Such a Naughty Girl (Hot Creeps #2)

Chapter Twenty Two

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

EMMETT

Chunk gave me a bombastic side-eye as I fixed the colossal red bow on his collar.

‘You keep getting’it all squint, stop trying to catch thesnowflakesand I won’t have to keep fiddling with it.’

The silken ribbon smoothed out, and Chunk took himself to lie in front of the fire, his furry face unamused by thedecoration.

The glow from the Christmas tree filled the corner, the brand-new sparkling lights glinting off the array of baubles I’d picked up in the past few weeks. I’d gone to the town three times since putting up the tree just to make it perfect. Balanced amongst the pine branches were twinkling glass baubles, hand-carved woodland creatures, and the silly little foildecorationsIzzy and I had created the year prior. I’d kept each one.

Brightly wrapped packages spilled out from beneath the tree, ribbons and patterns filling every available space. I’d sat wrapping them on Christmas Eve, each scrawl of her name on the tags filling me with moreexcitement.

The smell of chicken and stuffing wafted through the cabin, mingling with the cinnamon and apples from the mulled cider on top of the stove. I’dpainstakinglycovered the track from the main road to my cabin with grit and cut back the tree boughs, making the track hard to follow.

Chunk and I had spent three afternoonsstringing festoon lights along the trees, like an airport guidance system to lead her right to me.

The festive sweater I’d picked up in a thrift store itched at my wrists as I stirred the steaming, spiced cider, glancing at the clock for the hundredth time.

It was only three in the afternoon. There was time.

The growing emptiness in the pit of my stomach increased with every passing minute.

What if she didn’t come?

Of course, I’d known it was likely the sweet, sexy woman who’d stumbled into my cabin would have moved on with her life. But the part of me holding out for a glimpse of her had been bigger than I’d let myself believe.

The sun set over the shallow snow-covered landscape, sending great black shadows dancing over the cabin. Black shadows that settled over me with therealisationit was another Christmas alone.

Chunk whined as the evening deepened to night, the sparkling tree lights mocking me from the corner. The jolly sweater ignited as I stuffed it into the log burner, and Chunk and I sat side by side eating over-cooked chicken straight from the carcass while watching the last vestiges of hope go up in flame.

‘Just me and you, Chunk,’I sighed.

Like it should have been.

Izzy was too pretty a thing to come and be corrupted by me. She must have got home and buffed out my touch like someone shining up a bad penny. Removed me like old dirt.

Unimportant. Forgotten.

Broken-hearted once more. And I couldn’t blame her. I’d let the specter of Izzy drive me through the year. I’d fanned the tiny spark she’d given me the previous year into an inferno, not realizing I’d be burning myself in the process.

‘C’mon Chunk, we’ll wake up tomorrow and tear all this shit down.’

I undid the long ribbon I’dpainstakinglytied into a perfect bow around his collar and threw it on the coffee table in a pool of shining red.

My bed welcomed me into its dark depths, smelling too floral with the new detergent I’d bought to make sure it was clean for my girl.

Not my girl.

She had never been mine.

What an old fool.