She nods.
I lean in and kiss her, my lips dusting over hers. “I’ll call you baby whenever you want to hear it.”
She sighs contentedly, and I wrap an arm around her, pulling her into me and lying down. I hold her in my arms, trying to understand how I managed to get so lucky. Annalise was so understanding when I thought she’d be upset or mad. I didn’t reach out to her before the sale to talk to her about it. I know we weren’t on speaking terms, but I felt so guilty about it. Hersimple statement ofYou’re not the one who was obligated to tell mewas everything. It took such a weight off my shoulders.
I run the back of my hand gently over the back of her arm as I settle with the thought that on Christmas morning, I’m holding Annalise Reid in my arms as we lie in bed. Nothing in the world could beat this.
TWENTY-TWO
ANNALISE
Inever in a million years thought Sebastian’s Christmas present would be the title to the cabin. I’m still trying to wrap my head around that reality. Not only did he buy the cabin, but he used a company named after a stuffed animal he gave me for my sixteenth birthday. If I ever doubted that Sebastian has thought about me over the last eight years, that alone proves it to me.
The small little gift I got him in town could never compare to the magnitude of what he gave me. I have no idea how I’ll ever repay him.
Feeling the need for a shower, I slip out of bed, feeling Sebastian hot on my heels as I turn on the shower. I look at him over my shoulder, and he grins.
“There’s no way in hell I’m missing the chance to shower with you,” he says.
I shake my head and smile.
The shower quickly turns from getting clean to Sebastian’s hands roaming my body and me pressed against the wall as he fucks me until I’m calling his name over and over. We eventually clean up, heading downstairs for breakfast before we venture out for a walk and photo session. I snap a few candids of Sebastianwhen he’s not paying attention, capturing the way he stares at the surrounding nature.
After a while, Sebastian slips my camera off my neck and onto his. He juts his chin out, indicating for me to keep walking. I raise a brow, not moving.
“You’re always the one behind the camera, capturing all the beauty around you. Let someone capture the beauty that is you in a place you love so much.”
I’ve never enjoyed being the subject of photos. I’ve always picked apart pieces of myself I don’t like, and not in an “I don’t think I’m pretty” way, but in the way that I’ll somehow manage to find the start of a zit, or my hair will be parted in a way I don’t like, or my eyes are squinted closed. Sebastian doesn’t waiver, though. My shoulders slump, and I take a few steps away.
He shakes his head. “Nope. You’re gonna have fun. Look at everything around you, none of this pouting shit.”
I stick my tongue out at him and immediately hear the click of the camera. He’s holding it at waist level and not even looking to see if he got a good picture. I take a step forward to check it, but he pulls it out of my reach. I spin and start walking, doing my best to relax and see if I can find any chickadees in the trees nearby. I spot a couple a few trees away, a smile growing on my face, and I go to point for Sebastian, but the camera remains focused on me.
He’s grinning as he takes my picture, moving to find better angles, tripping in the snow. I laugh, and the click of the camera turns rapid.
When I’ve finally gathered myself, Sebastian says, “You’ve always looked beautiful when you laugh.” His words sound reverent, like he feels blessed to get to witness it. We keep walking. I relish the feeling of the cool winter air and the way small snowflakes start to fall. I find myself near a thick patch oftrees facing a small little meadow that’s now covered in snow. I lean against the tree, contentment washing over me.
Sebastian joins me, leaning against the side of the tree.
“Tell me it’s real,” I say.
“That what’s real?”
I sigh. “This feeling. Us.”
He pushes off the tree and rounds to stand in front of me. One hand finds the tree just beside my head while he leans in, his warm breath skating over my lips he’s so close.
“This is as real as it gets, baby. You and me will still be you and me when we leave here. The only difference is we’ll have to split time between our places, but don’t for a second think I’m going from having you all the time”—his free hand slowly trails up the outside of my leg—“being able to touch you when I want.” His lips trace my jaw as he whispers, “To kiss you when I want.”
I arch into him, wanting to be closer, needing to truly feel his touch.
He steps back, dousing me in cold water.
“To keeping my distance and not showing you exactly how much I want you, then you’re smoking something you should really stop.”
I stare at him, open-mouthed.
“You don’t want me all the way over here when you’ve felt me that close, do you? You want my hands on you again. You want me to tell you just how much I want you.”
