We just stand there, caught between resistance and surrender, hearts racing, breaths colliding, until the only thing I know for sure is that he’s right. This is exactly what I wanted.
Slowly, I tilt my chin up to close the small distance between us. My heart pounds even harder as his breath brushes mine, my lips parting, ready to taste him. But the shrill sound of my phone shatters the moment, ricocheting through the hall.
I jolt, but Sterling doesn’t move. His grip is iron-tight as one hand still holds my wrists above my head, while the other slides down the curve of my back and down my ass with practiced ease, plucking my phone out of my back pocket.
He looks down at the name flashing on my screen, and his gaze darkens, jaw flexing as he looks from my phone back to me. I watch as he swipes to answer and raises it to his ear.
“Jeff,” he says, eyes locked on mine the whole time. “What can I do for you?”
His tone is controlled, but he can’t hide the annoyance from his expression as he listens for a beat.
“No, this isn’t Maisy. It’s Sterling.”
Another pause.
“Yeah, we live together.”
My stomach drops. It’s not technically a lie. Weareliving together for the next month in this chalet. But he and I bothknow that’s not how Jeff will take it. But if I’m being honest, do I really care how Jeff takes it?
“Sure. We’ll both be there tomorrow.” Without waiting for a reply, he ends the call and lowers the phone, taking his time sliding it back into my pocket as his fingers deliberately brush over the curve of my hip.
Once my phone is back in place, he finally releases my wrists and steps back just enough to let me breathe again.
“Your boyfriend invited us to the Winter Festival tomorrow night,” he says, voice maddeningly casual.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I say, too quickly.
“Mmm,” is all he says.
He slides his hands into his pant pockets and strolls back toward the living room, leaving me pressed against the wall, breathless and flushed. The blanket lies abandoned at my feet, but I can’t seem to move, not with the echo of his hands still burning through me.
ELEVEN
STERLING
Maisyand I weave through the crowd at the Bluewater Bluffs Winter Festival. The air is thick with the smell of roasted chestnuts, cinnamon, and pine trees. String lights are strung everywhere, glowing against the icy night, and a group of carolers are singing somewhere near the town square. It feels like we’re walking straight through a holiday movie set, and I hate to admit it, but I’ve kind of missed this.
When we were younger, it was a tradition for me, Levi, and Maisy to go to the Winter Festival together. We mostly went because Levi and Maisy’s parents wouldn’t let her go alone and I would tag along to put Levi out of his misery.
When Maisy and I started dating, I relieved Levi of the duty altogether, but I always found it boring. Until now.
When Jeff first waves us over to his group of friends, I expect Maisy to gravitate to his side and laugh at his stupid jokes the way she did at the dinner the other night. But instead, she gives him a polite smile, says hi, and stays by my side. I can’t hold back the smug grin when Jeff’s eyes land on mine.
The crowd grows thicker as we follow the group, and I open my arm for Maisy to take. She grabs ahold of my bicep and it’snot long before we stop to watch a violinist play on the street, Jeff’s group continuing on without us.
“Let’s go to that café,” Maisy says, pointing to a decorated coffee shop down the street.
Before I can answer, she pulls me down the cobbled street. I open the door for her, hearing the chime of a bell as we step in. Inside, the café is cozy, wooden beams crisscrossing along the ceiling, and a crackling fire surrounded by plush cushions.
Maisy releases my arms, rushing to the glass display near the counter. I’m not surprised when I find her staring at the platter of cranberry brie bites—her favourite.
“Welcome to Sunrise Café, would you like to try the brie bites?” a smiling redhead says from across the counter.
“I’d like them all please,” Maisy says.
I almost choke as I quickly count at least twenty brie bites on the platter, the redhead looking just as surprised. She doesn’t question it though as she gets to packing up all twenty of them.
“Would you like anything to drink?” she asks, as she rings up the brie bites.
