Crap, what did I say?
“Do you not like Christmas?” Oliver seems almost hesitant to ask, and I’m not sure why, but I don’t like it.
“No, I love Christmas,” I assure him, biting my lip as I attempt to find the words. “I mean, last year I didn’t care for it much, but…” I shake my head at the reminder of why. “No, I love the holidays, buthedidn’t. For a while, I would just put up a little tree in the living room for myself, but honestly, it was even more depressing, so I just pretended like it was any other day.” It sounds worse when I say it out loud, but really, it wasn’t that bad.
I shrug and hope that’s the end of it, but when I look at Nathan, I know it’s not.
The look on his face is… stormy, and the rest don’t look much happier.
“It’s not a big deal, guys. Honestly, I just have one request.” That gets their attention just like I knew it would, and they all wait for what I have to say.
Suddenly, it feels silly.
“Whatever you want, it’s yours,” Nathan says as he walks toward us, the look on his face so deadly serious that it makes my stomach do a nervous little flip as my heart beats double time.
“Um, I just…” I shift Addy in my arms so that I can push some hair behind my ear, unable to meet his gaze. “I would love it if we could cut down our own live tree,” I say in a rush before I can chicken out.
“That’s it?” Des sounds confused, and when I meet his gaze, I see he looks confused too. “That’s easy, Kitten. I thought you were going to ask for something hard, like no gift giving or something else ridiculous.”
“Wait, is that an option?” I ask, looking back at Nathan, but he’s busy glaring at Desmond.
“Not a fucking chance,” Alex says, reaching out and smacking Des in the back of the head. “Way to go, dumbass.”
“We always cut down our own tree, Kat. It’s a family tradition.” I look at Oliver and can’t keep the smile from my face.
“Really? And it’s okay that I come?” I add as an afterthought, because what if they don’t want me there?
Oh no, am I overstepping?
A firm grip on my chin forces my head back so that I have no choice but to look up.
“You are family now, Kat. Never think otherwise.”
Shit, is this what it’s like to be weak in the knees?
It should be illegal for someone to have this kind of effect on another person.
The first day we see snow is in mid-November, and despite not loving the cold, I can’t deny it’s beautiful.
I stand at the window in my room, looking out over the yard as the tiny flakes fall, slowly blanketing everything. It all looks so peaceful, so beautiful.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” I ask, feeling Nathan move to stand behind me.
He’d come to sleep in my bed with me last night. Usually, I end up in his room for my nights with him, but occasionally he comes to me, and it leaves me feeling giddy like I am right now.
“Breathtaking.” He braces one hand on the window, his other wrapping around my waist, pulling me back into his warmth as he presses his lips to the spot behind my ear that he knows drives me crazy.
I don’t even need to look to know he isn’t looking at the yard. I hear it in his voice, the deep rasp that leaves me weak in the knees and wet for him.
He knows exactly what he’s doing.
“Nathan.” I attempt to reprimand him, but my body betrays me as I melt into him, and my voice is hardly more than a whine.
“Yes, my Queen?”
Goosebumps break out on my arms as I suppress a shiver, both from his words and the way they make me feel as he breathes into my ear.
“Behave,” I breathe, as he playfully nibbles at my ear before moving down my neck. My eyes fall closed, and I let my head fall back against his chest, giving him better access even though I know I shouldn’t.
