Page 66 of Suddenly Mine
By the time they reached the hotel, her fingers were stinging and her cheeks felt windburned, as the snow was still falling in thick flurries. The lights from the lobby spilled a welcoming gold across the pavement, and the doorman tipped his hat as Christian led her through. Everything smelled faintly of polished wood and Christmas.
It was only when they reached the penthouse door and he pulled out the key card to usher Merry inside that she felt a jolt of realisation of what Christian really represented. The suite was vast, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a fireplace flickering gently in the corner, a towering tree in the window dressed in snowy whites and deep emeralds. The lights were low and warm.
“And now I get to see how the other half really live. Now I’m even more embarrassed about my frozen-on-the-inside windows.” She let out a low whistle.
Christian laughed. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Merry. Some people would pay a fortune for that kind of air con. This suite is a bit much, but you looked like you needed somewhere soft to land.”
God, she really did.
She followed him to a bathroom that was bigger than her whole apartment, and paused in the doorway as he lifted a glass bottle from beside the claw-footed bathtub. “Would a bubble bath help that landing?”
“Abso-freaking-lutely,” she said, with no hesitation.
She knew they had important things still to talk about, but right now, Merry needed a little space to process what had happened — and for once she wasn’t going to let her ownstubbornness stop her from doing what she actually wanted. So, ten minutes later, she was sinking into a giant marble tub, surrounded by clouds of lavender-scented foam, her sore muscles sighing in relief. The snow-covered city glittered beyond the steamed-up windows and, in here, all was quiet and safe.
When she stepped out, wrinkled and happy and wrapped in the kind of fluffy white robe that felt like being hugged by a marshmallow, Christian was waiting for her, looking freshly out of the shower himself. His hair was damp and tousled and he was wrapped in a matching robe, tied loosely at his waist. From the delicious smells wafting around the suite, it looked like he had also been busy ordering them some room service.
“Hey, you,” he said, lifting the silver lid off a tray as she padded through to the living area. “I thought you might not have eaten at the buffet, given what happened.”
Merry stared wide-eyed at the tray. There were sliders, truffle fries, what looked like a tiny mac and cheese in a copper pot and a chocolate tart with a glossy top that looked indecent.
“You’re incredible,” she murmured, pulling on the robe and sinking into one of the sofas as Christian waited on her hand and foot. “This is incredible. Is this a normal night for you? Room service and bubble baths bigger than pools?”
He shook his head, smiling, and brought her plates of food, poured her a cup of camomile tea and, as he came to sit beside her, Merry felt like a cloud had lifted. And maybe that’s why the words finally came.
“I send most of my money home,” she said quietly, picking at a fry. “My sister’s health isn’t great and my mum is her full-time carer so she can’t do paid work. Dad tries his hardest but he’s spinning plates that are old and cracked and are going to smash to the floor, so I send them what I have because they don’t have anyone else.”
Christian didn’t interrupt, though he did steal one of her truffle fries.
“I always tell myself it’s fine,” she went on. “That I’m lucky to finally have a job that pays okay, that I like the customers, that I’m good at it. But sometimes, when I go home at night, it’s like I vanish. I eat and sleep and wake up to do it all over again. I feel like I don’t really exist outside of helping other people.”
He nodded slowly, eyes on hers. “You don’t need to help me, Merry. We can be a team. Equals.”
Her throat tightened as she looked around. “I can try to be equal to this, but you still lied to me and I need to know that I can trust you.”
“I did lie.” His voice was full of regret. “And I’ll spend however long it takes to make that up to you and earn back your trust. But Merry . . . I meant every second we spent together. I promise you that was real, and I really don’t want to lose that, especially now I’m staying in New York indefinitely. You can trust that I’m still Christian. Just a guy who loves cheesesteaks and scruffy clothes and who is learning to love Christmas again. Let me help you for a change. Give over some of that control you cling to and let me be in charge of all your worries.”
“I’m not sure I can,” she said quietly, fear spiralling in her chest. “I still have to send money home. My sister’s care isn’t cheap, and my dad . . .” She trailed off, shaking her head. “It’s not like I can just stop. They need me. And what if my roommate stops paying the bills if I don’t keep prompting her? We’ll get chucked out, and then I—”
Christian smiled gently and put a hand on Merry’s arm, stopping her from sinking further. “Merry, breathe. I know all of this is scary, but if I’m not allowed to help you now that I’ve outed myself as a secret billionaire, then honestly, what was the point of the whole dramatic reveal?”
Despite herself, she let out a choked laugh.
“I mean it,” he said. “I’m not trying to rescue you or take over your whole life. But I am trying to stand beside you. You don’t have to do it all on your own anymore, Merry. Not if you don’t want to.”
Her heart fluttered, traitorously hopeful at the idea she wasn’t having to choose between duty and joy.
“Why me?” she asked, half-expecting the penthouse suite walls to fall down around her to reveal a hidden camera show.
Christian smiled, a slow, crooked thing that made her stomach dip.
“Well,” he said, “you did headbutt me the first time you ever met me. There’s a very real chance I’m still concussed.”
She let out a startled laugh, and he moved closer, eyes steady on hers.
“But also because I’m falling for you, Merry Sinclair,” he said quietly. “And I want you to feel like it’s Christmas every day when you’re with me. Good Christmas, the one you deserve.”
“Does that mean you’re a gift I’ll get to unwrap every day too?” Merry asked, feeling a little cheeky now she was warm and fed and happy from her head to her toes.