Tangled with the Tight End (Evergreen Lake: Under the Mistletoe)

Chapter 45

forty-five

NORAH

Christmas Eve

Sitting with Gabriel beside the tree while wrapping presents for Gino fills me with such happiness–a happiness I can’t begin to describe with words but feel it deep in my soul.

We flew back to Evergreen Lake as soon as the game was over. Thankfully, they won, so the coach was generous and gave everyone two extra days to top off the already planned day for a win, giving us extra time together before Gabriel flies back for practice tomorrow night. It’s not much time, but I’ll take it. Soon, the season will conclude, and we’ll have more time to settle into a routine.

If he can get out of here. There was a blizzard that started as soon as we reached Evergreen Lake.

Once I wrap the toy I purchased from Santa’s Closet and deposit it under the tree, I turn around to find Gabriel studying me. He smiles and lifts his hand, grabbing mine and tugging me until I’m settled on his lap, facing the glowing tree with his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. “Thank you.” He nuzzles my neck as he speaks.

“Thank you, for what?” I twist my head to look at him.

“For being an amazing girlfriend.” He kisses my lips slowly and pulls back.

My body remains limp from his kiss. The man takes my breath away over and over again. I lick my lips and open my eyes. “You’re welcome, but I’m the one that’s blessed.”

He shakes his head. “No, I am. You took a chance on me. A man with baggage in the form of an ex, a son, and a job that pulls him away every week.”

“You aren’t the only man in the world with a job in another state. We aren’t rewriting the history books here.” The corners of his mouth arch upward.

“Fine, but I still love and appreciate you.”

I cup his face as the butterflies flutter in my belly. “Thank you for not giving up on love and giving me a chance.”

“Every day.” His lips cover mine again, and its minutes before we come up for air.

“My attorney called.”

My heart skips a beat. “What did he say?”

After Gabriel’s trip to Florida, things have been quiet. The twinkle lights send a glow over the gold foil wrapping paper.

“Good news. The paperwork has been filed, and the judge has contacted both attorneys. There’s no need to show up in court. Next week, the divorce will be finalized.”

“Oh, my God.” My mouth goes dry as blood rushes in my ears. It’s almost done. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Norah….” His eyes narrow into slits. “Do not ask that question.”

“No.” I swat his chest. “I know you want the divorce. Are you sure you want to give her so much?”

“It’s only a fraction, and as much as she doesn’t deserve it, it’s more than she’d get if we drug everything out in the open, and she knows it.” His jaw flexes. “But I’m not waiting six months to a year to finalize this divorce. I want it over now so we can move on.” He shrugs. “Besides, I was the one that was stupid and deserve the consequences.”

“You do not.” Anger swirls inside of me that he still feels foolish for having sex with her. “We’ve all done things we regret. No one deserves to be tricked by a manipulative woman hellbent on finding a free ride.” The fact he still blames himself for being tricked by her pisses me off and re-ignites the desire to see her suffer for her criminal acts.

“Babe….” His eyes dance as he turns me around to face him. “I love seeing you get all feisty.”

With my legs wrapped around him, it’s easy to discover his love of my feistiness as it rests against my now humming sex. I bite my bottom lip. “I didn’t bring my birth control pills.”

“Hmm….” His eyes dance with happiness. “Intentionally or on accident?”

“On purpose.” We’ve discussed starting a family soon but haven’t settled on a date. Besides, it’s not like the first time will take, and practicing until we get it perfect sounds like a good way to spend our time.

I bite my lips together as he twists me onto my back and lays over me, my thighs encircling his hips and drawing him to my apex. “It’s my Christmas present to you.”

“Then let me unwrap my present.” He makes quick work of removing our clothing.

When we’re naked under the faint lights of the tree with presents all around us, he snatches a red foil wrapped box out of his jeans pocket and leans up on one elbow, giving me room.

“Merry Christmas, love.”

My hands tremble as I take the box from him. The box is small. That is kind of small. I pull off the lid and stare at the black case tucked inside.

He taps his finger on top of it. “Open it.”

I slowly flip the lid open and expose the contents. The diamond nestled inside glistens amongst the black satin interior. I scramble upright as my chest heaves from trying to catch my breath.

Gabriel raises to a seated position beside me, retrieves the ring, and holds it between his fingers. “Norah, I love you. I told you I would wait until the divorce was final, but I can’t wait. This place. This beautiful mountain. This town. Everything about Evergreen Lake is perfect, and when you combine that with Christmas, the lights flashing behind us, and my gorgeous love naked in front of me, I can’t pass up the opportunity to beg you to marry me and make me the happiest man alive.” The laugh lines around his eyes deepen. “Not that I’m not already the happiest man alive.”

A tear streaks down my cheek as I watch the most beautiful man I know pour his heart out to me. How could I say no? Not that any part of me wants to say no.

“Yes, Gabriel, I’ll marry you. I can’t wait to marry you and raise our family together.”

“Good.” He slips the ring on my finger and puts in a herculean effort to get me pregnant.

Seven Hours Later

Gino’s feet thud up the stairs. “Santa was here. Santa was here.”

I smile against Gabriel’s chest. His covered chest. After making love under the tree, we’d showered and made love again before dressing in matching Christmas pajamas–red and white with a large Rudoph complete with a furry red nose on the front of the shirt. The same one that Gino is wearing as he bounds into the room.

“He was?” Gabriel chuckles and slides off the bed, catching Gino as he jumps up and down in the middle of the room.

“Yes!” He points to the doorway. “Go see.”

“Come on, love.” Gabriel motions with his index finger at me, and heat floods my face. At the same time, a visceral glint fills his eyes. I can’t count how many times he told me to come last night. I stand and the slight soreness between my thighs proves that it is more often than ever before.

I groan inwardly and follow behind them. The man was relentless in his quest to fill me so full of cum that it dripped down my thighs when he lifted me into his arms and carried me to the shower, where he thoroughly cleaned me. Soiled me again. And rewashed everything he dirtied.

Before I make it to the bottom step, Gino is tearing the bow off the present in his hands. The present I bought at Santa’s Closet. “I hope you like it. That one’s from me.”

Gino plops down on the floor as Gabriel comes to stand by my side, wrapping his arm around me and tucking me against his chest. I inhale the scent of his cologne and soap. Life is perfect. But each day, I say the same thing, and the next day he does something that makes the previous day pale in comparison.

He kisses the top of my head. “With you by my side, every day will get better.”

How does he do that? It’s like he has telepathy.

Gino tears the paper and squeals with delight at the construction equipment inside. “I love it.”

“I don’t know how, but somehow, I believe you.”

Gino’s eyes dance as he snatches the next present and destroys the wrapping paper until it’s all around him with the pile of toys, books, and clothes.

Finally, he runs to us and slings his arms around our thighs. “Thank you.” He glances up at the ceiling. “Thank you, Santa.” His gaze meets ours. “I was a good boy.”

“Yes, you were.” I ruffle his hair, causing the lights to dance on the black rings.

Gino grabs my hand and blinks. Then looks up at us. Gabriel drops down to a knee and puts his hand on Gino’s shoulder. “I’ve asked Norah to marry me. When we get married, she’ll be your new mommy. I know you don’t know Norah well–”

“Mommy?” His attention shifts to me.

“If you’ll have me?” My stomach rolls with apprehension. I love both my guys, but if Gino doesn’t approve, then what?

“Mommy.” He smiles, shifts out of Gabriel’s grasp, and lifts his arms.

Oh, my God. Tears slide down my cheeks as I boost him off the ground and give him the biggest hug. His chubby arms wrap around my neck as he sags into me. “I love you, Mommy.”

Jesus. I’m dying. I hiccup as the tears stream down my cheeks. Damn it. It does keep getting better.

Gino wraps his arms around us both as we stand before the twinkling tree and the window overlooking Evergreen Lake.