Page 50 of Frostbite & Mistletoe
Her wolf threw its head back and howled in triumph. Everything had worked out the way it had hoped.
This is the beginning of our forever.
The moment hung suspended in time: Gabriel’s arms strong around her, the music weaving through the air, their family and friends encircling them with love and acceptance.
It was everything Kymberlie had ever wanted and more than she’d dared to hope for.
∞∞∞
After the auction of donated items, dessert was served.
When the fundraiser finally wound down near midnight and the last guests trickled out to the parking lot, Zoey, Karl, and Matt chased Kymberlie and Gabriel out.
“Don’t worry about cleanup,” Zoey said.“We’ve got a bunch of volunteers to help with that.”
“We’ll leave this place so clean you’ll never know we had a big party in here,” Karl added cheerfully.
Maggie and Cade were waiting in the parking lot as Kymberlie and Gabriel walked outside. Maggie thrust a bulging envelope into Kymberlie’s hands.“These are just the proceeds from tickets we sold at the door,” she said.“Check your banking app for the rest of the advance ticket sales. And the money from the auction should show up by next week.”
Kymberlie hugged her.“Thanks for everything, Maggie. I don’t have the words to tell you how much tonight meant to me.”
“I know you’d do the same for us if we needed help,” Cade drawled.“Now, get going, you two. I know you have wedding plans to make.”
∞∞∞
Gabriel ached at the temporary separation as he followed Kymberlie’s car back to her house. He didn’t want to stop touching her, didn’t want her to get further away than arm’s length… but the nature of tonight’s surprise meant they’d each driven their own vehicles.
Once he’d parked in front of her house, he strode up the snow-covered walk to her porch and scooped her up in his arms.
Kymberlie giggled and wound her arms around his neck as he carried her across the threshold of her house.
Our house now, he supposed. The cabin he was renting from Daniel Langlais out at the Cougar Lake Ranch had never really felt like home.
As he strode into the living room, his sabertooth rumbled with satisfaction, a deep vibration that traveled from his chest to hers where she was pressed against him.
The front door swung shut behind them with a soft click. For a moment, they simply stared at each other in the dim entryway.
The only illumination came from the porch light filtering through the curtained living room windows, but it was more than enough for Gabriel’s shifter-enhanced vision. The diamond on Kymberlie’s finger caught the faint light and winked like a star.
“I can’t believe you’re mine,” Gabriel whispered, setting her gently on her feet but keeping her within the circle of his arms.
Kymberlie’s smile was radiant.“Believe it.” She rose on her tiptoes, her mouth seeking his.
The kiss started slow, exploratory, but quickly blazed into something fierce and demanding.
Gabriel’s hands slid down to her jeans-clad ass, pulling her flush against him. Her scent filled his lungs, intoxicating him. His cat growled in approval as her fingers tangled in his hair and her short nails scraped lightly against his scalp.
“Bedroom,” she gasped against his mouth.“Now.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. Scooping her up again, Gabriel carried her down the hallway to his favorite spot inside her home. When he pushed open her bedroom door, moonlight spilled across the rumpled sheets of her unmade bed, turning them silver.
He set her on her feet beside the bed, his hands immediately moving to the hem of her knitted sweater.
“I’ve wanted you for my mate since the first time we met,” he confessed, his voice rough with desire.
Her hands weren’t idle either, tugging at his tie, unbuttoning his dress shirt with nimble fingers.“While you were shutting down my club?” she teased.“Me yelling at you is what turned you on?”
“Kind of,” Gabriel admitted.“I mean, I felt bad about having to lay down the law, but you were so fierce, so determined to make everything right.”
