Page 133 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

“I forgive you,” Jonas said magnanimously. “I’ve had my fair share of those moments over the years.”

“Yeah,” said Chase. “You have.”

Jonas thought his heart would burst with everything he was feeling. To have everyone here, with their partners, with their children, and ringing in the New Year. It was amazing.

Lindsey was the first to nod off in one of the big armchairs, and Scott followed her soon after, dropping his head onto his great-grandmother’s shoulder and falling asleep. Only the adults made it all the way to midnight.

“Champagne?” Tana asked, keeping her voice low for the sleeping kids.

“Absolutely.” Chase nodded. The two of them went to get the glasses, filling them with the bubbly fun before handing them out to everyone.

Lindsey shifted in her chair but didn’t wake, and Scott slept heavily. There was no chance the midnight celebration would bother them. The three couples gathered around the fireplace to watch the clock, making sure to position themselves to include their grandmother. Jonas’s heart beat heavily against his rib cage. This was it. The first year he’d be in this position, the first year he’d leave behind the weight that had dogged him for what seemed a lifetime.

“Ten,” Jonas said, when the second hand drew close, indicating with a wave of his hand for everyone to join in the count.

“Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One,” they all said in unison.

Everyone called out a Happy New Year cheer, but then the room fell silent.

“Happy New Year,” Rachel said softly, their heads drawn close for a more personal wish. Jonas pulled her in and kissed her. She tasted like champagne sweetness, hope, and his future. Vacations and holidays and love. So much love.

After a long minute he came up for air and found his grandmother looking out over all of them with pride shining in her eyes. Pride and love. Her shoulders were relaxed, as she stroked Scott’s back idly, utterly content.

Thank you, Lord.If his grandmother was happy, then Jonas could truly move into this New Year without regret. He could lay it down and let it go.

Rachel put her hands on either side of his face and drew his attention back to her. “What’s on your mind?”

“My parents,” he said, an image of them before the accident coming to mind. They’d been happy. Nothing had ever burdened them as much as Jonas’s past would come to. Not that he’d known of, anyway. “And you, and Scott, and how we have a future together.”

Across the room, Chase picked up Lindsey in his arms, gesturing to Tana, and they said their goodbyes. Anna and Gabe sat down on either side of Grandmother. Jonas leaned over and took Scott from his grandmother’s arms, cradling him against his chest in the hopes of letting him stay asleep. Jonas pressed a kiss to the top of his grandmother’s head. “Happy New Year.”

“And many more,” she answered with a wink. “Get that little boy to bed.”

Scott slept on while he and Rachel drove back to his house. Between them, they managed to get him changed into his pajamas and into the crib without waking him. Jonas glanced around the room, thoughts of what needed to be done to turn it into Scott’s room coming to mind. Whether they stayed there or not, it was important for his son to have a space of his own.

In Jonas’s bedroom, they shut the door behind them, and Rachel reached for the hem of her sweater. She pulled it off in one smooth movement, and Jonas followed suit, taking off his shirt—and everything else. Soon enough, there was nothing between them, and she came to his arms naked and beautiful and wanting.

He kissed her again, taking her down to the bed, a heavy sense of satisfaction settling deep inside him. Everything he did from now on would be a symbol of his commitment to her—even this. He kissed her, starting at the apex of her legs, sucking her gently until he was coaxing little moans from Rachel’s mouth, and until she was wet to the touch. He dragged his fingers over her softest flesh, gathering her juices to taste them. She groaned at the sight of him licking her off the pads of his fingers, and then Rachel pulled him back down into another hard kiss.

She twisted, pushing him onto his back, and crawled over him. Jonas ran his hands over her hips, tugging her into position. His head swam with champagne and emotion, but it all focused into a single point when she notched herself onto him and sank down, taking in his full length.

“Yes,” he hissed, pressing his lips to the side of her neck. “Yes, yes, yes.”

“This is our first New Year together,” she panted. “I’ve had too many without you.”

“Never again,” he vowed. Jonas kissed all the skin he could reach. The curve of her shoulder. Her bottom lip. The line of her jaw. He kissed her as she rocked into him, taking the illusion of control.

After a while, she melted into him, and he took over, working her hips for her, bringing her down hard against him. Pleasure sparked at the base of him and rose up his spine, cresting in a wave of shuddering release. Rachel arched her back to meet him, clenching around him, coming with her head thrown back and his hands on her skin. He touched her everywhere, running the pads of his thumbs over her nipples and grazing her hips and tugging her down, down, down.

There was no better way to start the New Year.

* * *

Rachel

Rachel fell gracefully to the pillow when they were finished, stretching her arms above her head. “I’ve always been into you. Do you know that?”

Jonas looked at her, his head propped up on one elbow, eyes glowing. “What’s that mean?”

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