9. Kate

9

KATE

CHRISTMAS MORNING…

Oh my god.

OH MY. GOD!

I’m giddy. I’m happy. I’m everything I thought I’d never be. Content? Loved?

I feel all the things right now, and I never want to let them go. I never want to let Cole go. So for the first time in my life, I’m pulling out all the stops. I’m putting myself out there. Laying it all on the line.

I’m making it clear to him that he’s the one I want. So I’m doing something cheesy. A little corny. I’ve pulled up a chair next to the Christmas tree, wearing a bow, a tag addressed to Cole, and the elf outfit.

I haven’t been waiting long, so I’m surprised when I feel him coming. His footfalls shake the floor when he hops out of bed, a steady thump until he reaches the door. It swings open and… Hello, my naked mountain man! Good morning, little Cole. Little big Cole. There’s nothing little about my man’s… ahem . My vagina can tell you that. But somehow it fits. Like Cole said, we’re made for each other.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

“Merry Christmas,” I chirp.

He scratches his head, his hair deliciously disheveled after a night of vigorous lovemaking. I know it was my first time, but I can’t imagine it being any better than that.

“It is Christmas, isn’t it?”

I curl my finger at him. “Come over here and open your present.”

He smiles. My heart flutters. And my big, beefcake of a mountain man strides over to me.

“Wow,” Cole says, his voice an octave deeper and raspier than usual. “How’d you know what I wanted?”

“Lucky guess.”

“Sorry, I didn’t get you anything.”

I snort, taking the bow off my heart and placing it on his. “I’d like this if you’re offering it.”

He grabs my hand and tugs me to my feet. “Kate, you’ve had it the moment you entered my life. My heart is yours. Always and forever.”

My vision blurs with tears until I blink. He wipes each one away and then brushes my lips. “No need to cry. I’m yours.”

I sniffle. “And I’m yours too.”

He tunnels his hand through my hair, kissing me softly on my lips. Delicately. Like he’s taking his time. He keeps kissing me, sliding a hand around my waist and pulling me closer. I’ve never felt so loved before. Never felt so desired. Like I’m the most precious thing in the world to another person.

“I love you,” Cole says, his lips brushing against mine with every syllable. I feel them in my chest, those three little loaded words. And I can’t help but let a few more tears fall.

“I love you, too,” I say. “So, so very much.”

The words come out before my throat closes up. Before Cole seals his lips against mine and we kiss for god knows how long. I lose track of time when I’m with Cole.

When we finally break free, I mutter, “I lied.”

His eyes narrow. “About what?”

“There’s one more thing I want for Christmas.”

“Anything,” he says, brushing my eyebrows with his thumb.

I pull away, taking the bow from his heart. I chew my bottom lip as those naughty thoughts rise again. I can’t help them. They come and go as they please when I’m around Cole. And now that I’ll be around him for a while longer, I might as well get used to them. Better to go with the current than against.

I kneel, my body brushing against his cock. It springs back up and then I look up at him as I place the bow at the base of it.

“Jesus, Kate,” he rasps, thrusting his hand through my hair again. “You know it’s yours.”

“But I haven’t tasted it yet.”

I glance at the large, throbbing head, a small bead already pooling at the tip. I wrap my hand around the base, and Cole groans, gripping my hair tighter. It’s thick. It’s veiny and big. And it’s all mine.

I lick the bead, tasting his saltiness, relishing the way he moans as I take him into my mouth. “Just like that, Kate. Fucking perfect,” he moans.

But before I have the chance to take any more than the tip into my mouth, we hear footsteps at the front door. Lots of them. Like a damn stampede of animals.

“My family,” Cole rasps.

“Run,” I shout.

Cole sprints into the bedroom just in time. The front door opens right as Cole shuts the bedroom room door.

“Merry—what the hell is this?” A man the size of Cole mutters when he glances inside.

Two more mountain men amble inside, staring blankly around the cabin.

“Merry Christmas,” I say, awkwardly swinging my arm.

All of them stare at me.

“Are you an elf? Did you do this?”

One of them motions to the decorations as I glance down at my outfit. I completely forgot.

“Oh god, don’t tell me Santa slept with one of his elves. Margot!” he calls out behind him. “Did Cole bump more than his head at Santa’s workshop?”

Awkward. Awkward. This is awkward. But then his mother comes in, and she’s a bright ray of sunshine wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, reindeer antlers, and a festive apron that says Christmas Calories Don’t Count. I like her already.

“Merry Christmas,” she says, greeting me. “Now I hope you don’t mind, but I always make Cole something special—” She stops mid-sentence, turning around. “Don’t just stand there, move! We’ve got Christmas to save. Now as I was saying,” she continues without skipping a beat. “I know Cole said we’d celebrate once the roads were cleared but I know what he really wants. A Chrismasbirthday party with everyone. Love the outfit by the way.”

“Oh my god,” Cole says when he comes out of his bedroom wearing his Santa suit.

I glance behind me and see a swirl of activity. Platters of food and all sorts of utensils are moving swiftly throughout Cole’s cabin. Three men the size of mountains carry stacks of presents so high I swear they’re going to topple.

Christmas music is coming from somewhere. The smell of sugar cookies, cinnamon, and chocolate from elsewhere. I’m getting dizzy just looking at all of it.

“Cole,” his mother shouts. “Happy Chrismasbirthday!”

So I guess it’s a thing. He closes the gap between us, wrapping his arm around me, and whispers, “Didn’t want you to be the only one dressed up.”

I melt because he’s so thoughtful. And then again because I can’t believe I nearly got caught blowing him. Good grief this is going to be a Christmas to remember.

“Thanks,” I say.

He kisses me on his head, and then we both turn back to his family who’s staring at both of us, wide-eyed.

“This is Kate,” Cole says. “She’s my girlfriend.”

Who knew there wasn’t a limit on how many times I could melt?

“Predictable,” one of his brothers says. “I always knew Santa had a thing for elves.”

Another brother punches him lightly in the shoulder and his mother glares at them both. “Don’t you have work to do?”

Both of them kick into gear as Cole’s mother turns back to us. “I’m so happy,” she says. “Now I know why Cole didn’t want to come over for his Christmasbirthday party. He wanted to keep you all to himself. But,” she says, snagging me from Cole. “She’s mine now. Do you know how to make sugar cookies?”

“I-Yes, of course. I make them every year.”

“That’s wonderful. You’re with me.”

And like that, I’ve been absorbed into the Kringle family. It was seamless. Easy. And everything I’ve ever wanted. Exactly like Cole. My boyfriend!? Yes! It started shaky, but I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas. And as I look back at Cole and he looks back at me, smiling, I couldn’t have asked for a better man.