Page 37 of The Santa of the Mountain

He smiles. My heart flutters. And my big, beefcake of a mountain man strides over to me.

“Wow,” Cole says, his voice an octave deeper and raspier than usual. “How’d you know what I wanted?”

“Lucky guess.”

“Sorry, I didn’t get you anything.”

I snort, taking the bow off my heart and placing it on his. “I’d like this if you’re offering it.”

He grabs my hand and tugs me to my feet. “Kate, you’ve had it the moment you entered my life. My heart is yours. Always and forever.”

My vision blurs with tears until I blink. He wipes each one away and then brushes my lips. “No need to cry. I’m yours.”

I sniffle. “And I’m yours too.”

He tunnels his hand through my hair, kissing me softly on my lips. Delicately. Like he’s taking his time. He keeps kissing me, sliding a hand around my waist and pulling me closer. I’ve never felt so loved before. Never felt so desired. Like I’m the most precious thing in the world to another person.

“I love you,” Cole says, his lips brushing against mine with every syllable. I feel them in my chest, those three little loaded words. And I can’t help but let a few more tears fall.

“I love you, too,” I say. “So, so very much.”

The words come out before my throat closes up. Before Cole seals his lips against mine and we kiss for god knows how long. I lose track of time when I’m with Cole.

When we finally break free, I mutter, “I lied.”

His eyes narrow. “About what?”

“There’s one more thing I want for Christmas.”

“Anything,” he says, brushing my eyebrows with his thumb.

I pull away, taking the bow from his heart. I chew my bottom lip as those naughty thoughts rise again. I can’t help them. They come and go as they please when I’m around Cole. And now that I’ll be around him for a while longer, I might as well get used to them. Better to go with the current than against.

I kneel, my body brushing against his cock. It springs back up and then I look up at him as I place the bow at the base of it.

“Jesus, Kate,” he rasps, thrusting his hand through my hair again. “You know it’s yours.”

“But I haven’t tasted it yet.”

I glance at the large, throbbing head, a small bead already pooling at the tip. I wrap my hand around the base, and Cole groans, gripping my hair tighter. It’s thick. It’s veiny and big. And it’s all mine.

I lick the bead, tasting his saltiness, relishing the way he moans as I take him into my mouth. “Just like that, Kate. Fucking perfect,” he moans.

But before I have the chance to take any more than the tip into my mouth, we hear footsteps at the front door. Lots of them. Like a damn stampede of animals.

“My family,” Cole rasps.

“Run,” I shout.

Cole sprints into the bedroom just in time. The front door opens right as Cole shuts the bedroom room door.

“Merry—what the hell is this?” A man the size of Cole mutters when he glances inside.

Two more mountain men amble inside, staring blankly around the cabin.

“Merry Christmas,” I say, awkwardly swinging my arm.

All of them stare at me.

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