Page 36 of Candy Canes & Peppermint Kisses

I sat up straighter after she said those words, my body tight, my muscles contracted. I loved hearing her say that. “I feel the same,” I responded, but I didn’t tell her what I felt was far more intense. There was no way she could feel a fraction of the pull for me that I had toward her. It wasn’t physically possible.

“So I was a coward and ran, because I didn’t know what else to do.”

I didn’t stay seated any longer. I couldn’t. My instinct was to go to her, and that’s exactly what I did. I pushed myself off the recliner and strode the few steps it took to get to Blythe, sinking down onto my haunches and bracing my hands on either side of the loveseat, caging her in.

She leaned back, her eyes widened, her mouth parting slightly as she breathed out slowly. It was clear my sudden move caught her by surprise. Good, because I wanted her on edge, the same as I was.

“It scares the shit out of me too, baby.” I inhaled deeply, taking in her scent. She smelled like cinnamon. I kept in the groan of pleasure that filled me, so fucking thankful she wasn’t pushing me away. And instead, I actually saw her move an inch closer, as if she needed to be closer to me as well.

“It does?” The words were so slow as she spoke them.

I nodded slowly. It didn’t terrify me in the sense I felt these things. It scared the shit out of me at the prospect she wouldn’t be mine. That was what frightened me. “I’ve never felt this way before." I wanted to be totally honest with Blythe. If I wanted her in my life forever—which I’d never wanted anything more—I wanted nothing between us. “Last night, being with you,” I said and took a deep breath, staring deep into her blue eyes, “that was the first time I’d been with a woman in over five years.” More shock came from her, but I could tell it was a pleasurable kind.

She’d given me her virginity last night, and I wanted to share this piece of information with her as well.

“I haven’t been with a woman in that long, because I couldn’t bring myself to. I had no desire to give myself to someone without knowing she was mine forever.” My heart was beating so hard as I bared my soul to her. “When I was with a woman again, it would be because she’d be my wife, the mother of my children.” Her breath caught harshly on that. She knew what that meant, what she meant to me, and what I wanted.

I continued to look into her eyes, saying so much without speaking the actual words. But they needed to be said out loud, moving between us, penetrating her so Blythe knew how deep I was willing to go for this. For us.

“I was waiting for you, Blythe. I’ve been waiting for you my entire life.” I placed a hand over my heart that now beat solely for her. “I’m yours from this point on.”

“Logan,” she whispered, her voice resonating in shock, her eyes still wide.

“And I knew that as soon as I saw you coming out of that room in that ridiculous Mrs. Claus outfit.”

Her lips twitched in amusement, and I felt myself smiling in return. This was good. She still wasn’t pushing me away.

“My heart may have always beat within my chest before you, but after you is when it beat with a purpose other than the fundamental sense, baby.”

She said nothing, but I preferred that. I wanted my words to sink in. I wanted her to know how deep I went with this... went for her.

“All I’m asking you is to give us a chance, to give this a chance and see where it goes, how it grows.” I slid my hands off the arms of the chair and placed them on her thighs, feeling the tightness in her leaving. I wanted her liquid. “I want to give myself to you in every single way, Blythe. I want to show you how good it’ll be between us.”

“And you know it’ll be that good?” She was teasing, that lilt in her voice making my heart beat harder.

I growled, “It’ll be the best fucking thing in the world.” That was no lie. “I just want you. Only you.” Long moments of silence passed between us, but that was fine. That was good. I wanted her to really think this over, to hear how sincere I was in my conviction and in my words. Finally, she exhaled slowly, and that smile was back, one that had my belly tightening because I knew she was mine.

I felt... hope.

“Okay,” she said softly, and I did groan then, deep and audible, letting the tenor move out of me in all its possessive, pleased bass.

I had her pulled into my embrace a second later, hauled off the chair and into my arms because I just fucking couldn’t stop myself. And as if she knew what I wanted—because she was made for me—she wrapped her arms around my neck and had her chest fully pressed to mine in sheer perfection.

I held Blythe as if I’d keep her forever, as if not even the hand of God could take her away from me.

Because there was only one word that acutely described what she was to me.

Mine.

EPILOGUE

Logan

One year later

Iwas hard. So fucking hard my cock throbbed and my balls were pulled up tight. And it was all because Blythe was currently trying to reach for a book on the highest shelf of the bookcase.

I sat in the leather recliner across from her, my back against the cushion and my jean-clad thighs slightly spread as I took on a relaxed position. The fire crackled in the hearth, the only light currently illuminating the living room.

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