Page 83 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

“Anything.” Anna breathed him in, the leather and soap smell of him, and let her head rest against his shoulder. Soon they’d have to get up, but for now, she just wanted this.

“I want you to fly back to Colorado with me and spend Christmas with my family.” He stroked a hand over her hair. “Unless it would make you uncomfortable. If it did, I could spend it here with you if you let me.”

Anna thought her heart might fly out of her chest. There could be no greater sacrifice than offering to miss this holiday with his family. She sat up in his lap and put a hand on his face, studying his eyes. They met hers with humble honesty, and she ran a thumb over the line of his jaw, drinking him in. If he could make this sacrifice with everything going on in the Elkin family—with his grandmother’s health—she could make one too.

“I want to spend Christmas with you,” she said. “And I want to spend it with your family.”

Relief brought color to his cheeks, his eyes wide and echoing the sentiment. “Really?”

“Yes. If you can offer this to me, then I can face your family even after that whole big scene. I love you, Gabe, and I care enough about you to go for it even if they judge me.”

“They won’t judge you,” he said fiercely. “They can judge me all they want, but never you.”

“Oh, they can.” Anna laughed. “I stormed out of the family resort because I got caught in a lie. If that’s not judge-worthy, what is?”

“Anybody can be forgiven for what they do under duress,” Gabe pointed out. “My entire family saw your ex show up in the lobby. Plus, the entire scheme was my idea. You were only along for the ride. They can’t judge you without judging me.”

“Don’t remind me,” she grumbled, but then his hand was around the back of her neck and Gabe pulled her in for a tender kiss. A slow, searching kiss that soothed every part of her that was embarrassed or ashamed. She could do anything for this man, and shewould. She’d make a grand apology to his family. She’d spend Christmas with them, knowing what they’d seen. Anything. “When do we leave?”

His other hand tightened on her waist. “The plane is waiting at the airport and the driver’s outside.” A smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “All of your things are still at the resort, so we could walk out the door right now.”

“There’s just one thing I want to do first.”

“What’s that?”

She stood up and took his hand, pulling him up to stand. “Just a quick visit.”

Confusion furrowed his brow. “To where?”

“To the bedroom.”

21

ANNA

They emerged from Anna’s bedroom a hot fifteen minutes later, her sheets newly messed up by the most gorgeous man she’d ever met in her life. “There,” she said. “That should tide me over.”

Gabe laughed. “Tide you over until when?”

“Until the family meeting is over,” she said briskly. “That’s first on the agenda, right?”

He put a hand on the small of her back. “We don’t have to do that right away if you don’t want.”

“Oh, no. We do.” Anna moved around her condo, gathering up the necessities. She grabbed her suitcase, which was still mostly packed and knocked all her bathroom things back into the outside pocket and went out for the cake, putting the box carefully in Gabe’s hands. “I’m already nervous.”

“How can you be nervous after what we just did?” He murmured the words against her temple, then punctuated them with a kiss. “I would have thought that would cure you.”

She turned her head and kissed him, running her tongue along his bottom lip. “It cured mefor the moment.That’s why we’ll have this meeting and then go directly back to our suite.”

“Our suite,” he repeated. “I like the sound of that. You know what else I like the sound of? Our house.”

“Don’t ask me to move in with you until your family has a chance to give their blessing,” she said, that nervous pressure intensifying.

Gabe swept her into his arms again, her purse falling to the floor. “Move in with me. In my home at the resort,” he insisted. “No matter what they say. All of my homes for that matter. I have three. You knew that, right?”

He kept talking on the way to the car and onto the private jet and through the flight. Telling her about his condos and what he liked about them and how they would be better with her. Anna held the cake box in her lap and tried to match his enthusiasm while she prepared. This would be like any other awkward meeting, she decided. She’d get through it. And if they didn’t approve, then they didn’t approve. Worse things had happened.

Gabe made a quick call as they approached the resort. “Are you all waiting?” He took her hand and squeezed. “Good. We’re almost there.”

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