When his voice came again, low and rough, it nearly undid me. “Cole?”
I swallowed. “Yeah?”
“Don’t go borrowing from tomorrow, little menace” he said softly. “Just… stay here with me a little longer.”
When he said it, I wanted to say yes without thinking. I wanted to stay in that moment — soft, warm, almost real. But my heart was beating so hard it felt like it needed something lighter, somethingmine.
“I’ll be right back,” I told him, voice quieter than I meant.
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing like he wanted to ask where I was going, but didn’t. He just nodded once and watched me leave.
The little duffel bag I’d thrown together before the trip was still sitting by the fireplace. I knelt beside it, unzipping it slowly, almost embarrassed by my own impulse.
The stupid thing had almost been a joke — the red lace set I’d bought last week when I thought I’d be spending Christmas alone, trying to remember what it felt like to want to bemyselfagain. Glittering red, soft white trim. Ridiculously cliche and corny.
Something I could wear forme, even if no one ever saw it.
But now…
Now there was aSilasin the picture.
The reflection in the foggy bathroom mirror made me laugh under my breath — my hair a mess, cheeks flushed as I snapped the final clasp into place.
I stood there, barely covered, wrapped in gaudy red lace and a cardigan he’d lent me that hung loosely off my shoulders.
The two pieces left little to the imagination. The bottoms were skirt adjacent, but really… it was just a pair of bright red panties with white faux-fur ruffles on the ass.
The top was no better. A big red bow held my breasts in place, like a goddamn present, the same white fur decorating the ends of the bow. Itbarelystretched across my nipples, and was working miracles.
I didn’t plan onshowing off. Not really.
But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see his eyes when he saw me.
When I stepped out of the bathroom, he was still by the fire, shirtless, rubbing at his hair with a towel. He looked up at the sound of my bare feet on the wood floor, and the moment his eyes landed on me, the towel stilled.
I could feel my pulse in my throat.
“It’s Christmas Eve,” I said softly, almost sheepish. “I figured I should dress for the occasion.”
He didn’t say a word at first. Just breathed in, sharp and quiet, like he was steadying himself.
Then—
“Colette.” Just my name.
Rough around the edges.
A prayer and a warning all at once.
CHAPTER 29
Silas
For a second Ithought the fire had stolen my breath.
Then I realized it was just her.
I was a fucking goner.
