Chapter 20
All I Want For Christmas Is You
I wake to sunlight pouring through the windows, curled against Shep, my hand on his chest and his fingers intertwined with mine.
He’s heartbreakingly handsome like this, snoring softly.
I let my fingers drift over the sharp planes of his face, gliding from his brow to the faint creases at the corners of his eyes.
My exploration continues as I move over the slight crook of his nose, following its slope to his mustache.
I trace the curve of his mouth, unable to resist leaning in to brush a kiss over his lips.
The scent of sweat and sex hangs in the air, and when he doesn’t stir, a wicked idea comes to mind. I slowly push the covers off and move between his legs. My eyes land on his cock, fully erect—thick and rigid, even in sleep.
I reach my hand down to trace his dick with a featherlight touch.
He lets out a sigh, but remains still, and I grin at the thought of having him at my mercy.
I curl my fingers around his shaft, giving it a gentle squeeze.
Precum leaks from the tip, and I bend down, flicking my tongue over the crown to lick it clean.
“Noelle?” Shep groans, his voice husky.
“Relax. Let me take care of you,” I croon.
I trail my tongue along his slit, teasing him until each inhale grows short and ragged, which is when I finally take his cock in my mouth.
Every muscle in his face is taut as he fights to keep himself in check.
That won’t do. He’s held back parts of himself for far too long, and after last night, I want nothing more than to make him let go of control all over again.
My fingers curl around the base of his cock, rolling my wrist with measured pressure along his throbbing vein. His body tenses as I swirl my tongue around the crown, dragging it down the length of his shaft. I lick in long, teasing strokes, treating his cock like a peppermint stick.
“Please,” he begs, his voice thick with arousal. “Suck me harder.”
I hum around him, consumed with the need to make my rugged cowboy come. His desperate plea makes it that much hotter, leaving me quivering and soaked. His touch is my drug, and I’m addicted to making him ache for me the way I do for him.
I briefly pull him from my mouth to say, “Use me, Shep, and don’t hold back.”
I’m not going to risk him taking it easy on me because he’s unsure if I really want this—I do.
“You like being my little fuck toy?” he taunts.
I nod as heat pools between my thighs, and I blush when he winds his fingers through my hair, urging me to take as much of him in my mouth as possible. He thrusts his hips upward, and I inhale sharply through my nose, tears prickling at the edges of my eyes.
He’s so damn big, and though I’m fighting my gag reflex, my desire to please him has me determined to take every inch.
I hollow my cheeks, swallowing hard as he slides deeper until the tip grazes the back of my throat.
His grip takes over, fucking my mouth with unbridled urgency.
He growls in approval as my swollen lips bob up and down around his shaft.
“Jesus Christ,” he groans.
Shep’s muscles tense as he nears release, and I cup his balls with my free hand, gently squeezing, pushing him to his limit.
His cock jerks in my mouth as he comes, and I swallow eagerly.
His eyes widen as I lap up every last drop that’s trickled down his shaft.
Once I’m satisfied with my work, I let his dick spring free from my mouth with a pop.
“You okay?” I ask with a silly grin.
Shep props up on his elbow, then reaches over to wipe my chin. “You’re so damn pretty with my cum on your mouth.” I catch his wrist and pull his finger between my lips, licking it clean. “That’s my good girl,” he croons.
Warmth blooms in my chest. I’m addicted to his praise and the way he treats me like I’m the most precious thing in the world.
He pulls me up the bed beside him, tugging the covers over us. I rest my head on his shoulder and meet his eyes as he smooths my hair with a tenderness that steals my breath.
“You set a dangerous precedent, woman,” he says, nipping at my ear. “I could easily get used to waking up like that.”
I drape my leg over his, dragging my nails across his chest. “That could be arranged.”
“Keep talking like that and you’ll never leave this bed again,” he says.
I lift my head, unable to hide the smile spreading on my face. “You make it sound like a bad thing.”
We avoid the unspoken reality that tomorrow night I’m supposed to be on a flight back to New York.
“There’s just one small problem with keeping you here.”
“What’s that?” I whisper.
“Your Christmas present is in the living room.”
I sit up fully, the sheets pooling around my waist. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
He leans in and presses a kiss to my temple. “I wanted to, sweetheart. Get dressed and I’ll show you.”
Curious about what he has up his sleeve, I scramble out of bed, the taste of him still in my mouth.
I put on one of his flannel shirts, buttoning it up before eagerly following him into the living room.
He must have gotten up while I was asleep because the stockings we decorated a couple of days ago are now on the mantel, brimming with chocolate and oranges.
Under the tree, there’s a single gift wrapped in crinkled brown paper, tied with a crooked red bow.
Shep picks it up, and exhales slowly as he hands it to me. “For you.”
It doesn’t matter what’s inside. The fact that he took the time to wrap it himself makes it perfect.
I settle on the couch and peel off the paper, revealing a cardboard box. As I lift the lid to peek inside, my eyes widen, and my gaze snaps to Shep. He taps his fingers against his thigh, a faint crease between his brows as he studies me.
“Shep… I don’t know what to say.”
With trembling hands, I lift out the most beautiful wooden cottage.
The door and shutters are painted in red and green and tiny snowflakes are carved into the roof.
When I turn it over, I discover it’s a music box.
I wind the key on its underside, and it begins to play “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
Tears trickle down my cheeks as he sits beside me, drawing me close. His rigid posture loosens as I melt into his touch, relieved by my positive reaction. How could I not love the gift when it’s obvious he poured his heart into every detail.
I trace the outline of the cottage with my fingertip. “This is the most thoughtful gift anyone’s ever given me. When did you have time to make it?”
He’s spent time in his shop every morning, but the detailing tells me he must have poured countless hours into it.
“I started the day you told me about the Christmas village your grandpa built for your grandma. It was clear it was special to you—and how sad you were when several of the cottages were damaged when you were moving.” He pauses to reach out and wipe my tears with his thumb.
“I know this one won’t match the original set, but I worried that if I asked for a picture, you’d catch on and it wouldn’t be a surprise. ”
I turn to fully face him, lifting his hand to my lips, placing a soft kiss on each knuckle. A silent thank you for bringing a masterpiece to life.
“It’s perfect.” Music drifts through the room, and I meet his gaze, conveying more with my eyes than I ever could with words. “Thank you, Shep.”
Even when he insisted I’d have to leave after the snowstorm, he still went through the effort of making the cottage, even though there was no guarantee I’d ever receive it.
Shep has quickly become my confidant, and my safe place.
He’s been my anchor in moments of doubt and uncertainty, and if I thought I was falling for him before, this moment sealed the deal.
I’m certain now more than ever that I don’t want an expiration date on what we have.
Whether we have another week, month or even years, it’ll never feel like enough time with him.
Some of my happiest memories came from living in a small town as a kid and visiting that farm in Upstate New York. As I grew older, I brushed it off as a childish fantasy, convinced the real world demanded that I chase deadlines and achieve career goals.
Being with Shep has opened my eyes to the possibility that maybe I don’t have to choose between pursuing my dream and living a peaceful existence with someone who adores me.
It’s obvious he cares for me deeply, but is it enough for him to make room long-term for a whirlwind of a city girl eager to give small-town life a try?
Shep moves our hands to his lap and leans in until our noses brush. “We’re going to make this your best Christmas yet.”
“Our best Christmas,” I murmur against his lips.
As promised, today has been nothing short of perfect. After breakfast, we visited Maple and the other animals, giving them extra carrots and apples for a Christmas treat.
In the afternoon, Casey and Amy dropped by with my gift for Shep.
Amy and I had exchanged numbers at the diner, and I’d asked if she knew where to get a DVD player in town.
I hadn’t expected much luck, but they came through, finding one at the hardware store of all places, and even picked up some DVDs that the movie rental shop had for sale.
I was blown away by their generosity and willingness to help me.
To make this Christmas even better, my parents managed to call from a port in Italy.
They’re loving their cruise, and I’m glad I talked them into going.
They were relieved I wasn’t spending the holidays alone, and they even chatted with Shep for a few minutes.
His answers were short yet polite, and thankfully, he left out the part where I showed up on his porch after booking a fake rental.
By the end of the call, my mom was asking when she’d get to meet him in person but neither Shep nor I had an answer.