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“Are you still trying to trace that quantumancist?”
“There’s really no point. They’ll only make themselves known if they want, and there’s nothing we can do to force it.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “Are you happy?”
“Very.”
“A bit sad?”
“Not at all.”
“Good. That’s all I ever wanted.”
“I know.” She hugged him tightly. “I’m looking for Ivan. Have you seen him?”
“Ask Clelia. She’s in the kitchen.”
Alice excused herself and made her way to the kitchen. Clelia was stuffing a turkey while Joss sat at the table with Laudrain in his lap, Laudrain lifting spoons of porridge to his dad’s mouth. Joss’s chin was covered with the grub.
He grinned and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand when he saw Alice. “Merry Christmas.”
Clelia bustled over and pressed her cheek to Alice’s for the customary morning greeting. “We’re having a Christmas breakfast in the dining room so the little ones can open their presents.”
Alice kissed the top of Laudrain’s head. “I’m looking for Ivan.”
“He went outside a while ago,” Clelia said.
“I’ll be back in a sec to help with breakfast.” She couldn’t help but worry when Ivan wasn’t nearby. He’d only been given back to her for a short while. The novelty of knowing he was alive hadn’t worn off, yet. She had a feeling it wouldn’t wear off, ever.
In the entrance, she ran into Kat and Lann coming inside with a warmly wrapped Thomas in his stroller. After exchanging Christmas greetings and giving Thomas a quick cuddle, Alice excused herself to go look for Ivan.
“Put on a coat,” Lann said, “It’s cold outside.”
She donned her coat and stepped out onto the porch. The landscape was a contrast of glowing colors. The green of the grass had a luminous quality to it, like a first spring leaf in the morning sunshine, while the clouds were a smoky haze of purple bordering on blue. In the distance, the lake was a silver reflection of the darker gunmetal shore. Amidst the vivid emerald, violet, and charcoal, a splash of red stood out, pulling her gaze. Alice stared at the ruby red rose that lay on the granite step of the porch. The trail of red continued down the steps and onto the garden path with a scattering of petals.
She picked up the rose to inhale the bloom’s sweet perfume. Like Gretel with a trail of crumbs, she followed the floral clues down the lane, through the maze, and past the giant fir with the Christmas lights to the edge of the lawn. There, where the grass met the sand, Ivan stood inside the white gazebo with a single red rose in his hand.
Emotions almost got the better of her, forcing tears to her eyes, but she swallowed them back and took the last three steps onto the platform to join her lover.
His smile was slow and magnetic, simultaneously radiant and seductive. She stopped flush against him so their chests touched and stared up at his face. His eyes, always disconcerting with their difference in color, were filled with tenderness and something darker, a deep, beautiful secret only they shared. Taking his time, he lowered his head for a kiss. Sparks ran like static electricity over her skin as he brushed a kiss over her lips in an all too gentle and brief caress.
“Ivan,” she said in greeting, his name a gasp.
His gaze traveled over her face and fixed on her lips. “Princess.”
“What are you doing out here in the cold?”
“Giving you your Christmas present.”
“You already did.”
He lifted a brow. “I did?”
“When you told me you loved me.”
“Ah. That was something you wanted.” He slid his hand down her back to her ass, caressing each cheek before rewarding her with a firm smack. “I was thinking of giving you something you need.”
A delicious shiver raced from the sting on her bottom up the length of her spine. She went on tiptoes, aligning his erection with the aching spot between her thighs. Drawing in a sharp breath, he tightened his hold on her globes while lifting her slightly for more friction.
“Then we should go back to bed,” she whispered, burrowing her face in his neck.
“Will you wear your glasses for me?”
“I’m already wearing your sex toy for you.” She smiled against his skin. “It comes with the most unexpected and untimely orgasms.”
“Told you before, my need to make you come knows no manners.”
“Shall we go, then?” She kissed his chest. “My glasses are in the room.”
“Before we get to that I want my gift.”
Alice bit her lip. She’d been thinking long and hard about what to get Ivan for Christmas and finally decided on writing him a song. She’d recorded it only last week as a surprise. Live singing would never grow on her, but she could sing it to him here, seeing that he was her sole audience.
