Page 9 of Holiday Hijinks

No doubt he was. Jett had an entire security operation at his command. A simple word from him would have the IT staff covertly accessing the security feed of the hotel. Slate had to abide by the military’s rules and regulations. Stay on the right side of the law. Fortunately, his brother did things his own way.

Briefly, he wondered if the assholes after him had ever made a connection between the two men. The terror cell last year had made no mention of Jett or Shadow Security, but like Jett had said earlier tonight, he’d made his own enemies. Jett was flying into Seattle on a private plane, however, so it’s not as if his own itinerary was easily accessible. His family wasn’t staying in the same hotel Slate had originally booked, either.

Slate clicked on the various camera feeds at the cabin one last time, in both the front and back, ensuring that everything was as it should be. Damn homegrown terrorists. The men who’d been put behind bars a year ago should’ve been the furthest thing from his mind. He glanced around the kitchen one last time, then finally walked into the living room, his mind slowly shifting from work to the woman stretched out on the sofa in front of the roaring fire.

Chapter 5

Slate paused for a moment, taking in the intimate scene. The curtains behind the sofa were partially open, and he saw that the snow had already begun falling outside, soft in the twinkling white lights strung from the front porch. He could almost smell the crisp winter air, even from inside the warm, cozy room. Slowly, the tension began to roll off him, and he drew in another breath.

This was where he was supposed to be.

And despite the softly falling snow outside, and the twinkling lights from the Christmas tree, nothing was as pretty as the sight of his fiancée, safe and content on the sofa.

Ashleigh’s bare feet were propped up on the coffee table, and she was furiously typing on her sleek laptop. He’d never met anyone who could write as fast as her—not that he really knew other writers. Her work as an author was a solo gig. Although she had writer friends scattered throughout the country, she wasn’t involved with a constant stream of people like he was on the daily.

Even now, at this late hour, there would be men and women on base working. There were multiple situations around the globe constantly being monitored. The holiday season was a prime opportunity for those intent on doing harm, with large crowds gathered in celebration. A terror attack in a major city would be exactly something terrorist organizations and lone wolves alike wanted. They sought to achieve chaos. Disruption. Fear. Death.

And even now, on vacation with the woman he loved, the constant threat of danger would always linger in the back of his mind.

“You look stressed,” Ashleigh said as she looked up from her laptop, her eyes scanning over him.

“Just some work issues,” he ground out.

“Everything okay?” Ashleigh stood and set her laptop down, then moved toward him, the sweater she wore stretching enticingly across her breasts. Her swaying hips drew his gaze next, and his eyes tracked down her denim-clad legs. Damn, she was beautiful. With the white Christmas tree lights behind her, Ashleigh’s blonde hair practically shimmered. She looked like a damn angel floating toward him—lightness and innocence compared to the darkness of his world.

His breathing slowed as she got closer even as his blood heated. Slate always felt calmer in her presence, soothed by her in a way no one else could ever affect him. She also stirred something else inside him as well—something primal, giving him the urge to kiss and claim and make her his in every way. Slate would never get enough of his woman. He’d gone a hell of a long time without even wanting to date, too busy advancing his Navy career, but when he’d met Ashleigh? He couldn’t stay away, no matter how much restraint he’d thought he had.

She wrapped her arms around him, the gesture more comforting than intimate. Her soft curves pressed against him, her breasts pillowing against his chest as his own arms immediately came up to hold her close. Her head only reached to beneath his chin, making all his protective instincts rise. She was small, sweet, and goddamn gorgeous. His to keep safe and cherish. He brushed his lips over the top of her head, Ashleigh’s tempting vanilla scent making his groin tighten.

“You were working.” It wasn’t a question.

“Of course. Once I get an idea in my head, I just have to go with it,” she said.

Slate smiled against her blonde strands. Of course she did. Sometimes Ashleigh would grab a napkin and scribble down notes or type something into her phone when they were out, sudden inspiration striking. It was cute as hell to see her so excited about her work. And while she loved to write, she was successful, too. A businesswoman in her own right, running her own career. Slate was damn proud of her for all that she’d accomplished.

“Write anything good?” he asked.

“Maybe I’ll tell you more later,” she teased, nuzzling against his flannel shirt.

He palmed the back of her head, holding her to him for a moment, and then his hands roamed, moving down over the soft sweater to cup her ass in the snug-fitting jeans she wore. He gave her a gentle squeeze, and she looked up to meet his gaze, pressing even closer. Slate took her lips in a slow, heated kiss, one of his hands moving to tangle in her hair as he held her. His erection was already growing between them, thick and throbbing, and he heard Ashleigh’s small whimper. She teasingly rubbed herself against him as their kiss deepened, and Slate choked back a groan.

When he finally pulled back, she was gasping for breath, her eyes dilated, her cheeks flushed. He could see her breasts rising and falling, and his erection now pressed painfully against the confines of his jeans. He wanted her.

“I have a present for you to open tonight,” he said, looking at her intently.

“Slate, it’s not even Christmas yet,” she protested, but he didn’t miss the hint of excitement in her eyes.

“Maybe I just like spoiling you,” he said, his voice deep.

Her gaze dropped to his trousers, and he chuckled. “I’ll be okay. I’m always hard around you, Ash, and we can remedy that soon enough.”

She blushed prettily, and Slate led her over to the Christmas tree, thankful that Lena had numbered the presents he’d selected for her to wrap. He had a new surprise for Ashleigh to open every night, leading right up to Christmas Day. And then he’d surprise the hell out of her with the wedding he’d secretly planned.

“Shit. The camera,” he suddenly said.

“There’s a camera in here?” she asked in alarm.

“There wasn’t last year,” he assured her before crossing the space to turn off the hidden device. “Jett added them after our little incident.”

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