Page 26 of Donner

"Me?" He said it like he was surprised. I silently vowed to do everything in my power to show him how passionate I was about him for the rest of his stay in Miami. I never wanted to see that look of surprise on his face again.

"I would do anything to protect you and keep you safe."

He grinned and nodded. "Even if that means quitting your job and spending my vacation with me."

"When you say it like that, I sound pathetic." I grinned to soften my words. I didn't see myself as pathetic, but I would be hurting for money if I didn't hunt down another job soon.

"You sound heroic," he chided. "Take me to bed, hero."

I wouldn't argue with that.

Chapter 15

Jax

My heart pounded against my chest as Beau carried me to the bedroom. My reindeer chanted,Mate, mate, mate,with every beat, and I leaned my head on his shoulder for reassurance.

My gaze caught on a new accessory around Beau's neck, a black jewel pendant on a thick gold chain. "What's this?" I asked.

"Black tourmaline. It's supposed to combat negative thoughts."

"Have you been having negative thoughts?"

He grunted. "You know, I haven't. I took it off when I knew I would be in the jacuzzi with you and then I forgot about it."

He flung me onto the bed. I made quick work of my robe, slipping it off my shoulders. I left it beneath me on the bed so my slick wouldn't make such a mess. Once Beau stripped, he lay next to me wearing nothing but his necklace. It complemented his dark eyes in the dim light of the bedside lamp. I tugged on the gold chain just enough to pull him to me for a kiss.

"You look like you're thinking negative thoughts," he said.

I wasn't sure what I was thinking. My reindeer wanted me to beg Beau to move in with me, and I didn't have the words to object.

"Come with me to the North Pole." Desire loosened my tongue when I normally would have kept my feelings bottled. Once the words were out of my mouth, I panicked. I wanted Beau to join me in Christmas Village because he wanted to spend his life with me, not from some strange sense of duty after he'd rescued me and spent my vacation with me.

"I'd love to come with you," he said, halting my anxiety before it could burrow deeper. "I need to do a few things here, first. Sell my mom's house. Update my passport. Switch bank accounts to something I can access over the internet."

I cringed. I didn't know the first thing about money. I'd found a wallet in my bag when I arrived, and it had the photo ID I'd been using and a credit card with my name on it. Any time I decided where we would go, tickets mysteriously appeared in the large pocket at the back. Santa knew when we were awake. I hope he wasn't watching the bedroom as closely.

Finally, my brain caught up with Beau's words. "You've thought about coming to live with me!"

"Ever since I met you and my eagle said you were our mate." He kissed the top of my head.

"My reindeer says the same thing. I always thought I would mate another reindeer, or maybe an elf like my dad did. I was so disappointed when none of them called to me the way you do. I mean," I stammered, hoping I hadn't given him the wrong idea, "I'm glad my reindeer wants you for our mate. I want to be with you."

Beau squeezed my shoulders. "I know what you meant. I like you, Jax. I like spending time with you. You've even given me the notion that Santa heard me after all, only a little late. You're the friend I've always wanted."

"Friend?" I asked twisting so I straddled his legs and faced him, his arm still over mine, now clinging to my neck as I studied his gaze. "I'm more than that to you."

He nodded. "You are the full package, Jax Donner."

He remembered my name from my photo ID. My insides felt warm and gooey like a chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven. "You're not so bad yourself, Beau …" That cookie hardened to a rock in my gut. "I don't know your last name."

He laughed. "It's Reed."

"Reed-Donner," I said, trying the name out. "I like it."

"Who said my name would come first?"

"You're the alpha," I said. "We need both, so the Santas know any reindeer shifter babies we have are sleigh-worthy," I said. Not to mention, it would prove my dad wrong. I didn't have to give up my legacy as one of Santa's reindeer just because I was an omega.

---