Christmas Escape

Chapter Eleven

Micah

My brain was screaming at me that I was pushing Peyton into something that I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. The minute I felt her soft warm lips against mine and her tongue slide into my mouth I was done. She was beautiful, no one could deny that. The longer I spent with her the more I had seen her open up and when she laughed her whole demeanor changed.

Peyton was starting to come out of her shell and morphing into the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. Not just physically, but it was like there was a light inside her that oozed out of her pores and engulfed everything around her. No one was able to ignore her. I watched others when we walked down the streets of Badger Valley, in the way they turned their heads just to keep staring at her for that bit longer. Everyone wanted to know Peyton and have her turn her attention on them.

She was like a magnet pulling me towards her. The last thing I wanted to do though was rush her into something she might not be ready for. It had only been a week ago that she was in the hospital, having had the hell beat out of her by her husband. I knew that she was telling the truth when she said she didn’t love him. I couldn’t imagine any woman would really love any man that hit them. But I was still nervous.

This could all go wrong, and it would be my fault. I was just going to have to make sure we went slowly. I didn’t want her to feel like she was getting trapped by me. I wanted Peyton to be able to have her freedom.

When Peyton pulled back from me, she looked up at me, her pupils were blown, and her lips were puffy from my kisses. Her chin was red from the way my stubble had brushed on her skin.

“Wow,” she giggled. I chuckled as I watched her, all of the emotions that ran over her face were so apparent. But the one I didn’t see was panic or concern.

“How about we get a start on preparing some dinner,” I suggested, really not wanting to leave the room or her body.

Peyton smiled and nodded her head. The tip of her tongue poked out and ran over her bottom lip. It took everything I had not to pull her back into me and kiss her again. There was going to be plenty of time for kisses and more. I cleared my throat and pulled back.

“Right, dinner,” I said clearing my voice again. Peyton laughed but allowed me to take her hand and lead her out of the office and into the kitchen.

We were busy cutting up vegetables and meat for a stew. We were only a few days out from Christmas, and I was expecting a full house. I had already ordered pies from Lana for our Christmas meal. I had two large turkeys in the freezer ready to pull out and I would top up our vegetables. We were set to go. Like every Christmas since they lost their daughter, Camilla and George were staying here. Christmas and Lucy’s birthday was hard for them. I knew that they headed to the beach for her birthday, but every Christmas they came here.

“I will have to cut the Christmas tree this afternoon and then we can decorate it,” I said conversationally as we chopped vegetables.

Peyton looked over at me and grinned. “That sounds fun, I haven’t had a Christmas tree since I was a kid.”

“Then this will be great. I’ll get the decorations out of the attic after we have finished prepping the stew and then I’ll go out and cut down a tree to bring back,” I said feeling my excitement mounting.

Every year since I bought the lodge, I set up a Christmas tree. It only ever held lights and baubles. On the baubles was written the woman’s name that had come here, whether they went on to freedom or like Lucy passed away. It had started with my mother’s name. When the first girl, Carly, came to stay, I decided to add each woman’s name as an honor to them.

Some of the women occasionally still came and stayed over Christmas. This year however, it would just be Peyton. Our tree though would be filled. Every year I always stood amazed at the amount of names that decorated the tree. Some of those like Lucy, broke my heart. I hated knowing that she went back and was killed by her husband. But others like Carly and Taryn went on to live amazing lives. Taryn realized that she preferred women. She married her wife a few years ago and together they now had three daughters of their own.

Every year I made it a point to send each of the women a Christmas card and I usually got quite a few in return, updating me on their lives. I loved hearing about the success stories. Of course, not every woman was able to have a life as wonderful as Taryn. Some went on to go from abusive man to abusive man. Those cases broke my heart. And they always knew that they had a place available for them at the lodge.

It had only been a couple of times that I had girls come back repeatedly for a few years. Siobhan was one of those women. She was only sixteen when she first came here. Forced to marry a cousin, of all people. She got free, came to the lodge, and stayed for a few months. Then some tourist came in and swept her off her feet. Off she went with him, only to discover that he was just as abusive, and she came back.

Each time she returned I watched the light in her eyes die that little bit more. The last visit was two years ago. She left the lodge along with whatever cash I had in the cashbox and a few items she could no doubt sell. Siobhan had fallen into a crowd that was ruled by drugs. I tried to encourage her to go to rehab, but she was determined she was fine. Since that day, I’d never heard from her again. It didn’t stop me thinking about her. Hoping that she was safe and that one day she would get the help she needed.

Never before had I ever been interested in more with one of the women that came to stay here. In fact, I had made it a rule to never get romantically involved with any of the women. Yet there was something about Peyton that I hadn’t been able to resist. My heart wanted her. I couldn’t explain it. But I craved this girl that made my life so complete.