She disappears into the crowd, and I turn to Olivia.“Why’re you proud of her?”
“No reason.”But she’s smiling, that secret little smile that tells me it’s definitely something.“Come on, we need to tie the tinsel.”
We find a spot near the starting line, away from the thickest part of the crowd.I kneel down, wrapping the silver strand around her left ankle and my right.The material is delicate, but I can handle it.My fingers work carefully, ensuring the knot is secure without putting strain on the fragile material.
“That feel okay?”I glance up at her.
“Perfect.You’ve done this before?”
“I have experience with delicate threads.Knots that need to hold without breaking what they’re tied to.”I look up at her and let my smile turn sly.“I’m more than happy to give you a private demonstration later.”
Her face flushes a brilliant red as realization dawns, and I have to bite back a laugh at how quickly her mind went exactly where I intended.“Perv,” she mutters, and I chuckle.
I’m focused on tying the final knot, testing the tension carefully, when a shadow falls over us.
“Olivia?”
The voice is familiar.Unwelcome.
Chase.
Olivia tenses beside me, her hand gripping my shoulder as I straighten slowly.Chase is standing three feet away, Amber clinging to his arm like she’s afraid he’ll bolt.They’re both wearing matching pink sweaters with enormous pale blue snowflakes, managing somehow to be even more garish than our intentionally ugly ones.
Chase’s face is flushed—whether from the cold or anger, I can’t tell.His pale blue eyes fix on Olivia with an intensity that makes my jaw clench.
“What the hell are you doing here?”His voice is tight, controlled, but there’s an edge to it.Then his gaze cuts to me, and his expression hardens.“With him?”
Olivia crosses her arms over her chest.“I didn’t know I needed your permission to participate in a town race.”
“This was our thing, Olivia.”Chase takes a step closer, and I move instinctively, positioning myself between them.He doesn’t seem to notice.
I give him a cool look.“Isn’t that a little hypocritical coming from you?”I glance at Amber and then back at him.
Chase gnashes his teeth.“This has nothing to do with you.”He looks at Olivia, an idea dawning on him.“You’re doing this to make me jealous, aren’t you?You picked a fight with Amber yesterday, and now you’re trying to get my attention?”His voice is smug, and even Amber is smiling now.
She immediately begins, “Olivia, you really need to move on.This is not fair to Alexander.Using him to make Chase jeal?—”
“You guys live in some other reality, don’t you?”Olivia cuts in, her voice amused.“Do you really think Chase is the only man in my universe, Amber?”She pushes past me and stands in front of them now.“I told you before, Chase, I’m glad you cheated on me.I get to be with someone who treats me like I’m the most important person in his life.My family adores Alexander.And I love him.You are nothing to me.I had hoped we could be civil, Chase, but you and Amber seem to be trying to prove some point that doesn’t exist.”
Chase stiffens.“You?—”
“Ten years doesn’t make you special, Chase.I’ve been far happier with Alexander in the short time we’ve been together than the ten years with you.”Her eyes swivel towards Amber.“As for you, you can have Chase.Although I don’t know what you’re crowing about.A man who cheats once is bound to do it again.You want to be with a cheater, that’s your choice.But don’t act like he’s some prize—because he’s not.Also, a man who can send his side piece a voicemail mocking his girlfriend can do the same to you.I hope you remember that.”
Amber’s eyes glitter with anger, and her voice rises slightly, drawing attention from nearby couples.“Chase cheated on you because you couldn’t put out properly!A man needs a woman around?—”
“So?”Olivia raises her brows.I’ve never felt more attracted to this woman.“He should have broken up with me like a man.Honestly, it’s really tiresome to have you two intrude in my and Alexander’s time together.Let’s go, Alexander.”
She turns around, but Chase’s hand shoots out, grabbing her upper arm.“How can you say?—?”
I move before I can think.My hand closes around his wrist—firm, controlled, but with enough pressure that his eyes widen.“Get your hand off my woman.”The words come out low, dangerous.Every eye in our immediate vicinity turns toward us, the festive atmosphere around us dimming into tension.
“Let go of me,” Chase hisses, trying to pull his arm back.But I don’t release him.Not yet.
“Let go of her first.”
For a moment, we’re locked in a standoff.Then Chase releases Olivia’s arm, and I let go of his wrist.I pull Olivia against my chest immediately, my arm wrapping firmly around her waist, positioning her slightly behind me.She doesn’t resist, her hands coming up to grip my sweater.
In the movement, her scarf slips.The hickeys I left on her neck yesterday are exposed—dark marks against her pale skin, unmistakable evidence of exactly how thoroughly she’s mine.
