Page 123 of The Christmas Trap

"Open it. Go on. You know you want to."

She reaches for it, weighs it in her hand.

“What’s inside it? Is it a book? No, it feels too light for that.”

She tugs on the ribbon, which loosens. She pauses. Then, as if consumed by curiosity, she pulls off the wrapping to reveal an envelope.

“It’s a document?” She looks at me from under her eyes, then slides the flap open. She pulls out a sheet of paper and glances through it.

Her eyes widen. "What’s this?"

"That is the agreement handing over majority ownership of the shares and confirming you as the CEO of Davenport Capital."

She pales. "You’re making it official? So soon?" Her fingers tremble. The papers begin to slip from her grasp, but I catch them. Then place them on the table.

"I did say I want you to be CEO," I remind her.

"And I said I’d think about it."

"Well, this is me showing how serious I am about it." I take her hands in mine. Finding her fingers cold, I begin to rub them. "As part of the arrangement, once we were married, Arthur instructed hislegal counsel to hand over the majority shares to me. It seemed right that they were made out to you."

She pulls her hand from mine, then jumps up and begins to pace. "To say that you're making me CEO is one thing. But handing the shares over to me… It’s going to take me a minute to absorb that."

I watch her pace the floor in front of the fire. The light teases out the honeyed highlights in her hair and paints her skin in glowing shades of pink. She’s so beautiful, my wife. And smart. And gorgeous in every way. And she’s a wonderful human being too. I lucked out that she agreed to marry me.

Too bad, I’m not able to commit my love to her. But this… The handover of the shares should make up for it, surely?

She spins on me and slaps her hands on her hips. "This arrangement started out as a way for me to redeem myself in front of my family and friends."

"Which has been done. Your parents came to our wedding. And they were happy that you were marrying me."

"Apparently." She seems a little taken aback by it.

I allow myself a small smirk. "We must have put on such a convincing performance that they bought it."

She purses her lips. "So how did we go from your needing to get married to placate your grandfather to this?" She stares at the sheaf of papers. "It’s become so very complicated."

And if I had my way, I’d tie you even more strongly to me, so you’d never let me go. Especially since I can’t use my love to bind you to me.

I pat the seat next to me. "Sit down, so we can talk it over."

She hesitates then approaches me and sinks down on the settee, keeping the length of it between us. I’m not happy about that, but I let her for now.

"I told you this marriage was real for me."

She nods.

"But that I could never let myself fall in love with you?"

"Because of some stupid idea you have that you’re incapable of love," she huffs.

"It’s the truth."

"Why is that?" She leans forward. "Why are you so against theidea of falling in love. You did love your parents, I assume? And you care for your brothers and your friends, don’t you?”

"I did and yes, I do." I drum my fingers on my thigh. "I lost…first my father, and then my mother, relatively early. Then saw friends killed in combat."

"That must not have been easy." Sympathy laces her expression. The softness in her features is like a balm to my soul. I shouldn’t feel it so keenly. But it’s as if another layer has dissolved between me and the world. She’s chipping away at my defenses. Bringing me closer to a version of me that can’t hide. It makes me feel exposed. And it’s not altogether a comfortable feeling.