Page 109 of Blissful Devotion

We’ve spoken about her parents briefly, but it was enough to know they don’t deserve her, never did, and I’ll be damned if they ever get access to her now.

No, she loves our mother, and it's no secret our mother adores her; we’ll make sure she never wants for anything. If she wants a family, we can help her with that, happily.

“She is a wonderful mother,” she tells me as we pull up to the house. A snowman stands proudly by the door from yesterday, and though this is the same house it was before Kat, it feels different.

It feels like a home.

I can only imagine how it will look after we decorate. We still have to go pick a tree, and this year we decided to have a company help decorate outside as well.

As if her words summoned her, the door flies open, and Kat stands in the doorway with Nico in her arms, Addy at her side, and Desmond behind her. Her smile makes my heart race, but it’s not until her eyes land on mine and they shine that my smile pulls at my lips.

“She’s the perfect queen.”

Pictures take a while, and I’m thankful we did it earlier in the season before the bone-cold weather sets in and Rockefeller Center is packed.

We took some in Central Park and some in Rockefeller Center for the decorations, and even with a crying baby, Kat smiled and was radiant the whole time, gushing about how great the pictures would turn out.

It’s something so simple that I’d never really thought to do. Addison had her pictures taken for school, but nothing like this.

That would change, though; pictures might very well become a part of every holiday now.

I’d already booked the photographer for a few weeks from now when we go to cut down a tree without telling Kat. Those didn’t need to be posed and perfect; I think she would prefer them more in the moment, and she deserved a way to hold these moments.

After the photos, we head over to Lavo to change, warm up, and enjoy a meal together that none of us cooked.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Kat and my mother’s cooking, but I also enjoy them simply sitting here with us, talking and enjoying the meal.

Together in the dynasty we built, enjoying the family we always wanted.

Everything I ever wanted is here, and suddenly everything was worth it, because it got us to this point.

“You okay?” I look to my right and find Kat's beautiful green eyes fixed on me, full of concern. Whatever she sees on my face, she must be taking it the wrong way, because "okay" is so low on the list of words I would use to describe how I am right now.

“I’m amazing,” I tell her truthfully and see some of the tension melt off her shoulders, a smile pulling at her lips.

“In fact, there’s only one thing I can think of that will make this night better...”

The others talk, eat, and enjoy our time together.

All except Vince, who sits at the far end of the table, his eyes glued to Kat. He’s been overly protective since she came home; we all have, of course, but Vince has been even more so. He swears he doesn’t still blame himself for what happened, but I know him too well to buy his lies.

That’s fine, though; I’ve never minded putting on a show, and I know Kat doesn’t either.

I lean in closer, hooking a finger under her chin to keep her in place when she starts to pull back. We’re only a few inches apart, but the effect isn’t lost on either of us, if the way she swallows is any indication.

I love her throat.

Her tongue darts out over her lips to wet them, and I can’t look away.

I love her lips too, her tongue… Fuck, I love everything about this woman.

“I have a craving.” Her pupils dilate before my eyes, and I know she understands, but still I push on, enjoying her reactions too much to stop. “Something that sadly isn’t on the menu.”

Leaning in, she eagerly meets my lips. The kiss is sweet, hardly more than a brush of our lips, but the promise of more is so intoxicating it nearly makes me dizzy.

It takes everything in me to pull away. Turning back to my meal, I easily fall into the conversation Alex and Desmond are having with Addison, acutely aware of the green eyes glued to the side of my head.

The night air is bitter cold, but the car is ready and waiting. Oliver slides in next to Mother and Father, with Nico, then Addison, Alex, and Des, with Kat right behind him.