Chapter 176 Audrey

After our little adventure in the basement, Edwin and I made our way upstairs. Over a hearty Christmas Eve breakfast of syrupy waffles, fresh fruit, and crispy bacon, Edwin looked at me curiously.

"Not that I'm complaining, but... why did you do that?" he asked, a slight flush on his cheeks. He sipped his coffee, although I could tell that he was just trying to hide his red face.

I grinned, taking a big bite of my waffle. Despite the flavor of the syrup and butter, I could still taste him on my tongue more than anything that savory yet sweet flavor of his pleasure. Our mate bond still thrummed with the aftershocks of it all.

"What can I say? I find it hot when you're all sweaty and shirtless Then, more seriously, I added, "I hope I didn't cross any boundaries, though. I know you have a complicated history with that room." To my relief. Edwin shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

"No. you didn't cross any boundaries," he replied gently. "If anything, I really enjoyed it. It... it helped me relax, actually. I'm glad we can have fun together like that."

Relieved, I reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "So am L"

After breakfast, we decided to spend the day decorating for Christmas. Edwin admitted he had never really bothered before. but I was determined to change that. "Come on," I said, pulling him toward the back door. "We'll need a tree first."

We trudged through the snowy forest behind the mansion, searching for the perfect Christmas tree. After what felt like hours, I spotted it-a massive pine that towered over us. The branches were nice and full, and it smelled sweetly of pine and

sap

"I want that one!" I exclaimed, pointing inside my woolen mitten.

Edwin raised an eyebrow, his mouth hidden behind his red scarf. "Are you sure you want that one? It's huge."

"Exactly." I grinned. "The bigger the better.

With a sigh and a fond shake of his head, Edwin grabbed the saw and set to work cutting down the tree. It shook half the forest when it finally fell, sending snow and pine needles up in a big plume of white. Both of us had to leap out of the way when it came down, Edwin grabbing me around my waist and yanking me away just before it hit the ground. I giggled, hiding my face in his coat from the sudden flurry of snow that flew up around us.

Together, with a lot of effort, we dragged it back to the house. It was a struggle to get it through the door, and when we finally set it up in the living room, the top pushed and bent against the ceiling. "I think we might have gone a bit overboard," Edwin chuckled.

"Nonsense," I replied, already digging through boxes of ornaments. "It's just right."

Look at the

me of you. Big

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13:13 Sun, Sep 22

Chapter 176

snorted at that, but didn't argue

available surface, lights t***ed from the windows, and the scent of pine and c**on filled the air. As we

that anymore. If I'm going to be the lady of this house someday, I must insist on decorating for

down his string and tugged me close to press a kiss against the top of my

steaming between his hands.

fell, Edwin and I settled in front of the fireplace, our work finally done. We sipped on cocoa mixed with Baileys and munched on too many cookies, feeling warm and content. The sweet, c**my liquor

Christmases growing up, Edwin said, his arm draped around

munched on yet another cookie despite the stomach ache that was beginning to

fell asleep right at the machine. My first creation was this lopsided mess that

that"

you teach

to sew. She taught me pretty much

slightly from the alcohol. He held out his hand toward me. "Come with me. I want to show you something Curious, I took his hand and let him

flicked on the light, bbling from the alcohol. Finally, at the end of a revealing a room even bigger than the sewing

as I

texture imaginable. Sewing machines, mannequins, and various tools lined the walls. An enormous round window sat against one wall, shafts of silvery moonlight bleeding

a seamstress's dream. It was

running my fingers over i bolt of silk that was green

smiled, clearly pleased by my reaction. "What would

mind. "Well,

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