“Of course.”
Emily said, “Can I see it?”
Knox said, “If it's okay with your mom.”
I nodded excitedly. “I just made dinner, but we can put it in the fridge for now. I don’t think I could eat anyway.”
We put our plates in the fridge and all loaded up into his pickup. I held the photo on my lap as he took us out of town on a road that wound past Griffin Farms and Madigan Ranch. And then he took us down a gravel trail, and I spotted the oak treewith the sun setting behind it. There was a “for sale” sign nailed to a fence post.
My heart was already beating quickly as I took it in.
“Is this it?” Emily asked.
“It is,” Knox said with a smile.
“Can we get out and look?” I asked.
“I thought you'd never ask.”
I held the photo under my arm as we got out. It was an unseasonably warm night, like Mother Nature knew we were too excited and forgot our jackets at home.
Emily immediately sprinted toward the oak tree over crunching brown prairie grass. Her hair swayed behind her as she ran, the sun glinting off her locks, and I could picture it. I could picture our home here.
Like a movie playing in front of me, I could see us watching the sunrise in the mornings, getting a picture-perfect sunset behind the oak tree every night.
Grass crunched underfoot as Knox came up beside me, letting Jackson down. He toddled after his sister, and tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched them.
“What do you think?” Knox asked.
I held up the photo, imagining it on a mantle place here.
Then I looked over at Knox and said, “I think it feels like home.”
FORD AND MIA AND THE CHRISTMAS PARTY
1
MIA
“Can you zip me?”I asked Ford while I put on my green Christmas dress. I loved the way the color contrasted my pale skin and brought out the hint of green in my blue eyes. The piece had long sleeves and fell just above my knees, which looked perfect with my thigh-high black suede boots.
“Of course,” he said. He came up behind me, first laying a kiss on my bare shoulder and then kissing down my spine. I was already starting to blush before he drew back and raised the zipper.
“Good?” he asked, his voice was hoarse, the action must have affected him the same way it did me.
I turned around, seeing him in his matching green shirt and black slacks. He looked so damn good, and suddenly, I was very thankful that the Diamonds were not playing a game until two days after Christmas this year. Especially since it was our first Christmas together as a couple.
I turned to face him and linked my fingers behind his neck. He then lifted me onto the bathroom counter. “Have I mentioned how much I like these boots?” He ran his hand over the suede and even the adjacent contact had my skin flaming underneath.
“You do?” My voice came out breathy.
“So much.” He hitched up my dress, dusting his fingertips over my thighs where the boots stopped.
I shifted my hips on the counter, wanting him closer. “What else do you like?”
He bit his lip and parted my legs so he could stand between my knees and speak right near my ear. “I like that I know what you’re hiding underneath this pretty dress.”
“You noticed?” I lifted my chin, giving him access to my neck. He took the invitation, trailing kisses from my jaw to my collarbone before reaching up to the strap of my thong and snapping it.
