“I was going to say life-altering, but yeah. Amazing works too.” He kisses me softly. “Welcome home, sweetheart.”
I smile against his lips. “Happy to be here.”
We stay like that for a long moment before he carefully pulls out and gets a warm cloth to clean us up. When he comes back to bed, I curl into his side immediately.
“So,” he says, running his fingers through my hair. “You’re really moving here.”
“I am.”
“And we’re doing this. For real.”
“For real.”
“Good.” He pulls the blankets over us. “Because I’m never letting you go.”
“Good,” I echo. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”
We lay there in the dark, wrapped around each other, and I think about how different my life is now. How much has changed since that storm.
“Jax?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For saving me. Not just from the storm.”
“You saved yourself, Sloane. I just reminded you how strong you already were.” He kisses the top of my head. “Now get some sleep. Tomorrow’s Christmas, and my grandmother will be here early, demanding to make breakfast.”
I laugh softly. “Can’t wait.”
And I mean it.
I fall asleep in Jax’s arms, in his bed, in what will soon be our home, happier than I’ve been in years.
Maybe ever.
24
SLOANE
Iwake up to sunlight streaming through the windows, and Jax’s arm heavy across my waist. For a moment, I just lay there, taking it in. The warmth of his body against mine. The sound of his steady breathing. The way his bedroom smells like pine and him. The fact that I’m here, in his bed, in his home, and it feels right. It feels like home.
“Merry Christmas,” Jax mumbles against my neck, his voice rough with sleep.
“Merry Christmas.” I turn in his arms to face him. “How long have you been awake?”
“About five minutes. I was watching you sleep.”
“That’s creepy.”
“You’re cute when you sleep. You make these little sounds.” He demonstrates, making a soft snuffling noise that makes me smack his chest.
“I do not.”
“You absolutely do. It’s adorable.”
