Page 59 of Wintertime Love (Holiday 2)

It’s like he’s ripped me open and peeked into my innermost darkest thoughts.

I take a shuddering breath and confess, reluctantly, “Because I think you can.”

The joy on his face is so fierce, lighting up his already handsome features into something wildly breathtaking, and he presses himself closer to me as if he wants to sink into my body. His words are a harsh whisper as he breathes, “I think you’re very capable of hurting me, too, Clara.”

I shake my head, adamantly, unable to bear the thought. “I wouldn’t.”

He smiles and wears a weary look that is so far from the man I know. “But you could if you ever chose to. To think that I was felled by a sharp tongued, small town, little barista.”

Business owner.

The rectification is on the tip of my tongue but nothing comes out.

There is no condemnation in his tone, just bewilderment and amusement. “Say Clara?” He watches me intensely. “Did you really not cast a love spell on me? It’s not possible to love somebody so desperately like I do you.”

His words pierce through my brain and a shaky smile covers my lips. “Why would I cast a love spell on you when I could just turn you into a frog?”

“But then you’d have to kiss me to turn me back?” His smile is teasing and yet his eyes are burning with a scorching passion that has me reeling.

“You’re no prince,” I manage to get out and helpless before him, my arms entwine around his neck as I pull him down to meet my mouth. “But kissing you isn’t exactly a hardship.”

Finn smiles against my lips as he takes over the kiss.

As has become the usual, I’m left in his merciless hands to do with as he sees fit.

Chapter 11

There’s an odd sort of happiness in my heart every day when I wake up, encircled in the strong arms of the man who is directly responsible for it. Watching his sleeping face, it’s always so baffling how his relaxed features don’t betray the devilish countenance that lurks underneath.

Finn?

??s a light sleeper.

The second I move, he’s awake and dragging me back into bed despite my protests.

My aunts are thrilled. They don’t even try to hide it. As Aunt Vee explains it, ‘it’s high time I think about getting myself a proper man.’

The fact that Finn’s purchased Hamilton Point can’t be contained any longer when someone spies him walking into the house. The entire town is abuzz and Nick storms in once or twice, complaining that my ‘boyfriend’ is a tyrant who thinks he doesn’t have his own life to live.

“What do you want me to do about it?” I shrug, serving him a coffee as Lucia sits next to him, consoling him.

“Why is he in such a hurry to get the place ready by Christmas?” Nick laments.

I brew another pot of coffee and glance in the oven to check the status of the bread I’ve been working on. “I don’t know, Nick. Why don’t you ask Finn?”

“Ask Finn what?” A familiar voice rises from behind me.

My lips twitch before I maintain a nonchalant expression and turn around to pour a cup of coffee for my ‘boyfriend’. “Apparently, you’re working Nick to the bone,” I inform him. “He wants to know why you’re in such a hurry to get the place completed.”

Finn hasn’t really shared a lot with me as well, evading my questions with hot kisses that distract me. I’m starting to get an understanding that no matter how open and charming he is, Finn likes to keep his secrets and no force on earth can get him to reveal anything he isn’t ready to.

Although it’s a lot of fun trying to convince him otherwise.

“I want to move in by the New Year.” Finn sips his coffee, calmly.

I blink at that, utterly shocked. “W-What about your businesses in WestHallor and—”

“I can travel,” he cuts me off. “Besides, I’m planning something here as well and that will take up a considerable amount of time.”

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