Damn, this dog is more of a Grinch than I am.
He slinks away into the bedroom just as Ruby appears. I haven’t been gone long, but my heart still jumps at the sight ofher. She looks so fucking adorable in her festive sweater, her blue jeans hugging those deliciously thick thighs.
Fuck, what I wouldn’t give to be between them.
Unwrapping those curves like a Christmas present.
I try to shake off the thoughts, hauling the tree across the living room. Ruby’s eyes widen as she watches me.
“Ivan, is that…is that a Christmas tree?”
I nod. “Douglas Fir. Should be a tree stand in one of those boxes.”
Ruby nods slowly, still looking bemused. “I think I saw one.”
She roots around beneath all the tinsel, handing me a stand. I set it up in the corner, slotting the fir’s narrow trunk inside and clamping it into place. It’s tall for a Christmas tree, over eight feet, but my cabin has high ceilings.
“What do you think?” I ask, turning to Ruby.
She looks at the tree, then at me, then back at the tree. For a few moments, she doesn’t speak. Her mouth opens and closes like a fish, as if the words are caught in her throat.
“Ivan…did you just go out…in the middle of a snowstorm…to cut down a Christmas tree for me?”
I can’t make out her tone. Can’t tell if she’s mad, confused, or just thinks I’m a fucking moron.
“Yes. I did. Figured it would make you smile.”
Ruby blinks. Then she crosses the room, stopping in front of me. My pulse jumps at the closeness, the way she tips that pretty face back so she can meet my gaze. Something glitters in her hair—a stray wisp of tinsel. I reach out to remove it, my fingers brushing her silky red locks.
“Thank you so much…for everything,” she says, her voice so quiet it’s almost a whisper. “The tree is perfect.” Then she rises on her tiptoes. I think she’s aiming for my cheek, but she only reaches my jaw, her soft kiss landing on my beard.
She starts to pull back, and a flash of defiance bolts through me.
You’re not going anywhere, princess.
I grip Ruby’s waist and pull her tight against me. Her lips part in surprise but she doesn’t struggle. She melts against me, sucking in a sharp breath, and the room stills as we stare at each other. Our faces inch closer, so close I could count every one of her adorable freckles.
Fuck.
My restraint is seconds from snapping. I’ve been trying to control myself ever since I laid eyes on this girl, telling myself she’s too young for me. Hell, she is. Nothing has changed—this girl is still half my age. Still leaving soon. And definitely still too sweet for this old Grinch.
But I can’t resist anymore.
Can’t fucking bear one more second without touching her.
“I need to kiss you, Candy Cane…” My voice is a growl of need, all my pent-up desires ready to spill over. “But first, I need to know you want it. Need to hear you say it.”
Her breath quickens. She wets her bottom lip, blinking at me with those big doe eyes. Then she speaks, her words quiet but sure.
“I want it, Ivan.”
That’s all it takes for me to unravel. I crush my mouth to hers, and the world explodes behind my eyes. Ruby shivers against me as I suck on her bottom lip, nipping at the plump pink flesh. My mouth opens against hers, teeth clashing. I try to stay in control, but my movements are urgent. Bruising. I grab wildly at Ruby, pulling her back toward the fireplace.
“Fuck, you have no idea,” I groan against her lips, “how crazy you make me.”
I pin her to the floor, the warmth of the fire lapping at us as I ease myself on top of her. She feels so fucking soft beneathme, and my cock swells with red-hot blood. I’m losing control. Moving wildly, desperately, I pepper kisses along her silky neck, running my tongue up the column of her throat. Tasting her skin. Breathing her in.
I capture her lips in another kiss and part them with my tongue, invading her hot little mouth. She tastes like hot chocolate and something else—a sweet musk that’s all her. I can’t get enough. She’s turning me feral, and when her tongue brushes mine, my heart thumps so hard it feels like my ribs will crack open.
