“We need to move,” I told her, making no attempt to go anywhere.
“I need to go check on Noelle,” Holly murmured against my neck.
“I need to get this sleigh fixed.”
“I don't want to move.”
“Me neither,” I confessed, kissing her forehead. It somehow felt more intimate than the passionate kisses we’d shared.
Another few minutes passed, and my ass was going numb. This sleigh might look beautiful, but it was as uncomfortable as all hell. The wooden seat was unforgiving. Holly leaned down and kissed me again before climbing out of my lap. Instantly, I missed her warmth, her scent, her arms wrapped around me.
When she stood, she straightened her shirt, and I gazed at the woman standing before me. Her lips were swollen. Her hair mussed. Her eyes dark. And a red mark on her neck I was sure would darken and turn into a hickey. I puffed out my chest with pride. I’d been the lucky son of a bitch who’d put it there.
“I’m going to go upstairs and check on Noelle. Get a start on dinner,” Holly announced, and my chest tightened. It all sounded so domestic. So normal. Like we’d done it a million times.
“You don’t have to cook,” I told her as I jumped out of the sleigh before helping her down.
“I want to. You finish up down here then come up and eat.”
I just nodded. Holding back the words I desperately wanted to say. Holly wasn’t ready to hear them. Not yet anyway.
As she sashayed across the workshop, I watched, mesmerized by the sway of her ass. I waited until I heard the door click closed before turning back to the sleigh. She’d done it. Holly had taken something that made me hate the world and turned it into nothing more than a painful bump in the road. Standing there, staring at the sleigh, I no longer saw Shayna’s ass in the air, but instead, I felt the warmth of Holly and the look of longing on her face.
Knowing they were upstairs waiting for me, I got to work.Something had to be wrong with this thing and I was going to find it and find it fast.
Two long hours, a stubbed toe, and a growing bruise on my thigh, and it was done. The sleigh was back up and running. The lights turned on. The sleigh sparkled. And when the motor engaged, she hummed along without missing a beat.
I didn’t bother calling Dominic. It could wait until tomorrow. Right now, I wanted to be upstairs with my girls. The realization hit me like a sledgehammer. Holly and Noelle were a package deal. If I wanted Holly, which I did more than I’d ever wanted anything before, then Noelle was part of the deal. The idea of becoming an overnight stepdad should’ve scared me, but all it did was make me smile. Noelle was a great kid. She was bright, polite, kind, and funny.
I shucked my coveralls, flicked off the lights, and took the stairs two at a time, suddenly in a hurry to get back to them. I pushed open the door and stepped inside, only to be hit with the smell of garlic and tomatoes, making my stomach growl.
“Something smells incredible,” I commented as I toed off my boots, setting them by the door.
“We’re having pasta and meatballs,” Noelle declared excitedly.
“I hope that’s okay,” Holly added quickly.
“Perfect. I love spaghetti and meatballs,” I told them, shooting a wink in Holly’s direction. “Do I have time to get cleaned up?”
“Yep. Dinner’s still about ten minutes or so,” Holly confirmed as she turned back to the sink.
Not wanting to waste time, I hurried into the bathroom and jumped in the shower. By the time I was showered and changed, the table was set, drinks were poured, and Holly was starting to serve.
“Wow. This looks good,” I told them as I stepped into thekitchen, running my hand across Holly’s jean-clad ass testing the waters. I heard her breath hitch and watched as her spine straightened, and let out a chuckle. Catching her off-guard was going to become my new favorite hobby, I could already tell.
“I made the meatballs,” Noelle announced proudly.
“Did you now? They look pretty good.”
“Noelle, can you please take this to the table?” Holly asked, handing her a plate buried under thick slices of cheesy bread.
“You know, you didn’t have to do all this,” I whispered to Holly.
“I wanted to. You’ve been so good to us, I wanted to say thank you,” Holly replied as she smiled at me over her shoulder. It was a smile that cemented what I already knew. Holly was it for me.
Over dinner, we sat around chatting just like a real family. Well, Holly and I listened while Noelle chatted. By the time my plate was clean, I’d learned about her best friend Willow, the mean girl down the road, Piper, and that she really, really wanted a dog, but Holly kept saying no. Leaning back in my chair, I stretched my arm across the back of Holly’s, waiting for her to protest but now it was my turn to be surprised when she leaned into my touch.
“Can we watch a movie?” Noelle asked.
