Page 25 of Christmas With A Billionaire

I remembered everything about her. “I do. Rose took one look at you and said?—”

“Finally, someone to appreciate my sweet potato pie properly,” Autumn mimicked. “I’ve never missed a Sunday since.”

“Because of the pie?”

“Because of this,” she gestured around the room. “The family, the love, the way Rose treats me like I’m hers,” she paused. “The way you’ve always made sure I belonged.”

My hand covered hers, our fingers intertwining. “You do belong, Autumn. Then and now. With all of us. With me.”

She met my eyes, and something heartfelt passed between us. “Ty...”

“Come with me,” I stood, pulling her up. “I want to show you something.”

I led her through the kitchen to the back office, where Rose did the books, and I’d learned to count money as a kid. Christmas lights were here, too, strung around the window frame.

“What—” Autumn started, but I turned, backed her against the desk, and gripped her neck, crushing my mouth into hers.For all the resolve I had, I’d grown tired of my own excuses. My tongue parted her lips, and twenty years of yearning poured into our mouths’ caress.

And she kissed me back.

Her hands slid up my chest to my shoulders as my tongue swept across her tongue. She tasted like Rose’s sweet tea. I lifted her onto the desk, stepping between her thighs, one hand tangled in her hair while the other gripped her hip. I ached with need, and fire grew inside me as our kiss deepened and became hungrier.

Autumn made a small sound in the back of her throat that nearly broke my control. I kissed down her neck, breathing in the floral scent of her skin.

“Ty,” she purred, “what are we?—”

The door opened. “There you two are, I need help with the— oh!” Rose stopped short, then smiled wide. “Never mind. Take your time.”

She backed out, closing the door behind her, but the moment had shifted. Autumn pressed her forehead to my chest, breathing hard.

“That was...”

“Intense,” I finished. “Sorry for the interruption.”

She laughed shakily. “Maybe it’s a sign.”

“The only sign is that I should’ve done that years ago.” I tilted her chin up. “Autumn?—”

“There’s Marcus,” she whispered.

“There’s us,” I countered. “There’s always been us.”

Voices in the kitchen reminded us where we were. Autumn slid off the desk, her body dragging against mine, causing sparks to flame my libido. She straightened her sweater with trembling hands.

“I should,” she gestured vaguely at the door. “Uh.”

“We should talk about this.”

“I know,” she touched her lips, still swollen from my kiss. “But not here. Not now.”

I caught her hand before she could leave. “Promise me something?”

“What?”

“Don’t say yes to that second date. Not until we talk.”

She stared at me for a long moment, then nodded. “Okay.”

I watched her slip back into the kitchen, my body still humming from her touch. Through the door, I heard Rose’s laugh, Autumn’s voice joining in, and the sounds of my family—our family—enjoying their Sunday together.

---