Between celebrating Christmas for the first time, getting a new daddy, and being able to speak again, the little boy had almost more excitement than he could handle.
“Is Mama gonna come soon?” Jacob whispered to Cort. He nodded his head and grinned at him.
Tate patted him on the shoulder and offered him an encouraging wink as they waited.
Kenzie’s sisters, along with her mother, attempted to keep Gideon quiet. He wanted nothing more than to join the men at the front of the church and kept trying to slide off their laps. Finally, Lindy took him out to the vestibule since he wouldn’t settle down.
She’d only been gone a minute or two when the pianist began to play and Kenzie walked down the aisle in a berry-red gown, carrying a small cream bouquet.
Tate gave her an intimate, knowing smile as they thought of their secret wedding that took place the day after Christmas.
Cort didn’t notice Kenzie, though. The woman floating down the aisle on his father’s arm commanded his attention.
Piles of curls adorned her head, along with a delicate spray of cream roses nestled on one side. Her light blue eyes glowed with an inner joy while a soft smile rode her alluring lips.
Cort felt the collar of his shirt tighten as he took in the lovely cream-colored gown she wore.
Lacy cap sleeves with a high neckline accented the wide waist of the tea length dress. The way the full chiffon skirt gracefully swished around her as she walked made it appear she floated on air.
Although he didn’t know how to describe any of the details of the gown, the vision of her coming down the aisle on his dad’s arm was one he’d always remember.
Trevor kissed her cheek and placed her hand on Cort’s arm when he reached the front of the church.
The minister gave them all a pleased smile before his voice rang out over the congregation.
“Thank you all for joining us on this most blessed Christmas Eve. We’re gathered here this evening to join Cort Trevor McGraw to Kaley Catherine Peters in holy matrimony…”
Cort forgot to listen as he gazed into Kaley’s beloved face, thinking how blessed his life had become in the last few months. Or maybe he’d been blessed all along, but it took finding Kaley and Jacob to realize it.
The minister’s voice snapped him out of his reverie.
“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” the minister asked.
Trevor stepped forward and smiled. “Her mother and I do.”
Jana dabbed at her eyes while Kaley fought to keep tears from running down her cheeks. She never expected to be so readily and thoroughly welcomed by Cort’s family, but his parents insisted right off she call them mom and dad, and that Jacob refer to them as his grandparents.
Thrilled at the prospect of having parents, of having a real, loving family, it was all possible because of Cort.
While she struggled to keep her attention on the minister and the words he spoke, her eyes and thoughts continued to wander to the man beside her. Cort looked devastatingly handsome in his dark suit with a gray shirt accented by a black tie with cream and gray pinstripes. The cut of the suit accented the breadth of his shoulders while the color of the shirt highlighted his silvery eyes.
The remainder of the ceremony moved along quickly. Jacob held up his little pillow with the rings and cheered loudly when the minster announced Cort could kiss the bride.
It quickly became evident to all attending it would not be a quick touch of their lips, but an ardent exchange of love and promises.
“They do that a lot,” Jacob said in a stage whisper to Tate, making those who could hear him break out in uncontrollable laughter.
When the crowd quieted, the minister smiled. “May I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Cort McGraw, and Jacob.”
Cort picked up Jacob and Kaley kissed his cheek before the three of them walked down the aisle to the back of the church.
Gathering in the church basement, they shared cake and punch with their family and friends before returning to the sanctuary for the Christmas Eve service. Gideon slept in his grandmother’s arms while Jacob sat between his Aunt Celia and his Grandma Jana. Cort and Kaley sat close together, their fingers intertwined, resting on his thigh.
Immediately following the service, they bundled into their coats, preparing to leave when Lacy noticed Kaley hadn’t tossed her bouquet.
“You have to toss it. It’s like a wedding rule, or something,” she said, turning to Kenzie for support.
“It is traditional.” Kenzie grinned, nodding in agreement.
“We can’t break with tradition.” Kaley returned to the front of the church and stood on a step near the pulpit. Turning her back to those who gathered around her, she gave the bouquet a toss.
She heard Cort chuckle and turned to see Celia’s face flush nearly as red as her hair as she held the big bouquet of cream roses.
“Can I refuse?” Celia asked.
“No, you may not.” Jana playfully swatted her daughter’s arm while everyone laughed.
Aware it would only embarrass his bride, Cort skipped the tradition of tossing the garter and hustled his little family outside. The first snowflakes of the night began to fall from the sky.
“This is perfect,” Kaley whispered, staring up at the night sky and smiling. “Snow for Christmas.”
“Perfect,” Cort repeated, watching as a snowflake landed on her eyelashes and she blinked it away. Something about it seemed so sensual to him, he couldn’t wait for the evening to end so he could be alone with his bride.
Driving home through the falling snow, the lights glowing outside the house welcomed them as they pulled up at the end of the walk.
Cort carried Kaley across the threshold of the front door, as tradition dictated. Even if Celia and his mother hadn’t been encouraging him, he would have carried her anyway. Not only were the high strappy heels she wore not made for navigating the slick sidewalk, he wanted to hold her in his arms.
Gently setting her down in the living room, Cort soon had a roaring fire blazing in the fireplace.
“Isn’t this cozy?” Jana said, as they sat around drinking hot chocolate, staring into the fire while the tree lights filled the room with a twinkling glow.
Not bothering to change out of his wedding clothes, Cort removed his tie and suit jacket before slipping on a pair of clean coveralls. He went out to check the heaters in the stock tanks, wanting to make sure the livestock were settled for the night.
He felt his cell phone buzz while he gave some attention to Jacob’s Christmas present in the barn.
Hastily pulling the phone from his pocket, he removed his glove so he could answer. A text from Kaley held a link to a video.
As he listened to George Straight sing I Know What I Want for Christmas, Cort knew exactly what he wanted, too.
He hurried to finish in the barn, jogged back to the house, and stopped by the back step long enough to give Buford a thorough scratching and tell him he was a good dog.
Frigid air blew into the kitchen when he opened the door and stepped inside. “It’s cold out there.” The chilly hand he placed on Celia’s neck made her squeal and jump.
“Are you ever going to grow up?” Annoyed, she moved out of his reach.
“Probably not.” Cort winked at Kaley as he hung his coveralls on a hook and went to the sink to wash his hands.
“Isn’t it about time for Jacob to head to bed?” Cort hoped if he could get Jacob tucked away for the night, his parents and sister would soon follow and he could have his wife all to himself.
“Yes, I suppose it is.” Kaley gaped at the clock, shocked by the lateness of the hour. “Maybe you all can tell me what we need to do, for Santa to come, I mean. Jacob and I haven’t really done this part before.”
“Did Dad bring the book?” Cort asked his sister. Celia nodded, giving him a smile. He grinned as he turned his attention to Kaley. “I know you made stockings, where are they?”
“In my craft room, I’ll get them.”
<
br /> Cort placed his hand on her arm to keep her from rushing down the hall. Panicked, he searched for a way to keep her out of the craft room. “I can get the stockings. Why don’t you help Jacob put on his pjs and we can gather in the living room.”
“Okay.” Kaley herded Jacob toward his room and the new flannel John Deere pajamas she’d left on his bed.
His excited cheers at his sleepwear made Cort smile as he turned on the light in Kaley’s craft room and hoped he could find the stockings. Kenzie, or one of the twins, left them on the cutting counter.
He quickly grabbed them, turned off the light, and softly closed the door before returning to the living room.
“You want to do the honors?” his dad asked, holding a book out to him.
“No, Dad. I think you should do the reading.” Cort handed the stockings to Kaley as she walked into the room with Jacob.
The little boy had to show off his pajamas to everyone before hanging his stocking on the fireplace mantle. He wanted to make sure his was next to Cort’s.
“Where’s your stocking, Grandma?” he asked, looking around.
“I’m too old to hang one,” Jana said, smiling at the little boy.
“What about Aunt Celia?”
“Maybe I’ve been too naughty.” Celia stuck out her lip in a becoming pout.
“That’s for sure,” Cort mumbled under his breath, earning a smack from his sister and a glare from his wife.
“But you have to have stockings.” Jacob frowned at the prospect of his new family not having stockings hung for Santa to fill. “I know!” he said, then raced from the room.
His feet pounded down the hall before he turned the corner and appeared in the living room.
“You can use some of my socks. They’re clean and everything.” Jacob held out three white socks.
“Thank you, sweetie.” Jana kissed his cheek as she and Celia hung the socks on the mantle. She held out the last sock to Trevor. “You, too, Grandpa.”
Trevor hung his sock then took a seat in the rocking chair by the fire.
“How about you climb up here, Jacob, and we’ll read this story together?”
“Okay.” Jacob climbed on the big man’s lap and settled against him as Trevor held a well-worn book in his hand.
Jana, Celia, and Kaley rested on the couch while Cort sat on the floor next to Kaley with his arm draped over her knees.
As his father read the story of Christ’s birth and then Twas the Night Before Christmas, Cort had to work to pay attention to the words instead of the decadent feel of Kaley’s fingers lightly trailing across his neck and stroking through the back of his hair.
Goose bumps erupted on his arms and legs by the time his dad finished and they all smiled as Jacob let out a snuffling sound in his sleep.
“I think he’s ready to dream of sugar plums,” Celia said softly as Cort got to his feet and took the little boy from his dad.
Lovingly carrying Jacob to his room, Cort laid him in his bed and pulled up his blankets while Kaley watched from the doorway.
“Happy dreams, Jacob, and Merry Christmas.” Cort brushed the hair away from the little boy’s face.
“Merry Christmas, Daddy,” Jacob whispered, half-asleep. “Don’t forget a treat for Santa.”
“I’m on it, partner.” Cort chuckled, kissing Jacob’s cheek. “Love you, son.”
“Love you,” Jacob mumbled.
Cort got to his feet so Kaley could fuss over Jacob for a moment and wish him sweet dreams before kissing him one final time.
“He was so good today.” She said as they walked back to the kitchen. She poured a small glass half-full of milk then set two cookies on a plate. “Do you want to do the honors?”
Cort looked at her in confusion then realized what she meant. After taking a bite out of each cookie, he set them back on the plate and drank most of the milk. “How’s that?”
“Perfect, I think. I’ve never done this before.” Kaley carried the plate and glass to the living room and set them on a small table by the tree.
Celia and Jana gave their approval. Trevor helped Cort set out Jacob’s gifts from Santa while Kaley filled his stocking.
“It looks wonderful.” She held her hands beneath her chin while her eyes twinkled with excitement and joy. She’d gone from never having the trappings of Christmas to experiencing the best one she could imagine. It made her heart overflow with the bounty of her blessings.
“Everything is lovely, Kaley. Very festive.” Jana gave her daughter-in-law a hug. “We’re so pleased to have another daughter. Welcome to the family.”
“Thank you.” Kaley hugged the older woman then gave a warm hug to Trevor and Celia.
“Come on, ol’ Saint Nick.” Jana took Trevor’s hand. “Let’s head to bed. I’m exhausted and there’s a little boy who’ll be up extremely early to open his presents.”
“Yeah, and Jacob might get up early, too, but definitely not before Cort.” Celia stuck out her tongue at her brother as she walked by him. He gave one of her wayward curls a playful tug before bidding them all good night.
“If you need anything…” Kaley started to say, but Jana looked back over her shoulder from the doorway and grinned.
“We’ll be fine. And don’t worry about Jacob. We’ll keep an eye on him tonight, although I doubt he stirs from that bed until morning. Merry Christmas.”
Kaley found herself alone with Cort. The fire had died down to embers, casting the room in an amber glow.
“You worked some magic here, Kaley, and made our home beautiful.” Cort tipped her chin up with his finger. “Almost as beautiful as you.”
Kaley’s thoughts turned from Christmas to her husband. His mouth moved against hers, softly at first then growing with intensity until she couldn’t think of anything but how much she wanted to spend forever right there in his arms.
“I love you,” she whispered, when she could finally draw a breath.
Cort rested his forehead against hers and kissed her nose. “I love you, too. Mrs. McGraw. I loved you from the moment I first saw you and I’ll love you until I take my last breath.”
Kaley hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go.
In true Cort fashion, he pulled up the video she’d sent to his phone and played the song. As he took her hand in his, he tugged her against him, holding one hand at the small of her back while they danced in front of the waning fire.
“So, little girl, tell ol’ Cort what you want for Christmas,” he coaxed, nibbling on her ear.
“What I want…” Kaley trailed a finger over Cort’s chin. “Is an extraordinarily handsome cowboy with beautiful silvery eyes, the sexiest dimple in his chin, and the hottest body that I can’t wait to see.” She pressed close against him. “He’s all I want for Christmas.”
Cort groaned as his hand tightened on hers.
His patience in waiting to make Kaley his own, to love her with all the passion and longing she created in him, was spent. Blood pounded through his veins as he focused on getting her into their bedroom as quickly as possible.
“How about we move our little party for two into our room?” Cort growled, slowly backing Kaley toward the bedroom door.
“Let me fill the rest of the stockings first and unplug the tree.” Kaley hated to spend even another minute away from Cort, but she wanted Christmas to be special for everyone. She was glad she’d picked up some gifts to put in stockings for Trevor, Jana, and Celia. She’d even bought them stockings and already filled them, but she couldn’t let Jacob know Santa didn’t bring them for his new family.
“You better leave your stocking empty so Santa can fill it,” Cort warned then he ran outside to unplug the lights. Not bothering with shoes, his feet were like ice when he returned with snow-covered socks.
While Kaley finished with the stockings, he went into their bedroom and lit the candles he’d brought in earlier, turned down the bed, and removed his belt and soggy socks.
Glad he’d remembered to buy goodies for Ka
ley’s stocking, he took a small bag to the living room where she stood gazing into the fire.
“Ready for bed?” he asked.
Her head snapped up.
“Yes, I think, um… can I have a moment?” She backed nervously through the bedroom doorway.
“You can have as long as you like, as long as I don’t have to wait more than five minutes.” Cort stopped her retreat with an involved, hungry kiss that made her gaze at him with a look of longing glimmering in her eyes.
“I’ll hurry,” she said, disappearing inside the bedroom.
Cort filled her stocking, tucked a few surprises beneath the tree, banked the fire, and returned to the bedroom, closing the door behind him as Kaley walked out of the bathroom.
“I planned to take off my dress and put on a little something to surprise you, but I can’t reach the buttons, so I guess you’ll have to help.” She turned her back to him.
“My pleasure.” Glad she left her hair pinned up, Cort wanted to watch it tumble down as he removed the pins holding it in place.
He slowly undid her buttons, kissing his way down her spine with each one, until the dress fell open and he slid it off her shoulders and down her arms, letting it fall to the floor. She heard him suck in his breath and started to turn to face him but Cort stopped her, pulling her closer to the light from the candles on the dresser.
“Kaley, what happened?” he asked, running gentle fingers over the scars on her back. The round circles looked like burn marks.
“Remember I told you one of the foster families thought they could beat the wickedness out of me?” Kaley said quietly, with her head down. Pain and shame mingled with anger when she spoke. “He’d burn me with his cigarettes.”
“I’m so sorry, baby,” Cort said, turning her around and holding her tenderly. “I’m so sorry.”
“I know the scars are ugly. You don’t have to look at them.” Kaley continued keeping her focus on the floor. She hadn’t planned on Cort seeing the scars so soon. Then again, she hadn’t planned on him bathing the room in the illumination of candles, either.
“There’s nothing ugly about you, Kaley, girl. Nothing at all. These scars bear witness to what a brave, strong person you are.” Cort stepped behind her and kissed each and every scar so tenderly, Kaley fought the urge to cry.
Wrestlin' Christmas: (Sweet Western Holiday Romance) (Rodeo Romance Book 2) Page 27