Page 18 of All I Want for Christmas Eve

“Eve,” he says gruffly.

“Mmm?” I respond innocently. “I’m just getting warm.”

“I can see that,” he says, sliding his hand over my hip. “So, you know how we just had a date last night, right?”

“Yes,” I answer.

“Well, do you think the original Adam and Eve ever had a date?”

“What? I mean… I guess so.”

“No,” Adam says. “They didn’t have a date—they had an apple.”

There is silence for a moment in the bedroom.

“Get it?” Adam asks. “Because a date is a fruit…”

“I get it,” I say, as I try to hold back my laughter. But the giggles overtake me anyway. And I know I can’t hide it, because his hands are on my body, and he can feel me laughing. “You are ridiculous,” I tell him.

“Do you know the first time a math equation was mentioned in the Bible?” he asks.

“Nope.”

“When God told Adam and Eve to go forth and multiply,” he explains. “Get it? Multiplication.”

I sigh. “Don’t you think it’s a little awkward to talk about multiplication when we’re in bed together like this?”

“Not really,” he answers, his warm breath brushing against my ear. “I think all forms of multiplication are beautiful. And fun. I definitely want to have kids someday soon. What about you?”

“Yes,” I respond, “but not within the next five minutes.”

Adam laughs. “That doesn’t seem like a very reasonable timeline.”

“Maybe if you give me fifteen minutes. I’m joking. That’s a joke,” I say quickly.

Adam is chuckling. “Lucky for you, I think my leg is hurting too much to attempt any sort of multiplication tables tonight.”

“I’m also way too frozen,” I inform him. “I’ve heard about people freezing their eggs, but I think I’ve frozen all my lady parts. I am pretty sure that there are icicles dripping from my fallopian tubes, and that my vagina is frozen shut completely. Like an igloo with no entrance.”

“Well, that’s an attractive visual,” Adam responds. “And surprisingly appetizing. Like, if I could stick your frozen vagina on a cake pop, I bet it would be absolutely delicious.”

I burst out laughing. “I think ovaries are more the shape of a cake pop. You know what? This conversation is getting out of hand. I think we are both delirious with cold, and we need to get some sleep.”

“I agree,” Adam says, caressing his hand over my stomach in a gentle way. “I hope that your body parts have defrosted by the morning.”

“I hope that yours are no longer painful,” I whisper. “Goodnight, Adam.”

“Goodnight, my frozen first lady.”

It’s funny how magical you feel after a good night’s sleep. And it’s even better when you have a pair of strong arms around you. And the warmth of a man pressed against your body, with his faint, comforting masculine scent. I don’t think I’ve slept this well in years. It has been so blissful that I haven’t wanted to move. But when I finally did roll over, I found that Adam adjusted with me, laying on his back so I could rest my head on his shoulder, and wrap my leg around him. Then we slept some more like that, and it was even nicer.

I didn’t know Alaska could feel this warm.

And when his fingers start brushing over my hair, and my arm, it sends tingles soaring across my skin. I didn’t know being without power could feel so electric.

Without realizing it, I find myself sliding my hand over his chest. Feeling the ridges, dips and valleys.

“Eve?” Adam says huskily. “You’re good sleeping company.”

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