I turn and dig out the ice cream from the freezer. When I return to the island, I’m grateful that the ice cream and then the counter are disguising my erection, because Sienna’s grandmother is watching me very carefully.

She wiggles a flask she pulled out of nowhere at me. “Shall we toast, young man?”

There’s only one answer there. “Always happy to share a drink with you, ma’am.”

“You’re very polite when my granddaughter isn’t driving you to distraction.”

“Sometimes I manage to be polite even when she is.”

“I suppose you have a lot of practice.” She opens the liquor cabinet, but doesn’t pull out any bottles. “Did you fall in love with her as soon as she came to work for you, or was it a gradual thing?”

It takes me a second to realize what she’s just asked. I stall. “Pardon me?”

“You heard me just fine. You’re Jacob Lowe. The man who drove her to such frustrations that she felt compelled to quit her job three days before Christmas.”

Well, fuck. I exhale roughly. “How long have you known?”

She waves her hand dismissively. “Since the moment you arrived. Your picture is on your website, and I am in the habit of snooping on all of my grandchildren, including where they work and who they work for.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“Probably not.” She lifts her voice as Sienna returns. “Oh, you found them. Thank you.”

Sienna hands over the glasses, and Nana pretends to need them to read the labels on the bottles.

“We’re going to have a toast, darling.”

“And what are we toasting?” Sienna makes a silly face at me, like her Nan is simply adorable.

Which is true. Adorable, yes. Simple, though…no. I’m not even sure what just happened. Was that a warning? A shot across the bow?

Don’t hurt my granddaughter, or the cross-stitching mafia will find you.

I’ve never been in the business of underestimating women, especially not those with life experience. And I have no intention of hurting Sienna.

I clear my throat. “How about a toast to holiday life lessons?”

Sienna’s eyes sparkle. “I’ll drink to that.”

Her nan clinks three shot glasses on the counter. “So will I.”

Chapter Nine

Sienna

I’m not alone when I wake up on Christmas Eve. I don’t have to roll over in a panic and wonder where Jacob is, because he’s pressed right against my back.

And his cock—that thick, beautiful destroyer of my virginity—is wedged against my bum.

“You’re awake,” he mumbles.

I rock my hips back. “So are you.”

“Ignore him. He does that every time he’s near you.”

“I don’t want to ignore him. I want him inside me.”

But as soon as I lift my top leg to hook over his thigh and grind us together, my whole pussy howls in protest.