Chapter 40
GEORGIE
Holding tight to Nash’s hand, we walked across the grass. At this time of year, it was lush and green. We circled a small man-made lake, surrounded by tall, straight palm trees. Dull gray clouds clogged the sky and there was a cold wind blowing.
Tomorrow was Christmas Day.
Just a few weeks ago, I hadn’t been looking forward to the holiday. I’d been dreading it. I’d been too tangled up in my grief and need for revenge.
Now, I couldn’t wait. I felt like a little kid again. I squeezed Nash’s hand and he squeezed back. He was going to make breakfast for us, and we’d open our presents by the tree. Later, I was going to cook a turkey for a gang of retired assassins. My lips quirked.
If anyone had told me what I’d be doing at Christmas, I wouldn’t have believed a single word. Wouldn’t have believed that I’d be in love, happy, and with so many possibilities ahead of me.
Then I saw the marker set in the ground and my heart squeezed painfully.
I stared at the words inscribed on the gravestone.
Vivienne Linden.
Beloved daughter and sister.
Forever loved.
My throat tightened. I squeezed Nash’s hand again, then crouched. I set the flowers I carried down beside Viv’s gravestone.
“Hi, Viv.” I touched the smooth stone. It was the first time I’d been here.
“I just wanted to come and see you, but… You aren’t here.
You’re free and flying high.” I smiled, tears welling in my eyes.
“With Elliot, and mom and dad.” My chest hitched.
“I miss you all so much, but you don’t need to worry about me. I’m doing okay. And I’m not alone.”
I stood, and Nash wrapped an arm around me. I leaned into him. He was wearing a brown leather jacket and looked so good.
“Nash is taking good care of me. Viv, I hope you’re taking good care of yourself. I love you.” I looked at the beautiful orchids that Nash had put together for me. They were gorgeous. Viv would’ve loved them.
“It’s Christmas tomorrow. I’m making eggnog, but Nash bought me a bottle of really good pink champagne.
I’ll have some for you.” I grinned. “I also got a new job! I interviewed with the most intimidating woman I’ve ever met.
She’s smart, experienced, and bossy. I’ll be working in Events at the Avernus casino. Can you believe it?”
Sadness washed over me. God, I wished she was here. I could almost hear her squeals of excitement, her happy laughter.
“I promise I’ll come back.” My voice was thick. “I’ll bring you some more of Nash’s orchids, and I’ll tell you all about the new job.”
I talked a little longer, sharing everything new in my life with the sister I loved.
“Well, we’d better go.”
Nash hugged me.
“My man has promised to teach me poker. I figured I can’t live and work at a casino if I can’t play poker.” I swiped away the tears in my eyes. “Love you, Viv.”
I let Nash lead me back to the Range Rover. As we walked, the clouds parted and a stream of sunlight hit us. Like a light shining down from above.
I laughed, happiness welling inside me. “That’s got to be Viv. She always said there was no greater feeling than stepping into the spotlight.”
My man smiled back. “I don’t know, for me, there’s no greater feeling than knowing you’re standing right beside me.”
I arched my hips up, crying out as my orgasm hit me hard. I came on Nash’s face, my thighs clenching on his head.
With a growl, he kept licking me, working me through it. His hands slid under my bare ass, holding me in position.
Finally, I collapsed back on the rug under the Christmas tree, breathing heavily. My limbs felt warm and heavy.
He sat back on his knees, grinning, and wiped his forearm across his glistening mouth. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”
I let out a husky laugh. It was Christmas morning.
I was wearing my new, super cute red plaid Christmas pajama set with Merry and Bright written on the front of the shirt.
Well, I was wearing half of the set. The tiny shorts were…
I looked around. I had no idea where they were.
Nash had stripped them and my panties off me in one swift move.
His hand skimmed up my leg. “I hope you enjoyed your first gift.”
“I did. Very much.” My gaze dropped to the hard cock tenting the front of his red pajama pants.
His low chuckle sent goosebumps over my bare skin. “You can have that gift later.” He shifted, then passed me my missing panties and shorts.
While I shimmied into them, Nash poured us both a glass of eggnog. I sat cross-legged, excitement whizzing through me. I felt like I was ten years old again, bouncing with uncontained anticipation at the thought of opening all my gifts.
Nash sat beside me and I sipped the cinnamon-and-nutmeg goodness of the eggnog.
“Okay, first gift for you.” He reached for a wrapped present under the tree.
“I already got my first gift.”
His lips curled. “Fine, your second gift.”
I tore the wrapping paper off and gasped. It was a stunning blue orchid with pink veins running through the petals. It was nestled in a pretty ceramic pot.
“Nash, it’s so stunning. One of yours?”
He nodded.
“What’s it called?”
“Forever Yours.”
Love swamped me. I set the pot down and leaned over to kiss him. He tasted like Nash, eggnog, and love.
I sat back and pulled a large, wrapped box from under the tree. “Open it.”
He carefully opened the wrapping paper. It was a set of orchid snips. “Georgie…”
“They’re handmade in Japan. Damascus forged.”
“I know.” His hand reverently smoothed over the box. “I’ve wanted some for ages. They’re expensive.”
I blushed. “So you like them?”
“I love them.”
My next present was a gift card to the stores at the Avernus.
“Now that you’re working in the Events team, I figured you’d need some new work clothes.”
I beamed at him.
“And if you splurge on some lingerie, your man won’t complain one little bit.” He winked.
I handed him his next gift. He opened the new, black leather wallet and cocked his head.
“I saw you still had the same wallet I gave you for your twenty-first birthday. It was falling apart.”
“I love that wallet.”
“Well, I confiscated it. And now you’ll love this one. Open it.”
He flicked the wallet open and the old photo of me was still inside. God, I’d been so young. So unaware at what life would throw at me. But I’d made it. I’d survived and hadn’t let it beat me down.
Beside the photo was a new one. Of me and Nash. Bastian had taken it. I was smiling right at the camera. Nash was smiling too, but looking at me. I loved it.
He looked up. “Thank you.”
“And I found a way to reuse the old wallet.” I handed him his final gift and hoped he liked it.
He opened the small box and pulled out the masculine, braided leather wristband.
“I know you don’t wear jewelry, and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to wear it. I found a guy here in Las Vegas who works with leather. He repurposed the leather from your old wallet into this.”
Nash touched it, his finger flicking at the two silver beads worked into the band. One was inscribed with an N and the other a G.
“It’s fucking perfect, Georgie.” He slipped it onto his left wrist. “I’m never taking it off. Now come here and kiss me.”
I crawled into his lap and soon the kiss was getting hot, heavy, and interesting.
He nipped my bottom lip. “I have one more present for you.”
I wriggled my ass against his growing cock. “I know.”
“Not that.” He handed me one more small gift.
I opened it and uncovered a small box. I flicked it open and gasped. “Nash, it’s beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The pendant was an oval-shaped jewel that glittered an amazing green-yellow color.
“It’s a Montana sapphire,” he said. “They’re mined in Montana and known for their amazing colors, from blues, teals, greens, and oranges. I’d never heard of them, but I was looking for something to match your eyes. And when I found this bi-color sapphire, I knew I’d found it.”
“I love it.” I handed it to him. “Put it on.” I turned away from him.
He put the necklace around my neck and fastened it. The unique sapphire was cool against my skin.
I smiled back at him. “Best Christmas ever.”
“I’m damn glad you’re back in my life, Georgie. I was eating and breathing, but I wasn’t living before. I was sleepwalking until I found you again.”
Warmth filled me. God, I loved this man. “Don’t make me cry.”
He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “We should make breakfast. Knowing the guys, they’ll be over here well before the time I told them they could come.”
I bit back a smile at the grumpiness in his voice. “But you haven’t given me my final gift and I want it.”
His brow creased and he glanced at the base of the tree.
I slid my hand down and toyed with the waistband of his pajama pants. “I mean this big, thick gift right here that needs unwrapping.”
He sucked in a breath.
I touched the tip of my tongue to my lip. “Then, it might need sucking.”
With a growl, he tumbled me back into the pile of discarded wrapping paper. “What it needs is to be inside you.” He kissed me. “You want it, sweetheart, it’s all yours. Every part of me belongs to you.”