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“These look worse today,” he said, gently touching his lips to a bruise on her shoulder. “How do they feel?”
“Pretty much how they look,” she said with a laugh.
He lightly kissed the bruises on her arm, ribcage, stomach, and neck.
“Come here,” he said, getting into bed.
She climbed in beside him and snuggled up against his bare chest.
“God, Liv,” he said into her hair. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed this.”
She nuzzled her cheek against his chest and breathed him in. She fell asleep listening to his heart beating.
He didn’t fall asleep right away. Instead, he stared at the ceiling and listened to her breathing.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Merry Christmas,” she said, snuggling closer to him.
“Merry Christmas,” he answered, his chest tight. This is what he wanted - to wake up every morning with her in his arms, to have her here every Christmas at the cabin, to be together as a couple; but that wasn’t what she wanted.
“Mmmm,” she said. “You smell so good.”
“So do you,” he said, breathing in her hair. They stayed silent for several minutes, just holding each other. Noise started to drift in from the other rooms as more and more people woke up.
“They are all going to know I slept in here,” Will said. “We can’t keep this a secret.”
“I know,” she said, closing her eyes. “I don’t want to walk out together. Can you leave first? I’ll come out in a little bit.”
“Sure,” he said, standing up and pulling on his shirt.
After he walked out the door, she pulled the covers over her head and groaned.
—
Everyone else was gatheredin the kitchen wearing matching Christmas pajamas. Will tried to sneak into the kitchen without being noticed. MarryMe was sniffing the counters, trying to steal some bacon.
“Will!” Eli shouted. “There you are!”
“Looks like Will is having a very Merry Christmas,” Keene said with a grin.
“A very Merry Christmas indeed,” Declan said, slapping him on the back.
“Cut it out,” Will said. “Don’t be weird.”
“You might want to be careful; there’s mistletoe all around this place,” Brooklyn said.
“Seriously,” Will said. “Don’t say anything when she comes out.”
Brooklyn made a zipper motion over her lips, Declan just shrugged, and Keene did the boy scout’s salute.
“I don’t trust any of you,” Will said, pouring himself coffee.
—-
After breakfast, everyonegathered around the Christmas tree. The stockings were full; presents were everywhere.
“Santa was awfully busy last night,” Eli said.
