Page 42 of Sinful Mafia Santa

“I don’t have a plan.”

“You have a plane up in New York, waiting to take you back to Chicago in time for Reardon Family Christmas.”

“Oh, bollocks,” she says, but there isn’t any heat in her voice. “I left half a message for my pilot, telling him to fetch me here.”

“Half a message?”

“You walked in before I could finish. You hung up while I was leaving a voicemail.”

That seems like a century ago.

“I don’t want to wake him now,” she says.

“He’ll need to file a new flight plan.”

She shakes her head. “That’s not necessary.”

“I’m pretty sure neither of us wants to make a midnight run to Teterboro.”

“We don’t have to.” She shifts a hand to cover my heart. “He can take the plane back to Chicago without me. That is, if I can stay here. If you’re willing to keep me.”

It’s impossible. It’s insane. It’s everything I’ve wanted, from the moment I first saw her standing by the bar in the Great Room. No—longer than that. This is what I’ve wanted since Logan Reardon first introduced me to his little sister, since she showed up at my rookie game, since I walked through the door of the house on Beach Avenue and found her primed and hot and needy and she let me be her first.

Her father won’t like it. Her brothers either. I have three businesses to run—the Aces, and my real estate holdings, and Kynk. I don’t have time for a woman, not a real relationship, not like the one I want with Aeryn.

No. Notwant.

Need.

I need to be with Aeryn Reardon.

“Gage?” she asks, a shadow darkening her voice. I’ve taken too long to answer. Too long to tell the truth.

“Of course you can stay here,” I finally answer. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Her laughter sounds like Christmas bells. I kiss her, and she tastes like berries and daring, and that’s better than any gift I’ve ever found beneath a tree on Christmas morning.

She’s mine.

I’m hers.

It’s time for a new beginning.