Page 29 of A Daddy for Christmas 3: Nova

“Let me guess, it’s because you like to sleep sideways.”

“There could be some truth to that. I’m a sprawler too.”

Chuckling, I just mussed up his hair and tickled him a little. “Of course you are.”

He rolled until he could shove his fingers up my tank top, finding all my ticklish spots too, until we were wiggling around, half on and half off the blankets, staring into each other’s eyes, with the darkening sky above us.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas than what we’ve got planned,” he murmured. “I picked the best beach in the world when I decided to go build a sandcastle on yours.”

“You really did, and not just because the surf out there is awesome. It’s got one spectacular view, too.”

“I’ll say. The rolling waves were beautiful; I loved how blue the water was and the way the sand squished between my toes. The sky was a perfect backdrop too, it was the picture-perfect beach scene, complete with the hot surfer showing off for me.”

“Oh, you caught that, did you?”

“You were pouting after you wiped out,” he said. “That’s what gave it away. I was glad you decided to get out right in front of me, instead of further up the beach. I don’t know if I wouldhave had the courage to call out to you if you’d emerged closer to your truck. I think I’d have just sat there, finished eating, and gone for a walk, instead of sticking around and building a sandcastle.”

“What made you stay?”

He chuckled, then reached up so he could trace his finger over my cheek. “You. I-I sort of hoped that maybe you’d stop at some place nearby, somewhere close enough that you’d decide to grab some food and bring it down to the beach with you so we could eat together. I even ate super slow, just in case.”

“Damn, I never even considered that,” I said. “We could have had a whole extra evening together.”

“Maybe the universe will decide to help us out with that and give us all the extra evenings we could ever wish for.”

“I could work with that.”

“Me too,” he said. “Speaking of wishes, I haven’t spotted the first star yet, but as soon as I do, I’m sending up an extra special wish.”

“Are you allowed to tell me what it is, or will I have to wait around to see if it comes true before you’ll be willing to share?”

“I’ll share,” he replied. “I’m going to wish for yearly naked Christmas movie marathons and Smorgasburg’s with you.”

Tugging him into a kiss, I tried to convey just how much his wish, and the sentiment behind it, meant to me. That he was going to wish for a future for us meant the world to me. I couldn’t wait for tomorrow to kickstart what I hoped would become an annual tradition for us.

Chapter 13

(Nova)

“Merry Christmas Eve,” I said as I opened my hotel room door in nothing but a reindeer antler headband and boxer shorts with Rudolph’s face on the front. “I thought about answering the door with just the headband on, but I didn’t want to scandalize any of my neighbors if they happened to be coming or going.”

“No, we certainly wouldn’t want that,” he declared as I stepped back out of his way so he could carry the large box in his arms through the doorway without smashing it into me.

A sharp inhale followed as he got a look at what I’d done to the room. “Whoa, you went all out on the decorating.”

“I wanted it to feel like Christmas,” I replied as I closed and locked the door behind him before doing a small spin, showing off everything from the lights and garland I’d run over top of thewindow, mirror, and headboard to the bits of mistletoe I’d taped to the ceiling in various spots.

“You certainly succeeded,” he said as he placed the box on the bed and began removing packages from it. “You even got a tree and everything.”

“Just a little two-footer that I plan to donate to a thrift store, along with the rest of the decorations,” I said. “I’ve passed it a few times when I’ve been out walking and picking up things from shops.”

“Still, you thought of everything.”

“Yup, look up,” I said, wanting him to see that he was standing under the mistletoe when he went to put drinks in the fridge.

A slow grin spread across his face as I skipped over to kiss him.

“Mmm, I think I’m going to like making trips over here to refill our drinks,” he muttered as I pressed my lips against his.