Chapter 21
“Nothing says holiday spirit like realizing you’re screwed (in the good way).”
Zane
“There you go, baby girl,” I murmur to Adele as I finish dressing her. “All set for your first Christmas.”
“How was the ball last night?” Sloane asks as she stumbles into the room.
She’s dressed for the holiday in a black skirt and red blouse. She’s beautiful and all I can think about is tearing those clothes off her. My cock twitches in agreement.
Unfortunately, Sloane’s avoided meeting my gaze since the other night. She needs time to realize our relationship has changed.
I grit my teeth and force my cock under control before lifting Adele from the changing table and placing her on my hip. “We didn’t go.”
I couldn’t stand the thought of Adele being with a babysitter on Christmas Eve. And there was no way I was taking my baby girl to a ball on Smuggler’s Hideaway, where the moonshine flows and the pranks abound.
“You didn’t go. Why….” She trails off with a gasp. “Oh my mermaid. Adele is adorable in her Christmas dress.”
Pride for my daughter fills me. “She is, isn’t she?”
She holds up a finger. “Hold on.”
I make my way to the living room with Adele as Sloane rushes to her bedroom. She hurries back carrying a wrapped present.
“Adele is too young to enjoy opening presents, but I couldn’t let her first Christmas pass without one.”
“Here.” I hand her my baby girl. “Help her open it.”
She hesitates for a moment before sitting on the floor with Adele between her legs. I dig my phone out of my pocket and snap a few pictures as she helps my baby girl open her present.
“It’s a blanket with a mermaid on it,” she explains to Adele, who shoves the material into her mouth. Sloane barks out a laugh and I snap another picture.
The picture of Sloane laughing with Adele sitting between her legs nearly takes my breath away. This is what I want. This is what I’ve been searching for. No cliff dive or base jump could ever bring me the satisfaction I feel while watching the woman I’m falling for interact with my daughter.
Sloane squeezes my knee. “Are you okay? You’re pale. You didn’t catch the flu going around, did you? I don’t want Adele getting sick.”
I inhale deep breaths until my heart rate slows down to normal. “I’m okay.”
I’m shocked as shit by the epiphany I just had, but I’m okay. I’ll be even better after I convince Sloane to give me a chance.
“Time for you to open your present.” I motion to the small tree on the table.
Between having a dog that thinks everything not nailed down is a toy to play with and a baby I’m convinced is going to start crawling any minute, we decided not to put a tree up this year. Which was fine with me. I normally don’t decorate for the holidays.
But as I scan the living room devoid of Christmas decorations, I realize I made a mistake. I should have let Sloane decorate the way she wanted to. Decorations make a house into a home. Next year.
“You didn’t have to get me a present,” Sloane says but she jumps to her feet and hurries to the tree to grab the present.
I snap another picture as she tears into the wrapping paper. She gasps when the present is revealed. “This is too much.”
“It’s more reliable than the cheap, plastic thing you’re wearing now.”
She glances at her watch. “I was saving to buy a better one.”
“Now, you don’t need to.” I dig the watch out of the box. “Let me put it on you.”
She holds out her arm. I secure the watch around her wrist. While she studies it, I rub circles with my thumb around her pulse point. She shivers in response.
“This is too much.”
“It wasn’t expensive.” Because I didn’t buy her the Tag Heuer I wanted to. I knew she’d lose her mind at such an expensive gift.
“But it’s pretty.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “A pretty watch for a pretty woman.”
She gazes up at me from beneath her lashes. When she licks her lip, I groan and lean toward her. But before my lips can meet hers, she jumps to her feet.
“Your present!”
“I don’t need a present.”
She ignores me as she hurries to her bedroom. She returns carrying a wrapped box. “It’s not much but…”
My heart warms. We hadn’t discussed giving each other presents. I assumed she wouldn’t buy me one since she hasn’t had a family to buy presents for in a long time.
I snatch the box from her. “I’m sure I’ll love it.”
I place Adele between my legs and show her how to tear the wrapping paper off but she’s not interested. I can’t wait for the Christmases and birthdays when she’s excited for presents. I’m going to spoil her rotten.
Sloane plops down next to me and lifts Adele into her lap. I open the present and my jaw drops open.
“You don’t like it?” Sloane bites her bottom lip. “I thought—”
“I love it!” I lift the sweatshirt out of the box and stand up to put it on. “What do you think? How do I look?”
She beams at me. “Like the world’s best daddy.” Which is what the sweatshirt says.
“I’m wearing it to the Raider family Christmas.” I check the time. “Speaking of which, we need to go. I don’t want to be late for Mom’s Christmas brunch.”
She jumps into action. “Did you pack Adele’s baby bag? Never mind. I’ll do it.”
She returns with a packed bag in less than a minute. My brow wrinkles. “Why is the diaper bag bigger than normal?”
“I added an extra outfit in case this one doesn’t last. We don’t want Miss Adele to not look perfect on her first Christmas.”
Warmth spreads throughout me. Sloane loves my baby girl. This is proof, Sloane is worth taking a chance on. Even for someone like me, who usually doesn’t do relationships.
We arrive at my mother’s house fifteen minutes later. Sloane’s eyes widen when she notices the amount of cars in the driveway.
“Did your mom invite the entire island of Smuggler’s Hideaway to brunch?”
I chuckle. “Nope. It’s the family.”
She shakes her head. “Remind me to never have six children.”
“How many children do you want?”
She shrugs. “Two or three. But I have to find a man first.”
Sweetness, you have found your man. You just don’t know it yet.
While she rescues Adele from the car seat, I grab the diaper bag and the bag of presents.
“Oh no.” Sloane’s eyes widen when she notices the presents. “I didn’t buy any presents. I was going to steal a bottle of whiskey from the bar but I forgot. Maybe I should go back to your house.”
I grasp her hand. “Don’t be silly. These presents are from us.”
I hold her hand as we enter Mom’s house. The second we’re inside, cheers erupt.
“I knew it! Pay up, suckers.” Miles holds out his hand.
Jaxon rolls his eyes. “I didn’t bet.”
“And I agreed with you,” Rhett adds as Eli nods in agreement.
“Kai Raider,” Sloane growls. “Hold the mistletoe over my head and see what happens. I dare you.”
Kai gasps. “How do you see me?”
She points to the mirror over the fireplace. “I’ve been watching men try to sneak up on me since I was fourteen.”
I frown. “Fourteen?”
“You’ve met my mom. You can’t be surprised.”
I growl. “Did your mom’s boyfriends touch you?”
Stuart sweeps in and steals Adele from Sloane’s arms. “Just getting my granddaughter out of harm’s way before blood is shed.”
Stuart steps back but Sloane scowls at him. “Who are you?”
“Sloane, this is my step-dad, Stuart.”
Her face pales. “Sorry, I didn’t realize. I mean, I know Jessica is remarried, but I didn’t recognize you. Which is crazy since I have seen you before. On multiple occasions in the bar and around the island. Oh, mermaid, someone stop me.”
I chuckle and throw an arm around her shoulders. “You’re adorable.”
“Ugh.” Miles moans. “Another one bites the dust. Can we have one occasion in this family where a brother isn’t mooning over some woman?”
Jaxon fiddles with his glasses. “I believe you’re mooning over a woman at this very moment.”
“Burn.” Kai licks his finger and makes a sizzling sound.
Sloane barks out a laugh. “Are we discussing Hazel?” At my nod, she shakes her head. “You are going to have to do a bunch of groveling to get her back.” She rubs her hands together. “Shall we bet on how long it’ll take?”
“I don’t like you,” Miles mumbles as he flees the room.
I growl and set off after him but Sloane captures my wrist to stop me. “You love me and you know it!” she shouts after him. “I’m your favorite bartender.”
Screw falling for this woman. Consider me fallen. I love Sloane Wilder. No other woman could put up with my brothers’ shit with a grin on her face. And shovel their shit right back at them. Not to mention how protective she is of my daughter.
“Miles Raider, I’m throwing away your Christmas present.”
At Mom’s shout, I rush to the kitchen with Sloane and my brothers. Mom slams a bottle of chocolate syrup onto the counter. On top of the bottle sits an elf with his pants pulled down as if he’s using the bottle as a toilet.
Sloane buries her face in my shoulder, her body shaking as she tries to contain her laughter. My brothers and I don’t bother trying to contain our laughter.
Mom glares at us. “This isn’t funny.”
Miles smirks. “It’s a little funny.”
She grabs a rolling pin and rushes after him. He scurries away while singing, “I’m the gingerbread man. You can’t catch me.”
Sloane smiles up at me. “You were right. Christmas at your mom’s house is not to be missed.”
I’m glad she thinks so because if I have my way, she’ll be spending all of her future Christmases here with me and Adele.
And I intend to have my way.