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I have so much to tell them when I get back home. My finger hovers over Tina’s contact number, debating on whether I should tell her about Kingston and my mom. I’m not worried that she’ll be upset I’m dating the man she was originally supposed to meet. Never have we allowed a man to come between our friendship, nor will we ever.

I’m so torn that I can’t make up my mind.

Kingston hasn’t asked me for an answer about our future, but I know he’ll pop the question sooner rather than later. Most likely, tonight.

Unable to withstand the silence in my room and the exact opposite in my head, I slip my phone in my jeans pocket before I run downstairs. Locking the cabin’s front door, I walk down the cobblestoned path to meet Kingston.

Sometimes, I both envy and admire his confidence and adventurous spirit.

I could use some tips on how to not overthink so much.

Being around him, his energy rubs off on me, and I love the free-spirited and daring girl I become. While I did write a naughty list, I never really expected to do all of them. It was a fun and silly thing I made while drunk on wine.

I mean, I wasn’t going to ask any random man I met to let me call him Daddy while we had sex on our first meeting. Imagine how awkward that would be.

I also probably would’ve chickened out had Kingston not accidentally stumbled on it, which is why I’m ecstatic that hedid. It’s one of the reasons this trip is unforgettable. Way more amazing than my wildest dreams.

The hustle and bustle, along with the chatter in the lobby, yank me from my musings.

It seems the number of tourists has suddenly increased, and everyone decided to stop at Matterhorn Lodge. It must be the rush for New Year’s Eve, which makes me wonder what our plans are for tonight. Or if he’ll even be free.

I’m about to turn and leave when he rounds the corner from the hallway leading to his office in the back. A second is all it takes for his eyes to find mine. His lips curl in a soft smile and he beckons me to him with a tilt of his chin.

Cutting through the crowd, I make my way to him behind the front desk. I maintain a small distance in front of his staff but he hauls me against his solid chest and dips his head.

Our lips lock and he kisses me deeply for a good, long minute until I melt like butter into his embrace and hang onto his biceps. I’m dizzy and swimming in a cloud of lust when he lets me breathe and return to earth.

“Hi,” I whisper in a cottony soft voice.

“Hey, Star.”

Nicknames have never been my thing. Now, I can’t imagine my life without them. They’ve become my favorite sound in the world.

A throat clears beside us and I glance at Hilda’s playful expression. My cheeks go warm and I know I’ve turned scarlet. The last time she’d seen—or rather,heard—us together, she’d almost walked in on us having sex on his desk.

God! How embarrassing.

“Hey, Hilda,” I awkwardly greet, fighting the urge to fidget. Kingston’s chest shakes with silent laughter and I elbow him in the gut. Unaffected and laughing still, he kisses the side of my head and cages me in his arms.

“Hi, Miss Twinkle. How is your vacation going?”

“Amazing.”

A knowing smirk lights up her face and looking between her boss and me, she asks, “Shall I extend your stay then? I know your checkout is tomorrow.”

I go rigid from head to toe at being put on the spot. The tension in the air shifts from lighthearted to tense. “I…”

“Don’t worry about it.” Kingston saves me from answering. “I’ll handle it.”

“Of course,” she replies, clueless to my gloomy mood. Her attention soon diverts to a guest vying for her attention.

Kingston laces our fingers together and tugs me in the direction of his office. As soon as the door locks, sealing us inside, I speak past the lump in my throat, “King.”

Pushing me against the wall, he captures my mouth in a rough and drugging kiss. He parts my lips wider so his tongue can thrust and taste deep inside. My toes curl when he teases the roof of my mouth and sucks my tongue between his lips.

He kisses me until my brain goes mushy.

The tension in my body vanishes under his power.