Page 59 of Winter Wishlist
“How could I forget? Here I was staring at a pretty waterfall, a wonder of nature, thinking how good a kisser this sexy cowboy is… the next minute you whipped out this gargantuan knife from your saddle, and I wasn’t sure if I was about to be gutted like a fish.”
I tip my head back, laughing at the image.
Henri joins me, chuckling in a rich velvety tone. “I mean, I’ve been tackled by damn near three-hundred-pound forwards on the rugby pitch, but the sight of this huge man flourishing a blade was a little terrifying, when really, all I wanted was to take him home and politely ask if I could put his cock in my mouth.”
“Peak romance,” Reid says dryly, but I don’t miss the glint in his amber eyes.
“Let’s go see if it’s still there.” Henri once again pulls me by the hand, sending my heartbeat skyrocketing.
This feels… like I’m intruding on their lives, their relationship, a part of their love story that should be only for them?
We reach the huge pine, coated in heavily laden snow. Henri crouches down and uses both hands to brush away the powder until the sun-bleached bark is revealed. And there, right at theplace where the tree trunk faces such a beautiful frozen cascade of water, sure enough, there are two small U-shaped carvings, interlinked.
Two horseshoes.
“This looks almost like new, baby.” Henri tips his chin to meet Reid’s steady gaze.
He clears his throat. “I give it a little freshening up at the end of fall every year, before the snow comes.”
Warmth glows inside my chest, and heat pricks the backs of my eyes. These two men are so wonderful, so gentle and kind. They share the exact kind of love a person like me can only ever hope to discover in a lifetime.
No matter what happens after I leave here tomorrow, I feel lucky to have witnessed such tenderness and care up close.
Henri brushes his thumb over the carving, then looks back at the two of us. “I think we need to seal this stupidly cheesy tourist moment with a photo for our girl.” His strong throat dips, words a little raspier than before.
As he stands up and pulls me against his chest, I’m blinking rapidly. Sunlight dances and sparkles on the ice and snow all around us, like we’re surrounded by a cascade of golden crystals. Reid wraps a strong arm across my front, dragging me against his warmth, too. With one long arm, Henri holds out his phone to capture the moment. Three of us entwined.
Just as he takes the photo, he turns his head to kiss Reid’s stubbled cheek.
Have I ever felt this lightweight? This free? The sight of their love seeps through me, just as easily as the heat from their bodies. And I don’t know how to thank the two of them enough for actually making this bearable.
Something tells me that I might just survive this after all. I only have one more night in this tiny mountain town. Only a meagre few hours left of potential run-ins with my ex.
Except that’s also the worst thing about it all. Because, come tomorrow, my time with the two men who have stolen my heart will be over, too.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ford:
Merry Christmas, motherfuckers.
Boone:
Can’t help but notice you didn’t send me champagne and ribeye to make up for the fact I’m stuck in this shitty hotel.
I feel abandoned in my hour of need.
Ford:
Cry into your pillow. I know you ain’t suffering.
That hotel I helped book you into is fancy as fuck. Consider yourself lucky there were any rooms left.
Landon Junior:
Don’t bitch at me about being stuck in shitty hotels. You know I win that buckle.
Boone:
