Only Christmas

“Can you make sure Anna has somewhere to stay?” I ask Hunter once she and Jacob are out of the room.

“I can give her our suite since we’re staying here.” He shakes his head. “You’re too kind for your own good.”

“Is that really a bad thing?” I drop my head back to stare up at my husband.

“No, it got you to agree to marry me, and now I can make sure no one else will use that sweetness of yours against you.”

“Thought all my sweetness was for you?” His hands slip to my ass, giving it a squeeze.

“I suppose for our children one day too.”

“Hunter,” I whisper. He’s going to make me cry again.

There is nothing more I’ve ever wanted in my life than a loving family of my very own. I wasn’t sure kids were ever something I’d be able to have. It was hard keeping my own head above water, and I would never have them until I knew I was more than stable. With Hunter, I’ve never felt more grounded and loved in my life.

“Did you say children?” Sophia leans over toward us.

“Leave them be, love, your grandbabies will be here soon enough.” Edwin guides Sophia away, leaving us alone in the great room.

“You’re making all my dreams come true. Even the ones I wouldn’t let myself dare to dream.”

“You’ve done the same for me, angel.” He runs his fingers through my hair before gripping it at the base. He tugs, pulling my head back more to stare up into his eyes. His dark green eyes remind me of Christmas. “I’ll spend the rest of my days making sure every dream you have comes true.”

He seals his vow with a kiss.

Epilogue

Hunter

Many Years Later

“You sure I can’t live here?” my second oldest, Lucas, asks.

“We live in here?” Easton, my youngest at the moment, asks. His eyes widen, not so sure of this idea.

“There’s no electricity. We can’t play Xbox in here,” my oldest son, Gabriel, who we named after my father, points out. He hadn’t gotten the name because he’d been my first-born son but because he looked so much like my dad. I’ll never forget the moment when the doctor put him in my arms. There are really no words to describe the feeling and how much love I felt for him.

Yeah, them staying out here is not going to fly. They have the latest Xbox early. My angel cracked and gave it to them last weekend. I love her more than anything, but she can’t keep a surprise to save her life. She gets too excited. Not that it mattered. The boys have a million presents to still open on Christmas tomorrow.

Aspen would lose her mind if they tried to sleep out here. She’d end up out here with them, and that will not be happening. Especially not in her current state. Not to mention it’s snowing right now.

“And Santa! He’ll wonder where we are. Right, Daddy?” Easton turns his bright blue eyes that his mother gave him to look at me.

“He’ll know, but we’re not staying here. My ass is frozen sitting on this ground.” Gabriel reaches over and tugs Easton's hat down to cover his little ears better. He’s always looking out for his brothers.

“You said ass,” Easton whispers. “Now I said it!” He covers his mouth with his hands.

“You’re not on the naughty list,” I tell him before he gets worked up. Easton is the most like angel. Always wanting to follow the rules. Though my wife is on the naughty list herself at the moment.

“Yeah, we're allowed to curse in the igloo. It’s on the list Gabe made,” Lucas adds.

“Boys!” Aspen’s sweet voice calls. She better be on the porch. I shoveled it and tossed some salt down. She is four months pregnant, and the snow and ice scare the shit out of me when she leaves the safety of our home. I wouldn’t put it past her to venture out into the yard and toward the igloo the boys and I spent the afternoon building.

“You think she heard us?” Now Gabriel looks worried over saying the word ass.

Aspen wouldn’t get mad, but whenever she shoots the boys a disappointed look, it’s worse than any punishment I could ever hand out to them for some reason. They’d give up their new Xbox to not get that look.

That’s one thing all our boys got from me: their love and protectiveness of Aspen. That woman is the center of our world. I have no doubt when she gives birth to our baby girl this spring that little princess will have all of our boys wrapped around her tiny finger too.

“I’ve made you cookies and hot chocolate,” she calls out.

All off them take off out of the igloo. I follow them. I pause when taking in my wife. There’s snow falling all around her as she stands on the back patio. She leans down and presses a kiss to each one of the boys' cheeks as they pass by her to get into the house.