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“If you don’t want to, it’s—”
“No. No, I want to. God help me… I think I’ve never wanted anything more, sweetheart. It’s a long story. And sad. A lot of pain.”
Bear took a deep breath, then smiled at her.
“Let’s finish the tree. Then get some sleep. We’ve got our family coming tomorrow. It’s Christmas and I want to celebrate with you. But after, baby girl… after tomorrow, I’ll tell you. Okay?”
She saw a flash of pain in his eyes — the kind she’d only ever seen in her own mirror.
Baby… what happened to you?
“Of course, Cal,” she whispered. Then she blushed, glancing down at herself. “I’m… ahh… almost naked, huh?”
She felt the rumble of his laughter against her. “You know? I kinda noticed that. Kinda…”
She grinned. “Kinda? If you stared at my tits and ass any harder I would—”
Sage stopped as his lips found hers again. They kissed softly while snow fell silently outside the big windows and old Christmas music played low in the background.
Smiling, he helped her up and fetched her a heavy robe from the downstairs guest room. With Christmas music, jokes, and laughter, Sage decorated her first real Christmas tree with the man she loved. When it came time for the star, he lifted her high so she could place it perfectly on top, then lowered her gently to the floor.
“Mmmm… pick me up and carry me to bed please, Daddy.”
She smiled as he did exactly that. Each step up the stairs reminded her of the first night they met — when she was feverish and terrified and he had carried her upstairs to take care of her.
“Try not to break any doors, okay?”
He grunted, warm and affectionate. “Only if you’re in trouble, baby girl.”
Sage sighed and melted against him, happy in a way that still felt slightly illegal.
As he settled her onto the warm bed, she whispered, “Will you… stay with me? Just to sleep? Please?”
Cal looked at her with so much love and longing it made her ache. He was clearly holding himself back, nervous about—
“I promise I’ll be good,” she said with a smile that clearly said she would… but would much rather not.
He smiled softly. “Okay, princess. Okay.”
Cal rose from the edge of the bed, his large tall frame moving with that surprising, predatory grace. The firelight carved deep shadows across his body as he reached for the hem of his dress shirt.
He peeled it off slowly, the crisp white fabric whispering against his skin. Broad shoulders rolled back as he shrugged free, revealing the impossible width of his back — thick planes of muscle shifting and flexing under warm, tanned skin dusted with light hair. His chest was a wall of heavy, sculpted power, dark nipples tight from the cool air. A trail of coarse hair arrowed down the deep ridges of his abs, disappearing beneath the waistband of his pants.
Sage’s breath caught audibly.
He hooked his thumbs into his pants next, pushing them down powerful thighs thicker than her waist. The fabric dragged over dense muscle, the heavy cords standing out as he stepped free. Every inch revealed more of him — the V-cut of his obliques slicing toward his groin, the sheer mass of his body making the room feel suddenly smaller. The black boxer briefs clung low on his hips, stretched tight over the unmistakable, heavy outline of his cock where it rested thick and half-hard against his thigh. The fabric looked like it was fighting a losing battle to contain him.
Cal stood there for a heartbeat. Towering. Primal. His chest rose and fell in a slow, deep rhythm, the soft hair there catching the firelight like threads of gold and shadow.
Oh fuck… why did I promise that?!
Wearing only his boxer briefs, he slid into bed beside her. He turned off the light, and as he did, she slipped out of her robe. She curled into his warm, solid body, feeling the soft hair on his chest brush against her stiff nipples. He muttered, voice rough, “Mmmm… you’re going to kill me.”
Sage smiled as she nestled deeper into his arms and whispered, “Good night, Daddy.”
He held her closer, gently rubbing her curvy back.
“Good night, my love.”
