Page 22 of Frost and Felines

"The best." Mallory's voice cracked. "And I miss him so much it physically hurts sometimes."

"I know." He shifted closer, his free hand coming up to brush a tear from her cheek. "And that's okay. You don't have to hide that from me."

The simple acceptance in his words broke something loose in her chest. Mallory leaned into his touch, letting the tears flow freely as Kieran stayed steady beside her, his presence an anchor in the storm of her grief.

When her breathing finally steadied, she whispered, "Thank you for coming after me."

"I always will." His blue eyes held hers, intense and sincere. "Whatever you need, whenever you need it. I'll always be here for you."

10

KIERAN

Kieran watched Mallory arrange marshmallows into perfect pyramids at the hot chocolate station the next afternoon. Her platinum hair caught the warm lobby lights, and his fingers itched to brush back the strand that had escaped her practical bun. Instead, he adjusted the candy cane centerpiece, positioning himself closer to her.

"You know, those marshmallows aren't going to stay that neat once the kids get here."

"Let me have my moment of order before chaos descends." A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, and his chest swelled with satisfaction. Making Mallory smile had become his favorite game.

"Speaking of chaos..." He reached over and deliberately toppled one marshmallow. "Oops."

She swatted his hand away. "You're worse than the children."

"I prefer to think of myself as young at heart." He caught her hand before she could pull it back. The touch sent a spark through him, and he noticed her slight intake of breath. "Want to help me test the hot chocolate? Quality control is very important."

"Is that your way of saying you want first dibs?"

"Maybe." He grinned, already reaching for two mugs. "But sharing with my beautiful wife makes it a legitimate business matter."

The word 'wife' made her tense slightly, but he pressed on, determined to keep things light. He filled their mugs with the rich chocolate mixture, adding a generous dollop of whipped cream to hers.

"Here's to quality control." He clinked his mug against hers.

Mallory took a sip, and her eyes widened. "This is amazing."

"You sound surprised. I'm wounded." He clutched his chest dramatically, and there it was - a real laugh, soft but genuine. The sound warmed him more than any hot chocolate could.

"The marshmallows really complete it," she said, picking one from her mug with her teeth. A dot of whipped cream landed on her nose.

Without thinking, Kieran reached out and wiped it away with his thumb. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the bustle of preparation around them faded away. Then someone dropped a box of games nearby, shattering the moment.

"I should finish setting up the game stations," Mallory said quickly, stepping back.

"I'll help." He wasn't ready to let her retreat completely. "Though I must warn you, I'm unbeatable at Christmas trivia."

"We'll see about that." That hint of a smile was back, and Kieran felt like he had won another small victory.

An hour later, Kieran stood at the front of the packed foyer, ready to welcome everyone to the caroling event, when the lights flickered and died. His tiger senses picked up the collective intake of breath from the crowd, along with the acrid scent of Gregory's chaos magic lingering in the air.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he projected his voice across the room, letting a hint of his natural alpha authority seep through. "Nothing to worry about. Just a minor technical issue."

A child whimpered in the darkness. Kieran's eyes adjusted quickly, catching worried glances between parents.

"My dear guests," he started, but Mallory's clear voice cut through the darkness.

"Silent night, holy night..."

The simple melody floated through the air, and Kieran's breath caught. He hadn't expected her voice to be so pure yet so haunting. A moment later, an elderly woman joined in, then a young father holding his daughter. Soon, the entire foyer rang with impromptu harmony.

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