Page 69 of His Off-Limits Christmas Gift

“We’ll go home,” I said. “And then tomorrow, I’d love for you to come to the cabin with me.”

She nodded, laughing once as she continued to get dressed. “I was just thinking before I found you at the party that I would never set foot in Rockton again.”

“Because of your mother?” I guessed as I pulled my pants all the way back on.

“Yes. But if I’m with you…” She sauntered close and kissed me. “I think she won’t have a single critique to give me that could matter anymore. We’d be a couple.”

I held her close for another kiss. “Arealcouple, sweet girl. I’m never letting you go.”

25

RACHEL

Christmas Day…

Snaps and crackles woke me first. The sounds from the fireplace broke me out of the deep sleep I could have sworn we’d just fallen under the spell of.

If being with Nate would mean staying up late, then waking to make love again every night, I would need to seriously revise my sleep schedule.

Yawning so wide that it hurt my face, I shivered as I let the cool air of the bedroom kiss my exposed skin.

“Hey,” I murmured sleepily. “You’re hogging the blankets again.”

“No. I would never.” Nate kept his eyes closed as he reached over to pull me on top of him. Draped over his hard body, I sank against him and closed my eyes once more. I rested my cheek on his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart soothe me. “If you didn’t toss and turn so much that half the sheets end up on the floor, we would be set with our blanket.”

I yawned. “I do not toss and turn.”

“You do.” He stroked his hands over the globes of my ass. “I guess I don’t tire you out enough before bed. Or in it.”

“Oh, I’m plenty tired.” I laughed at the idea of losing more sleep.

Here in his cabin, it made sense. This was a vacation spot. We weren’t working or expected to anytime soon. Dinner with his parents last night was wonderful, and they both encouraged us to take time off. That was when I expressed my wish for a change in mytemporaryemployment.

“Simply put,” I told Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh, “I don’t think Julie will allow anyone else to be an assistant on that floor after me.”

“Oh, she’s such a sweetheart,” Cindy McIntosh said.

Her husband, Darren, grunted. “You mean a ball buster who doesn’t take shit from anyone, eh?” He winked at me. “That must mean you’re really tough to impress her.”

“Rachel?” Nate teased. “Nah. She’s a sweet girl.”

I still couldn’t believe he’d made me blush in front of his parents.

I was Nate’s sweet girl. And I never wanted him to stop calling me that.

Now, this wonderful Christmas morning, I wondered how it would work when we stopped this winter break. I planned to email that place that offered me the contract work starting in January. I’d let them know next week. Everyone was in holiday heaven—or hell.

“When we go back to work,” I said, rousing Nate from falling asleep again, “how will it go?”

“What do you mean?”

I peered up at him. “We can’t be locking ourselves in your office all the time for quickies.”

He sighed, stretching with the sound to the point where he almost knocked me off him. “And I want longies with you, anyway.”

“Longies?” I snorted, laughing so fast.

“I don’t want to rush with you, sweet girl.” He rolled me onto my back and nuzzled my breasts. “I want to take my time with you.”

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