Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 55769 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55769 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Hank used his hand around her waist to pull her into his chest.
Roxie kept talking.
“I love that Nancy and Lottie came over. I love that Tex had somewhere else to go because he’s part of a huge, wide family, and went with them to Blanca’s for dinner. I love that for our dinner, we sat around a big, loud, happy table at your folks’ house. I love how Mom gets along so great with your mom. And Dad gets on so great with your dad. And how Ally eggs mom on. And how Indy and Lee are so much in love, and the way they show it.”
“Yeah,” he agreed when she paused.
“I loved that Vance sounded good when we called him. And I love the present you got me, Whisky.” Her hand drifted to her neck, and she toyed with what dangled there. “This necklace is beautiful.”
He didn’t make a mint. So he had no choice but to get her some little things for her stocking, because the big thing was a diamond pendant.
It wasn’t much, three quarters of a carat. But it hung on a platinum chain and was embedded in the bottom of a short, delicate platinum wand.
She’d lit up when she saw it, and then burst out crying, both before she threw herself in his arms and carried on about how it was too much, but how much she loved it, and it was perfect for her, so it was worth every penny of the money he’d gone over budget to spend on it.
She’d put it on immediately (after crying, hugging, carrying on then kissing him).
She still had it on.
“And I love that I never have to buy clothes again,” he gently teased, though he didn’t lie.
He had new jeans, trousers, sweaters, shirts, thermals, Henleys, not to mention underwear, socks and pajama bottoms. He was the last one opening presents, and Trish was nearly as generous as her daughter, so that was saying something.
Roxie leaned her shoulder into him. “And I loved sharing all of that with you.”
At that, he drifted a hand up her spine to her neck and into her hair before he bent his head and kissed her, deep.
When he was done, she rested her head on his shoulder, and they both looked out the window.
“You like them, don’t you?” she asked the window.
“Herb and Trish?”
“Yeah.”
“They’re impossible not to like.”
She relaxed deeper into him and agreed, “Yeah.”
“So you’re out here, sittin’ on the counter, starin’ outside, because you don’t want this day to end?”
She took her head from his shoulder and tipped it back to look at him. “This is a day I never want to erase.”
He smiled gently at her, got close and shared, “It doesn’t have to be over yet.”
Her gaze heated.
Oh yeah.
He could drown in the deep blue of her eyes. He knew that the second he laid eyes on them.
Since then, he’d been sucked under, countless times. He didn’t mind. It was warm in there. And the sun was always shimmering on the surface. A never-ending promise.
Perfect.
“Do I have to ask what you have in mind?” she inquired.
No. She didn’t.
He moved his hand at her ankle to hook her behind her knees and lifted her off the counter.
Holding her against his chest, Roxie slid her arms around his shoulders, and Hank carried her to their bed.
Shamus followed, and Hank waited until the dog made it into the room before he kicked the door shut behind him.
But Shamus knew this drill very well, so he didn’t even try to hit the bed.
He collapsed with a doggie groan on Hank’s side.
Hank put his woman on the bed and then covered her with his body.
This was an occasion. One of many. Their first Christmas together.
And their first Christmas night together.
So he was going to make it memorable.
And if Roxie didn’t want the day to end (even if it already had), he’d give her that too.
Therefore, he took his time. He let her take hers. It was touch and taste and sighs and moans and scratches and tickles and whispered words and soft laughter and sucking and biting and finally, grasping and panting and urgency.
And a whole fuckuva a lot of love.
After, curled close into Roxie’s right side, with Shamus sprawled on her left, Hank splayed his hand on her belly and thought of what it’d look like after he planted babies there.
“I hope your worst is always having to admit your mom is right about something,” he murmured in her ear.
She covered his hand on her belly. “We still have Luke, Ally, Mace and Hector to get through. Maybe Darius. I’m thinking that time won’t be for a while.”
It sucked, but he knew she was thinking right.
“We’ll make it through,” he promised.
The second these words came out of his mouth, her fingers curved tight around his, almost like a reflex.