Page 64 of Seal of Approval

Still, she would not look me in the eye. She only stared into the space between us, the still air there replaced with her shaky breathing.

“I can’t. I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I wanted to. I mean I want to but—” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

What had that monster done to her that she thought she had to ask forgiveness for being in charge of her own body? I hated him at that moment more than I hated my father.

I rolled onto my side and propped myself up. “Jasmine, look at me.”

She did, although her eye contact wavered.

“Would you tell Rose to be sorry about saying no?”

She shook her head.

“Then you shouldn’t be sorry either.”

She nodded, but doubt flooded her face.

I smiled. “I’m not sorry. The hottest woman in the world has asked me to share her bed. I’m going to bask in it.”

I kissed her gently on the lips and lay back down.

“And I get to share a bed with Sex on Legs.” I could hear the smile in her voice.

She rolled over and put her arm around me. I pulled her in close. When she was ready, we were going to have the best damn sex ever.

Over and over again.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Jasmine

I laid the Christmas hats on the kitchen table—red with fluffy fur trim. The Christmas Eve bonfire was one of my favourite traditions. It was usually just the townspeople who came along, and we sat around giving gifts and singing Christmas carols.

“Are you ready for a small-town Christmas celebration?” I asked Ethan.

He studied me. “What does it entail exactly?”

“Oh, you know, a little bit of this and a little bit of that,” I teased.

“Mmm.” His lips turned up. “Another small-town adventure for me.”

Rose came into the living area wearing a red Christmas dress with faux fur trimmings. She’d worn it for two years in a row and it was getting tight, but I couldn’t convince her to wear something different.

“Do you know a lot of Christmas carols?” she asked Ethan.

“I know a few.”

“Good. We can sing one together.”

Poor Ethan. He didn’t get much choice where Rose was concerned. First the Christmas tree and now singing with her. She grabbed a hat off the table and handed it to him before handing the rest out.

“Let’s go,” she said, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the door.

“It’s OK. I’ll take the bag of presents,” I called after them. Rose didn’t slow down.

“I’ll help you, Mum,” Bailey said.

He grabbed the Santa sack and flung it over his shoulder.

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