Epilogue
Cia.
Christmas Day
Iglanced over my shoulder at Nex who was sitting centered on the sofa looking deliciously tempting in a pair of bright green Grinch inspired holiday lounge pants that matched the button up shirt I was in. Before leaving Vegas, he paid an ungodly amount of money to the concierges for them to do a last minute scavenger shop for an artificial tree, whatever ornaments they could find, and holiday pajamas.
They did a fairly decent job collecting everything I asked for, which we then loaded into the SUV that carried us to the airport. All of our holiday goodies were loaded on a private plane that took us back to Diamond Falls.
Currently, I was in the process of decorating that tree. It was just after lunch on Christmas Day and even though the moment would be temporary, I insisted on experiencing my first Christmas with Nex. A real Christmas with a tree and everything. He didn’t care about any of this stuff, but he cared about making me happy. So while I blasted Christmas music, drank hot chocolate, and pranced around the flimsy, six-foot, plastic tree, he kept me company.
“Are you seriously not going to help me?”
“No, this is your thing.”
“But I’m your thing. Doesn’t that count for something?”
I arched a brow and turned my back to him to hang a plastic snowman with a broken nose. The miniature carrot had snapped in half and was nowhere to be found but I still hung it because I was working with limited stock. The ornaments were cheap, plastic, and ugly, but they were absolutely perfect.
“Do you want my help or would you prefer to complain about not having my help so I have to make it up to you later?”
The low rumble of his voice danced across my skin and I smiled, glancing over my shoulder again.
“I choose option C.”
“Which is?”
“Both. I want your help and I’ll still complain about you not helping…properly; and then you can make it up to me later.”
He chuckled and his hand moved to adjust his dick. “C isn’t an option. So I’ll stay put and assume you’re going with B.”
He winked and it landed right between my thighs and danced on my clit.
“Fine, but just so we’re clear, you’re still making up for what happened in Vegas and for not being honest with me.”
If Nex had fessed up about Merrick not truly wanting me to marry Warren, I would have never proposed marriage.
And…
I wouldn’t be married to him, which twisted my stomach in knots every time I thought about it. He didn’t need to know I was perfectly content with how things happened because I was enjoying milking his guilt. However, I truly believed it wasn’t guilt driving my husband to grant my every wish. It was simply his desire to make me happy. Yet another reason I wouldn’t change a thing about how we’d ended up here.
“I’ll take my chances with adding onto that list.”
When I turned to face him, his eyes were glued to my lower half. I felt the heat of his stare on my bare legs and a pull to be close, so I crossed the room and stepped between his widespread legs, placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and kissed my ring.
My beautiful, three-carat, diamond solitaire that was added to the list of Christmas items he paid for while we were in Vegas. Only he sent for a jeweler to bring a selection to our room for me to choose from. He ended up picking because I couldn’t decide. Of course I fell in love with the one he selected, mostly because he chose it.
The ring could have been out of a gumball machine and I would have loved it.
“Mmm,”
I hummed. “Remember you said that.”
Nex grinned and lifted his phone, frowning at the screen when he realized it was my brother. They had been on multiple calls in the hours since we’d left that rundown restaurant where I witnessed my husband doing what paid the bills. Their egos were constantly clashing but they always worked it out thanks to the common denominator they shared… Me.
“I need to take this,”
he mumbled while standing. He dropped a kiss to my lips and left the room. I was about to go back to decorating but someone rang the doorbell which had me swinging my head in the direction Nex had just gone. He resurfaced with the phone to his ear but motioned for me to answer. I hesitated, crossed the room, twisted the bolt lock, and slowly pulled the door open, frowning at the person on the other side.
“What are you doing here?”
“It’s Christmas, Ciana. In thirty-four years, I’ve never not seen your face on Christmas.”
My mother lifted a hand and placed it on my cheek. “Can I come in?”
My eyes moved past her down the hallway and she softly responded, “It’s just me. Your father and brother thought it best to accept your demand to give you time to cool off.”
“How is he… Dad?”
“Your father is fine. They worked it all out and I’m sure you know why…”
I glanced over my shoulder and Nex’s eyes were waiting. He winked and offered a nod to my mother. I stepped back, allowing her room to enter. He crossed the room, kissed her cheek to welcome her to his home, and went back to speaking to my brother.
“I get it now,”
she said with a smug grin, extending two large shopping bags in my direction.
“Get what?”
“Why you’re a Barrett and no longer a Malone.”
She smiled at Nex then pointed to the bags. “You weren’t celebrating with us so I thought maybe you wouldn’t mind a piece of home for your first Christmas here.”
I carried the bags to the living room, set them on the sofa, and peeked inside, smiling when I realized she’d brought some of my favorite ornaments. Regardless of who she paid to design our holiday cheer, we always decorated one tree together, her and me. I threw my arms around her, hugging my mother tightly. “Thank you. This means a lot.”
“I’m glad. I’m disappointed you’re not with us but I understand and am fully aware that you’ll be creating your own family traditions.”
She placed a hand over my stomach and I frowned, shooting my eyes back to where Nex stood in the kitchen, still on the phone with my brother. When he only smiled, I relaxed.
“I’m not pregnant.”
“Maybe not, but the way that man is looking at you, I’m betting you will be soon.”
I opened my mouth to argue but she cut me off.
“It’s the truth, honey, just accept it. Now let me help you finish dressing this sad ass tree of yours.”
I frowned. “It’s not sad. Nex brought it for me.”
“Mhm, it’s still sad, but the sentiment is there. He’ll have to do better next year.”
“I will,”
he murmured, scaring the shit out of me when his chest met my back and his lips grazed my ear with a kiss.
My mother shoved him away gently. “Good to know but now I need you to get out of the way. This is a mother daughter thing. You can make yourself busy preparing me a drink. Wine, red preferably. But if not I’ll take Cognac on the rocks.”
The low rumble of his laugh danced across my skin. “Let me see what I can do.”
Before he filled my mother’s request, Nex had his arms around me again.
“I think you might have convinced me that Christmas and family might not be so bad after all.”
His hand slipped under my shirt and pressed against my stomach. “Good thing we skipped the condoms because I think I figured out what we’re doing later.”
Well shit, Merry fucking Christmas to me.