“I guess it’s not much of a Christmas present, but I picked these up—”
“Are you kidding? Did you pick these up before the hot tub?” Kate froze and looked around at all the curious faces watching them. Her parents, her little sister, her older brother and his wife and kids. Blushing hotly, she said, “Uh, Chris… do you mind if we have this conversation somewhere else?”
“I’d have this conversation with you in Yankee Stadium.”
“Let’s just go upstairs,” Kate said, trying not to laugh. She had no idea what was going on, but it was too ridiculous that he was here. The part of her that had been so sure he could never be serious about her was starting to step back and question everything.
“I’ll bring your bags in,” Lisa said. “This is so cool. We’ve never had a billionaire for Christmas.”
Kate rolled her eyes and took Chris’s hand, leading him upstairs and into her old room at the end of the hall, the one place in the whole house where she was fairly certain they’d have some privacy.
Chris closed the door behind him with a finality that let her know he meant business. “Kate, why did you leave me? I could have sworn our kisses meant as much to you as they did to me. I was an idiot not to tell you how I felt then, but you ran away before my brain started functioning again”
“I was sure, so completely sure, that you could never feel for me what I felt for you. I’ve bought breakup gifts for too many amazing women to risk getting hurt.”
He closed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands. “Do you want to know why I broke up with all of those women?”
“Because you get bored too easily.”
“No. Because I never felt anything more for them than admiration. I had decided that I was broken, that there was something wrong inside me because I could never feel deeply for a woman. But then, the idea of losing you was like a bucket of ice water over my head. And the fact that you wanted to get married…well, it opened my eyes to a lot of things. Including how important you were to me.”
Kate frowned and looked down at the collar of his coat. “Just because I know how to make your coffee and keep track of your schedule?”
Chris smiled. “I admit, I do love that. But I’m hoping Mindy can do those things too because as much as I wanted to keep you as my assistant...now, I couldn’t think of anything worse. You make me feel…like I matter to someone for who I am. No one has ever cared before if I was happy or if I had good memories of Christmas or if I took a vacation. Whatever was broken inside me, you healed. And I can’t say I’ll ever be normal or like the good old country boy you said you wanted, but I will love you, Kate. Every day the rest of your life, if you’ll let me.”
She felt as if her heart might break for real. Not because she was hurting but because she was so happy that her heart was swelling—surely beyond the limits of what it could take. It was too impossible to be true, yet here he was, holding her and staring down at her with sincere, vulnerable eyes. “Let you? Of course I’ll let you. Chris, I’ve been in love with you for too long with no hope to not grab hold of you while I can.”
Chris grinned. “Then grab hold of me, Kate. I’m all yours.”
Kate wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes. He bent and met her lips, kissing her with all the power and dominance she’d expect from a man who knew how to claim what he wanted. But soon his kisses softened and slowed, lingering over every caress. Last night in the hot tub, their kisses had been fueled by desire and impetuous exploration. These kisses were all about belonging and promises and coming home.
After a moment, Kate got tired of how bulky his wool coat was. She pulled back and chuckled. “Let’s take your coat off.”
Chris kissed her smiling lips and released her to shrug out of it. “I was feeling rather warm.”
Laughing and euphoric with joy, Kate took it from him and tossed it on the end of her rumpled bed. “This can’t be real. How are you in my room right now, at my parents’ house, wanting me?”
With a firm but gentle grip on her arm, Chris spun her back around. “Kate, is it really so hard for you to believe I’d want you?”
She nodded, growing serious. “Who would ever believe that a girl from the hills could be loved by one of the richest men in the country? You could probably have any woman you wanted. Is it any wonder I’m shocked you would choose me?”
“Is it any wonder that a man who was a very lonely boy and grew up to be an even lonelier man might want to at last be loved? That a man who is alienated from the world by his wealth and position might fall very hard for a woman who gives him warmth and comfort and the first feelings of love he’s ever known?”
Kate had felt a lot of different feelings for Chris, but the sharp pang of sympathy that swept through her then bound her to him like nothing else could have as her heart went out to him. She didn’t have a lot to offer him, but she could make sure that he never felt alone again. No one should feel that way, especially Chris.
She laid her head on his chest and held him, thrilling to the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her. He kissed the top of her head and said, “I hope it’s okay if I foist myself on your family for Christmas. Shaun is on his way back to New York, so I’m stranded.”
“Yeah. Like a man who can hire a helicopter on Christmas Eve morning could be stranded. But of course you’re staying. If you think I was able to show you what Christmas is all about up at the cabin, just wait. This is going to be the advanced course.”
Chris smiled. “I think I can handle it as long as you’re around.”
“And you’re probably going to have to sleep on the couch.”
“You’re just trying to scare me off now. But it won’t work. I’d do anything for you.”
“Even wear a Santa hat and sing carols around the Christmas tree?”
“Kate, you seem to take a great deal of pleasure in testing me. But as you know very well, there’s nothing I like more than a challenge.”
“I’ll remember that. Merry Christmas.”
“You know, I’ve never said that to anyone before. But, Merry Christmas, my love.”
Epilogue
Chris looked at his watch as he dressed for work. Ever since he’d married Kate, he went in to work later than he used to. He hated being separated from her all day and often asked his people to clear his schedule so he could stay at home. Unfortunately, today was not one of those days. He had a solid stretch of meetings that couldn’t be canceled. But if he hurried, he could have a few minutes more with her before he left.
Hurrying downstairs, he found her in the office, wearing a silk robe with her hair up in a messy bun and her glasses perched on her nose. Reclining across the sofa in front of the fire, she was reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee in her hand.
“You shouldn’t tempt me, beautiful.”
Looking up, she smiled and put her cup down on the tray. Ever since they’d gotten married six months ago, Kate had decreed that Mindy would not be needed in the morning hours, preferring to make his coffee for him herself.
“Tempt you to do what?”
“You know exactly what I mean. All my meetings today can go hang.”
Kate shook a finger at him. “Oh no. You’re going in to the office. Don’t even think about staying home today.”
Chris ignored his coffee and newspapers, and he sat down and pulled her onto his lap. “And why exactly are you trying to get rid of me?”
Her brows scrunched together. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“What was?”
“We’re going to the cabin for Christmas.”
He looked at her, surprised. “We are, huh?”
“Why do you think Mindy and Shaun have been stacking your meetings so deep every day this week? We’re trying to get all your work done.”
“Okay, I’m totally on board with going to the cabin, but you know I can’t completely take off this time of year. I’m already giving most of my staff a whole week of
f.”
Kate smoothed back a strand of his hair. “You know you can all work remotely. And now that we own the cabin, I have big plans for decorating this year.”
Chris laughed. “Um, Kate…have you seen our apartment?”
“I know. But you didn’t do any of it. I want you to string some lights and hang a few ornaments. Mostly though, I just want your undivided attention for a few days before my family comes over for Christmas dinner.”
“You have my undivided attention right now,” he said, sliding his hands securely around her waist.”
She leaned forward and kissed him. “I’m glad to hear it, but I can’t take any more of your time right now. You’re going to wrap up your meetings today, go to the charity dinner with me tonight, and we’ll drive down tomorrow.”
“Speaking of the charity dinner, I have something for you.” Chris moved her back onto the couch and went to his desk. Opening the top drawer, he pulled out a blue Tiffany box and held it out to her. “I bought something for you to wear tonight.”
Kate stiffened and frowned slightly. “Chris, I told you, I don’t want you to buy me jewelry.”
“I know you hate the reminder of my past, but I thought very long and hard about this.” Opening the box, he pulled out the velvet jewelry case inside and opened it to reveal a stunning set of snowflake earrings made of diamonds with a large sapphire in the middle. “Not only are these the same color as your eyes, but the color represents love and fidelity. And as far as I know, I have never given a woman sapphire before. The snowflake is to remind you of our first kisses in the hot tub with the snow falling down.”
To his relief, her eyes sparkled as brightly as the gemstones. “Did Mindy pick these out?”
“What? No way. I worked with the jeweler myself to design them. They had to be perfect.”
Kate stood and hugged him. “Thank you. They are perfect.”
“You’re perfect.”
“And you’re late for work.”
He kissed her. “And I’m going to be a lot later.”
***
If you enjoyed this book, you’ll love the rest of the Southern Billionaire Romance Series.
Book One: The Trouble with Billionaires
Or if you’re in the mood for more Christmas, try my Christmas in Willow Falls Series.
Book One: Sawdust and Mistletoe
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my family, as always, for their love and support.
Thanks to my critique partners, Amy Meyer, Victorine Lieske, and Judy Corry.
I love working with all of you, staying up late with you, and podcasting with you. (Even though my phone pings a lot.) Also, thanks for another great cover, Victorine!
Special thanks to my editors Cara Seger and Arielle Bailey
And thank you for reading my book. Please consider leaving a review!
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For information about Michelle Pennington’s other titles, sign up for her newsletter, go to:
http://www.michelle-pennington.com
About the Author
Michelle Pennington writes clean, heart-pounding, sigh-inducing romance across multiple genres. Her books include Young Adult, Contemporary, Regency, and Fantasy. The genre might change, but her characters will always be falling in love.
She spends her days quoting movies with her husband and making messes faster than her four kids. She also has two cats, Boots (who is really Hessian Boots, the perfect Regency gentleman, complete with a snowy white cravat) and a new rescue kitten, Coconut. She loves to make magic by stringing words together, but she also creates designer sugar cookies, sings loud in church, and kills too many house plants.
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A Tree for the Billionaire (Southern Billionaire Romance Book 4) Page 9
