Page 27 of His Christmas Gift

“It’s just so perfectly ironic that the high and mighty Jasper Thomas, took one look at a girl covered in coffee and fell in love,” Ella mused making him and Luke laugh as well while Melissa and Karina shared wondering looks.

“I take it there’s a story in there?” Melissa said as Jasper lowered his head down to kiss her neck.

“In college, I broke up with this girl partly because she was a slob,” Jasper admitted making her brow lift in question as to what was just so ironic about that. “She worked as a barista and always smelled like coffee when she’d come meet me. I told her in front of a large group of people, these three included,” he added motioning towards Ella, Micah, and Luke, “that the only type of girl I’d ever fall in love with, would be so well put together it’d make Leann look like a beggar and that she’d never even begin to touch, let alone smell like coffee.”

Melissa couldn’t help but laugh at that as he dipped his head down, giving her another kiss showing everyone there just how much he did love her.

“So now back to the reason behind mid-February is?” Karina said looked between them.

“That’s when the internship ends,” Melissa answered loving the feel of Jasper’s arms wrapped around her. “I haven’t told my father about Jasper at all. It’s sort of safer all around to avoid it until then.”

“And I know there’s no way that Missy will begin to think of saying yes to a proposal without her father at least being aware of it, or at best, agreeing to it,” Jasper stated. “I plan to take Missy home, meet her father, and tell him that I’m stealing her from him. Hopefully when he sees just how happy she is with me, he’ll relent on his business ideas and let us enjoy being together.”

“And if he doesn’t relent?” Luke said lifting his brow their way. “What then?”

“As long as I’m with Jasper, it won’t matter,” Melissa said meeting his gaze with a gentle smile. “I can’t imagine life without him now. I love my father, but I’ve lived my life to make him happy long enough, it’s time to live it to make me happy. The only reason I haven’t suggested we just forget it all, the internship, and the agreement I made with him, and just go now is because of the investors’ dinner. I’ve loved putting it together and it’s just getting to the good part of it. If we went now, there’s a good possibility of my father coming back to town simply to get between us because I defied him and recanted on my word to him,” she added knowing her father would never let her back out on her word without recourse.

“So, until the end of the internship, we’ll take things as they come,” Jasper informed his friends, “a few people at the office know or at least suspect there’s something going on between us. They’ve been more than supportive, which lets us enjoy our time together. My mother and Fred are in town for Christmas along with my stepsiblings and we’re spending Christmas together. They’re all in love with Missy, none more than me, but it’s been wonderful to see how easily she can fit into my world.”

“I take it Callum’s not included in that get together though?” Micah said and he shook his head no.

“If he ever comes near Missy again, says anything negative about her, I’ll see that he’s buried next to our father. The money he has won’t last him too long and that’s when I anticipate he’ll show his face on my doorstep again. There’s one person who owns my heart, and he’s said and done enough hurtful things that I won’t give him another dime,” Jasper warned wanting them all to know that wasn’t about to happen.

“Last I saw him, he was drinking heavily at the club with Sonya,” Luke stated, and he nodded knowing what that meant.

“Mother won’t look to me to bail him out this time, she knows I’m done with him and won’t go against me on it. She’s happy with Fred and they’re likely to move on back to their travels after Christmas.”

“Well hopefully we’ll be celebrating you and Melissa say this coming March,” Ella said sharing a look with Karina who nodded in agreement. “We’ll love taking her shopping for her wedding trousseau.”

“Sexy little nothings, stockings, and more,” Karina added making a dangerous flash of desire cross Jasper’s face as he looked down at Melissa. “We know the steamiest spots to find it in town and you’ll trip over your tongue seeing them.”

“Sign me up,” Jasper said lifting his brow her way and she smiled despite the blush hitting her hard.

“Only for you,” Melissa agreed finding herself flush against his body instantly.

“I love you, princess, and if my family wasn’t at my house, I’d have you home in bed by now,” he stated.

She laughed whispering to him that she’d rather have him in the car than wait for home, pulling a deep moan from his lips until he kissed her, making it slide from his throat to hers, not caring who was watching them now.

Chapter 12

Melissa slipped down the stairs, smiling to herself as she slid the last few presents under the tree. She was beyond excited to see the kids’ faces when they opened their gifts later. Beyond that though, she was excited to see Jasper’s reaction to her present for him—both of them. The one under the tree and the one that was waiting for him upstairs that’d be just between them.

She didn’t tell the women last night that she had no need to find the best spots here for whatever lingerie she wanted. That would bring around more questions, especially combined with precisely who the designer of the pieces was on top of how she knew them.

All of that was to come out once she was finished with the internship, but for now, she was simply going to pretend that her father was just a mildly successful businessman she was in a deal with. Hopefully Jasper wouldn’t ask too many questions though, not with some of the gifts she’d gotten for the kids, let alone his gift.

Melissa moved around, resettling packages before pulling out the two large stuffed animals, putting them at the front of the stack. The gold and cream bear was bigger than Chloe was, but she couldn’t resist when she’d seen it in the store. There was a green and silver dragon for Alex, not exactly Christmassy but she knew the little boy would love it.

“Are we going to do presents in our pjs?” The words were whispered against her ear as two strong arms slipped around her waist, drawing her back into Jasper’s hard chest. She dropped her head to the side, nuzzling against his chin, beyond thrilled to be here with him like this. Too many Christmases in the past she’d been alone, her father preoccupied with work, unable to trust anyone enough to get close to them—not the way she’d let Jasper into her heart, her life.

“Is that an issue?” she asked, smiling when he turned her around to face him. His eyes were heavy with desire but beyond that was the one look that pleased her the most, the one that she’d thought was just admiration until his mother drug the words out of him. She might not have told him the whole truth, but she’d given him her heart, and she wasn’t about to deny that.

“Not when you’re so adorable in them, makeup free, freshly awake, and I know the three men who will see you like this beyond me are all happily married,” he replied, giving her a soft kiss flooding her with happiness and desire.

A giggle slipped from her throat when he picked her up, moving them to his favorite of the new furniture, an oversized recliner, nestled next to the fireplace and window, giving them a view of the entire room. He settled her over his lap, pulling out the new throw as he started the fireplace. She snuggled deeper into his arms, her head resting on his shoulder smiling as she watched the lights on the tree twinkle.

This was a Christmas morning she could see repeating for years to come. Wanted to repeat for years to come.

---