Her hand has returned to my chest, and I take it in my own, our fingers linking naturally.
“I don’t think anything exists outside this room,” I say. “The whole world could have been hit by an asteroid, and you and I are the only two people left alive.”
“I can think of worse things. Although we’d run out of chocolate eventually.”
I chuckle. “It’s so quiet.”
“I guess it’s the snow, muffling everything.”
“Abby’s going to freeze in her wedding dress, isn’t she?”
She laughs. “You wait until you see it. It’s going to knock Noah’s socks off.”
I smile, tracing a pattern on her back. “Do you want to get married?”
She rests her hand on my chest, and her chin on her hand. “Stefan Rogers, are you proposing to me?” she teases.
I trace my fingers down her spine, then back up again, looking at her brown eyes. “What would you say if I did?”
“I’d say you were still drunk.”
“I’m not.”
She looks down, then presses her lips to my skin, holding them there for a while. “What’s changed?” she asks eventually.
I shrug. “I was talking to Hal, last night. I don’t know. I suppose he helped me get things in perspective.”
“About Maia and Mason?”
“Yeah. I hadn’t realized until then what an effect it had had on me. And I was talking to Zach, too.”
“Funny. I had a chat to Summer.”
I kiss the top of her head. “He loves her so much.”
“I know, and she’s still crazy about him. Her condition seems to make both of them live for today.”
“That’s right. I felt envious when I realized that, and then I thought well, shit, if they can do it, why can’t I? It’s just about being aware, that’s all. About getting rid of the fear of what might happen.”
“I never thought of you as a guy who suffered from fear.”
“Neither did I. I don’t like it, and I don’t want to give way to it any longer.”
She studies me, curious, hopeful. “So… you do want to… you know… date?”
I laugh. “I just proposed, didn’t I?”
“I don’t know. I assumed you were joking. You can’t possibly mean it.” Her cheeks flush. “We’ve slept together twice.”
“I’ve known you since you were born.”
“Yes, but… it was only a few weeks ago that you told me I wasn’t your type and never will be. It’s a bit hard to believe you’ve made the jump from that to a marriage proposal.” There’s a touch—just a touch—of resentment in her eyes.
I look up at the ceiling, filled with shame. I really hurt her with those words.
I think of what Hal said: Treat her like a princess. Do your best, and all will be fine.
I can’t magic away those things I said. All I can do is wait until she feels able to forgive me, and until she believes I mean what I say.
So I slide a hand to cup her head, look into her eyes, and pull her head down until her lips meet mine.
She resists, a little, so I slide my arms around her and roll so she’s on her back, and I kiss her until she sighs and goes limp, murmuring as I slide my tongue against hers.
When I eventually lift my head, there’s a dreamy look in her eyes, and she gives a long sigh. “Kiss me again,” she says.
So I do.
*
Jules
The morning and the early part of the afternoon are busy, and I don’t get to see much of Stefan. He’s with Hal and the others, running errands, making sure everything’s as ready as can be for the wedding.
I do the same with the girls, picking up Abby’s flowers, checking with Eva that everything’s organized, collecting food for lunch to keep us all going, and being there when Abby gets dressed in case she needs anything. I go back to my suite around one o’clock while she’s having her hair done to get ready. I know the guys are all wearing three-piece woolen suits in an attempt to stay warm. Abby’s not having bridesmaids as such, so the girls are free to wear their own outfits. It was tricky to know what to pick that would be warm but also suitable for a wedding.
In the end, I chose an unusual sea-green jumpsuit. It’s such a flattering shape, with wide legs and a strappy top with a green jacket. It’s not going to keep me warm particularly, but I put on thermal leggings underneath with long black boots, and top it with a thick black coat, and I’m really pleased with the look. I wash my hair and leave it down, because I know Stefan likes it loose, and then I do my makeup, using a green eyeliner that matches the jumpsuit and really suits my coloring.
When I’m done, around two o’clock, I go back to Summer’s suite, and we spend the last hour getting Abby ready and finalizing any last-minute details. Then, at around ten minutes to three, it’s time to go.
The guys have already headed out to the church, and as we walk outside to the waiting sleighs, I feel a swell of excitement. Once Abby’s settled in the front sleigh with Matt, who’s giving her away, I climb into one beside Clio, and we settle back, look at each other, and laugh.
“I feel as if I’m in a Disney movie,” she says. “This is so bizarre.”
“You look amazing,” I tell her honestly. She’s wearing a navy dress with black boots and a thick fake-fur jacket, and she looks sophisticated and happy. She seems to have grown up a lot over the last few months.
“Aw thank you,” she says. “You too.” She narrows her eyes. “You look… different.”
“I do?”
“Oh my God. You got laid last night!”
I look around in alarm, hoping my mother isn’t in earshot. “Jeez, Clio.”
“Sorry. But I’m right, aren’t I?”
I meet her gaze and can’t help but grin. “Maybe.”
“Oh my God!” She throws her arms around me, and we both laugh.
“Operation Polar Fling worked?” she asks, delighted.
“It did,” I reassure her. “It really did.” I give a short laugh. “He… he asked me to marry him.”
She stares at me. “What?” Her delighted smile fades at the look on my face. “So… we’re not happy about that?”
“He can’t have meant it, Clio.”
“Why not?”
“It’s too soon. I think he was carried away in the moment. Which is fine, but I feel nervous about what’ll happen when we get back. I think he’ll regret saying it, and that might make him change his mind about being with me. I don’t want to get hurt again.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t have said it if he didn’t mean it,” she says softly.
Tears prick my eyes. I can’t answer, and I just shake my head.
“All right,” she whispers. “We’ll talk more later.” She squeezes my hand as the sleighs pull away.
I gather my composure as the sleigh travels the short distance to the church outside the village. It’s stopped snowing temporarily, and everything sparkles, as if Santa’s flown overhead and cast glitter over the scene.
“It doesn’t get more romantic than this,” Clio says, her breath frosting before her face, and I have to agree.
It’s only about five minutes before we pull up outside the church. It has white walls, a gray roof, and a tall steeple, and it glows in the semi-darkness. Some of the guys are there to help us down from the sleighs. Ryan comes up to help Clio, then holds my hand as I navigate the descent.
“Stefan’s with Leon and Noah,” he says without me asking. He smiles. Clearly, word’s getting around about the two of us. I have no idea how that happens, but it’s impossible to keep a secret in this family.
We make sure Abby’s happy, then leave her with Matt and go into the church. I gasp as we enter. There are beautiful paintings of Jesus and the angels on the white walls, and some of the pillars are covered in blue-and-white mosaics. White lights that look like candles hang from the ceiling, and to one side is a magnificent nativity scene, complete with the stable, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and
of course, the Three Wise Men.
Noah and Leon—his best man—are at the front. Stefan’s standing with them, talking, but as he sees me, he walks down the aisle and holds out his hand. I take it, blushing, conscious that everyone can see us, but he just smiles and leads me into a pew near the front.
“How’s Noah?” I whisper.
“Nervous,” he murmurs back.
“Aw. He’s done so well just getting here,” I reply.
“That’s what we’ve all been telling him. He’s okay. I think he’ll be fine once Abby’s here and he can see she’s not changed her mind.”
I laugh. “As if. She’s so happy it’s difficult to pull her down from the ceiling.”
We both smile as Georgia walks past carrying Ethan, who’s all wrapped up in a bundle. She takes her place at the front, and then gradually we all fall quiet as the music begins and we turn to see Matt and Abby enter the church.
Her dress is white with a full skirt and it has long sleeves, but instead of a veil, she’s wearing a white cape with a fur-trimmed hood. She looks like a character out of a fairy tale. I glance at Noah, and my throat tightens as I see him overcome with emotion at the sight of her. Leon puts his arm around him and murmurs something, and Noah nods and blows out a long breath, then smiles as she approaches. My eyes prick with tears, and beside me Stefan’s hand tightens on mine. It’s been a long journey, physically and emotionally, for the two of them, and I’m thrilled that their moment has finally come.
Throughout the service, Stefan continues to hold my hand, even while we’re singing. We sing several carols—“O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and of course we end on “We Three Kings,” which I know Noah chose on purpose. Luckily, the guys stick to the correct lyrics, although there is some laughter as we sing the first verse. But it’s a magical moment, with our voices drifting out into the snow that’s starting to fall.
Ethan wails, so Noah goes and gets him and holds him as they finish the service, kissing the boy’s head as he promises to love his mother till death parts them, and this time I really do cry, because I’m so happy for both of them. I don’t think I’m the only one, judging by all the sniffing going on.
Stefan puts his arm around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder. I’ve been too busy today to think much about what he said this morning.
Do you want to get married?
I know he was caught up in the moment, feeling good because he appears to have set aside his reservations, and is open now to the idea of having a relationship with me. That doesn’t mean we’re ready to get married, though. While I appreciate the gesture, and I’m crazy about the guy, I know these things take time. And I’m not ready yet. I’m not convinced he is, either.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Stefan
“Any news on Fred?” Charlie asks me.
I nod. “Apparently he’s a bit irritable because of the cast on his leg, but apart from that he’s doing well.”
“At least it’ll stop him escaping again,” Charlie points out.
I laugh. “Yeah. That’s very true.”
It’s a few hours after the wedding ceremony, and I’m having a beer with the Three Wise Men, watching some of the others dancing. The reception is being held in a private room off of one of the main restaurants in the village. We’ve already had a magnificent meal, and now they’ve moved the tables aside and they’re playing old Christmas songs, which everyone is enjoying dancing to.
Albie, who’s been dancing with Remy, returns to the table where we’re sitting, plonks himself down in a chair, and picks up his beer. “Wow,” he says. “That girl has some serious stamina.”
“First time I’ve ever heard you complain about that,” I tell him. His father snorts, Matt grins, and Brock chuckles.
“She gives me a run for my money,” Albie says. “I’m a shadow of my former self.”
“And you look really upset about it,” I reply. “Jesus. Everyone around here is so happy, it’s sickening.” I don’t mean it. I’m thrilled that my friends are all settling down.
“I thought you were joining our ranks,” Charlie announces, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Maybe,” I say.
“Are you and Jules hooking up?” Albie asks, surprised.
I glance at Brock, who looks amused, then back at Albie. “You’re sitting next to her father,” I point out.
Albie pulls an ‘eek’ face. “Sorry. But I gather from the fact that the rest of you don’t look surprised that I’m out of the loop.”
“You are,” Charlie says. “And for once, I’m not.”
“How are the two of you getting on?” Brock asks me softly. “I know it’s been a tough time for you.”
I’m so touched by the fact that he’s concerned about my welfare and not just how I’m treating his daughter that my answer comes automatically.
“I asked her to marry me,” I tell them.
Their eyebrows rise as one. I scratch my cheek and give them a bashful look. “Probably a bit premature,” I say. “She thinks I was still drunk. I wasn’t, but I can understand why she’d think that.”
“Wow,” Matt comments. “That’s eager.”
“I did it,” Albie says. “I asked Remy to marry me before we’d even slept together.”
“Did you?” I ask with a laugh. “I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah. I told her it was to get her residency. It wasn’t.”
“Well that kinda makes me feel better.”
“What did Jules say?” Brock asks.
I run a hand through my hair. “I don’t think she believed I meant it. But that’s okay. It’s only what I deserve. I’m going to ask her every day until I wear her down.”
“That’s the attitude,” Charlie says cheerfully. “Browbeat her into submission.”
“Works every time,” Matt says.
Brock smiles. “She’ll come around,” he tells me. “She’s always been your girl. It just took both of you a bit of time to realize that.”
His words surprise me, but I have no time to process them because Jules is approaching across the dance floor. She looks amazing today in that dark green jumpsuit. The material flows around her body, highlighting her curves. I want to press myself against her and feel her soft body against mine. I want to strip it off her and have her naked under me. I want to kiss her and give her pleasure, and hear her murmur my name in the night.
I sigh. I’m lost, and I know it.
She approaches the table and raises an eyebrow at us all. “This is a motley crew. What are you lot planning?”
“World domination,” Charlie says.
“You shouldn’t associate with these losers,” Jules tells me. “They’ll lead you astray.”
I laugh and get to my feet as the music changes to Wham’s “Last Christmas.” “Come and dance with me.”
“I was going to get a drink.”
“Here, finish off my beer. I want to dance with you.”
She sighs, has the last few mouthfuls of the beer, then takes my hand and lets me lead her back onto the dance floor. Behind me, the others rise and follow us to grab their partners, and soon everyone is turning slowly to the Christmassy music.
I pull Jules into my arms, hold her right hand, and slide my right around her waist. I rest my lips on her hair for a moment. I can smell her cherry shampoo.
We dance quietly for a while, listening to George Michael as he tells us how last year he said the words I love you, and if she kisses him this Christmas, he’ll probably say them again.
“You look beautiful today,” I tell her.
Her lips curve up. “You’re very sweet.”
“Not sure I like that word.”
“Well, you are. You act all stern and forbidding, but underneath you’re just a pussy cat, aren’t you?”
“Stern and forbidding?” I repeat, amused.
“Hal always says you were the bad cop in the good-cop/bad-cop routine the two of you had.”
I laugh. “Yeah, he does say that.”
“I can only imagine what the two of you were like on the pull.”
I just smile and pull her a little closer. “Does it work on you, that’s what I want to know?”
“No.”
“I think it does.”
“Well, you’re wrong.”
“Want me to prove how much it works?” I nuzzle her ear, sending a shiver down her spine, and she giggles.
“Put him down,” Clio says from beside us. “You don’t know where he’s been.”
We laugh and move back a little. “Are you sure you want to get involved with my sister?” Ryan asks me. “You know she’s a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu?”
“Are you?” I ask, surprised.
“Better believe it, baby.”
“She can have you on your back in seconds,” Clio adds.
“Well, I’m not going to argue with that.”
We all laugh. “It’s been such a lovely day,” Clio says. “I’m so glad the two of you got together.”
“Clio,” Ryan scolds. “Don’t interfere.”
“Well, I am. Ooh, we can all go out as a foursome when we get back! That will be amazing.”
Jules smiles, then moves back. “I’m just going to the Ladies’. Won’t be long.” She walks across the dance floor to the door on the other side and disappears through it.
I watch her go, then look back at Clio and Ryan. They’ve stopped dancing and are looking at me. Clio’s frowning.
“Everything all right?” she asks.
I run a hand through my hair. “I think so.”
It’s Ryan’s turn to frown. “What’s up?”
“I don’t know,” I answer. “I can’t shake the feeling that something’s amiss.” My stomach lurches at the realization that she might be having second thoughts. Perhaps she’s decided she doesn’t want this to continue when she gets back home. Maybe a fling was enough. “I think I screwed up so much to begin with, she can’t bring herself to forgive me,” I admit.
“I don’t believe that,” Clio says immediately. “That’s not what she implied to me today. She wants to be with you. I have no doubt about that.”
My Christmas Billionaire (The Billionaire Kings Book 7) Page 16