Chapter 15
HARDISON
Iwas sated with good lovemaking, breakfast, and Emberlynn had given me her gift. A bunch of healing stones to help with my anxiety, tea, and a real fine bracelet and cuff links to match. I was going to place them around my room later to hone positive energy into my space.
Now, though, it was time for me to give her what I’d purchased for her. I handed her the small box, and she seemed hesitant to take it.
“Don’t worry. It’s not a ring. You’ll know when it’s time for that. It’ll come. But for now, I think this is more fitting.”
Emberlynn opened the box, and her gasp made me second-guess my gift.
“It’s beautiful!” She threw her arms around my neck and kissed all over my face.
“Do you even know what it is?” I laughed around her kisses.
“Yes, it’s one of your dog tags. Plus, a heart locket engraved with Queen.”
I flipped it to the back so she could read the date there. It was the day we met.
“Will you put it on me?”
I put the thick white-gold omega necklace around her neck with the two charms resting perfectly together.
“It’s perfect, King.”
“Yes, you are, Queen.”
I pulled her into my arms, where we stayed, making out, and just enjoying each other. I knew we’d both made the right choice by meeting here. Even better, choosing Love Catered was the best decision we’d ever made. It brought us together, and I couldn’t picture living my life any other way.
This was meant to be.
Hardison and Emberlynn.
It had a nice ring to it, if I must say so. A King and his Queen.
The scent of pine and cinnamon greeted us as we stepped into the dining room.
Raya had outdone herself: a roasted turkey with golden skin, mashed potatoes whipped to clouds, cranberry sauce glinting like rubies, and pies stacked high on the counter.
Twinkling lights reflected off the windowpanes, and soft Christmas music hummed from a speaker in the corner.
Elijah was already at the table, carving the turkey with a precision that would have impressed any military drill sergeant. Raya, radiant even at seven months pregnant, set down platters with careful hands and a warm smile.
“Hardison,” she said, her voice gentle but teasing, “finally made it out of that rehab of yours. We were worrying you’d disappear into the barn for the rest of the week.”
“I can’t risk losing my Queen,” I said, glancing at Emberlynn. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she shot me a look that said she knew exactly what I meant.
Tia, perched at the far end, next to Callum with a grin. “Look who finally showed up! Don’t be shy, cowboy. I had heard good things about you, but wondered if it was a tale people around here told — that the foreman here was somebody named Callum.”
Callum laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m not shy. Just… respectful.” He glanced at Emberlynn and me, catching the silent charge between us, and raised a brow.
“Respectful is good,” Tia said, wagging a finger. “But don’t be too respectful. We’ve got a holiday to celebrate, not a funeral.”
I slid into my seat next to Emberlynn, pulling the chair out for her like some absurd old-fashioned gesture. She smirked and let me, eyes sparkling with mischief.
“So,” Raya said, lifting her glass, “let’s make a toast. To family, friends, and finding our way home—even if it’s a little messy along the way.”
“Cheers,” we chorused, clinking glasses.
The meal flowed with laughter. Raya nudged me to try the stuffing, which was ridiculously good. Elijah regaled us with stories from the ranch, embellishing the more absurd details until Tia nearly choked on her water laughing. Callum tried to keep up, but Tia kept goading him into one more story.
Emberlynn leaned in close, her hand brushing mine across the table. “You’re not letting him get away with talking your ear off, are you?” she whispered.
I smirked, fingers tightening just slightly around hers. “Not a chance. You’ve seen how insistent he can be.”
She chuckled softly, eyes glinting. “Good. I like a man who keeps me on my toes.”
“Lesson learned, Queen,” I murmured back, letting the weight of the title linger between us.
After dessert—Raya’s pecan pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream—I caught Tia leaning toward Callum, whispering conspiratorially. Emberlynn’s eyes flicked to them, then to me, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.
“You’re enjoying this too much,” I said, nodding toward Tia.
“I enjoy seeing the world in motion,” she whispered back, voice soft and teasing. “And watching you try to keep up? Priceless.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Don’t tempt me. You might regret how competitive I can get.”
“Maybe I want you to be competitive,” she countered, leaning just slightly closer, our shoulders brushing.
The evening closed with more laughter, some storytelling, and an unmistakable warmth that came from being surrounded by people who cared—not just about the holiday, but about each other.
As we cleared the table, Raya wrapped me in a tight hug. “I’m glad you’re here, Hardison. And you too, Emberlynn. This is exactly how Christmas should feel—full, messy, and perfect all at once.”
I glanced at Emberlynn, and she grinned back. “I couldn’t agree more,” she said.
The house was settling into quiet after dinner, the hum of conversation and laughter fading into soft murmurs and the occasional clink of a dish being put away. Emberlynn and I exchanged a glance across the room, unspoken agreement passing between us.
“We’re going for a walk,” I said casually, loud enough for Raya and Tia to hear. “Get some fresh air before the night gets too cold.”
Emberlynn raised a brow, matching my smirk. “Walk? That’s what we’re calling it?”
“Walk,” I said, grabbing my jacket. “Just a little night stroll.” I reassured her before motioning for her to follow me outside.
The cold hit as soon as we stepped into the night air. The crisp breeze carried the scent of pine and Christmas Day. Diesel shifted in his stall as we approached, nostrils flaring at our presence. I ran my hand down his neck, checking the saddle and bridle one more time after I put it on him.
“You ready?” I asked Emberlynn, letting her peek at the horse.
She nodded, a thrill in her eyes I couldn’t resist. “I trust you,” she whispered, and the words made my chest tighten.
I lifted her carefully into the saddle, steadying her as she settled onto Diesel’s back.
Her hands brushed mine as she adjusted herself, and an electric charge slid straight through me.
“Good,” I murmured. “That’s what this is about—trust. You’re going to follow my lead. Listen, feel, respond. Understand?”
“Yes,” she breathed, her voice almost lost in the night.
I swung up behind her, my body close enough to feel the heat radiating off her. Diesel shifted, hooves crunching softly against the gravel path. “Good girl,” I murmured in her ear. The closeness, the tension, the control—it was all part of this dance we were building.
We moved into the fields, the moon casting silver shadows over the pasture. The air was sharp but clean, and the quiet night seemed to stretch around us like a protective cocoon. Emberlynn’s hands found the reins with careful trust, and I guided her subtly, letting Diesel carry us at a steady pace.
“How did you enjoy your Christmas?” she asked, voice low, leaning slightly against me as we trotted.
“Good, the best one I’ve had in forever. I got exactly what I wanted,” I said softly, hand brushing along hers—not quite touching, just enough to remind her who led, who protected, who guided. “Now, all I have to do is show you how to enjoy being treated the way you deserve.”
Her breath hitched, a subtle shiver running through her. “You make it sound… easy.”
“Easy isn’t the point,” I murmured. “Trust is.” I tilted her body slightly with mine as we slowed, pressing her just enough to remind her of the power I held—but only with her consent, only with her trust.
We stopped in a small clearing, moonlight filtering through the trees. The night felt alive, like it had been waiting for us. Diesel shifted, sensing the tension, and I leaned close, our breaths mingling.
“You’re safe,” I whispered, hands grazing hers again, fingers brushing the inside of her wrist, testing, grounding. “With me.”
She let out a soft laugh, almost a sigh, and tilted her head back. “I know. I feel it.”
One thing led to another—the closeness, the moon, the warmth between us—and soon we were exploring more than trust. The night swallowed us, Diesel standing patiently nearby as our hands and bodies found each other.
Every touch, every moan, every movement was a lesson in giving and taking control, in surrendering while remaining fully present.
I made love to her under the stars, filling her with me until she whimpered and fell apart in my arms.
By the time the stars burned low overhead, we were both trembling with exhilaration, bodies entwined and minds sharper, bound tighter by trust than by anything else. I lowered Emberlynn gently back into the saddle, fingers lingering on her jaw, her hair, the nape of her neck.
“Lesson learned?” I asked quietly, leaning close, the world narrowing to just us and Diesel.
“Yes,” she whispered. “And I think I’m ready for the next one.”
The ride back was slow, hands occasionally brushing, eyes locking in ways that said more than words ever could. By the time we returned to the house, hearts pounding and cheeks flushed, the night had claimed us—and left us utterly, completely together.