“So many more,” he whispered, his hands tightening on her waist. “As many as you want.”
Holly felt tears spring to her eyes, unexpected but welcome. She hadn’t realized how much she wanted this, not just Danieland his children, but the possibility of expanding their family, of creating something new together.
“Really?” she asked, her voice catching.
“Really,” he confirmed, pulling her closer against his chest. “This really is going to be the best Christmas ever.”
And she had to agree.
Epilogue
12:01 a.m.
Daniel watched the numbers on the clock on the mantelpiece change, marking the official beginning of Christmas Day. A hushed stillness had settled over the house, the fire in the living room reduced to glowing embers, casting a warm, amber light across the hardwood floors. Outside, snowflakes drifted lazily past the window, adding to the pristine blanket already covering Bear Creek.
Holly’s warm body pressed against his side as they lay together on the sofa, her breathing soft and rhythmic. She wasn’t asleep – he could tell by the way her fingers traced idle patterns on his chest. The children had long since gone to bed, their excitement for Christmas morning finally surrendering to sleep.
Daniel had never felt more complete, more certain of anything in his life. Christmas hadn’t even properly begun, yet he already had everything he could possibly want.
His bear rumbled contentedly within him.Our mate. Our family. Perfect.
“It’s officially Christmas,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to Holly’s temple.
She tilted her face up to his, her eyes reflecting the twinkling lights from the Christmas tree across the room. “So it is.”
Daniel shifted slightly, reaching into his pocket where his fingers closed around the small velvet box he’d been carrying for days, waiting for exactly this moment.
“I have something for you,” he said, his voice low. “An early Christmas present.”
Holly sat up, the blanket pooling around her waist as Daniel produced the box. Her eyes widened, but there was no surprise in them, only recognition, as if she’d been expecting this all along.
“Holly,” Daniel began, opening the box to reveal a ring. The diamond caught the firelight, scattering tiny rainbows across her face. “I’ve known from the moment I found you in that snowstorm that you were meant to be mine.”
The ring wasn’t a question. It was a confirmation of what they both already knew to be true. They had chosen each other completely and without reservation.
“Will you marry me?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
“Yes,” Holly replied without hesitation, her voice hoarse with emotion. “Yes, Daniel.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger, watching as it settled into place as if it had always belonged there. Holly gazed at it for a moment before looking back up at him, her eyes shining with tears that reflected the Christmas lights.
“I love you,” she whispered, leaning forward to kiss him.
Daniel met her halfway, his hands cradling her face as their lips met. The kiss deepened, unhurried and tender. They had all the time in the world now, a lifetime of joy and happiness stretched before them.
He eased her back onto the couch, his body covering hers as they continued to kiss. Her hands slid under his shirt, fingertips tracing the contours of his back, sending shivers of pleasure down his spine.
“Let me make love to my fiancée,” he murmured against her lips.
Holly smiled, the word clearly pleasing her. “Your fiancée would like that very much.”
Daniel stood, extending his hand to help her up. He led her to the thick rug in front of the fireplace, where the embers still provided enough warmth to keep the chill at bay. He grabbed a pillow from the sofa, placing it beneath her head as she lay down.
They undressed each other slowly, savoring each new inch of skin revealed. Daniel kissed her neck, her collarbone, the hollow of her throat. His hands caressed her sides, thumbs brushing the undersides of her breasts before finally cupping them fully.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, lowering his head to take one nipple into his mouth.
Holly arched beneath him, a soft gasp escaping her lips as he sucked gently, his tongue circling the sensitive peak. Her hands tangled in his hair, holding him to her as he moved to give the same attention to her other breast.
