I step into the water, slowly sinking in until I’m seated, Callum cradled in my arms. I bathe her, trying to soothe the red painting stripes across her milky white skin. And then, I watch her.
The thing about addiction? You don’t know you’re addicted until it’s too late.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Journal entry: He makes me feel so high. So euphoric, I never want to come down. My own personal brand of drug.
I awaketo a fluffy bed completely alone. The room still cast in cold darkness due to the curtains still being drawn. I stretch my arms, climbing out of the bed, pulling the curtains back to get some natural light. The view is breathtaking; I can see trees as far as the eye can see. Draped in fall colors. A stream runs through them, slowly as if it’s in no hurry. I go to Lincoln’s closet, grabbing a t-shirt and slipping it onto my body. It’s so big it comes to the middle of my thighs. The smell of bacon and coffee drags me from the comfort of the homey room.
I follow the scent down the hallway into the kitchen to find a shirtless man with broad shoulders and a muscular back standing in front of the stove. I walk up behind him, wrapping my arms around his tapered waist and bringing my lips to the muscle of his back. “Good morning, Lincoln.”
He spins in place, grabbing my thighs and lifting me into his arms. He walks me back to the kitchen island and sets me down, which makes me pout. “You could get a grease burn being that close to the stove.”
My mouth drops open. “You don’t even have a shirt on,” I point out. Looking at his raven tattoos, I make a note to ask him about it.
He spins back around, going back to cooking. “I’m a professional.”
I scoff, hopping down from the counter and walking over to get some coffee. I pour a cup, adding sugar and venturing to the refrigerator, grabbing creamer. “No vanilla pumps and fancy foam?” I ask, only teasing a little.
“Brat.” He chuckles.
I take a sip of my coffee, letting the warmth hug my soul. “Can I ask you something?”
“Even if I said no, you’d do it anyways. Shoot, Doll Face.” He turns, facing me as I trace my eyes over his sculpted body. Wanting to lick all of it.
I shake my head, catching his mouth twitch. He is so big and strong, such a man. I can’t believe I ever found boys my own age attractive. Gross. “You’re a teacher… so how can you afford all of this? Your houses, the many cars?” He looks down to his feet, crossing his arms as he looks back up to me. “You have to give me something, Lincoln,” I whisper.
“I…” he trails off, sighing. “My father, he built a tech company, a successful one. And when he died in a car accident, I inherited his shares of the company. I also still technically own it—well, fifty-five percent of it, but I love teaching, so I hired someone in my place until I’m ready to take over. I still get a cut even though I do not technically work there at the moment.”
I walk to him, kissing his chest and whisper, “I’m so sorry about your dad.”
His arms band around me, enclosing me in his warm protection. He kisses my forehead and murmurs, “It’s okay. It was a long time ago.”
I hold him until he has to let me go to continue cooking. “Go sit down so we can eat. We have a big day today.”
“We do?” I ask as I sit down at the table.
“Yeah, I’m going to show you the town, show the town you.”
My heart swells. He’s going to take me out in public as a… couple.
Be still my soul, this can’t last forever.
* * *
This isthe cutest town I’ve ever seen. It smells of fall and baked goods. The streets are cobbled stone. Each store having an old-fashioned sign. Some are tiny log cabins, others look like tiny homes. Barely any space between the businesses. It has large streetlamps on the sidewalks. Benches outside every other store. An old clock tower stands at the end of the street. A big tree in the center, the cobble stone splitting around it. I’d love to see the town during Christmas. So much charm for such a small town. “It looks like a Hallmark movie town.” I squeeze his hand. I’ve had to hold it because he keeps trying to distract me by trailing it up my plaid dress.
“A what?” His face is so sulky, ever the grumpy man.
“You know, Hallmark. The spirit of Christmas. Every movie having the same plot but somehow always leaves you all warm and fuzzy inside?”
“I’ve never felt allwarm and fuzzyinside.” He frowns at the candy store I’ve stopped in front of. It has the red-and-white stripes on the sign, gum balls painted on the windows.
“Oh, I know. Forever the grumpy old man.” He pinches my hip. “Ouch.” I scowl.
“I’m not old, Callum.”
“Your blood pressure medicine says otherwise,” I tease.