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Tiernan walks me from the kitchen and to our wing of the lodge. The snow outside reminds me of our first winter here. It’s homey and perfect, and I hadn’t realized how much I missed it until we came back for the holidays.
“Still feels the same, doesn’t it?” Tiernan opens our bedroom door and ushers me inside.
I yawn as he leads me to the bed and sits me down.
“Tired?” He kneels and pulls my fuzzy slippers off, my pants, and then helps me lie back.
“I can’t stop yawning.” I do it again.
He strips out of his shirt and pants and gets into bed with me. “Mind if I join?”
“I love when you join.” I turn to him and snuggle against his hard chest.
“It’s so much more real now that everyone knows. Did you tell the guys?”
He laughs low in his throat, sending a thrill through me. “Yeah, I think my ribs might be bruised after Diego’s hug.”
“Diego hugged you?” My eyebrows bounce up.
“Yep. I could swear Barrow almost cried, he was so happy for us.” He kisses my hair.
“We’re so lucky.” I sigh, my eyes fluttering closed. “Our family is all around us.”
“Growing by the day,” he murmurs and wraps his arms around me.
I smile. “You’re going to be an amazing dad.”
“Can’t wait to show the kid how to shoot and use a knife.”
I giggle. “Maybe hold off on all that for a while?”
“I’ll wait at least until they’re two or three. Don’t worry.”
I can’t seem to stop smiling… or yawning. “I love you.”
“Get some rest, beautiful. You’ll need it for all the shower planning going on in the kitchen.”
I snuggle even closer. “Our family is the best.”
“Can’t argue there, sweet thing. Not even a little.”
Surrounded by the people I love, I doze off at the lodge, the most magical place in the world for me, and the only one I call home.
That Christmas
Clover
“Stop bending over and picking up all the heavy stuff!” Charles pulls a box of feather ornaments from my hands.
“The heavy stuff?” I laugh and rub my belly. It’s not huge yet, but it’s definitely noticeable.
“I put a baby in you to keep you here, not to watch you hurt yourself,” he growls.
Why does that statement make me go all mushy inside? I should be mad that he wanted to trap me, but I’m not. In fact, I’ve never been happier. The lodge is my home now, and I can’t imagine life anywhere else.
Charles reaches up and stabs the gold and white feathers into the tree, his broad back flexing with each movement.
“You need to--” I try to direct with my hands. “Over that way--yes--no--down a little. Okay, now fluff it.”
