Page 92 of Wandering Souls

Chapter Seventeen

The heat woke Abi.Sweat dampened her skin as she threw the bed covers off but it didn’t cool her. With a groan, she flung her arm over her eyes and sighed. Beside her, Ray stirred. His hand flattened against her belly and he kissed her shoulder.

“Merry Christmas,” he whispered at her ear. The excitement in his voice made her smile.

“Morning.”

“Hm, you’re all sweaty.”

She chuckled. “It’s hot.”

He nuzzled at her neck. “Yes, you are.”

“Ray,” she complained playfully as his warmth combined with the night’s heat to wake her up completely.

“Do you want me to stop?”

Well, no.

She giggled and his hand caressed her breast. “You had me worried there for a minute.”

He nudged her arm out of the way and appeared before her, looking as if he’d just opened the best gift of all. Bright eyes smiled at her as he pressed his lips to hers.

“What time is it?”

He glanced over at the clock. “A little after seven.”

“I said I’d be there by ten.”

His deep-throated laughter rumbled over her skin. “I don’t need three hours to have my way with you, although...” he waggled his eyebrows, “two would be awesome.”

Tempted as she was, she still had a few gifts to wrap. Then they had to collect Millie and Grace from his house on their way to Stevie’s. Thinking of all the people who’d be there for Christmas lunch made her nervous. To cater for the enormous affair, Damien had hired a marquee, several rotisserie ovens, serving dishes, fridges and generators.

“Abi?”

She blinked and realized she stared straight through Ray. “Sorry. Is it weird that I’m nervous about today?”

He settled on his elbow beside her and traced her cheekbone. “No. It’ll be your first Christmas with them.”

“Them,” she mused. “Allof them.”

Every one of Damien’s Shadow Soldiers, their wives or fiancés, children and extended families. She’d stopped counting at twenty guests, glad she wasn’t in charge of making sure there was enough food.

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