Page 38 of The Selkie Santa

“Just your toes?”

“Nope.” Harper put her key in the latch. “All of me.”

And with that, she flung open her front door and dragged her big handsome selkie inside.

To warm her toes.

And other places…

EPILOGUE

Christmas Eve—one year later

Noah watched Harper as she walked around handing out mince pies in the cramped little galley of his boat.

Dina sat bobbing baby Jason up and down on her lap, big and bonnie at seven months old and already a fine swimmer, even though he couldn’t yet crawl. Noah’s mom was happily propped up with a cushion behind her sore back, chatting to Eleanor, who was wearing emerald green and red striped glasses in honor of Christmas, and a silver jumpsuit (yes, a jumpsuit) that looked like it was made of woven tinsel.

Wyatt was slicing the Christmas cake in the kitchen—the one he’d made himself, no less.

It was all kinds of perfect.

Except it was just too small a space to bring up a family.

His and Harper’s.

Harper had told him only last week that she was pregnant.

Noah had literally cried, big salty selkie tears, dropped to his knees and kissed her still-flat belly. Then he’d made gentle love to her in their small bed. He hadn’t minded it being smallwhen there was just the two of them, it meant Harper had to lie spooned into him and he’d wrap his tail around her, holding her close.

But now… there was no way they could bring up a kid in here. Just watching Jason, even rolling on his tummy, and all the dangers you could encounter as a baby. Let alone when they crawled… Noah shuddered.

But he had a plan. Two plans, to be precise.

He only hoped his beloved was happy with both.

When everyone finally left, he said casually, “Shall we sit up on the deck for a while?”

It had been a cold, crisp, sunny day and now that the sun was low in the sky, a beautiful wash of red and pink and purple suffused the heavens.

No sign of snow, but there would be frost on deck tonight.

“Sure,” Harper said, “I’ll grab us some jackets.”

When they were rugged up and seated, he said, “I was going to wait until tomorrow. But Harps, it will be busy with Christmas lunch at the Monsters of Mercy and everyone wanting to catch up, and I can’t wait.

She gave him an inquisitive look. “Wait for what?”

Noah fumbled in his pocket for the box. Handed it to her.

She opened it expectantly and he thought he saw a little shadow of disappointment pass over her face.

“A key?”

“Yep.”

“What for?”

“A key to our new home.”

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