Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 18010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 90(@200wpm)___ 72(@250wpm)___ 60(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 90(@200wpm)___ 72(@250wpm)___ 60(@300wpm)
Then I hear Santa ask the boy what he wants for Christmas. The deep timbre of his voice has me sucking in a breath. That is definitely not West.
He raises his gaze to me, and those glacier blue eyes have me rooted to the spot. Rogue is Santa Claus. Since I’m frozen in time, he gestures for the stocking, and I finally remember to slip into character.
The rest of the evening goes by quickly, but even with all of the activity, Rogue’s gaze never leaves me. I can feel it on my skin, burning me like a brand. Why is he here? Is this why he was so angry yesterday? That doesn’t make any sense at all. He seems to be enjoying himself, and he’s in a jovial mood. In fact, this might be the happiest I’ve ever seen him.
“Come here. There’s someone I want you to meet,” Marsha says and links our arms together before I can refuse. Her cheeks are flushed, and she’s smiling broadly. She pulls me over to a man who must be in his late twenties. His suit is tailored, and his hair is perfectly coiffed. When he smiles, his teeth are straight from a toothpaste ad.
She gestures around the opulent room. “This is Charles, the hospital’s biggest donator. He makes events like this possible. And this is Susie. She’s Santa’s helper this year.”
“She gives me far too much credit.” Charles holds out his hand to me. “I’m just the man who writes the check. Marsha is the true magic here.”
Her cheeks go pink at the compliment.
I accept his hand and give it a quick shake. It’s smooth and soft, not at all what Rogue’s hands are like. No, his are calloused from years of hard work. I murmur something about how nice it is to meet him, but Charles isn’t paying me any attention. His focus is on Marsha and seeing the affection in his gaze makes my chest hurt. Will Rogue ever look at me that way? Will he ever want me with the ravenous hunger that Charles has for Marsha?
Glancing around the room, I finally realize how many people here are coupled. I’m alone, and for the first time in a long time, I feel it. I excuse myself from the conversation and thread my way through the crowd.
The moment I’m outside in the hospital courtyard, I’m collapsing onto the stone water fountain. It’s been turned off for the season. The spout has been replaced with a large Christmas tree that’s lit up and decorated with names of the doctors and staff at the hospital. I look up at the large star on top of the tree. “I know it’s the season of miracles and all. Maybe I could have a family of my own.”
4
ROGUE
Why is he touching her? Why is that pretty boy with shiny teeth touching my girl’s hand? I grind my molars together, unable to fight against the rage building inside of me. She’s mine.
“Are you listening, Dad? They’re saying it’s the worst blizzard here in fifty years,” Mackenzie tells me.
I press the phone to my ear and try to focus on the conversation with my daughter. She’s on a vacation with Ace, my best friend. At first, I wasn’t crazy about the two of them getting together. I’m still not. But after seeing Susie walking down the aisle in her bridesmaid dress at their wedding, some twisted part of me understood. When she’s your girl, she’s your girl.
I’ve spent months trying to fight the attraction, doing everything I can to cage it. But that’s not working. I only grow more frustrated, more restless with each passing day without her in my arms.
Tonight was pure torture. She’d barely look me in the eye, but every time she thought I wasn’t paying attention, she’d study me from beneath those long lashes. When her hand accidentally brushed mine during the stocking exchange, the cutest blush lit up her face. That adorable look was all it took for me to decide that I’m claiming her tonight.
“Don’t worry,” Mackenzie reassures me in a chipper tone. “I’m still looking for a way to get home for Christmas.”
Fuck, that’s what my daughter is concerned about? She’s worried that I’ll be sad on this holiday. She doesn’t know enough about my history to understand the holidays will always be a bittersweet time of year for me. “Stop worrying about your old man. I’ll be fine.”
I watch as Susie threads through the crowd, a desperate look on her face. She’s heading for the exit. The courtyard exit where she’ll be alone. It’d be the perfect opportunity. I can scoop her cute little ass up and have her on the back of my bike before anyone even realizes she’s missing. The idea fills me with way too much pleasure.