“You’re hilarious,” I say, rolling my eyes.
After plugging the first set of multicolored lights into an extension cord, Jensen hands me the strand. “Need any help?” he asks.
“Not yet,” I tell him, placing the strand on the branches, starting at the bottom. “But I’ll need your height once I get near the top.”
Once we’ve finished decorating the tree with lights and ornaments, I snuggle up between Damien and Jensen on the couch, taking in the winding pathway of light from the base to the very top. The glow illuminates the deep green pine needles, and I breathe in the fresh aroma of sap and bark.
“It’s perfect,” I whisper, resting my head on Damien’s shoulder.
He lightly brushes his fingers through my hair. “You did good.”
“This is our first Christmas Eve together,” I point out, my eyes searching his.
“And many more to come,” he says, his voice promising.
“Can I be honest?”
Jensen’s grip on my thigh tightens, as he gently strokes my skin in circular motions with his thumb. “We always expect honesty from you.”
“I never expected this,” I sheepishly admit.
Micah steps away from the fireplace, as the flames crackle and wood pops, concern for me displayed in his eyes.
“Before I was yours—”
“You were always ours,” Damien sharply breathes, tightening his hold on me. “Let’s make that very clear.”
“Damien,” Jensen warns.
His jaw twitches, and something darkens in his eyes. “I’m only stating facts.”
“Us,” I rush out, briefly hesitating. “I never expected us to end up together.”
“You were bound to be with us, Quinn,” Jensen says, intertwining his fingers through mine, kissing the back of my hand.
“We’ve lived in darkness for so long,” Damien says, grazing his lips against the crook of my neck, trailing down to my collarbone. “You are the only light we have.”
Micah moves behind the couch, massaging my shoulders and easing my tense muscles.
Placing my hand over his, I tilt my head back, meeting his gaze. He leans down, his lips mere inches from mine. He looks over every inch of my face, studying me. It’s as if he’s memorizing my every feature. He’s never been so unreadable, so deep in thought.
“What?” I ask, barely any sound to my voice. “What is it?”
“Just admiring you.” Micah changes his demeanor, stepping back before turning to Damien. “Ready?”
Damien nods once, standing.
And they disappear down the hallway.
“What was that about?” I wonder, looking to Jensen for answers.
He casually shrugs, pushing himself up from the couch and holding out his hand. “I have something to show you,” he says, as I place my hand in his. “My favorite part of the cabin.”
CHAPTER 3
Jensen leads me through a doorway toward the side of the house where we descend a small set of stairs, leading to what appears to be a sunroom. My eyes widen in disbelief as I take in the elegant sight. There are glimmering, white Christmas lights draped through the beams of the ceiling, lighting up the entire space above us, resembling a starry night.
From the warm ambiance of my surroundings, I’m left completely in awe.
“Are you serious,” I whisper, more to myself than to him.