thought you were always in the right?”
“Now who’s making assumptions? I’m sorry I implied you were a snob and I’m sorry for snapping at you.”
Noelle nods and looks away. “Thank you.”
I walk to stand in front in here. “When I’m wrong, I can admit it. But we do need to get moving and you will need some stuff to stay at my cabin.”
She purses her lips. “What am I supposed to do at your cabin for however long I’m there?”
I shrug. “You could have gone to Singapore.”
Her shoulders sag. “I’m like a puppy that someone has to take care of. Why doesn’t anyone see that I can take care of myself?”
I feel a momentary pang. If Noelle hadn’t been born a Black, she’d be able to forge her own path and twenty-two is certainly old enough to make her own decisions.
The Black name might come with a lot of opportunity, but it also comes with its own unique restrictions. For several years, the Black kids lived in a gilded cage.
Noelle rubs her eyes. “Look. I know you promised my brother you’d swoop in and save me from whatever it is I’m too young to know about this time, but I know you don’t like me, Hiro and I really can take care of myself.” She wraps my jacket tighter over her chest. “Why don’t you just take me to a hotel where I can have room service and watch Christmas movies until Henry can come and collect me.”
Something shifts in my chest. As much as I feel this is a duty I owe to my best friend, the shadow of truth in my heart is that I would walk into a burning building to get to Noelle.
And that truth has nothing to do with the fact she’s my best friend’s little sister.
I sigh, giving into the inevitable. Unless I lock myself in a closet while we’re at the cabin, I won’t be able to avoid her. Noelle doesn’t deserve to be trapped with me while I try to ignore her, pretending I don’t feel things I shouldn’t. “The problem isn’t that I don’t like you, Noelle.”
She picks up a little owl, a merry red scarf around its neck, and hugs it to her chest. “Well, that’s news to me. You always act like you hate me. I know you think I’m annoying.”
“I don’t think you’re annoying.”
“You’re just saying that to get me to come with you.”
“I do want to get out of here, but you need some things.” I can’t bring myself to pluck the owl out of her arms. I already feel like I’ve kicked a fairy, knocking the sparkle off her wings. If she wants the damn owl, I’ll buy it.
“I bet you have a running list in your head about what I need. Everyone always knows better than me about what I need.”
I tilt my head, studying her. “We don’t have a lot of time, and you do need a snowsuit, but I’m not trying to torture you either.” Nope, it’s just me out here on the side of the mountain, in agony, only instead of my liver being plucked from my body, it’s an assault of Christmas music and guilt.
I check my watch. Madeleine called with the disturbing news that ‘Tom’ was gone by the time campus security and the police got their heads out of their asses, but no one has been able to track him. I’m confident he wasn’t able to follow us, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t get a good look at the vehicle I’m driving.
I thought this would be a simple enough favor: pick-up Noelle, keep her occupied for a few days until Henry is back in town, and then have a come-to-Jesus conversation with my best friend for keeping me in the dark about whatever the hell is going on.
Henry Black might have one of the best security agencies at his beck and call but only if they’re aware of all the threats that are out there. And someone should have flagged any issues directly with me before now.
The sooner I get to my cabin, the sooner I can take stock of the situation and figure out what is needed. Tom’s disappearance solidifies my hunch that he wasn’t just some random thug and that makes my blood freeze in my veins.
“Okay, you can get whatever you want, but you have exactly one hour before we’re going to be back in that car, driving. And you stay with me, got it?”
Her lips flatten into a tight line, but she nods. “You can push the cart.”
I grab a cart and Noelle immediately deposits a dancing penguin. “Hey, we just need the essentials.” Plus we’re already getting that owl she’s hugging.
She stops me from taking it out. “You said I can get whatever I want.”
“I meant…”
“If you want me to go along with this kidnapping…” I raise my eyebrows as an elderly woman in a bright pink ski jacket turns and gives me a sharp once over.
Noelle flips open my jacket and gestures to her outfit. “We’re into role-play, right Daddy?” She smiles and winks at the woman who quickly pushes her cart out of the aisle.
Heat creeps up my neck. The easiest way to get out of here, without calling attention to us, is just to let her have her way. But I don’t want her to know she has the upper hand.
I step in front of her, pulling my jacket closed and tug her towards me. She tips her head up, a startled expression on her face. “If I’m your ‘Daddy’, then I’m pretty sure you have to do what I say, right, baby?”
A blush stains her cheeks, but she doesn’t pull away from me. “Maybe I’m more of a brat,” she replies.
I’ve no doubt if this were real, she’d be brattiest little princess out there, but I’m not about to let her win this round. I slide my arms around her and tangle my fingers in the ends of her silky hair, gently forcing her chin higher. “A brat who disobeys risks getting spanked.” Her beautiful lips fall open in disbelief. “Don’t push me, Noelle.”
“I’ve been trying to push you my whole life,” she whispers.
Heat floods me. “You’re too young to even know what that means.” I release her, reluctantly. She reaches for a silver tinsel garland, throwing it in the cart and adds a pillow with a picture of one of those bearded garden elves that says ‘Gnome for the Holidays’. I shudder, thinking of my clean, streamlined cabin.
Noelle tosses her hair over her shoulder and makes her way through the Christmas stuff, finally picking out some clothing and necessities. At the checkout, I shake my head as the cashier scans our alarmingly large cart.
Imagine if I’d given Noelle even more time.
There’s a pink and black snowsuit, flannel pajamas, little scraps of lace and satin that I shouldn’t be interested in and a few books. There are red and green colored cookies, marshmallows, more Christmas chocolate than anyone could possibly eat and those red and white swirled peppermints. Hot chocolate, chocolate-covered pretzels, popcorn, and red licorice sticks. My stomach is turning just looking at all that sugar.
“I have food at the cabin,” I mutter.
Noelle rolls her eyes and pokes me in the stomach. “All super healthy, I’m sure.” She snags the licorice before it disappears into a bag, opening it and bites the end off one of the twisted sticks with relish. “I bet you’ve never given in to temptation, even once.”
As I watch her beautiful lips move around her candy treat, I bite my tongue to stop myself from telling her that she’s the biggest temptation I’ve ever faced and I’m seriously thinking about breaking all the rules with her.