Page 74 of If You Were Mine

Scowling, I took the phone from her.

“I’m not being grumpy.”

“Says Mr. Grumperson.”

“Is that what we’re going to put on my stocking?”

“Yes. Though getting all those letters onto one part might be an issue. I’m not that crafty but I bet if I asked Ms. Patty she’d do it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes. Because asking Ms. Patty to make a unique stocking for me for next Christmas won’t invite any speculation on her part at all.”

Harper just grinned, which was exactly what I wanted her to do. “They sure want to know exactly what’s happening in this apartment, don’t they?”

“I can feel them lurking beneath the boards.”

“That’s my team working, but sure.”

I moved forward, cupping her face. “You don’t have a fireplace up here. Do you even have a stocking?”

“I do, though I didn’t really celebrate Christmas this year.”

I winced, vaguely remembering the holiday myself. I’d been at Aston’s, and the rest of the Cages had taken their turns. Trying to blend so many new traditions with different families wasn’t easy. And I had been more standoffish than usual for good reason.

But the fact that Harper had spent it alone gutted me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t reach out. I should have.”

“I had dinner with Scarlett and Luna. Ivy was out of town. I wasn’t alone.” Harper smiled softly. “You’re never really alone in Cage Lake.”

Her home. That wasn’t mine.

We were both steadfastly ignoring the fact that I didn’t live in Cage Lake. I might be staying there for a time, but I did have responsibilities back home. From the way that her eyes darkened for just a moment, I wondered if she was thinking the same.

My phone buzzed again, and I sighed, looking at the family group chat blowing up.

They were all worried about me. Wondering why I was still in Cage Lake. Finally asking why I was fixing up that house. But I didn’t answer. I was just so tired.

“You can put your phone on silent for now, but you do realize he’ll just show up.”

“Yes, but I need more time.”

She cupped my face and kissed me softly. “Okay. More time it is.”

I let my phone fall to the blanket and pressed my lips to hers. “I think I know what we could do to pass that time.”

She smiled against my lips. “Oh?”

“Oh.”

I crushed my mouth to hers, moaning into her. She ran her hands up my back, as we both moved into one another. Harper’s nails dug into my back, and I slowly explored her mouth, taking everything in.

She tasted of mint and hot cocoa.

Lucky made a noise and moved out of the bedroom.

“I think we have officially scarred that dog,” I said dryly.

“Oh no, we did that last night when you had me bent over the chair, and he came walking in to see what was going on.”