“I don’t think she’s asleepnow.”
They both listened to their daughter singing carols to herself in bed until her voice slowed as she drifted off and the house was filled with silence.
Jasper took her hand. “Remember our first Christmas?”
“How could I forget? It was the Christmas I found out dragons existed. The Christmas I learned there was more to Christmas than being yelled at and hoping for the sort of holiday that only happens in the movies.” Her eyes grew misty. “The Christmas I met you.”
“I thought it would be my last Christmas.” Jasper’s voice tightened. “That my family curse would catch up with me, and I wouldn’t have anything to show for my life except years wasted hunting for something that didn’t exist, instead of spent with my family in the time I had. And I would spend the rest of my days only half of myself, losing either my dragon or my human side forever. Instead it was the Christmas I found love. The Christmas the tragedy of my life turned into happiness.” He reached up to cup her face. “The Christmas I found you. And my life did change forever, for the better.”
He paused. “I think I’ve spent every Christmas since then trying to top it.”
“You noticed?” she teased him gently. “You know, for a while there, everyone thought you were going to step back. You actually managed it one year, remember?”
He gave a wry smile. “One year was enough to give me anxiety. I couldn’t let you think that meeting me was the highlight of our lives. I had to show you that every year would be better. That even though you’d been alone before, from now on and every year after, you’d always be surrounded by people who loved you.”
“And what about pulling back, when the celebrations became ridiculous?”
“How could I pull back from showing you how much I love you?”
She took him in—all of him. The love and warmth in his eyes, the strength in the hand that was holding hers, the softness of his palm against her cheek. This man who’d seen every sad, unhappy part of her behind the spiky armor she’d worn for so long she thought it was a part of herself, and made it his mission to turn the world into something that would fill her heart.
“Easy,” she told him. “You let me show you how much I loveyou.”
10
Jasper
He was an idiot, obviously. But eventually, the most obvious things made it into even his thick head.
Such as the fact that he could never have given his mate her best Christmas ever by keeping so busy they didn’t have any time for each other.
He and Abigail crept down the hallway, giggling like teenagers trying not to get caught. His foot caught on a stray decoration—he didn’t look, but it clonked like one of the nutcrackers Abigail had banished for looking too creepy. The sound echoed down the hallway and they both froze, clutching one another, suddenly feeling like intruders in their own house.
Jasper met Abigail’s eyes. He only meant it as a glance; a knowing wink, a wry comment about Christmas coming for them in the form of an army of poorly designed Nutcracker dolls.
Her face was flushed. Her eyes danced with excitement—and frustration, and a trace of wariness because what if Ruby woke up, and amusement because here was that damn Nutcracker,again,and all of a sudden he saw what wasn’t there.
The anxiety. The worry. The tension and stillness that had haunted him and his dragon for the last month.
She gazed up at him, and everything else in her eyes melted away into a love that burned like the sun and wrapped warm arms around his soul. “That stupid doll,” she muttered, and her voice did delicious things to him. “I thought I threw it out.”
“You never throw anything out. You feel too sorry for them.” He leaned her against the wall, brushing hair off her face. “Any poor little—”
And then, just as he still teasing her and himself into things, she got in first and kissed him.
The press of her lips to his, the nuzzle of her nose, the way she lifted one hand and touched the tips of her fingers to the edge of his jaw, tracing the bristles of his beard up to the ticklish spot by his ear—his body responded, and he kissed her back the way she liked best, holding her as her knees trembled.
When he finally released her, she gasped in a way that made the mate bond flare.
“Poor little what?” she demanded, eyes bright, challenging and exhilarated.
“Poor little dragon, lost in the snow?” he suggested.
“Poor little Halloween cat, stuck up on the roof.” Her mouth curved into a smile of bittersweet kindness. “Waiting for someone to take her home. No wonder I can’t throw out any other horrible toys.”
“That sounds like a challenge.”
Before she could respond, he hitched his arms under her ass, lifting her up and holding her close against him. He could bury his face in her chest—or look up into the face of his mate, worshipful and with a promise he fully intended to keep.
