Chapter 13
Callie
Snowflakes swirl in the air around me as I walk with Nate toward the Christmas Eve bon fire.
The temperature has dropped, and the snowstorm that the region has been anticipating for a few days is nearly here.
But I’m not worried because I’ll wake up on Christmas morning with my three best boys—Nate, Danny, and Rudy.
As if sensing my thoughts, he reaches for my hand. My mittens press against his thick gloves. Danny is snuggling against his chest and gurgling happily. Rudy is keeping pace next to me, pausing every so often to offer me a stick. I always throw it and laugh as he races for it.
“He’s quite the fan of you,” Nate says.
“Maybe he can just sense my natural affection for him.”
“Or maybe you’ve been sneaking him extra treats.”
I chuckle, realizing he figured me out. “It’s not my fault. He’s such a handsome boy.”
He laughs too, the sound rich and warm. All around us there are happy couples. Nate wasn’t the only guy from the Naughty List Ranch to find love this year. Plenty of his friends did too.
Mary waves us over. She presses a mug of hot chocolate into my hands as we take our seats near the crackling fire. There’s so much heat, but it’s the company and the love that truly warms me.
“How much longer do I have you for?” Mary asks as she takes a seat next to me. Christopher leans over and adjusts her scarf, tucking it tighter around her as if he can’t stand the idea that she might catch a chill.
She knows that Nate proposed to me. She hugged me so tight the moment I told her. Then she whispered to me that my mom would be so happy which made me tear up. She always knows just what to say.
I frown, not sure what she means at all. “What do you mean how much longer do you have me for?”
“Well, you’re leaving with Nate, aren’t you? I just assumed you would.”
Nate shakes his head before she can finish her sentence. “No, I’m leaving Courage County. We’re going to be living here.”
“Wait a second,” I say out loud. I hadn’t even considered where we’d live or what our lives will look like once we’re married.
But I know as soon as he says that he’s leaving his hometown that I don’t want that for him.
“You shouldn’t have to sell the farm you love so much.
I don’t want you to give up your home for me. ”
He squeezes my hand through my mitten. “You are my home.”
His words only make me more determined to go with him to Courage County. “I don’t want you to sell your farm.”
He growls, “Well, we’re not living apart.”
I chuckle at the bossiness in his tone. I love it when he growls at me. “We’re not going to live apart. I’m going to move back to North Carolina so Danny and I can be with you.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because Courage County is where you belong. It’s where your brothers are, and Danny can get incredible care in Asheville,” I answer.
As soon as I say the words, I know it’s right.
There’s a reason I felt led to come here to the Naughty List Ranch.
It’s because I was meant to find Nate. He’s my soulmate and now that we’re together, I want to raise Danny on his farm.
“Are you sure?” he says. “Because I would give it all up in a heartbeat just to be with you and Danny.”
It’s my turn to squeeze his hand. “I know, but I don’t want you to. Besides, I hear there’s an opening for a baker at your ranch.”
He laughs then and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “If that’s what you want.”
“It’s what I want,” I assure him.
We talk late into the night underneath the stars until eventually it gets too cold to stay out any longer. Nate tucks Danny into his crib then falls asleep with his arms wrapped around me.
I drift to sleep with a smile on my face.
But I wake a few hours later in a cocoon of warmth.
Nate’s arm is lying across my chest, and my nipples are straining against the thin material of my t-shirt.
But it’s his hand in my panties that’s turning me on.
He’s cupping my pussy even in his sleep, and I love how owned that makes me feel.
I bump him with my elbow, and he murmurs sleepily, “Does he need me?”
Lately, Danny has been waking up in the middle of the night and not settling until Nate comes to rock him for a few minutes. Nate hasn’t once complained about getting up. He’s grateful for every minute with him.
“He’s not the one that needs you,” I purr.
“Mm, is my girl needy?” His voice is husky and deep from sleep.
“So needy,” I admit, my panties damp. I need him to take care of this ache he’s creating, or I might just combust.
He swirls my wetness around, painting my pussy in my own juices. “So responsive for me.”
I whimper when his finger breaches my channel.
His finger is big and thick, just the way his cock is. The thought has me spasming, and my body sucks his finger deeper. Behind me, I feel his erection nestled against my ass. He pushes forward, seeking his own friction.
“Take me,” I whisper, surrendering to this moment and the pleasure he’s giving me. He always makes it so good for me.
“Not until you come on my fingers like a good girl,” he says right as he adds a second finger, stretching me even more.
I reach down and massage my aching clit, circling it just the way I like.
“Good girl. Touch yourself while I watch.”
His filthy words and talented fingers have stars exploding behind my eyes. When I come, it’s with his whispered words of praise in my ear. He’s telling me how proud he is of me, of how brave and strong I am.
“Inside me. Now,” I pant, unable to last a minute longer without feeling our bodies completely intertwined.
I shimmy free of the pajama pants, but I don’t bother with my shirt. I need him inside of me right now.
He yanks at his pants, barely getting them down before he’s rolling over me and sliding his cock through my slick folds.
I expect him to thrust into my body, but he doesn’t. Instead, he pauses. He brushes a kiss to my forehead. “I love you. You’re my forever. I can’t wait to marry you and have more babies together and grow our farm together.”
“I want that with you. All of that,” I breathe.
He presses into my body then. He moves slowly, keeping his thrusts measured and controlled. He’s still cupping my face, his expression filled with so much love and tenderness.
With every movement, every hot glide of friction, my body opens to his a little more until he’s all the way in. There’s only the most delicious pleasure between my thighs as my cowboy rides me.
“Fuck, you take me so well,” he murmurs.
My hands are roaming, touching him everywhere. I trace the planes of his body through his clothes, mapping his shape.
He reaches for my clit, playing with my swollen nub. “Let me feel you squeezing me.”
I call his name in a whimper. He’s sending me higher and higher with every thrust. Just when I’m teetering on the edge, he whispers, “Come for me.”
His words push me over the cliff and then I’m freefalling into a pleasure so deep that I’m not sure where I end and he begins. There’s only this one sweaty, perfect moment between us.
When he comes, he grunts out his release. There’s something so primal and satisfying about him filling my pussy with his come. Especially when he pulls out and pushes his come back inside of me. “One of these days, you’re going to go off your pills and give me babies.”
I barely suppress a yawn. “I’d like to give Danny siblings.”
“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do,” he promises as he leaves the bed in search of a washcloth. I’m asleep before he ever returns.
Hours later, he wakes me with a kiss to my neck. “Merry Christmas.”
My eyelids flutter open to see him next to me in the bed. Rudy is at our feet. He’s still sleeping so he hasn’t seen the huge rawhide bone on the bed with a bright, red bow on it yet. He’s going to be over the moon when he realizes he’s got a huge new toy.
Nate is holding Danny, who is dressed in a cute little elf romper. I croon as soon as I see him. “He’s so adorable.”
“Yeah, we had a little bit of spit up this morning and had to change twice,” he answers.
I push myself to a sitting up position, leaning back against the headboard. On the nightstand, there’s already a cup of coffee and some toast, along with an assortment of Nate’s jams. “You could have woken me.”
“I wasn’t going to wake you. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of our son,” he sounds affronted that I suggested he wake me for something as simple as some spit up.
My heart skips a beat at the way he uses that so casually. “Our son. I like the sound of that.”
“Me, too.”
I reach for Danny, pulling him into my lap. I try to smother him with kisses, but he instantly wants Nate back, reaching for him instead. “I think he likes you more than me. He loves the idea of you being his dad.”
Nate takes Danny back. “Morning cuddles are the best.”
“I agree,” I whisper as I lean back against my soon-to-be husband’s chest. Outside, it’s snowy and cold. But right here in our bed, there’s only the warmth of a loving family, which reminds me. “I got you something for Christmas.”
“But I haven’t given you my gift yet,” he says.
I hold my hand up and wiggle my fingers. “I think this big rock definitely counts.”
“It’s not that big,” he mutters.
I send him a look. “Mary agreed. It can be seen in outer space.”
“I wanted to go even bigger,” he admits with a sigh. “I suppose there’s always our anniversary.”
“You just want to make sure all the other cowboys know I’m taken,” I tease.
The possessive look on his face tells me I’m not far off with my teasing. But I don’t mind. I love the idea that he wants me all to himself and plans to warn off anyone who gets too close.
“Hang on,” I get out of bed and hear his sharp intake of breath. I’m only in my sleep shirt and a pair of granny panties. But you’d think I was dressed in the world’s sexiest negligée from the noise he makes.
“Not until after the gift,” I tell him. I swear, we’re both so insatiable for each other. I would think it will let up in time. But if Mary and Christopher are anything to go by, we’ll still be horny for each other for decades to come.
I grab the gift and hurry back to the bed, placing the large box on top of his lap. He has to maneuver Danny around who stares with wonder at the shiny, red package.
Nate opens the box carefully then freezes when he sees what it is. He’s quiet and still for so long that I start to wonder if I did something wrong.
He runs his hand gently along the frame. Inside the frame is a picture of us from the Tacky Light Show. We’re both smiling at the camera with Danny and Rudy, the four of us a happy family together.
“It was the first moment I thought maybe we could be a family,” I admit.
“It’s perfect,” he whispers and puts his arm around my shoulders. “We’re going to hang it above the fireplace at our ranch in Courage. We’ll add more photos with it, and eventually, we’ll have dozens of pictures. Family photo albums overflowing with precious memories.”
I can’t help smiling at the future he’s talking about. Our little family has so many beautiful Christmas holidays to look forward to and share together.