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I moved so it was no longer in my eyes, rolling over and disturbing Nicholas in the process.
“Mmph,” he groaned. “What’s wrong?”
“Sun in my eyes,” I muttered, turning into his body.
He moved his leg and wrapped his arms fully around me, pulling me right in against him. “Mm. What time is it?”
“I don’t know. I was being blinded.”
He chuckled into my hair. “Let me look.”
I moaned as he moved. He was so warm. I didn’t want him to move.
“Eight-thirty,” he said, tucking back under the covers with me. “Do you think anyone would notice if I sneaked out?”
“Everyone. Everyone would notice,” I replied.
“Shit. I thought so.” He stretched out and yawned. “I don’t suppose I’ll be able to get to the bathroom without being seen either, will I?”
“That door.” I yawned thanks to him. “That’s my bathroom.”
“En-suites?”
“Mom remodeled a couple years ago. Cut out a bedroom to make room for en-suites for us and a bigger closet for her.” I snuggled in further when he slipped his leg between mine. “You can use mine. Still won’t be able to leave quietly, though.”
“I figured as much.”
“Do you think Denny will get your boiler sorted?”
“I don’t,” he said into my hair. “I think it’s completely dead, so I’m going to have to go out today and get some electric heaters. Sleeping here reminded me how much nicer a bed is.”
“You can stay. You’re like a giant human hot water bottle.”
He chuckled. “You wanted to get away from me yesterday.”
“Yes, but since then, I’ve found out how useful you are to me. That’s on you.”
“Mm.” He rolled me onto my back and covered my body with his, kissing along my jaw. “That’s it? I’m just useful?”
“Mhm. You saved my ass in the grotto and personally, you were very useful last night.”
Nicholas ran his hands along my body. “Better than you wanting to kill me, I suppose.” He kissed down to my collarbone and slid down the bed, dropping kisses across my breasts and—
“Quinn! Are you awake?” Verity hammered on my bedroom door.
Nicholas pressed his face between my boobs and sighed.
“What do you want?” I shouted back.
“Can I come in?”
“Hell no.”
“Ugh.” She rattled the handle anyway.
Past Quinn was so smart to lock that.
“Mom wants help at the grocery store! I offered but she told me to look after Gramps instead!”
Oh, no.
Not the grocery store.
Not the grocery store three days before Christmas.
That was like climbing into the pits of Hell.
“Do I have to?” I whined as Nicholas muffled a laugh, moving so he was no longer playing with my body.
Hmph.
“Yes!” She knocked again. “Come on. Unless there’s a reason why you can’t get out of bed right now.”
Shit.
His truck wasn’t even here!
“Ugh, fine. Let me shower, and I’ll come down.”
“Don’t be long!”
I sighed and rolled my head to the side to look at Nicholas. “Well, that sucks.”
“Let me guess, the grocery store is one of the worst things about Christmas?”
“It is three days before Christmas! Have you ever gone shopping three days before Christmas?” I huffed and dragged myself out of the bed. “I’d rather—”
“Run naked through the town square in a Santa hat and nipple tassels?”
“Yes.” I pulled on my robe. “I’ll grab some towels. Hold on.”
I unlocked the door then shut it behind me, fetched the towels, then came back in. Nicholas was still lying in my bed, but he was on his phone now, and he’d plugged it into my charge cable.
The audacity.
“Oh, feel free to use my charger,” I said with a smile.
He grinned at me. “I was, thank you.”
I tossed a towel at his head. “Give me five minutes to shower then you can go in.”
“All right. I’m comfy here, anyway.”
“Oh, go away.” I grabbed my towels and headed into my bathroom. It was a fast, hot shower, but I managed to give myself a thorough wash, followed by brushing my teeth.
Less than ten minutes later, I walked back into my bedroom.
Nicholas hadn’t moved.
“What are you doing?”
“Browsing for space heaters,” he said slowly. “Do you know there are none in stock within a fifty-mile radius?”
I grimaced. “It’s minus three thousand degrees outside. I’m not surprised.”
He sighed and put his phone door, peering over at me. “Look at that. You’re in a towel again. All you need is a bra over your shoulder, and we’ll have really come full circle.”
“You’re hilarious,” I drawled, fighting a smile at the memory of him being in the house.
It was hard to believe that was only a little over a week ago.
How things had changed.
“Go shower. Then we can go downstairs to face the music together and, with any luck, you’ll go shopping with my mom instead of me.” I adjusted my towel.
“No.” He shook his head as he climbed out of bed. “I’m sorry. That’s not happening.” He walked over to me and kissed my cheek. “We’re not there yet.”
