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For a long, tense moment, silence stretched out between them. He knew what she expected. She was about to be disappointed.
“I’m not going to apologize for kissing you, Clarissa.”
“As I said, a self-righteous asshole.”
“No, just a man who knows what he wants.” He smiled at her with confidence oozing from him. “The sooner you realize we are meant to be together, the quicker we can start our journey together.”
“You are truly demented. In case you so quickly forgot, I’m a fashion photographer. I do advertising, editorial fashion, and portraiture, which I’m in demand for by Vogue, New York Times Magazine, Mode Lifestyle, Vanity Fair, as well as Elektra, Sony, and Virgin Records. I have no intention of living in this small mountain town ever again.”
“You have to call somewhere home, Clarissa. We both know you don’t have to live in Florida, California, New York, or Italy to do the work you do. That’s where the demand is, I understand that, but all it takes to get there is a flight. So, I’m afraid you’ll have to come up with a better excuse than that.”
“It’s not an excuse, but since you insist, here is the undeniable fact—I’m not interested. Period.”
“I guess that means I’ll just have to work a little harder to change your mind.”
“Don’t bother. It’ll be a waste of your time. Granted, Mr. Butler, you are a very attractive man, but I’m not in the market for happily ever after. As a matter of fact, I’m a living example of a career woman with no interest in fairytales of love forever and a day, most definitely not with the creator of King Richard III’s gingerbread cookies.”
“You don’t like my cookies?” One eyebrow shot toward his hairline as he cast a quick look at her.
“Not yours, per se. I just hate any kind of gingerbread cookie. I find the taste revolting.”
“Well, be prepared, little one. I’m going to make you see the error of your thinking and convert you to a gingerbread cookie lover. All you need to do is take one bite.”
“Not in this lifetime, Mr. Butler.”
“Daddy.”
“Excuse me?” Her head whipped around to look at him wide-eyed.
“Unless you want a spanking with my palm heating your cute little ass, you will call me Daddy when we’re alone.”
“As in a d-dominant Daddy?”
“Exactly, my Babygirl.”
“Well, you just delivered the final blow, my dear man. On that, I take a permanent timeout. You and I will never be… least of all as my Gingerbread Daddy!”
“Never say never, little one.”
Chapter Four
Gateway Inn, Grand Lake, Grand County, Colorado…
“Oh, this is heaven,” Clarissa moaned as she lowered herself into the deep, clawfoot tub. The hot water enveloped her body like a soothing embrace.
She inhaled the soothing jasmine aroma rising from the mound of bubbles that floated on the water's surface. A contented sigh escaped her lips as the tension melted from her shoulders. This was her favorite part of visiting her sister Cathy—indulging in a long, luxurious bath in the charming, rustic bathroom of her hotel suite. The vintage tiles, with their subtle flower pattern and the rough-hewn wooden surfaces, exuded cozy charm. Plush towels and bathrobes waited on antique wooden racks.
Fiercely independent, Clarissa always stayed at the hotel inn when visiting her sister. A decision that constantly sparked a volatile debate with Cathy, but Clarissa cherished these quiet moments alone in the quaint, pampering bathroom. Here, she could retreat into perfect tranquility, away from her dramatic, overbearing, yet well-intended and lovable sister.
With a contented smile, she looked out of the foggy window to the snow-dusted mountains rising majestically in the distance. Their rugged peaks stood tall against the steel blue sky, tranquil and enduring. Below them, the still lake glimmered, its icy surface smooth and unbroken. A hush lay over the vast evergreen forest that spread as far as she could see.
Taking in the serene winter scene filled Clarissa with a profound sense of peace. The quiet beauty of nature seemed to mirror her inner calm bestowed by the warm bath. Out there was the cold and isolation of winter, but in here, she felt sheltered, relaxed, and blissful. All thoughts melted away as she soaked in the tranquility of the warm water. She exhaled, feeling her body sink even deeper into the tub’s embrace. For these precious moments, all was right with the world.
“Yeah, and here there is no rush, no demanding designers or fashion houses.” Clarissa loved her job. It offered her freedom, she got to travel a lot, and see the world, but of late, the constant pressure from all those demanding her work was getting to her. She needed these two weeks to unwind, forget about all the stress out there, and relax. “More than that, in this space, the damn Gingerbread Daddy Dom doesn’t exist.”
A sudden hard knock disrupted the quiet. Clarissa ignored it and luxuriated in the scent of the bubbles. She sighed as it sounded again. Whoever it was quickly becoming irritating.
“Go away,” she mumbled and promptly ignored whoever it was, adamant to relax and allow the warm water to calm her mind. “Oh, for God’s sake,” she mumbled as the knocking became more insistent. “Dammit! I’m coming,” she yelled as she wrapped a towel around her and marched toward the door, muttering incoherently.
