Festive Faking (Rust Canyon #1)

Aspen

CIRCLED MY WAIST from behind, and warm lips pressed to the side of my neck. I let out a contented sigh, leaning into Mac’s embrace.

“I think I’m going to ask to switch rooms.”

Twisting my neck to peek at him, my brows furrowed. “Why would you do that? This suite is gorgeous. And this window . . .” My words trailed off as I returned my gaze to the massive wall of windows set before us.

His hold on me tightened. “It’s this window that’s the problem. You’re giving it all your attention, and I’m starting to get jealous.”

I spun in his arms to find his lower lip pushed out in a pout. After a year of dating, I’d learned to roll with his exaggerated reactions. They were part of his charm.

“Aw, baby,” I cooed, peppering kisses along his jaw. “I didn’t get all dolled up for the window, now did I?”

Mac took a step backward, holding me at arm’s length as he scanned my appearance.

Smoothing my hands over the sapphire silk of the floor-length Addy June dress, which had been custom-made for me to wear to this event, I asked, “Do you like it?”

Brown eyes turning to melted chocolate, he unsuccessfully bit back a groan. “Fucking gorgeous.”

It never got old, being the subject of his desire. Even if I was nervous as hell to be on his arm tonight.

This was no ordinary meet-the-parents moment. No, tonight was the grand opening of the Blaze Royal Scandinavian, located outside of Reykjavik, Iceland. The luxury resort was crawling with high-profile guests—celebrities, diplomats, and business tycoons.

I was stepping into Mac’s world, and my stomach was in knots, worried that I would be weighed and measured, only to be found wanting. I might be trussed up in a designer gown, with my hair and makeup professionally done, but none of that could change the fact that I was a simple country girl who didn’t fit in amongst the glitz and glamour.

The doubts must have been written on my face because Mac’s fingers gently gripped my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his. “If this is too much, just say the word. You matter more to me than anyone in this world, so I don’t want to force you into any situation that makes you uncomfortable.”

“I’m okay,” I assured him.

There was a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but he nodded, adding, “Don’t forget that you’re a kick-ass entrepreneur in your own right. Yes, some of those people down there were handed businesses and fortunes, but some of them built their empires from nothing. They took the hard road, just like you.”

“Everyone else down there is background noise. I’m more concerned about making a good first impression with your family.”

“Fuck my family.”

His words came out so harsh I took a slight step back. My happy-go-lucky man wasn’t one to have a temper, but I could sense the low, simmering resentment that sat right beneath the surface.

Mac caught himself, shaking his head and softening instantly. “Sorry.” He blew out a heavy breath. “What I meant was, I no longer care about their opinion of my life. I’ve made my choice to walk a different path, and I’m finally happy. With you.”

Lips twisting to the side, my worry transferred from myself to the man I loved. Maybe he was projecting. Maybe this was going to be too difficult, too uncomfortable for him, and he needed me to give him an out.

“Do you wanna order room service and call it a night?”

“Is that what you want?“ he challenged.

“Truth,” I uttered the word softly, knowing it would get his full attention. “I think I want to see where you come from. Even if it’s just this once.”

Nose wrinkling, Mac replied, “It’s not pretty.”

“Maybe not,” I agreed, smoothing my hands over his lapel. Damn, he looked delicious in a perfectly tailored tux. “But if you survived thirty years inside this world, I think I can handle one night.”

Cupping my face, his face lowered until his lips brushed over mine. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m never letting you go.”

A small thrill ran down my spine, knowing how committed he was to our relationship.

Then he decided to double down, making my heart swell. “Fair warning. If you run after this, I’ll chase you down.” A smirk teased onto his mouth. “And I really hate running, honey. Please don’t make me do it.”

Laughter bubbled up from my chest, and I stepped out of his arms. Walking toward the door of our suite, I peeked at him from over my shoulder, teasing, “Not sure I’d make it very far in these heels. You probably wouldn’t even break a sweat.”

A brilliant smile lit up his face, the skin around his eyes crinkling as he strode toward me, offering me his elbow as my escort. “Thank God for small favors.”

***

The ballroom’s glass ceiling allowed a brilliant view of the Northern Lights putting on a show. I gasped, transfixed by the stunning sight, but outside of me and Mac, no one else in attendance even glanced at it.

“They can’t see anything past their egos,” Mac explained in my ear.

“Shame,” I muttered.

He signaled a passing member of the wait staff, snagging two glasses of champagne off their tray before handing one to me. Touching the edge of his glass to mine, he smirked. “Little liquid courage never hurt anyone. Drink up, Freckles.”

The bubbles tickled my nose when I took a sip, but my nerves settled the tiniest bit.

“Holy shit, is that Mac Attack?”

“Oh, sweet baby Jesus,” Mac mumbled under his breath before placing a hand on the small of my back, turning us to face the owner of that voice.

Two extremely handsome men were on approach. One had a vaguely familiar twinkle in his brown eyes; the other was much more intense, his sharp blue gaze making me squirm.

“Damn.” The brown-eyed man playfully bit his fist. “How much is our boy paying you to be here tonight? Because I’ll double it right now, Red.”

My jaw dropped, and Mac’s grip around my waist tightened, along with his jaw.

“She’s not for sale,” he gritted out.

Brown Eyes elbowed his friend. “Oh, shit. Think we hit a nerve.” Cupping one hand beside his mouth conspiratorially, he stage-whispered, “Big Mac here has mommy issues.”

Hackles rising, my fist clenched around the stem of my champagne flute. I didn’t know who the fuck this guy thought he was, but bringing up Mac’s mom and her past was crossing the line.

“Ease off, Cohen. You’re just jealous he doesn’t have to shell out the big bucks for quality female companionship.”

Brown Eyes—Cohen—scoffed. “That’s rich coming from the guy who burns through executive assistants every six months because he grows bored of them once they finally give in and agree to fuck him.”

Jesus. I was almost wishing I’d taken Mac up on his offer when he said we didn’t have to come down here tonight.

Mac vibrated with tension by my side. “Aspen, let me introduce you to my cousins, Cohen and Everett Blaze.”

My stomach bottomed out. These were his cousins?

“Aspen.” Cohen reached out, took my hand, and brought it to his lips to dust a kiss along my knuckles. “A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

Everett gave me a cool nod of acknowledgment, to which I dipped my chin in return.

My hand slipped from Cohen’s grasp as Mac backed us up a step. It was clear he didn’t want me anywhere near these two.

“And don’t listen to my brother,” Cohen gestured to Everett. “You can expect the invitation to my wedding in the near future.”

“Oh!” Maybe they had been playing around before, and I’d misjudged them. “You’re getting married?”

“He wishes,” Everett murmured around the rim of his lowball glass filled with amber liquid.

“I’m sorry?” I eyed him in question.

Everett jabbed an elbow into his brother’s ribs. “Cohen here made a bet with a girl who hated him back in college.”

Dread settled like a rock in my gut. “A bet?”

“He bet that she was such a shrew that no man would ever want her.”

Mac’s chest rumbled. “That’s not a bet; that’s more like bullying.”

Unruffled, Cohen jumped in to explain. “Well, the bet was that if she managed to snag herself a husband by the time she turned thirty, I’d hand over a cool mil for being wrong.”

I was almost too afraid to ask. “And if you’re right?”

The sparkle in his eyes and the wicked grin curving on his lips had a shiver rolling down my spine. “When I win, she becomes my prize.”

“Um.” I frowned, not understanding what he meant by that.

“She has to marry him,” Everett supplied.

My eyes bugged out of my head. “What? Why would you want to marry a woman you don’t like?”

“Don’t ask questions you won’t like the answers to, honey,” Mac whispered beside me.

“The hate sex alone is going to be worth it.” Cohen let out a lewd groan.

No wonder Mac wanted out of this life. Hearing how they viewed a young woman’s life as nothing more than a game was appalling.

Any hope that, somehow, she might manage to win the bet was dashed when Everett chuckled. “He’s been scaring off every man that gets close to her for the past six years.” He elbowed his brother, prompting, “Tell ’em about the last guy.”

“That might’ve been the best one yet.” Cohen laughed loudly, slapping his thigh. “So, she’s seeing some guy, and it was getting a little too serious, so I cleaned out every item in a local baby boutique and had it sent to her apartment when I knew she was away on business. Attached a note saying that I didn’t care if the baby turned out not to be mine; I wanted to raise it with her anyway. Fuck, I’m not sure I ever want kids, but damn, was it fun watching him pack up and move out.”

There were no words. It was so fucked up that I couldn’t even process it.

Thankfully, Mac was dragging me away from his cousins, and I was so shell-shocked that I followed in a daze.

Pulling me into an alcove, he cupped my cheeks. My vision swam, black spots dancing over Mac’s face when he put it into my line of sight.

“Breathe,” he coached.

Like I was shocked, my lungs expanded, filling with air.

Soft thumbs stroked over my face. “I’m sorry I ever brought you here. This was a terrible idea.”

“I’m okay,” I reassured him.

“I hate that you’re seeing how ugly my world can be. I want nothing more than to go home to our comfy country bubble where we’re safe from all this.”

My smile was automatic. Mac had claimed Rust Canyon as his home—our home—and the townsfolk had claimed him right back. He was one of us now, the same as anyone else who had been born there.

Not many would be strong enough to leave all of this behind, and I’d never been more in awe of his strength, watching him shuck off a life full of expectations for one that made him happy.

I pressed my lips to his. “Then let’s go home.”

Mac pulled me tight against his chest, a relieved sigh sounding in my ear. “Thank you.”

Locked back in our suite, we sat before that massive wall of windows for the rest of the night, watching the beautiful light show in the sky, pretending that it was being put on just for us.

He was my safe space, and I was his. We didn’t need anything else in this world so long as we had each other.