His Curvy Candy Cane (F*** Under The Mistletoe)

Epilogue

Elise

Thankfully, my lease was month to month because once I climbed into Ethan’s bed, I never wanted to leave.

After Ethan dug us out from under the two feet of snow, we had jobs to get back to, but I went home to him every night.

We didn’t do much staying in, though.

“I want you to experience Christmas like you never have before,” Ethan said as we bundled up and left his warm cottage for the cold but bustling city center.

I couldn’t contain my excitement as we window-shopped and filled our bellies with hot cocoa and chocolate truffles.

As we walked by the church, a group gathered around the nativity scene and sang “O Holy Night . ”

Our last stop was in front of the ice-skating area. A beautiful Christmas tree sat in the middle of the ice, and people skated around it as soft Christmas music played in the background. Strung-up lights illuminated the large circle of ice, and a booth by the entrance had skates for rent. “Do you want to skate with me?”

“I do. But I need you to promise me one thing.”

“Anything,” I said before I kissed his sexy mouth.

“You won’t laugh when I fall. I’m a bit rusty.”

“Same goes for you. I haven’t skated in years.” I laughed in hopes of covering up my nerves. Younger me would’ve sailed around the ice without a problem, but older me…yeah, I definitely haven’t practiced in a long-ass time.

“My dad taught me when I was young,” Ethan said as we walked over to the booth. “We used to go skating every Christmas as a tradition. When my teen years hit, I was kind of a jerk and skipped a few years. Man, do I wish I could get those back. I would do things so differently.”

I squeezed his hand tight. “I’m sure your dad understood.”

“I made it a point to go the last Christmas he was alive. I’ll never forget wheeling him around the ice in his wheelchair.”

“Aw, Ethan. He must’ve loved every second. Now we can make this one of our traditions. Like hot cocoa after the town Christmas party.” I smiled up at him.

He blinked away tears, and my heart melted. “You remember?” he asked.

“Of course I do. I might’ve been drunk, but I remember every moment of that magical night. The night that brought us together.”

Ethan swooped in for a kiss, and my knees weakened at its intensity. “I want to make so many traditions with you and pass them down to our children.”

“Our children, hmm? Let’s slow down that crazy town for a second.”

“But why? It’s so much fun to ride it.” Ethan grinned. “And you know what else is fun to ride?” He winked, and my panties were drenched. “What size skates?” He squeezed my ass before leaving me standing there panting like a dog as he walked up to the booth a couple of feet in front of us.

“Size eight,” I somehow answered as I watched him rent us skates.

After we managed to lace up and walk over to the ice, I tentatively stepped out, and unlike I expected, the skill of skating came back easily. Even more so for Ethan. He was a pro.

He held my hands as we skated around and around the tree together. “I thought you said you were rusty.”

“I was. Guess it’s like riding a bike?”

I laughed. “Guess so. You seem like a natural.”

“I played a little ice hockey in high school.”

“Wow.” I laughed. “You had me thinking you’d be falling and hurting yourself, and here you are, a better skater than probably most people in this small town.”

Ethan moved himself so he was now skating backward and picked up speed as he skated us around. “I wouldn’t go that far. But I’m pretty damn good.” He did a quick spin around me and then spun me, something I never thought I’d do on the ice.

“You’re such a show-off!” I teased, but I enjoyed every second.

After an hour of skating, we called it a night.

“My legs are on fire,” I said as I undid my laces.

“Don’t worry, I’ll do all the work tonight.” Ethan winked, and tingles ran through me.

I had to wonder—how did I get so lucky?

Ethan wrapped his arm around me and pulled me against his side. It was Christmas Eve, and we snuggled under a big, fluffy blanket on the couch in front of his Christmas tree. The lights twinkled in the dimly lit room, and I admired all the gifts under the tree that Ethan and I spent the day wrapping. Gifts for each other and for friends in town, plus a few donations.

“Today’s been perfect. Thank you,” Ethan grumbled. I loved when he was all sweet but tried to act like he wasn’t. I knew deep down he was a big ooey, gooey mush ball. But damn, was he a firecracker in bed.

“No, thank you. I never thought I’d enjoy Christmas this much.”

“When you find the right person, everything sort of clicks into place, doesn’t it?”

I nuzzled in closer and kissed him. “Yes, it does.”

With A Christmas Story playing on the TV, hot cocoa in our mugs (his with a candy cane of course), and the warmth of our love, I couldn’t be happier.

And when Ethan asked me to marry him the very next day, Christmas became more than just a festive holiday.

It became one of the best memories of my life.

A memory I would tell our children every year at Christmas dinner. A memory I would treasure forever.

Too bad he still hadn’t sold me on candy canes.

And when the following Christmas came, and I was pregnant with our first child, Ethan surprised me with a brand new cottage—a much bigger, roomier one with lots of space to grow our family. And store our great and fast-growing collection of Christmas decorations.

THE END