Page 25 of His Christmas Gift

“And it certainly helped me when it came to the dinner party, the wines she chose were perfect with it and everyone was pleased with the offerings,” Jasper said watching her curiously and she knew he was likely wondering why she’d never said anything about it before now. “Where in Europe have you been?”

“London a few times, Paris, Rome—I actually did a semester in France during high school for an exchange program,” she stated making his brow lift slightly in amazement. She didn’t add that her father was in London for the majority of it or that it was staying with close friends of his, but she’d enjoyed it.

“You speak French?” he said, and she nodded. “I’ll have to make sure to introduce you to Paul at the investors’ dinner then, with your wine choices and a single word of French, you’ll have him charmed entirely and he won’t be nearly as argumentative about what I’m proposing.”

“Using my charms for your gain?” she joked and the flash of heat that rushed through his gaze made her wish they were alone.

“Always,” he whispered against her lips before claiming them until his mother cleared her throat to separate them.

“You mentioned a few upgrades you’ve made to the house,” Evelyn mused as they left the table, shooting Fred a wink as he attempted to stop her to let the two go have some time alone without his mother watching over them.

“Yes I did,” Jasper said leading them up the stairs and down the hall so she could see the changes to the master suite before going up to the next floor. “Missy redid all of the guest rooms up here. I think they’ll work well for the others to use when they get here.”

“Oh, my goodness, these are amazing,” Evelyn said looking around each of them, sending her a full smile. “No wonder Jasper was complaining about the furniture costs.”

“He actually didn’t complain about any of it,” Melissa said as they went up to the top floor and showed off the library first.

“Oh, this is so cozy, just think about days spent in here with babies…I can’t wait,” Evelyn said giving them both grins as they moved to the den, and they were thrilled with the options it meant for their guests that weekend.

“And the gem on top of it all,” Jasper said pushing open the doors for the lounge area.

“It’s perfect,” Evelyn gasped seeing it, moving to hug Melissa to her side looking at him. “If you even think of letting this girl go, I will disown you Jasper.”

“Won’t happen, Mother, I’m enslaved to her for life,” he stated and Melissa grinned unable to resist him or this family potentially becoming hers.

Chapter 11

“Oh my, look at that dress,” Dana, Russell’s wife, said as she and Jasper moved down the stairs to head to the party on the twenty-third. His stepfamily was more than happy to stay at his house enjoying the festivities letting them go to the last-minute party to celebrate a business associate’s engagement. “You look gorgeous Melissa.”

“Thank you,” she said warmly, already in love with Jasper’s stepfamily and his mother.

They’d welcomed her into their mix fully and she hoped that didn’t change after the truth came out as to who she was. People always looked at her differently when they learnt she was Melissa Hannover, billionaire heiress to the Hannover Electronics fortune. She didn’t want to think what Jasper might do upon learning it. She loved him far too much to worry about it, especially when they were about to go celebrate merriment together.

“So, tell us Jasper, any chance we’ll be celebrating your own engagement shortly?” Brent asked and Melissa laughed as his wife Teresa elbowed him in the side making him grunt lightly.

“Mind your own business,” she said with a dark look his way before turning her friendly smile back to them. “Dana’s right, you’re gorgeous honey, and that dress is killer. I’ve no idea where you found it but, wow, no one’s going to be looking at the fiancé after you show up.”

“She’s right Jasper, you better stick close to Melissa, or you might lose her,” Ashley agreed as her one year old leaned towards her. Melissa gave her a kiss and tickled her belly before they took their coats from Mrs. Nelson who was taking care of dinner for everyone else. “Little Miss never likes anyone but she’s about ready to move in here, that says a lot.”

“It does,” Jaser agreed giving Melissa a soft kiss before hurrying her out to the car to enjoy the night away from his extended family that arrived three nights before and were staying until the twenty-sixth at least. He liked his stepfamily usually, but they’d stolen Melissa from him for two full days now.

Not that he minded that they were keeping her from working on the investors’ dinner or from her internship, he simply missed seeing her at the office during his day. Part of him was paranoid that if he didn’t see her every few hours, didn’t talk to her during them, she’d turn into a figment of his imagination or dream and disappear. Now that he’d found her, he wasn’t about to let her go.

They arrived at the party held in an exclusive restaurant that had to cost a fortune to rent out this close to Christmas and handed over the invitation moving into the warmth as he glanced around hoping Callum wouldn’t be in attendance as well. The two events he’d attended the last month they had been at were strained and this close to Christmas, he wanted Melissa to be relaxed and happy.

“Jasper, glad you could make it,” their host Gibson said his eyes sliding to Melissa appreciatively. “And who’s this beauty?”

“Gibson, this is my girlfriend, Melissa,” he said as his fiancée slipped back to his side, wrapping her arm around his possessively.

“Jasper Thomas has a girlfriend and my Gibson getting married, wonders amass at Christmas time,” the woman said with a trilling laugh that made Melissa want to giggle.

Oh, my, was this woman faker than fake. Apparently, Gibson was only looking at her overinflated attributes and not at the fake smile on her face.

“My holidays are certainly better thanks to my luck,” Jasper said settling his hand a bit possessively on her hip. “We wish you all the best Gibson, hope you get just what you deserve.”

“Right-o,” Gibson said, his eyes leering towards his fiancé Cat. “Should we be expecting an announcement from your lot someday soon?”

“Give me a couple months and then we’ll talk,” he said steering her away from the man chuckling under his breath.

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