“Weirdo.”
“Yes, yes. You’re very bratty. I don’t have time to spank you right now.”
She sighed tragically.
“Come on. It’s almost Christmas, Miss Korsgaard. Let’s go murder a tree.”
They set off through the grounds, and by the time they reached the forest, he had claimed one of the tandem leashes so that the four pups didn’t drag Minnow off in their eager curiosity.
“You know, last year I didn’t even have a tree,” she said, a note of humor in her voice. “I assumed this year would be the same.”
The thought of Minnow spending the previous Christmas by herself bothered him. “I thought you were taking care of a woman last year.”
“I was. Her family came to visit for Christmas though, so I had the week off.”
“And your grandfather had just died.”
“Yes.”
“So what did you do?”
The corner of her mouth twitched. “Watched porn and baked cookies. Well, I made cookie dough and ate it. The nice part was I had food poisoning after that, so I was busy.”
He rounded on her and pulled her against his body, pressing her to him while trying not to knock her with the axe haft or yank the dogs around. Mauling her was getting more complicated lately.
“That is the saddest fucking Christmas I’ve ever heard of.”
She laughed up into his face, her cheeks flushed with cold. Fuck, she was beautiful. So cheerful and full of life. It made him afraid for her. It felt like something bad would happen to her because he lik
ed her.
“That’s not even the worst part. I bought myself a few things from the dollar store and wrapped them, just so I’d have something to open.”
“The dollar store. Wow. Krampus came early?”
“I got a chocolate bar and a lighter. I don’t even smoke!” She started to shake with laughter.
He closed his eyes, not sure how to deal with all of the conflicting feelings she inspired. “How did I end up saddled with such a ridiculous woman?”
“You like me ridiculous.” She stood on her toes and brushed his jaw with her lips, still chuckling. The fact that she took such a liberty shocked him, and he was frozen into inaction. He kind of liked it.
“How did you get something you didn’t want for Christmas...from yourself?”
“I don’t know!” She burst out laughing again. “It was supposed to be a chocolate bar and a pack of gum, but the cashier must have mixed up my order with someone else’s. There wasn’t time to go back and complain, so I just wrapped it anyway. Lighter fluid isn’t very minty, just so you know.”
He laughed out loud, surprising them both. “How were you ever single?”
“I don’t know!” She leaned against his chest, giggling so hard she was falling over. “I’m fucking enchanting!”
“Like a fairy fucking princess.”
They were staring at each other, grinning, and the anxiety that came with being unexpectedly happy made him pull away. Being too happy was a problem.
For a moment her brows drew together, as if she was vaguely embarrassed.
He slapped her awkwardly on the shoulder. “Well, you’re my fairy fucking princess now, so you’ll be getting something better than a lighter for Christmas.”
“Is it anal? I bet I’m getting anal.”