Page 26 of The Christmas Gift

She searched his face. His words held so much hope for their future. “You want my parents to visit?”

“We’ll invite them this Christmas. As many holidays as it takes,” he assured.

“They are not bad people—” Her parents really weren’t, they were just occupied in their own dreams to notice anything else.

“I believe you.”

Tears stung her eyes. Forming a relationship with her parents would be an added gift. She hadn’t known how to mend that bridge before.

“My mother died giving birth to me. I won’t pretend to know the sacrifices Dad made raising me, but I know he made them willingly. As I will willingly make for the people I care for.”

Ivy swallowed.

“Do you know who my people are, Ivy?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “You. Our child.”

He was doing all the right things. Saying all the right words to fill in the moat around her heart. Cor made her heart beat faster, her stomach light with his possessive admission.

Every day with him made her wish for things she didn’t dare dream for in the past. Cor was an insistent presence in her life. He wasn’t going anywhere. Ivy no longer wanted him to.

She was falling…falling hopelessly in love with Cor.

Chapter Eight

Two weeks from Christmas

Ivy

Ivy watched Cor get ready for a celebratory dinner with his father and the buyers. The launch was going well, the first orders were being finalized for delivery. Most of her team’s work was done except for any last-minute changes to media marketing. But she expected the visual marketing to be on-point.

The commercials the company had launched with input from her team had built up huge anticipation for the designs. Both Krista and Jayce reported advanced orders, although the product hadn’t even hit the stores, which prompted this evening’s celebration.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?” He sat at the edge of the bed. “Your team played a huge part in Eros’s success.”

“I’m going to celebrate with the girls at the café tonight.”

“Want me to stay?” He licked her lower lip, sucking it into his mouth.

“That’s tempting, but no.” She gave him a playful shove, then pulled him back in. “I’ll take another kiss before you go.”

The kiss was slow…lingering. Her core fluttered at the sensual softness that was in contract to his more possessive hungry kisses. She savored all the ways he kissed her. Sinking further into the embrace, Ivy reveled in him.

Her eyes closed…heavy as if she’d drifted into a dream that was the opposite of what she ran from.

“I like kissing you.”

“You do?” She moaned.

“Even better when you suck on my tongue.”

She sucked his tongue between her teeth hard, then flicked the tip against the roof of his mouth as if it were the veiny undercarriage of his dick.

He grunted. His breath came faster as his mouth slammed against hers, taking everything she had to give.

Ivy broke the kiss, easing against the pillows, even as her body burned to have him naked. She knew, the fevered spark in his eyes mirrored hers. They should have become accustomed to kissing, yet each time they embraced, Ivy discovered a new depth to their relationship.

“I’ll see you in a few hours,” he said, standing. She licked her lips in satisfaction when he grimaced, adjusting his pants.

“You did that on purpose.”

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