Page 7 of Valentine's Day Treasure

“Pick your favorite.”

She shook her head, taking the fabric from him. “I can’t pick. I love them all.”

“All it is,” he said.

She hugged him and he hugged her back. Together, they hung the pink and the black fabric up with the silver, then pulled all the drapes closed. Cerise stood back and played the flashlight over it, admiring it. She gave the flashlight to Beckett so she could caress the pretty, silky fabric.

“Looks gorgeous,” she said. She pulled a curtain back, climbed onto the bed, then lay down on her pillow, looking up into the darkness. Beckett climbed in next to her and lay on his pillow, then he put a flashlight in her hand. She shone it up at the fabric enclosing the bed.

“It’s so pretty,” she said.

“And pretty warm,” Beckett said.

“It’ll stay dark so we can sleep in.”

“Shit, they’re gonna come pounding on the door soon.”

“Put a sign up maybe.”

“Good idea.”

Beckett left the bed and headed out into the living room, and Cerise followed. He got a piece of paper and a marker and put it down on the kitchen table, writing in large blocky letters:

We’re FUCKING—

“Beckett!” Cerise exclaimed, laughing.

He held up his marker. “I’m not done.” He went back to work on it.

We’re FUCKING SLEEPING. Leave us alone.

“Perfect,” Cerise said.

They taped it to the door, making it a two-person job.

“The wind,” Cerise said.

“It’s stopped.” Beckett yawned sleepily. “Still snowing though.”

“Yeah.” Cerise hugged him, her own eyes heavy. They made it inside and closed the door, then quickly got ready for bed. Together, they made their way back to Cerise’s beautiful new canopy bed.

Beckett held the curtains aside and bowed, a smartass grin plastered onto his face.

Cerise patted him on the back of his neck as she passed him to climb inside her beautiful bed. She lay flat on her back, her head on her pillow, and Beckett joined her. Just enough dawn light filtered into the room that she could see the fabric of the canopy around her. She felt like a princess, one who had found the best prince in all the land.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Anything for you, Cerise,” he said, his voice warm and sincere.

Her heart was warmed. She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back. In no time at all, they were both asleep, still holding hands.

6—Morning, Beautiful

Trevor woke one minute before his alarm buzzed at 7:00 a.m. and silently switched it off. The bedroom was dimly lit, the sun rising past thick clouds, and he could still hear the generator—the power had been out for hours. He no longer heard wind and he rolled to his back to look out the window and saw fat snowflakes still falling, but straight down now.

Trevor rolled toward his mate and nuzzled into her hair. She smelled sweet and sleepy, but was slowly waking. He cupped her 4-months pregnant belly gently, loving every warm curve.

Morning, pups,he said to her belly inruhi.

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