A Season to Celebrate

by Fern Michaels

  “Nice.” She pointed at the pants.

  “Last year’s Christmas present from Maria. I have to wear them, or else she’ll be upset.” He laid his arm along the top of her pillow, inviting her to snuggle in against him, which she did. “Hmmm. That’s nice.”

  She rubbed her cheek against the softness of his T-shirt. The fact that they were both here, and uninjured, suddenly hit her again. She slid her fingers under his shirt, needing to touch his skin.

  “It’s okay.” He stroked her hair. “We’re all good.”

  She lay there and breathed him in, enjoyed the rise and fall of his chest, and the way he held her as if she was made of spun sugar. She must have dozed off because she came to plastered all over his front, her inner thigh pressed against the heat and hardness of his need.

  His hand was planted firmly on her butt, his fingers flexing.

  “Billy?” she whispered into the darkness.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m awake now.”

  His low chuckle reverberated against her skin. “I can see that.”

  “Will you kiss me?”

  He slid a hand into her hair. “Always.”

  And then it all became so simple. Skin uncovered, kisses everywhere until he rolled her onto her back and entered her in one slow thrust that almost made her cry again. She held on to him, her hands everywhere as he brought her to a new peak of pleasure in his own sweet time.

  “Bella . . .” He groaned her name as he came, and collapsed onto the pillow beside her. She stroked the back of his head, and let him stay there until he finally found the energy to roll away.

  He reached for her hand, interlocking her fingers with his, and searched her face in the moonlight.

  “I should’ve asked you about contraception.”

  “I’m past all that nonsense,” she reassured him. “I would’ve mentioned it otherwise.”

  “And I can confirm that I got a clean bill of health from Dr. Tio last year.”

  They grinned at each other.

  Bella kissed his nose. “So we can just have fun.”

  “Amen to that.” He kissed her back. “Do you think you can sleep now?”

  “Yes.” She eased onto her side. “Just to let you know, I snore.”

  “So do I.”

  “Perfect.” She spooned against him, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. “Good night, Billy, and thanks for everything.”

  Within two minutes she was fast asleep.

  * * *

  “Dad, did you hear about what happened at the Red Dragon last night? I—”

  Billy opened one eye to see Chase coming in through the door, laptop in hand. He pulled up short, a look of horror on his face as he took in the clothes strewn around the floor, and the two naked people in the bed.

  “Dear God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize—”

  “What’s going on?” BB put his head around the door and did a double take. “Jeez, Dad, gross. Lock the door next time, okay? You’ve traumatized Chase.”

  Chase backed out with all the care of a hostage situation. “So I’ll assume you know what happened, and I’ll see you at breakfast.” He cleared his throat. “You too, Mrs. Williams.”

  When the door finally shut, Billy looked down at Bella, who had pulled the sheet almost over her head.

  “I did tell you they were nosy, didn’t I?”

  He suddenly realized she was shaking with laughter, and felt much better.

  “It could’ve been worse. It could’ve been Jay,” she spluttered.

  “And now I’d be a dead man,” Billy murmured. He glanced at the time. “You okay to get up and face the family over breakfast? I’ve got chores to do, and I bet you’ll be wanting to get home.”

  Bella grabbed his hand. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “All of this.” She waved a hand around, and the sheet fell to her waist. Billy made himself focus on her face, although it was almost impossible. “I’m okay with everything .”

  “Like with us being a couple?”

  “Yes.” She met his gaze, her brown eyes so warm and full of shyness that he wanted to kiss her. “Especially that.” She bit her lip. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

  Billy nodded, too choked up right at that moment to do anything else. The fact that he was home, with his family, and now had this unimaginable, unexpected gift of love from a woman he liked, respected, and lusted after was almost too much to comprehend.

  “Are you okay?” Bella asked softly.

  “Yeah.” He swallowed hard. “I’m just counting my blessings.”

  Everything he’d had and lost, everything he’d ever wanted to achieve with the blessing of this second chance now made sense. Bella made sense of it. Coming home to his old friend completed a circle he hadn’t even been aware he was traveling.

  He gave in to the temptation to kiss her, and then she touched him, and . . .

  “Wait a sec.” He eased himself away and went to lock the door before climbing back into bed. “Maybe just for once, the chores can wait.”

  Chapter Seven

  “So what’s so important that you had to drag me and Erin out here, Mom?” Jay inquired as Bella maneuvered him into the darkened guest center at the ranch.

  “The lights aren’t working.”

  “There are a load of Morgans up here to deal with that kind of thing,” Jay protested. “Why—”

  “SURPRISE!!”

  Billy snapped the lights on to reveal the fifty or so guests Bella had invited to celebrate her son and new daughter-in-law’s Vegas wedding. Following Bella’s instructions, he immediately shut the door just in case Jay decided to bolt.

  “Mom?” That was Erin’s delighted voice. “You and Dad are here ?”

  Whatever Jay might have been going to say was lost as his wife ran over to her parents and started hugging them. Jay stared down at Bella, who gave him her best wide-eyed, innocent look.

  “You did this?”

  She shrugged. “With a little help from my friends.” She touched his sleeve. “I wanted to do something special for you both.”

  He let out his breath and looked around the crowded room. She knew he wasn’t at his happiest in crowds, but hopefully, seeing as he knew everyone who was present, he’d soon relax and enjoy himself.

  “It’s all good, Mom. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Jay.” She gave him a little push in the right direction. “Now go and say hello to Erin’s parents while I see how everything’s going in the kitchen.”

  Bella rushed through the swing doors, her hand to her heart. She leaned against the wall and slowly exhaled. “I thought he was going to bolt.”

  Billy and Sonali looked up from whatever they were doing and stared at her.

  “Yeah, there was a moment when I wondered the same thing,” Billy said. “Probably not a good idea to spring too many surprises on a retired Navy SEAL.”

  “Tell me about it.” Bella looked around the kitchen. “Now, what can I do to help?”

  “Nothing. You’re the mother of the groom, and you’re the one throwing the party. Go out and be sociable.” Billy came over and pointed at the exit.

  “I’d much rather be helping in here.”

  “We’re good.” Billy held the door open. “Off you go and charm the pants off Erin’s parents.”

  She raised an eyebrow and whispered, “The only pants I want to charm off are yours.”

  “Good to know.” Billy’s blue eyes glinted with warm amusement. “But you still need to get out there.”

  “Will you come and join me?” She stroked the collar of his shirt.

  “When the buffet is all set up I’ll come and sit with you, okay?”

  “I suppose it’s the best I can hope for.” She sighed. “Maybe I’ll go and talk to Chase. He still won’t look me in the eye.”

  Billy grinned. “Not our fault that he’s a prude.”

  “And then there’s BB, who keeps winking and grinning a
t me like he thinks the idea of his father having sex is a big joke.”

  “BB does think that, but you can ignore him as well.” He hesitated. “You might want to talk to Maria. She and I are very close, and I’d love it if you two could be friends.”

  “I’ll do my best.” She went on tiptoe and kissed him. “Don’t be too long.”

  Bella made her way out to the dining room and was immediately engulfed in a crowd of friends and family. By the time she’d talked to everyone, Billy and Sonali had already put out trays of appetizers, and Nancy, Jay’s second in command, was doing brisk business at the bar.

  Bella spotted Billy’s granddaughter curled up on one of the big couches in front of the roaring log fire and went over to join her. Maria wore jeans, a black T-shirt with some kind of cartoon character on it, and a black hoodie.

  “Are you having a good time?” Bella asked as she sat beside her.

  Maria made a face. “Not really. It’s all adults here, and Grandpa’s busy in the kitchen, so I have no one to really talk to.”

  “You know, that’s my fault,” Bella confessed. “I didn’t think to include any other kids your age when I was making up the guest lists.”

  “There aren’t any kids out here,” Maria pointed out. “That’s why I have to go on the bus to Bridgeport for high school.”

  “That sucks.” Bella nodded. “You should taste the food though. Your grandpa is a really good cook.”

  “I know. He’s made me taste every single thing about fifty times, so I’m good.” Maria grinned. “He really wanted to make things right for you.”

  “That’s because he’s a really nice man.”

  “And he really, really likes you,” Maria said. “You know that, right?”

  Bella glanced at the teen. “You think so?”

  “Dude, he like can’t stop talking about you, and his face goes all funny and goofy.” Maria shook her head. “It’s hilarious.”

  “Really?” Now Bella sounded like a teenager herself. “I like him, too.”

  Maria’s smile disappeared. “I hope you mean it. Grandpa’s life hasn’t been easy, and I don’t want anyone to hurt him again.”

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Bella reassured Maria. “Did he tell you that I’ve known him since kindergarten? That’s a long time to know someone and still like them.”

  “That’s true.” Maria nodded. “Ruth said that you always stuck up for him even when some of the people around here were saying he was a murderer.”

  “As I said, I knew he couldn’t have done that. He loved Annie, he really did. It’s a real shame she died before he could make things right with her,” Bella said. “So are you okay with me and your grandpa being a couple?”

  Maria shrugged. “You make him happy. He smiles a lot more, and that makes me happy because now I live with Dad and Jenna I can’t take care of him myself all the time.”

  “He’s wonderful.” Bella hesitated. “I never thought I’d find someone I could love again.”

  “That’s awesome.” Maria offered Bella a high five. “You should tell him.”

  “Tell me what?”

  Bella looked up to see Billy smiling down at them, a tray of canapés in his hand.

  Maria groaned. “Jeez, Grandpa, I ate about two million of those things last week! Take them away!”

  “I thought you liked them,” Billy protested.

  “I liked the first couple of hundred.” Maria stood up and stretched. “Is there any of that shrimp thing left?”

  “Plenty,” Billy said as Maria wandered off. “Poor kid got stuck being my number one taster for everything. She was really helpful, but I think I put her off eating for life.”

  “I think she’ll pull through.” Bella also rose and directed her gaze over to the buffet table where Maria was piling her plate with food and chatting to her father, Blue. “Are we almost ready to set out the main course?”

  “Sonali and I decided we’d do it in about ten minutes. Do you want to make an announcement or something, or have a few speeches?”

  “I’d rather not,” Bella said. “It all seems to be going really well at the moment. Even Erin’s parents are being gracious about the whole wedding fiasco—in fact, I bonded with Erin’s Mom over our shared wish to have seen Erin in a beautiful wedding dress.”

  “Good for you.” Billy gestured at the tray. “I’m going to put this down on the table. Is there anything I can get for you?”

  “I’m good,” Bella replied. “I just need to speak to Yvonne about the cake.”

  “She’s in the kitchen right now setting it up.” Billy looked down at her. “Is everything okay?”

  “It’s wonderful.” She smiled into his eyes. “Jay’s happy and Erin’s parents have finally accepted the fact that their daughter hasn’t married a potential member of Congress.”

  She went through to the kitchen and spoke to Yvonne, who had designed, baked, and decorated the most beautiful cake Bella could ever have imagined. They would set it out after the buffet along with champagne and hope that by then, everyone would be too full of good food and benevolent thoughts to do anything but toast the happy couple.

  Billy came into the kitchen and caught hold of her hand.

  “Come and see this.”

  “Aren’t you supposed to be managing a kitchen or something?” Bella asked.

  “Sonali, Avery, and Yvonne are in charge. We can goof off for a few minutes.”

  He took her to put on her coat and they walked out into the crackling stillness of ice and the gentle fall of snow.

  “Look up there,” Billy said.

  “At what?” Bella stopped and raised her face to the inky night sky. Billy stood behind with his arms wrapped around her waist. “Wow, that’s a big moon, and the stars are so clear!”

  “Now come and look at this.” He led her toward the old barn that housed a mixed collection of farm animals and the family horses.

  He paused by one of the stalls and unlocked the top half of the stable door. Bella stood on tiptoe and looked inside to see a newborn foal and her mother.

  “Oh, my goodness,” she whispered. “What a beautiful sight.”

  “Roy just came in to tell me the mare had foaled before he went off to take a shower.” Billy’s chuckle warmed the back of her neck. “Luckily for us we also have a vet in the family, and Jenna was right here on the spot. She’s probably taking a shower, too.”

  Bella turned in Billy’s arms to face him as he secured the top door again.

  “Thank you for showing me such beautiful things.”

  He angled his head and looked down at her. “You’re welcome.”

  “All of them give me hope,” Bella said. “Jay finding himself again and falling in love, Erin, you . . .”

  His smile was beautiful. “I give you hope?”

  “Yes, that it’s possible to find two wonderful men in one lifetime, and fall in love with them.”

  He kissed her very slowly and carefully. “I can’t argue with that.” He hesitated and looked down at her. “I’d like to ask you something.”

  “Okay.”

  He grimaced. “But I’m finding it hard to come up with the right words because I don’t want to offend you, or presume too much, or—”

  She pressed a finger to his lips. “How about you just ask?”

  “You know that I love you, and—”

  “I do?” Bella blinked up at him. “I don’t think you’ve actually said it out loud to me before, although I’d kind of assumed that was where we were at—”

  It was Billy’s turn to stop her talking by kissing her. When he finally drew back they were both breathless.

  “Will you marry me?” Billy asked. “I know we have some issues here, like where we would live, and whether we’d both be able to keep working if we wanted to, and all that other stuff. Not even to mention Jay’s reaction, and Maria’s, and the rest of my incredibly supportive, but nosy as hell family.”

  He ran out of breath and just stared down at h
er shocked face.

  “Did you hear what I said?”

  Bella nodded and bit her lip. “I’m just trying to process the first part.”

  “My proposal of marriage?” Billy asked.

  “Yes, that.”

  “Am I being stupid here?” Billy asked. “Would we be better off staying as we are? I’m happy, you’re happy, and we’re old enough not to worry about what anyone else thinks about us being together and not actually married.”

  Bella was still staring at him as if he’d grown another head, and he felt like a complete idiot. “Okay, then maybe we should shelve this discussion until after the holidays when things have calmed down a bit, and we know where we stand.”

  “Billy.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Could you stop talking for a minute?” Bella asked.

  He pressed his lips together and just looked pleadingly down at her. Around them the horses and cattle slumbered in their stalls and the snow continued to fall.

  “Yes.”

  Billy cleared his throat. “Yes, you’d like to marry me?”

  She nodded.

  A wave of happiness so profound that it consumed his whole body swept over him, and he framed her face in his hands. “Thank God.”

  Her smile was so beautiful, and so full of trust that he fought back the urge to cry.

  “You’ll never regret that decision, Bella.” His voice trembled with emotion. “I swear that I will do my best to never let you down, and I’ll always be there for you.”

  “I know you will.” She used her thumb to gently wipe at the corner of his eye. “It’s okay. We can work out the details later, or stay engaged until one of us decides to retire. We’ll work it out. I know we will.”

  Billy kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

  “Oh, jeez, not again .”

  That was Chase’s horrified voice. Billy buried his face in Bella’s shoulder and shook with laughter.

  “Grandpa . . .”

  And that was Maria. Bella pushed on his chest and he turned around to see his oldest son and granddaughter staring at him with matching expressions of horror on their faces.