Once in bed, I reply to Hayden’s earlier message asking how my day is going with a picture of Skye and I with the elves. He rings me seconds after the text is delivered.
“I love seeing you so happy,” he says when I answer.
“Hello to you too, Mr. Frost.” I laugh into my phone.
“I don’t like saying ‘hello,’ Sugar,” he replies. There is humor in his voice.
“Why?”
“Because it implies I’ll have to say goodbye at some point. And I really, really don’t like saying ‘goodbye’ to you, Natasha.”
My heart skips a beat, a lump forming in my throat. Stupid hormones. “How is the business trip?” I clear my throat.
“Uneventful. I should be back tomorrow.”
“Just in time for Christmas.”
“Yes.”
“Do you—” I bite my lip. “Do you know what you’re doing?” Hell, I have no clue whatI’mdoing.
“For Christmas?”
I nod, forgetting he can’t see me. But he’s a Tasha mind reader, so he replies, “Same thing I do every year. I’ll go see Colleen and her family for an hour, then go back home and do some work.”
I bite my lip again. “Would you—” I can’t. It’s crazy, right?
“Would Iwhat?”
“Would you—” I take a deep breath. “Would you like to come spend Christmas with me and my family?”
He is silent for a beat, and I’m just about to open my mouth, take it all back when he says, “Are you sure? I wouldn’t be imposing?”
“I’m sure,” I whisper.
“And it’s not out of pity?”
“Oh, it’s definitely out of pity,” I smile. Couldn’t be further from the truth. “Poor little rich boy sitting home alone at Christmas. I’m just very charitable.”
“Ouch, that hurts. Or it would if I believed you. Admit it, I’ve grown on you.”
“It’s definitely not because I want to see you. And most definitely not because I’d like to spend Christmas with you.”
“Well, how could I say no to all this charity, then?” He chuckles.
“You couldn’t. It would be heartless.”
“Coincidentally, Heartless is my middle name.”
“I’m not surprised. You’ve been nothing but heartless towards me.”
“Sugar?”
“Yeah?”
“I miss seeing your face.”
“I miss seeing yours, Hayden.”