Cinderella's Christmas Secret - Sharon Kendrick Page 0,36

couldn’t miss the look of surprise which had darkened his features. Was he worried she was about to start planning some sort of future with him, just because they’d had amazing sex? Was he so arrogant as to imagine that a long night of love-making had turned her head?

And wasn’t he right to think that way when her heart was full of wonder at the beauty of what had happened? But Maximo would never know that. Not now and not ever—because if he did, it would destroy this fragile relationship of theirs.

‘Of course I do,’ she answered, her staunch words helping disguise the distracting flutter of her emotions. ‘We’ve already had the discussion. You don’t want to be involved with family life and I’m cool with that, for all the reasons I gave before. Nothing has changed. I enjoyed last night and I hope you did too—’

‘You know damned well I did,’ he growled.

‘Well, then.’ She raised her eyebrows. ‘What’s not to like? Has the snow melted? Because if so, I can be on my way and out of your hair.’

Jumping out of bed, she grabbed the nearest velvet throw—which just happened to be scarlet—and wrapped it around herself, before padding over to the window, aware of Maximo’s gaze burning into her, watching every move she made.

Part of her wondered if it had all been a dream and the snow nothing but a figment of her imagination. Hadn’t she feared that this morning she would look out onto the dull greys and browns of a midwinter garden? But the scene which greeted her was as frozen and as beautiful as it had been the day before. A completely impenetrable world of white. Deep down Hollie knew it would probably be best for everyone if she could make her escape, but she couldn’t help the sudden leap of her heart when she realised that wasn’t going to be possible. Who could blame her for wanting to eke out this sensual liaison for as long as possible? ‘Oh, dear.’

‘Oh, dear what?’

‘Bad news, I’m afraid. There’s no sign of any thaw and it looks like there might even have been a fresh fall during the night. The road out of here is blocked, all right.’ She turned back to face him, wondering what had caused his face to darken like that. ‘Looks like my departure is going to have to be delayed.’

‘You sound almost disappointed, Hollie. Are you so eager to get away?’

Hollie gave him the benefit of her brightest smile. Perhaps she was better at acting than she’d thought. Maybe her relationship with Maximo—if you could call it a relationship—was a bit like Christmas. There was all this amazing stuff on the surface, which made you feel fantastic at the time, but after a day or two it was all over, as if it had never happened.

And thinking of Christmas... Hollie sucked in a breath. Just because Maximo had set himself up as some kind of modern-day Scrooge, didn’t mean she had to copy him, did it? They might not have a tree, or fancy baubles, but wasn’t adaptable her middle name? She knew what the score was, which meant that she didn’t have to try to impress him. She could just be herself, which she knew from some of her girlfriends wasn’t always the case when you were with a man. Wasn’t that a liberation of sorts?

So she shot him another smile. ‘The only disappointment would be if we weren’t going to celebrate Christmas, but that’s not going to happen.’

‘It isn’t?’ he questioned, with a frown.

‘Certainly not.’

‘But there’s nothing here. The castle doesn’t run to fairy lights,’ he said sarcastically. ‘And I told you. I don’t like Christmas.’

‘Maybe you don’t, but I do. There’s no need for us to forgo the festivities, just because we’re lacking a few resources—and I don’t intend to. Just leave it to me.’

The darkness in his eyes had been replaced by a sudden smokiness which Hollie recognised and it was with a feeling of falling—or failing—that she felt her body’s instant response.

‘I don’t care about the damned festivities,’ he ground out. ‘All I care about is having you back in my bed again. Now come over here, Hollie Walker, before I lose patience.’

Hollie had never been quite so aware of her own power and for a few brief moments she revelled in it. ‘Why don’t you come and get me?’ she said.

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘OKAY. YOU CAN open them now.’

The soft hands which had been covering his eyes