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With a shout, he drove deep into led to find breath as I felt his hot cu me his

My knees slid from beneaththe sweat froet it”

I smiled “I love you, Joe”

“I love you too, even when you’re an arrogant son of a bitch”

When we gained the strength to move, he untied and uncuffed me, we cleaned up, and I ordered a pizza We never even made it back to the bed after we ate We fell asleep on the couch in front of the fire, wrapped in each other’s arms

When I woke the next un in hand, wearing only his sweatpants

14

Joe

So woke me I wasn’t sure what, so I stayed still and listened Then I heard it—the crunch of snow and footsteps Someone was outside the cabin

I eased off Devil and ducked into the bedrooun I moved slowly and silently toward the frontthat overlooked the porch I slid the curtain aside enough to survey the area There wasn’t anyone visible, but that didn’t mean someone wasn’t still out there I hadn’t heard a car, and I didn’t see one, so I had to assuotten far

When I looked toward the woods, yesterday’s sensation of being watched returned

“Joe? What’s going on?” Devil came to stand behind me “Who’s out there?”

“I don’t know” But it was probably time for me to tell him about the threats I’d received from Donaldson “I heard footsteps It could have been a bear or another animal, but I don’t think so”

He leaned close, and I felt his war to slow ain”

Devil frowned, looking out the“We need to go cut down our Christ anyway Let’s see e can find in the woods If some asshole is out there, it’s ti up our honeymoon”

I stared at Devil “We need to do what?”

“We’re not going to ignore this We’re going to look for this fucker”

“No I agree with that, but do you have permission to cut down a tree on someone else’s property?”

“Not exactly, but it’s one little Christmas tree Who will mind?”

“So noewith our current stalker”

Devil shook his head “I’ht the cop out of you, am I?”