Page 17 of The Santa Surprise

“We wanted you to join us. We ordered plenty. Now give me your coat.” She gives me that faux mom look that tells me not to argue with her, and I won’t, so I hand her my coat.

Alex grabs my hand, pulling me into his side. “Did you have a good day at work?” He leans down asking.

“It was good, and I got Dakota’s stuff all wrapped. What about you?” I look up at him and zero in on his beautiful, kissable lips. I blush thinking about the other night.

He wraps his arm around my waist after letting go of my hand. “Come on, I’ll give you the five-cent tour.” Before we leave the room, I turn back and spot my daughter in the arms of her papa, and they’re smiling at each other.

Once we’re in the quieter part of the house Alex turns to look at me. “To answer your question earlier, I had a good day. Sorry about my family they can be a little much.”

“No, they’re great. I just don’t want them to think they have to have me around for them to spend time with Dakota.” I hate the insecurity in my voice.

Alex places both hands on my shoulders. “Hey, that’s not the case at all. They want you here, I want you here.” He cups my cheek. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

He leans down and I tip my head back. The moment our lips touch, I sigh. He’s the best kisser ever—if he’d kiss me forever, I’d die happy. I sink into it, opening my mouth when his tongue brushes my lips.

Our tongues dual and I moan. “Oops, sorry.” I freeze and turn my head to find Ripley and Mara looking at us with goofy smiles on their faces.

They back out of the room and I turn to look at Alex. He’s biting his lip and his dimples are on display as he tries not to laugh. I smack his chest. “Don’t laugh,” I hiss, which makes him laugh harder. “Your mom just busted us.”

“Um . . . we’re adults and we share a child. She was smiling so it’s safe to say she wasn’t mad about it.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders, and we finish the tour by making out on his old bed—that is until we hear Dakota and Tyler calling for us.

Chapter Thirteen

Alex

I carry Dakota into the studio with Aspen walking beside us, with her hand wrapped around Tiny’s leash.

“It is hilarious that your mom is making you guys do an ugly sweater family picture.” She smiles up at me and I just want to kiss the shit out of her. She’s so beautiful she takes my breath away.

Dakota wraps her arms around my neck, kissing me on the cheek. I love this kid so much already. I can’t imagine my life without her in it. I turn back to her mom. “I do it because I love the crazy woman.”

Aspen places her hand on my back, laughing softly. The rest of my family is already here and in a waiting room. Mara hops up with a bag and runs toward us. She drops the bag at her feet and hugs Aspen and then takes Dakota in her arms.

“Umm . . . excuse me. Big brother here. Father of the child you’re holding.” My sister dances over to me and pushes up on her toes, kissing me on the cheek.

“Sorry, big brother. Your sweaters are in the bag.” Mara sets Dakota down and pulls a little red sweater out of the bag. She slips it over her head and it’s got Rudolph on it with a nose that blinks red.

“Oh my gosh that’s so cute.” Aspen pulls out her phone and quickly takes a picture.

I pull two sweaters out of the bag and Mom pipes up, “There’s one for you and one for Aspen.”

I slip mine on over my head and then hand Aspen hers. She shakes her head at me. “I can’t be in this,” she whispers.

“We’ll be right back.” I tell my family and then drag her out of the studio. “Why can’t you be in the picture?”

Aspen shakes her head. “I’m not family.”

A snowflake lands on the tip of her nose, making me smile. I reach out and wipe it away. “You may not be family, but it doesn’t mean that you don’t mean something to me. I know this is all very new, but I felt a connection to you that night—I feel it now and I want to explore it with you.”

She turns away from me and then tips her head back to look at me. “What if it doesn’t work out between us? Where does that leave Dakota?”

I pull her into my arms. “No matter what, everything we do will be to give her the best life possible. Whether we’re together or not.”

Aspen cups the back of my neck with both hands—her eyes are soft, and it makes my heart beat faster. “How did I get so lucky to have you be Dakota’s dad? I mean I’ve heard stories about baby daddy or baby momma drama, but with you, it’s been easy. I keep waiting for you to turn into an asshole.”

It makes me laugh and I wrap my arms around her, hugging her tight. “You’ll just have to keep waiting because it’s never going to happen. Now my mom doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to, and she pretty much gets what she wants so let’s go wear those ugly ass sweaters and pose for some pictures.”

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