Page 15 of His Christmas Gift

“Warmer?” he asked, and she nodded resting against him until they reached his house.

Jasper took her coat and smiled seeing the silk pants were pjs, the matching top enough to make his blood rush straight to his groin. “You’re gorgeous Missy. I could certainly get used to this.”

“I was ready to snuggle down into the covers to talk to you when the alarm went off; I suppose next time I should just wait another five minutes to change, I guess.”

“There shouldn’t be a next time, Missy,” he countered as Mrs. Nelson came through to see if he needed anything.

“Don’t tell me he got you out of bed, Miss Melissa,” the woman said in surprise finding her with him.

“There’s a gas leak somewhere on Missy’s block, they had to evacuate her street. When I arrived and saw what was going on, I wasn’t about to make her stand around outside, but at least it explained why she didn’t answer her phone,” he said letting his finger brush down her cheek. “Missy will be spending the night with us. For now, how about something nice and warm to drink?” he suggested seeing the way Mrs. Nelson’s eyes twinkled watching them.

“Hot cocoa with just a little kick perhaps?” the woman offered looking between them.

“Only if I can help,” Melissa said and Jasper chuckled nodding, not about to say no to her. He wanted her to do as she pleased in his house because he wanted it to become their home.

“Well, since it seems you have this well in hand, I’ll pop upstairs and make sure the room is ready for you,” Mrs. Nelson stated leaving her and Jasper watching one another over the stovetop.

“Now where did you learn to make this?” Jasper asked as she looked over the liquor selection.

“College, I wasn’t the frat party sort, but we weren’t against drinking.” Melissa found caramel syrup that would work to add to the mix. She had him stir the milk mixture until it was hot, as she added the vodka and syrup to the cups, topping it with the warm milk, before adding whipped cream and sea salt onto it. “It snowed a lot, so we didn’t want anything cold most of the time. We came up with a lot of hot recipes to add a dash of this to, a hint of that.”

“We chugged beer, didn’t matter what time of year it was,” Jasper said making her laugh. “See, even in college you were more sophisticated than I was.”

“Are you trying to flatter me?” she asked as they moved to the living room to sit by the fireplace, the glow and warmth from it an incredible way to end her day.

“Always.” He gave her a long kiss after a drink that left her spellbound. “My mother will flip for this. We might just have to make it for Christmas.”

“That sounds nice,” she mused snuggling with him. She felt the vodka warm her system and she sighed letting Jasper wrap her up against him further.

The fact that she didn’t even have clothes to change into in the morning didn’t bother her, not when she was with him. Nothing bothered her when she was with him, at least not in a bad way, her body was bothered when she was with him, but it felt so good, so right that she didn’t fight it.

“Ready for bed?” he asked guiding her up off the couch.

“Sounds perfect.” She let him move them up the stairs with ease. He opened the door of the room she used for the dinner party, and she smiled seeing the bed turned down for her. She adored Mrs. Nelson and could easily stick around for a long while with her.

“Don’t worry about work tomorrow. If you can’t get back into your building until late, I’ll have someone bring by some clothes, so you don’t have to wear your cute pjs there in the daylight.”

She smiled feeling slightly reckless thanks to the vodka and slid her arms around his neck. “Cute hmm?”

“Adorable,” he assured her before stealing her lips in a long kiss.

“Do you have to leave?” she asked when he pulled back, his hands slipping from her back to her waist as though to put her from him.

“If I stay, I can’t guarantee I won’t try to seduce you.” Jasper pressed a kiss to her forehead as he fought to control his desire to wrap her around him and never let her go.

“Perhaps I’m feeling seducible,” she said making his muscles tighten beneath her hands.

“Lord, help me,” he whispered against her hair as he pulled her tightly to him to let her feel for herself just how much he wanted her. He nuzzled her cheek with his nose, catching her lips for a soft kiss before fighting for air to breathe to speak.

“You’ve no idea what you do to me gorgeous. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted a woman before, but I swore I wouldn’t rush you. I don’t want you to regret it in the morning. I don’t want you to pull away from me if you did. When I make you mine, I want to know that the only reason is because you feel exactly the same as I do about it Missy. Tonight would be easy to tempt you into it. You’re in my house, we’re warm and you might just be slightly tipsy from our drink…”

“Tipsy after one drink? How much vodka do you think I put in those cups?” Melissa asked smiling up at him, loving that he was giving her an out, but she didn’t want it. She wanted him, now, tomorrow, forever if she could manage it.

“Enough for a tiny slip like you,” he said, and she shook her head, tugging at his shirt until he was flattened against her, his arms moving around her to keep her steady.

“I’m not drunk, not even tipsy, Jasper. I’m hungry for you.” She smiled softly when he reached behind them, shutting the door with a low groan.

“No regrets if it happens?” he asked, and she shook her head no.

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