“Either way, I’m happy.”

“Merry Christmas, mo’fos!” We look up to see Blake, Layla, Axelle, and Killian strolling through the door.

Layla’s eyes find me and she shuffles over to us. “Hey, Rex.”

He kisses my head and stands to give Layla a hug. “No baby yet, huh?”

She rolls her eyes and waves him off. “Ugh . . . No.”

Blake fist bumps Rex. “I keep tellin’ her the more we”—he looks over his shoulder at Axelle and Killian, who’ve made their way to the desserts with Raven and Jonah—“have sex, the better chance she has of going into labor, but she says four times a day is enough.”

Layla slaps Blake’s stomach. “Oh my gosh, Blake, TMI.”

“Mouse, baby, everyone knows sex induces labor. It’s in every pregnancy book I’ve read.”

“I realize that, Snake, but we’re already doing plenty of that and it’s not helping.”

Blake snags her and pulls her to him, his hands going to her belly and his lips to hers. “You call me Snake again, I’ll throw you down right here and induce something else altogether.”

Sadie squeals and gets the attention of the room.

“Ha! You hear that, Slade?” Blake’s grinning wide. “Your wife and your daughter find me fucking hilarious.”

“Blake! Language.” When will Layla learn a guy like Blake might change his colors, but they’ll never fade?

He throws his arms out to his sides. “What’d I do?”

I laugh and look at Rex to find his eyes on me.

A slow smile curls his lips.

People come and go throughout the night. Even Emma stopped by to say Merry Christmas, stating that she’d planned on staying for a short time, but when Rex introduced her to Caleb, they hit it off and spent most the night talking.

Looking around the room, I swallow back the lump that forms in my throat. We came from nothing and here we are with more than anyone deserves. So much that a lifetime would never be enough time to enjoy it.

Family, friends, babies.

A future.

Pure, abundant peace.

~*~

Rex showed out the last of our guests, and I’m leaning against the kitchen counter, sliding off my shoes. My feet went from achy to painfully numb, and I long for the comfort of my boots. I yawn and take in the mess in the kitchen. Better get a start on the clean up before I curl up in a ball and fall asleep on the floor.

I flex my toes into the cold floor and start stacking up small plates from the dessert table when Rex comes up behind me. He slides his arms around my waist.

“Leave this.” He reaches around and pulls the plates from my hand. “I can’t be apart from you for another second.” The zipper at the back of my dress slides open. “Watching you tonight, how easily you fit into my life, your smile, the way you helped out with Sadie . . .” He pushes down the top of my dress to expose my breasts. His hands glide over the lace of my strapless bra. “If I had rooms, I’d have thrown you in one and tasted you until you begged for me to fill you.”

My back arches and a full-body shiver races up my spine. “Mmm. Yes, please.”

His fingers tug on my nipples, and he rakes his lip ring against my neck. I press my ass into his groin and feel his hardness against my lower back.

“Hmm.” He hums against my neck. “That you beggin’ now, baby?”

A soft purr slides from my throat.

He hooks his fingers into the front of my dress and shoves it down to pool around my ankles. “Much as I love that dress . . .” The heat of his body at my back disappears, and I can feel his gaze raking over me from behind. He traces the thin fabric that runs over my hip and disappears at my backside. “It’s been teasing me all night.”

His words, the rumble of his voice behind me . . . I can’t even see him and I’m throbbing for him to take me. I feel the light touch of his hands at mid back, and my bra snaps open and joins my dress on the floor. He palms my bare breasts, molding, squeezing, and pulling against the sensitive flesh.

“Rex, I don’t want you to wait any longer.” I drop my head back to rest against his chest and reach behind me and rub him through his jeans. “I can’t wait any longer.”

He flexes into my touch. “Hands flat on the table.”

I moan and release my hold on him. He moves across the room and hits the lights, plunging us into darkness except for the colorful twinkle lights illuminating the tree. He prowls forward, unbuttoning his shirt before sliding it down his arms. I stare shamelessly at his body, beautifully adorned in ink and metal. Chest, ribs, and neck are decorated in vibrant colors that call to be touched.

He lifts an eyebrow, questioning the defiance I’m showing by not having my palms pressed to the table. Butterflies rip through my stomach. I linger on his impressive build for a few seconds longer before turning back to face the table. With a quick smile, I lean forward, hands down, ass out.

He walks around, sizing me up. “That’s hot, baby. But I think I need you need to be a little bit taller.” He scoops my platform heels off the floor and kneels at my feet. Picking up my left foot, he rubs the arch of my foot for a few seconds before he slides on the shoe, then repeats with the other. He nips against my bottom, and I jump in surprise at the delicious sting.

“Walk out your legs, Gia.”

I bite my lip against a groan of pleasure. His bossy commands when we’re like this combined with the way he says my name push me to brink of orgasm. I do as he asks.

The heat of his hands falls to my outer thighs. “Just like that. Perfect, baby.”

My knees wobble, my body aching for his intrusion. “Please.” I arch my back, offering myself to him.

He hisses through is teeth. “Fuck, that’s beautiful.” He runs his knuckles between my legs. “So damn gorgeous and all fucking mine.”

My breath comes in short gasps, writhing for him to touch me. “Show me.” I press back. “Prove to me I’m all yours.”

I’m baiting him to play rough, challenging him. It’s something I’ve done before, getting him to let go, be himself, and do things to my body he has no reason to be ashamed of because it’s exactly what I want.

Unrestrained and wild with passion.

He pulls the crotch of my panties hard and releases them so they snap back against my sensitive flesh. “You’re pushing me, baby.”

“Apparently not hard enough.” I turn my head into my arm to hide my smile.

The air shifts behind me, and his breath is at my ear, his jean-clad hard-on pressed between my open legs. “I’ll give you hard.” His teeth scrape against my shoulder, igniting a furious swarm of butterflies in my belly and raising goose bumps on my skin.

Another tug on my panties and the elastic snaps apart. The silky fabric falls down one leg and hangs around my ankle.

The metallic sound of his zipper and the tear of a condom are my only warnings before the heat of him and the distinctive metal ball of his piercing presses against me. “Yes, finally . . .” It’s all I can say and everything I wanted: Rex against me, inside me, all around me, consuming me to the point that I could get lost in him forever.

“Fast and hard?” There’s the tension of restraint in his voice, as if it’s all he can do to hold himself from slamming deep in one thrust.

That won’t do.

“If you think you can handle it.” I open my legs to step wider and grind against him.

The deep rumble of his laughter has my stomach clenching.

“From the feel of you”—he runs the tip along the seam between my legs—“I’d say you like eggin’ me on.”

“Rex, please, just . . . I can’t take anymore. Stop teasing and take me.”

His hand slides up my spine to my hair where he grabs a fist full. “Anything for you.” He braces his free hand against my hip and slams inside me.

Overwhelmed with fullness and the power behind his domination, my arms shake to hold my weight.

I’ve always been aware of Rex’s power over me. My entire life he’s owned everything from my thoughts to my will to survive. I lived through abusive parents and a mental institution all so I could see him again. But when he exercises his control over me, I finally feel safe, taken care of because I’m finally within the power of the one person who owns my heart.

“You feel beautiful. So damn soft.” He pulls back and thrusts into me again. “Talk to me.”

“More.”

“Damn, Gia.” He leans forward and kisses my back. “You were fucking made for me, you know that?”

“Yes.” I press back against him and his hand comes down in a quick slap against my ass. Stinging pleasure shoots straight between my legs. “Rex, I’m close.”

He powers into me again. “I’m right there with you, Gia.”

Yeah, he is. He always has been.

We meet each other thrust for thrust. His hands alternate from gripping shows of domination to the stinging slaps that shoot straight to my core. My head swirls and my vision swims as ecstasy powers through me.

Bright light flashes behind my eyes and bolts of pleasure fire through me. I whimper through the powerful release that consumes me. His fingers dig into my skin and he growls, falling into his orgasm right behind mine. Slowly coming back, my legs give out, but his arm wraps around my waist to hold me up.

We’re breathing heavy, still connected, and he lifts my upper body where I sag back into his arms.

“I fucking love you, Gia.”

I smile through my exhaustion. Our lovemaking, as unconventional as it is, always sucks me dry and leaves me exhausted and sated. “I fucking love you too, Rex.”

He pulls out and scoops me up in his arms. Kicking his jeans from his ankles so he can walk, he takes me to the bed and lays me down. He moves to my feet and slips off my shoes, rubbing each one until I’m nearly asleep.

“It’s midnight.”

I blink and force my eyes open. “Hmm?”

His warm gaze meets mine, and a carefree smile lights his face. “It’s Christmas.”

A spark of excitement wakes me and I sit up. “It’s Christmas.”

He nods and jumps up to snag some clothes from his dresser, tossing me a shirt and pulling on a pair of flannel sleeping pants.

I pull the shirt over my head. “Presents!”

He grabs my hand and we race to the tree. I go for the gift I hid there earlier today, and he reaches for the one he shoved between branches. I sit on the ground, tucking my legs to the side, and he places a square box wrapped in gold paper and a red ribbon in my lap.

Emotion crawls up my throat. “Did you wrap this?”

He sits down beside me and runs a hand through his messy black hair. “Um, would it make it less meaningful if the answer’s no?”

I shake my head, afraid to speak and give away how close I am to crying.

“I mean you’ve seen my tree decorating skills. Present wrapping might have to wait ’til next year.”

I start by sliding off the velvet ribbon, but excitement takes over halfway through, and I can’t get to the present fast enough. I rip through the paper, and even though Rex laughs at my impatience, I don’t care. I’ve gotta see what it is!

Once I get down to the box, I rip off the lid and send it flying. My hand goes to my mouth as I stare at the gift.

A single square diamond hangs from a silver chain. I move to touch it but recoil, afraid of tarnishing its beauty.

He laughs. “It’s okay, Gia. You can touch it.” He takes the box from my hands and slips the necklace from it. “I didn’t know how big of a diamond I should get. I had to ask Raven. I hope that’s okay.” He moves behind me and I gather my hair to the side while he secures it around my neck. “I figure that’s what sisters are for, right?”

Once it’s on, I hold the pendant to my chest, and tears flood my eyes and spill down my cheeks.

He wipes them away. “Ah shit, baby. Don’t cry.” He leans in and kisses me soft and sweet.

I sniff back my tears. “I love it. So much, Rex, I love it. And I love you.”

“It’s unconventional, but um, usually when a man gives the woman he loves a diamond, it represents his intention to marry her.” He tilts his head and rubs the back of his neck then brings his eyes to mine. “That’s what this is, Gia. It’s my promise to you. When you’re ready, we’ll take that necklace to have it made into a ring, but until then, every time you feel that against your chest, you’ll know I’m yours and your mine. You have that as my vow.” He clasps my face between his hands. “I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life exploring you and loving you.”

That’s all I’ve ever wanted, to be his. “Yes, Rex. I say yes. I’ll marry you.”