“I promise I won’t let that happen.”
“It’s not your job to protect me. And I can’t have a bodyguard forever.”
“Why not, I do. Fuck, I’ll pay Jarrid myself if I have to.”
I let out a strangled sob. “You don’t have to do that.”
“But I would, Princess. For you, I would.”
“You’re a good guy, Charlie Wyatt.”
“Just don’t tell anyone. Now, how about we head upstairs and watch the waves for a few hours?”
“Will you hold me? I know I’m being ridiculously clingy right now.”
“You’re adorable.”
Charlie
“I could stay up here forever.” Fern lay on the window seat, staring out at the sunset.
“We could if this place had heat. It’s Baltic and I’m not spending New Year’s Eve freezing to death.”
She rolled over, pressing the top of her cold nose against my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. “What shall we do for New Year?”
We’d spent the afternoon curled up, looking out over the world, talking. Fern had been so upset about that fucking tool, but over the day she’d relaxed, her body softening, the frown lines vanishing from her forehead and her tears drying.
I sat up, excited. “Ooo, Ooo, I have an idea. You wanna help or you want a surprise?”
Narrowing her eyes, she looked at me suspiciously. “I think I’ll help. I don’t deal well with surprises, and you look far too excited to be left alone. Who knows what trouble you’ll get into?”
“Come on then.” I dragged her from the blankets.
“Not yet. We’ve got hours.”
“Now, Princess. We have a lot to organize.”
I stood, admiring the structure I’d built. Blankets hung in a large tent over the mattress I’d dragged from the bed. I’d strung fairy lights and placed lanterns around the room. I’d banned Fern from helping when she started questioning the structural integrity of my blanket fort and she’d gone back upstairs to watch the waves.
“Hey,” she murmured as she walked into the living room after I’d called her down, looking around wide eyed. “What did you do?” A giggle fell from her lips. She stood in front of me, dressed in my hoodie that just skimmed her ass, with black over the knee socks on and her hair plaited into two long braids that hung over each shoulder.
“God, you are like a walking wet dream,” I groaned, my eyes scanning over every inch of her.
She laughed again, walking toward me and placing her hand on my chest. “I won’t tell you that I’m not wearing anything under this hoodie then, because I don’t want to push you over the edge. Now, what’s our plan for the evening?”
“I thought we’d watch a film in our blanket fort and eat ice cream for dinner.”
Fern squealed. “I love ice cream. I was never allowed it as a kid. Men don’t like fat wives.” She rolled her eyes.
“Get in the fort, Princess.”
“Is this even safe?” she questioned as she shuffled in, disappointing me when she didn’t give me a view of her fine, naked ass. “I’ve never been in a blanket fort,” she sighed, lying back. “Oh my God, Charlie, it’s huge.”
I wiggled my eyebrows, trying not to make a joke about the size of my cock as I crawled in after her. “Have you ever watchedA Muppet’s Christmas Carol?”
She leaned up on her elbows, shaking her head.
“Well, let’s watch that and then I’ll help you have a New Year to remember.”
