Page 54 of Wintertime Heat (Holiday 1)

He didn’t seem that reserved, I think to myself later on, as I walk toward the kitchen.

But, maybe, by ‘reserved’, Jarvis meant that he held on to his secrets and didn’t share anything about his life.

As Aaron rushes out of the kitchen with a small airplane in his hand, he throws his arms around me before buzzing off again, making small noises. I stare after him, my smile fading.

I know nothing about Aaron’s mother or Steven’s past.

The man was a complete mystery to me.

Chapter 16

Steven insisted on driving me home in spite of my protests, and that is how at the end of the argument, I find both him and Aaron accompanying me to my apartment.

“If you are greeted by a mess, just know that it’s your own fault. And that I told you not to come.” I warn them.

Steven just grasps my hand and entwining his fingers in mine, raises it to kiss my knuckles, promising in a sober tone, “I’ll pretend I saw nothing.”

Aaron stuck his head in-between our heads, and asks, “Do you live in a big house, Abby?”

I laugh, and force his head back with my hand, “Seatbelt, Aaron. Or we go back.”

I hear the tell-tale click of the belt and glance over my shoulder at him, “It’s much smaller than your house.”

The child crosses his arms across his chest, “But why do you have to go back? I thought you were going to spend Christmas with us?”

I grin at his pouting face, “And I will. But I need to take care of some things. And there are still two weeks for Christmas.”

“What do you have to do?”

I wink at him, “I have to do my Christmas shopping. Maybe check out the Christmas markets. They have very nice things.”

When his eyes lit up, I touch the tip of my tongue to the roof of my mouth, instantly regretting my words, and knowing what he was about to say.

I mouth a ‘sorry’ to Steven who just rolls his eyes, in what I could only call amused exasperation.

“Can I come?”

“Ah,” I stare at Steven, waiting to see what he has to say.

“Sure,” Steven replies, easily. “But why don’t we go to the Christmas markets together, in the evening, once I’m back from the office?”

But Aaron was his son, and he pipes up, “Okay, then you can join Abby and me after we go shopping.”

Steven gives his son a look from the rear-view mirror, and I just glance out of the window, not wanting to get dragged into this.

Of course, Steven wouldn’t want Aaron out in the public without being able to look after him. I could understand his dilemma.

It wasn’t safe.

However, I hear him say, “You can go with Abby, but you two can’t go alone. I’ll send someone from my security team.”

I open my mouth to say that having someone follow us around would be weird, when I see the wide excitement on Aaron’s face and I bite my tongue.

I see Steven glance at me, and I return it with a smile, “It’s fine with me. Whatever puts your mind at ease.”

I looked back at Aaron, “We’re going to have fun, won’t we?”

“Yeah!” Aaron throws his fist in the air, unable to contain his excitement, and as I sit back straight, I see that strange gleam in Steven’s eyes again, the one I could never decipher.

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