Getting up from his spot on the couch, he limped through the crowded house, wishing for some fresh air. He needed a few moments alone. The little box burned a hole in the front pocket of his jeans and he wanted to ask her, but not yet. Not here. He prayed that when he finally asked her, Jane would say yes.
If she didn’t…hell. He couldn’t think like that. Not now. It was Christmas, for the love of God.
He stepped outside onto the patio, breathed deep the icy cold air. Clouds hung low, the sky darkening as the day ended. Broadcasters predicted snow and Chris figured they were right on the money.
“You’re in love with Jane.”
Chris turned at the sound of Mac’s voice. Saw Mac was standing with his brother Cameron, the both of them with scowls on their faces.
Chris swallowed hard. “I am. And she’s in love with me.”
The two shared a look before Mac spoke again. “You haven’t been together very long.”
“Long enough.”
“Mac has filled me in on you two.” Cam’s voice was deep and low. Slightly intimidating. But Chris was prepared, knew he could withstand an inquisition. “Sounds like there’s been a lot of indecision going down.”
“I love her and want what’s best for your sister. Jane means the world to me.”
“She’s been through a lot. Too much.” The look on Cameron’s face was pained, and it touched Chris. He clearly loved his sister. “I don’t want to see her suffer any more.”
“I promise I will take care of her for the rest of my life.” He reached inside his front pocket and pulled out the box. “I plan on asking her to marry me.”
Both men’s gazes widened. “Holy shit,” Mac whispered. “Really?”
“Don’t sound so surprised.” Chris laughed nervously. “I love her. I can’t imagine my life without her.”
Cam watched him, his gaze unflinching, for long, quiet seconds until he finally nodded. “Think she’ll say yes?”
“I hope so,” Chris muttered.
“Then what are you waiting for? Maybe you should ask her right now.”
Chris swallowed hard, shoved the box back into his front pocket. “Are you serious?”
Cam shrugged. “It would certainly prove how much you care for her. Having the balls to ask her to marry you in front of the entire family? That’s a bold move, man.”
“Cam—” Mac started but something on Cam’s face seemed to silence him.
“I think she’d appreciate the gesture,” Cam continued, his expression dead serious.
It didn’t sound like something Jane would encourage, but then again, this was her big brother talking. Wouldn’t he know? “I’m not sure I can do it right now.”
“Your call, man.” Cam paused, his green eyes, so very similar to Jane’s, feeling like they were seeing right through him. “You’d put all the rest of us to shame, proposing on Christmas day.”
That didn’t sound so bad. After all, it was Jane’s favorite holiday. “I might…”
What could pass for a smile curled Cam’s mouth. “Good. She’d definitely say yes, especially in front of the whole family.”
Shaking his head, Mac went to Chris and embraced him quickly, gave him a slap on the back before he pulled away. “You’re much braver than me, man. No way can I imagine asking a woman to marry me in front of everyone on Christmas. I can’t even ask a chick if she wants to come to my parents’ house for dinner.”
Both brothers laughed, but Chris just smiled. They’d get their turns someday. “This is quite the event. You have a ton of family.”
“More are here than usual, to see Cam and Jane. Neither of them has been around much for a big family holiday. Jane was still recovering last year and Cam was out of the country.”
An extra-large crowd to witness his asking Jane to marry him—not intimidating at all. Chris swallowed hard, tugged at his shirt collar. Despite the coldness in the air, he started to sweat. Could he handle this? Or would it be too much pressure? Maybe he should wait till this evening when they were alone before he proposed. But he wanted her to know how much she meant to him, how much he loved her. Wouldn’t a grand gesture like asking her to be his wife in front of her family on Christmas day be the mother of all grand gestures?
Hell. He didn’t know what to do.
…
Christian had been acting weird ever since dinner. She wondered if he didn’t feel well but didn’t know how to tell her. Maybe they should leave early so they could go back home and relax without all the chaos around them.
But when Jane went searching for Chris throughout the house, she couldn’t find him. Pausing in her search, she spoke to Chloe, who had stopped by on her way home from her own family festivities, as well as Mindy.
“Have you seen Chris?” Jane asked.
Mindy shrugged. “No, but who could find anyone in this crowd?”
“I saw him. He went outside, and Mac and Cam followed him.” Chloe’s cheeks turned bright pink. “I was by the back door and saw it.”
Hmm. Jane wondered at that. She knew Chloe had that crush on Cameron long ago, but did it still linger? She seemed to take extra care in keeping tabs on Jane’s brother.
But then another thought invaded her brain. Chris was outside alone with her two brothers? That couldn’t be good. They were probably drilling him, making sure he’d do right by her, and all that macho brotherly nonsense they loved to spout.
She appreciated their concern and love, but they could also be super intimidating.
“I should go rescue him.” Jane started for the back door. “Before they scare him to death.”
“He’s right there.” Mindy grabbed hold of Jane’s upper arm and steered her around so she could spot Chris as he worked his way through the crowd of relatives. “And he’s coming for you.”
“Hey,” he said as he approached, grabbing hold of her hand. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
She sent a fleeting look to her sister and friend, who both smiled their encouragement for her to go with Chris. He led her into the living room, close to the fireplace, where her dad had made a quick announcement not fifteen minutes ago that dessert was going to be served soon. It was a busy spot, not quiet at all, and she wondered what he might be doing.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Chris glanced around, his movements jerky. “I need to talk to you.”
“Now?” Like they’d have any privacy? The place was a mob scene. She’d never seen so many of her relatives all together before besides at her, Patrick’s, or Mindy’s weddings, and the group had grown over the years with other marriages and children galore.
Besides, she knew Chris wasn’t completely comfortable yet with the crowd that was her family.
“Yeah.” He gave her a crooked smile and her heart cracked open. “It’s kind of important.”
“All right,” she said slowly, surprised that he’d raised his voice. Like he wanted to be heard.
“I never gave you a Christmas gift.”
“Yes, you did.” She glanced around, noticed that more than a few people had stopped to watch, including Mac and Cameron, who had an extremely smug expression on his face. “You’re my gift,” she whispered.
Chuckling, he reached into the front pocket of his jeans, held out a small black velvet box. “Open it.”
Her heart thundered in her ears but she still heard the soft gasps emanating from the increasing crowd that gathered around them. She took the box he offered and opened it with trembling fingers, a soft sigh escaping her at the sight of the diamond engagement ring nestled inside.
It was round, sparkly, perfect. She pulled it from the box and held it between two fingers. Chris snagged it and went down on one knee before her, his warm gaze meeting hers.
“Jane, will you be my wife? Will you and Lexi, Logan, and Sophia live with me so we can be a family? Together?”
The entire room was rendered silent; even the children had stopped talking and running around as they all watched Chris
ask her to marry him. She couldn’t believe he was doing it in front of them all. He wasn’t used to having such a big family, had told her before that he found it to be just a bit overwhelming.
To ask her to marry him in front of the entire clan was momentous. Huge.
“I asked your parents’ permission earlier. They approve,” he whispered. “Your brothers, too.”
“Give the man an answer,” Cameron shouted from the back of the room.
She laughed. And cried, all at once as her gaze met Chris’s. “Oh, yes,” she said on a sob, throwing herself into his arms. He hugged her close before moving her away, chuckling when he slipped the ring on her finger. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too, Jane.” He stood, brought her back into his embrace, smoothing his hands up and down her back. “Too much to risk losing you. Know that I’m always here for you, sweetheart. No matter what.”
“I know.” She glanced up at him and drew her hand across his cheek, savoring his closeness, his scent, the way he watched her, all the love and desire and want glowing in his eyes. Then lowering her voice, she whispered, “You should’ve done this later, though, when we were at home. You didn’t need to make this into such a big deal.”
“Freaking Cam,” Chris muttered and she gasped, glanced in her big brother’s direction. His face had Gotcha written all over it.
Not that she was complaining. After all, Chris had asked her to be his wife.
Everyone burst into applause and shouts of happiness as they swarmed around them. Her mother rushed her first, yanking Jane into her arms.
“You got a good one,” Lydia whispered, kissing her cheek. “Don’t let him go.”
Jane cried even harder, overwhelmed with happiness. Mac grabbed her kids and brought them to her and Chris. They all embraced, even Lexi, who smiled and said she was happy, though Jane knew this wouldn’t be the end of that particular challenge.
But everything was going to be all right. They could get through this. She had Chris by her side, supporting her. Loving her.
And that was all that mattered.
“Are you happy?” he asked her much, much later, when they were back at her place, in bed. Alone. Outside, snow fell, already a thick layer on the ground, and the children were snug asleep in their rooms
“Yes.” She drew her fingers down his bare chest, careful of his ribs. He was still a bruised-up mess. “I still can’t believe you did that.”
“I can’t, either.” He chuckled. “I wanted to prove how much you mean to me. And I wanted your entire family to share in our happiness. Oh yeah, and Cam made me do it.”
She lifted up on one elbow, smiling at him. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. Though my brother is a complete jerk.”
Reaching out, he cupped her cheek, his touch gentle. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Leaning in, she kissed him. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For my gift. For you.” She kissed him again. “For everything.”
“You are my everything,” he whispered against her lips. “Don’t ever forget it.”
She knew, without a doubt, she wouldn’t.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank my editor Stacy Cantor Abrams for loving Jane and Christian as much as I do and wanting their book for the Bliss line. I’m so happy they found their home here—it’s been a long time coming. And to Alycia Tornetta for being a fabulous assistant editor. I also want to thank my agent Jill Marsal for seeing the potential in this story. A big thanks to Kelley Vitollo for holding my hand while I was in edits. To Red Garnier for her thoughtful critique years ago. To Shelli Stevens for always being there for me and for the cover quote—love ya Shell! To my husband and kids for loving and supporting me even though I’m on the computer too much. And for my dad the fire captain/arson investigator who taught me everything I know about fighting fire. All errors are my own.
About the Author
Romance author Karen Erickson writes what she loves to read—sexy contemporary romance and sensual historical romance. She has been digitally published since 2006 and when she’s not busily writing on deadline, she enjoys reading, hanging out with her family, and traveling. A native Californian, she lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children, the dog, and too many cats. Visit her at www.karenerickson.com.
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Jane's Gift Page 20
