Page 24 of Christmas in Kiwi Country

GWEN: Y’all are too much

“What are you laughing at?”Cullen asks with a smile.

“The girls. I only messaged Isla and Cheyenne but they’re all in here with Flora.” I wave my phone at him. “And your daughter is talking about orgasms.”

Cullen’s left eye twitches, and I grin before tossing my phone on the bed and wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Do you have to do that? You know the doctor says I have to avoid stress.” He pouts and I chuckle as I press my body against his and sigh against his lips.

“She’s a grown woman,” I tease.

“Yeah, and I have three grandbabies on the way that I want zero details about how that came to be.”

‘Speaking of details…” I say as I step out of his hold and toward the suitcase. I hunt around one of the pockets before I pull out the small vibrator and the charging cord triumphantly.

“Get us a little something for the trip?” Cullen asks as he starts to unbutton his shirt. Even after a long flight, the man still is dressed like he’s headed to a meeting at a moment’s notice.

“Miss Thelma dropped it off. Said it gets rave reviews.”

Cullen’s hands stall on his shirt, and his mouth falls open before snapping shut and then a full-body shiver wracks his body. His hands move to massage his temples, and he closes his eyelids as he says, “There’s no way to bleach that from my brain.”

“Want me to get rid of it?” I ask even though I have no such plans.

Eyes popping open, Cullen stalks over and then wraps an arm around my waist before pulling me flush against him.

“Not a chance.” His hand grips the side of my neck as his thumb trails over the column of my throat. “We’re going to use it until the only memory I have of it revolves around you screaming my name.”

“I guess that’s fair,” I breathe out, and his smile is devious as he nods toward the wall.

“Plug it in.” He nods toward the converter the girl at the front desk gave us to plug into thepower pointsafter we stared at each other while I tried to explain I didn’t want to accidently blow up the hotel room with my hairdryer.

“You tryin’ to make me blush?” I ask.

“It is my favorite color on you.”

“I thought your favorite color on me was red?”

He takes a step back as his eyes travel over every available inch of me. “Your lips, yes.” He nods. “But when you blush, it usually means you’re naked and I’ve gotten to watch you as you succumb to pleasure at my hand.”

“Not always at your hand,” I sass because I can feel my cheeks heating again and I can’t let this go.

“Metaphorically speaking.”

“I do love a good metaphor.”

“And I do love you naked.” He swats my ass and I yelp. “Finish up so we can go find something to eat. Isla’s asked me six times not to forget to try the pineapple lumps.”

I smirk. “She told me to send some Whittaker’s chocolate bars; babies must be having a craving.”

He chuckles. “Maybe, but my girl has always had a sweet tooth.”

“I can’t wait to see the box you send her.”

Cullen’s eyes widen innocently. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Uh-huh,” I muse as I grab a change of clothes and step into the bathroom. As the door clicks shut, I stare at the woman in the mirror. She’s tired, with laugh lines and a few more gray hairs, but her eyes are bright and easily the happiest I’ve seen her in years.

Leaning against the counter, I smile and then press my palms to my cheeks as my eyes fill with tears. Gratitude flows through my veins at being here, being loved, and beinghappy.

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