Christmas at Eden Manor

by Noelle Adams

  She wasn’t particularly worried. Most couples went through ups and downs in terms of sex, and overall she was quite satisfied in that department. Cyrus might not be ready to go at the drop of a hat like a younger man would be, but he was attentive and thoughtful and generous and incredibly romantic.

  Still, after two weeks, she wouldn’t complain about having sex this morning.

  She left the bathroom and returned to bed, pleased to see a warm look in Cyrus’s eyes as she approached. She got into bed on her side and started to crawl over toward him.

  Before she could reach him, though, he said, “Well, now I have to brush my teeth too. I’m not going to be the only one with bad breath.”

  Brie flopped over in another fit of giggles while Cyrus got up and went to the bathroom to take care of business. He returned after only a minute and was smiling as he climbed back into bed beside her.

  She rolled over, moving over him to grab the lapels of his top. “Now,” she said. “I thought I might take your new pajamas off.”

  “I believe that would be an excellent plan,” he murmured, his brown eyes hot and soft both as he gazed up at her.

  She had a very good time taking off his pajamas, and then he pulled her gown up over her head. She was poised above him, and for just a moment her breath hitched when she saw the look in his eyes as he gazed at her flushed face and naked body.

  Adoration. That was the only way to describe it.

  She leaned over to kiss him, and they kissed for a long time, stroking each other until both of them were urgent and aroused. Then she lined herself up so she could ride him, and he kept watching her with that same adoring look as she moved above him.

  After a few minutes, when the motion wasn’t enough for her, he found her clit and rubbed it skillfully until the pleasure broke inside her. Then he turned her over onto her back, and she wrapped her legs around him as he built up a steady, pleasing rhythm. They kissed on and off, and she was filled by him, surrounded by him, so incredibly loved by him.

  He brought her to orgasm again before he took his own release. He was never loud in bed, but his voice was hoarse, raw, filled with naked need as he gasped, “Brie, dear heart,” just before he came inside her.

  They’d stopped using a condom several months ago, so she felt the wetness of his release as they gasped and softened in each other’s arms afterward.

  “I love you, dear heart,” he murmured when he’d finally found his voice. He’d rolled over onto his back, taking her with him, and now he was gently stroking her hair, her back, her bottom.

  She smiled against his chest. “I love you too. So, so much.”

  “I’m sorry it’s been so long since we’ve done that.”

  “Don’t apologize. I know you’ve been busy and stressed. It hasn’t been that long.”

  “It’s been too long. I don’t want you to miss out on anything, not if it’s in my power to give you.”

  She raised her head to look down at his face, her hair falling over her shoulders, brushing against his chest. “Are you serious? I’m not missing out on anything—not anything—I want. Honestly, other women can only dream of having it as good as I do.”

  He chuckled appreciatively and stroked her cheek gently. “I don’t want other men to even dream about you.”

  She turned her head so she could kiss his hand. But her voice was light as she said, “I don’t think anyone ever really dreamed about me.”

  “I did. I dreamed about you for years, long before I ever found you.”

  Brie made a silly sound in her throat as she processed the words. Then she had no choice but to kiss him again, long and deep and slow.

  They were still tangled together, both of them in a rather sappy haze, when there was a tap on the bedroom door.

  Brie squeaked and pulled the covers up over her naked body.

  Cyrus chuckled. “It’s just Gordon. I asked him to bring breakfast up to the room this morning.” He reached down to grab his pajamas pants from the floor and pulled them on.

  Brie wasn’t comfortable being naked in the room with anyone else, even under the covers, so she quickly pulled her gown back on over her head as Cyrus got up to open the door.

  He could have just called out to let Gordon in. She wasn’t sure why he’d gotten up. But she figured it didn’t matter when Gordon came in rolling a lovely cart of coffee, juice, fruit, pastries, and bacon.

  “Oh, yum,” she said, getting excited about the food. She sat up on the edge of the bed. “Thank you, Gordon. Merry Christmas.”

  “Merry Christmas to you too, Miss Brie.” Gordon appeared to be hiding a smile—a broader smile than normal—as he rolled the cart closer to the bed.

  She wondered what he was so happy about. Maybe just because it was Christmas.

  She was happy about that too.

  Cyrus stood waiting while Gordon uncovered the plates and poured the coffee. Then Gordon gave him a strange little nod as he left the room, closing the bedroom door behind him.

  “He’s all cheery today,” Brie said, happily reaching for a cup of coffee.

  “Was he?” Cyrus asked, sounding strangely distracted.

  Brie frowned at him. “Yes. Didn’t you see him? Why are you standing there like that? Come eat breakfast.”

  Cyrus stepped closer, looking quite adorable in nothing but his red puppy-Santa pajama pants but also a little stiff.

  Brie picked up a croissant and noticed that Cyrus was holding something. “What do you have there?” she asked, unable to get a good look at what he held in his hand.

  She was starting to take a bite when Cyrus came another step closer to her and lowered himself onto one knee.

  She blinked, the croissant poised right at her lips

  Cyrus was holding a ring. The most beautiful diamond ring she’d ever seen in her life. It appeared to be an antique. The gold band looked hand engraved with a delicate, intricate scrolling, and the large princess diamond was surrounded by a halo of small rubies.

  “Brie Graves,” he was saying, gazing up at her with that same adoring look she’d seen in his eyes before. “A year ago, I hadn’t thought it possible for me to love you any more than I did then. But every day I love you more. Every day I’m more completely yours. I don’t know how I managed to live without you for so long, and I never want to know what it’s like to do so again. You’re my blessing, my strength, my solace, a gift I’ll never deserve. And now I’m asking you to be one more thing to me.”

  She was frozen, perched on the edge of the bed, still holding the croissant to her mouth.

  “Brie Graves,” he said, his deep, strong, long-hidden heart naked on his face. “Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  She was washed with waves of surprise, joy, excitement, and tenderness, but she still couldn’t seem to move.

  Cyrus arched his eyebrows just slightly after the moment stretched on a bit too long. “Just so you know, this position isn’t exactly easy on my knees.”

  She dropped the croissant with a helpless sob and reached down toward him. “Yes,” she gasped. “Yes. Oh, yes!”

  She was so excited that she almost knocked him over, but he managed to stay upright and maintain his hold on the ring. Then he raised himself up to sit on the bed beside her. He took her left hand and gently slid the ring onto her finger.

  She stared down at it, panting audibly, and then she launched herself at Cyrus, pushing him down onto his back on the bed in her excitement.

  So they did some more kissing and generally made fools of themselves for a little while until Brie’s stomach growled, reminding her that they hadn’t eaten breakfast yet.

  “Did Gordon know?” Brie asked when they’d finally returned to the tray.

  Cyrus chuckled. “Of course he knew. Why do you think he was so excited? He gave me the ring when he brought in the tray. I couldn’t leave it in here for fear you’d nose around and find it too soon.”

  “Sneaky.” She shivered giddily as she admired her ring
again. She was a little worried about how much the ring must have cost since she was going to be wearing it around everywhere, but it was too beautiful, too special, for her to get too hung up on the price. “I love it.”

  “Good.” Just the one word, but it was clear that her appreciation had meant a lot for him. She wondered just how long and hard he’d searched before he found this incredible ring. Knowing him, he wouldn’t have taken anything less than perfect. For her.

  She leaned over to kiss his jaw. “I can’t believe you surprised me so much. I never expected to get engaged on Christmas morning.”

  “What more appropriate day could there be for a miracle?” His voice was light, almost dry, but she knew he meant the words sincerely.

  She said, “As long as you know you were a miracle to me too.”

  ***

  Cyrus was turning off the shower, telling himself that it was really all right for him to feel this giddy, that despite his long history with guilt and responsibility, he was allowed to be this happy, when he heard Brie let out a squeal.

  Grabbing a towel to wrap around his hips, he hurried out to see what was wrong, momentarily wondering if it was finally time for payback for all the joy he’d experienced over the past year.

  Brie was out on the balcony and had left the door opened.

  “Brie,” he exclaimed, stepping out to see what she was doing and exhaling with relief when he saw she was all right. “It’s freezing out here! You’re just wearing your gown.”

  “It’s snowing!” She whirled around, beaming at him, looking rumpled and rosy and happy and like everything he wanted. “It never snows in Savannah.”

  “Well, it snows here all the time. Now please come in before you get sick.”

  She gave him an exaggerated frown, but she stepped back into the room and closed the door. “I’ve never had a white Christmas before.”

  He felt a little smile play on the corners of his lips. “We can go out and make a snowman later if you want.”

  She laughed. “You think you’re joking, but I’m going to hold you to that, you know.”

  She probably would.

  “If it takes a snowman to make you happy, then a snowman we will make.”

  Her face was fond and warm, but she said, “Okay, if you don’t stop saying sweet things like that, I’m going to have to jump you again. And then we’ll be late. Harrison and Marietta will be here soon, you know.”

  “I know. I promise not to say any more sweet things.”

  “Just for now. You can say more sweet things later—just so you know.”

  He twitched his eyebrows. “Understood.”

  Brie showered while Cyrus got dressed, and then he sat and drank coffee while she rushed through dressing.

  He couldn’t help but smile when he saw her sneaking looks at her ring every few minutes.

  It was just before nine in the morning when they started down the grand staircase. Cyrus reached behind him to take Brie’s hand as they descended.

  He stopped in surprise when he saw Harrison standing at the bottom, looking up at them, obviously waiting.

  “Merry Christmas,” he said, taking the final steps down. Brie still clung to his hand.

  “Merry Christmas,” Harrison said, his eyes searching Cyrus’s face. “Is everything good?”

  “Of course.”

  “I mean, with…” Harrison nodded toward Brie instead of finishing the sentence.

  Brie laughed and raised her left hand to show him the ring.

  Harrison’s expression relaxed, and he broke out in a smile. “Oh, thank God. I wanted to make sure, before you went in.”

  “Before we went in where?” Cyrus asked, completely confused by his nephew’s behavior. “Where are Marietta and Melissa?”

  “They’re in there,” Harrison said, nodding toward the closed door of the main living room. “Come say hi.”

  Cyrus frowned, but he took Brie’s hand again and opened the door to the room.

  He halted in shock when he discovered that the room was full of people. So many people. Andrew and Laurel. Benjamin and Mandy and Lucy. Jonathan and Sarah and their sons. Mitchell and Deanna. Everyone. Everyone he loved.

  Everyone who loved him.

  He turned his head in dazed shock to look back at Harrison, who was behind him in the doorway.

  Harrison gave a little shrug. “Everyone wanted to be here to celebrate with you. But that’s why I had to check first to make sure it all went as planned.”

  Brie was clinging to his arm. “So everyone knew you were going to ask me this morning?”

  “No!” Cyrus stared around at the room filled with smiling faces. “Only Gordon knew.”

  Gordon was standing near the door, looking as utterly bland as ever. “I may have let it slip to Mr. Harrison, sir. My deepest apologies.”

  For just a moment the whole world seemed to shudder before his eyes.

  Then Cyrus started to laugh.

  That was all it took for the room to erupt, and everyone was coming up to hug them, congratulate them, tell them how much they loved them.

  Andrew gave Cyrus a bear hug, calling him “Lord Uncle.” And Benjamin clapped him on the back and said he got to be the best man. Jonathan was as rumpled and askew as ever as he came over to give his congratulations. He opened his mouth and then closed it, shaking his head and muttering, “Damn. Good job.”

  Jonathan had never been comfortable expressing feelings, and this was high praise indeed. Cyrus laughed as he gave his nephew a hug.

  He glanced over and saw that Brie was practically in tears against her brother’s chest.

  He turned around to where Harrison was standing next to Marietta. Cyrus tried to say something and couldn’t.

  “I know,” Harrison said before he hugged him. “I feel exactly the same way.”

  ***

  The morning was long and rich and full of laughter, and then Gordon and the staff had prepared a lavish dinner that lasted a couple of hours.

  So it was late when Cyrus and Brie could finally slip outside alone and enjoy the snow, which had stopped for most of the day but had finally started again.

  She told him with a twitching smile that he didn’t even have to make her a snowman.

  He took her past the Rococo fountain and across the wide lawns to his favorite walled garden, and they walked around, not talking, just holding hands, as the snow fell in gentle flakes on their hats, coats, and hair.

  “I’m so happy,” she said after a long stretch of deep silence. She glanced down at the beautiful ring on her beautiful hand.

  He stopped and turned to face her. “So am I.”

  Her eyes were full of so many things as she lifted her hands to his shoulders. “You look happy.”

  “I’m not surprised. I’m too full of happiness to hide it.”

  “I remember what you looked like last year, when I first saw you staring at our fishing pond painting in Savannah.”

  “I’m surprised you even noticed me at all.”

  “Well, I did. Something in you spoke to me. It still does. I want it to always speak to me.”

  He leaned down to brush his lips against hers. “It always will.”

  She let out a long sigh. “You looked… like someone I really wanted to know. But you didn’t look happy then.”

  “I wasn’t. A lot has happened to me since then.”

  Her smile was alluring, almost whimsical. “Like what?”

  He kissed her again. “Like you.”

  They walked together in the snow for a long time, and Cyrus watched the walls, the benches, the statuary, the bushes, the trees, the world get covered by a soft, sparkling blanket of white.

  It felt like a sign, a symbol, a physical manifestation of his soul, of all he had lived through.

  Some sort of quiet benediction.

  A promise that the world wasn’t just broken. It was also covered by grace.

  ***

  If you haven’t yet read them, you might check out
the other books in the three connected series leading up to Christmas at Eden Manor—the Heirs of Damon series, the Beaufort Brides series, and the Eden Manor series. It all begins with Seducing the Enemy, which is about Harrison and Marietta.

  If you enjoyed this book, you might enjoy my next release, Trophy Wife, which comes out in December. An excerpt from Trophy Wife follows.

  If you want to keep up with my new releases and sales, you can sign up for my newsletter through this link.

  Excerpt from Trophy Wife

  Two hours later, Allison pulled her father’s old tank of an Oldsmobile back into her driveway. She’d tried to be careful at the store, but her trunk was filled and she’d spent way too much money.

  Plus, the Walmart had been packed out on a Sunday.

  It was four in the afternoon, and she was exhausted. It was just early May, but the air was hot and humid today, and she was sweating, even in her sleeveless top.

  She was leaning over into the trunk to gather up as many bags as she could carry when a voice behind her surprised her. “You need some help?”

  She straightened up with a jerk, turning to see a man beside her wearing faded jeans and a white T-shirt. He looked to be in his thirties. He needed to shave and his brown hair was too long, and he had the rough look of a man who worked with his hands. He’d startled her so much she just stared at him. “What?”

  “Do you need some help?” he asked again, gesturing toward her trunk. “Carrying all that in?”

  She frowned. Who the hell was this guy? And did she really look so helpless that she couldn’t unload her own trunk by herself. “Oh. No. I’ll be okay. Thank you.” Several bags were already hooked over her arms, so she gave him an absent smile and turned to walk up the steps to the front door.

  She had some trouble getting her key into the door with the bags on her hand, but she’d almost gotten the door unlocked when she suddenly felt someone behind her, swinging open the storm door that had been propped against her back.

  She gave a little squeal of surprise as she turned to see the man she’d thought she’d dismissed. He had twice as many bags hooked over his arms as she was able to carry.