Page 24

Perk rolled over, throwing one bare leg across Sloane’s. She opened her eyes and blinked, coming slowly awake.

Yup. Perk grinned. They’d certainly worn each other out over the last three nights.

“G’morning,” she yawned.

“Good morning.” Perk dropped a kiss on her nose. “Do we have to go to my parents’ house today?” he grumbled, tucking one, errant copper lock behind her ear. She looked so damned delicious, disheveled from sleep.

Perk was still pinching himself that Sloane was here with him. They’d pretty much spent the majority of their yurt-time so far in bed; exploring, laughing, sharing food and stories, while the rest of the time Perk had watched Sloane work her magic on the computer, still attempting to track Shultz and Jennifer Nelsin. It had been pretty damned idyllic, and Perk wasn’t ready for reality to come crashing in.

Sloane snaked a hand down and cupped his balls.

“That’s up to you, big guy,” she purred. “The family thing was your call. But I’ll follow your lead. I am thinking, however, that if you cancel, your mother is going to send your big brothers out to find us and drag us home. Or…they could try,” she added cheekily.

Perk groaned, knowing she would do whatever he wanted. But…

“You’re right. It’s Christmas, so I shouldn’t be a dick.” His disappointment evaporated and he smiled widely as her fingers found and livened up said dick. “Merry Christmas, by the way.”

“Merry Christmas,” she responded cheekily, giving a decided tug.

Perk wanted to relax and enjoy her clever digits, but there were other things on the agenda today. Reluctantly, he moved her hand, then reached back under his pillow and pull out a small, square box.

Sloane’s eyes grew wide. “For me?” she squeaked.

“Uh, huh. It is Christmas, you know,” he answered, feeling all kinds of pleased as he put the gift into her wavering palm. “Open it.”

Tears appeared in her eyes, and Perk immediately wondered if he’d done something wrong.

“What’s the matter?” he asked uncertainly.

Sloane sniffed, and swiped at the moisture. “Nothing. I…” She took a deep breath. “Nobody’s given me a Christmas present before. Well, at least not in a very long time.”

“Seriously?” Perk couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What about Melissa?”

Sloane managed a laugh. “When Mel and I met, we were both just starting out in our careers, and didn’t have two pennies to rub together. We agreed we wouldn’t spend money on each other for Christmas, and it just became sort of a habit after that.”

Perk didn’t want to ask, but felt the words slip from his mouth, anyway. “What about your ex-husband.”

Sloane’s demeanor soured as she shook her head. “He thought Christmas was just a commercial scam to get people to buy stuff, so he refused to celebrate. Not even with a Christmas tree, which I always managed to get on my own.”

She glanced over at the live conifer they’d cut down at a farm two days before; she and Perk having since given it a dollar store makeover to decorate it. Her bad mood dissipated like magic.

“He was an asshole,” Perk glowered, not ready to let it go.

“He still is,” Sloane chuckled. “But happily, he’s no longer my problem. And no more talk about him. There’s no room in our bed.” She took a moment to shake her box, put it up to her ear, smell it, then shake it again.

Perk joined her in letting go of her past, and pointed at what she was doing. “That’s not going to get you anywhere,” he chortled.

“Fine.” She began on the ribbon, but just as she was about to remove it, her phone rang.

Her whole body stilled.

Sloane listened for a second, then groaned, throwing an arm across her face.

“What?” Perk didn’t understand what was going on. She hadn’t even looked at her phone yet to see who it was.

“It’s my mother,” Sloane huffed. “She always calls on Christmas day.”

“Well, that’s nice, isn’t it?” Perk questioned, confused.

“Nope. She just wants what she considers her ‘Christmas gift’ from me. Money.”

The phone stopped ringing, then almost immediately started up again.

“Are you kidding me?” Perk’s good mood dissolved again. “She’s asking for…? When was the last time you talked to her?”

“In August. On her birthday. It’s the other time of the year she expects cash.”

Perk didn’t wait to hear any more. He snatched up Sloane’s phone.

“Wha—?” She reached for it, but he flipped to his back, shielding her grab with his elbow before she could take it away from him.

“Hello?” he answered with a growl.

“Who’s this?” came a gruff and suspicious reply.

“None of your business,” Perk replied sharply. He wasn’t going to make this easy. “What do you want?”

“Where’s my daughter?”

“Oh, do you mean the one you never pay any attention to unless you want money?” Perk snarled. He looked over at Sloane to see if he was overstepping, but she’d laid back down on her pillow, and…her lips were twitching in amusement.

His mood lightened. It looked like Sloane was willing to let him take the driver seat on this one.

“Who is this?” Mrs. Vessers asked again.

“Someone who’s going to have your daughter’s back from now on when people who want to use her won’t take no for an answer.”

“I’m her mother, you ass. I’m entitled to—”

“You, Ma’am, are entitled to nothing ,” he cut in. “You were never there for her as a child when she needed you, which means Sloane has no obligation to talk to you. Ever again. If, by some stretch of Sloane’s generosity, she wants to help you out, that’s her prerogative, but don’t call her on Christmas day to ask for a handout. Do you understand me?”

“I…I… I’m just calling to wish her a merry Christmas,” the woman prevaricated slyly.

Perk looked over at Sloane who rolled her eyes and shook her head, having heard the assertion.

“I’ll relay that to her,” Perk snapped, but was stopped short by Sloane’s sigh before he could add anything else.

“Tell her I transferred money into her account last night,” Sloane revealed loudly, a scowl on her face. “And that I’ll talk to her in August.”

“Did you hear that?” Perk demanded.

“I did. Asshole.” The line went dead.

So much for motherly love.

Perk threw the phone on the mattress and grimaced at Sloane.

“Fuck, Sloane. I’m sorry you had to be witness to all that.”

She shrugged. “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before,” she admitted, then smiled, albeit a bit sadly as she placed a hand on Perk’s arm. “Thank you, though.”

“For what?”

“Talking to her so I didn’t have to.” Sloane acknowledged. “She would have kept me on the phone for an hour, trying to convince me she needs more than what I give her.”

Perk wanted to punch something, or call the bitch back and rip her a new one, but for Sloane’s sake he tamped his impulses down. “Well, next time you see her number come up, hand the phone to me and I’ll be glad to run interference again.”

He raised a brow at her when she smirked. “What?” he asked.

“My sisters will be calling soon, too,” she revealed.

“Because…?” His stomach roiled and he groaned “You don’t subsidize them, too, do you?”

Sloane shook her head. “Nope. They’re self-supporting. They just call to say hi and bitch about getting their semi-annual call from Mom.”

“She hits them up, too?”

“Yes, but they don’t fall for it. They didn’t live with her long enough to consider that she’s their responsibility.”

Perk frowned. “I’m sensing an addendum coming.”

Sloane sighed. “Yeah. They do think if they convince me to be more generous; give her a larger sum, then maybe she won’t bother them.”

“Cripes, Sloane. I thought my family had problems, but yours blow mine away.” He ran a hand over his face. “At least the things my relatives do are from what they perceive is a place of love.”

Now Sloane gave him a real grin. “Good. We’ll see how much of that fucked-upedness they have left once I’m finished with them,” she teased.

Perk bent down and kissed the tip of her nose. “They’re going to love you, you know. They’re going to be over the moon that I’ve found an…older woman,” he said impishly. “One who can point my life in the right direction.”

Sloane slugged him in the chest, just as he’d anticipated.

“Yeah, well, if the direction they’re talking about is getting you into their world of finance,” she snorted, “they’re barking up the wrong tree. I happen to like my men in a profession where they’re active with their bodies, and good undercover .” She slipped her hand beneath the blankets again and gave his cock a loving squeeze.

“That’s under covers ,” Perk mock-growled. “And it’s the second time you’ve tried to distract me. I’d take this time to school you on how you should respond to your sisters when they call, but two can play at your diversion game.” Diving down between the flannel sheets he sucked Sloane’s perky nipple into his mouth, tonguing it with intent.

“Perk,” Sloane whined, writhing under his orchestrations.

“Mmm?” he hummed, not letting go of his eager prize.

“My present?” she choked out.

He popped off. “Oh, yeah.” Perk emerged with a grin. “That. You haven’t opened it yet.”

They both sat up in bed.

“Hold that thought.” Perk raised a finger. “I need to add a few logs to the fire.”

He’d stoked it several times during the night as it had grown colder, but it was dying down again to a point where it was a little chillier in the yurt than he liked.

Sloane narrowed her eyes as he got out of bed, crossing her arms over her pretty chest. “You’re just drawing this out on purpose.”

He grinned but didn’t answer, walking over to bend and retrieve a few logs from the hearth where they were stacked.

Sloane snickered. “It’s a good thing you’re giving me a nice view, or I might actually be mad.”

Perk wiggled his hips, tightened his glutes, and after putting the logs in the stove, gave a slow, full back stretch with his hands over his head.

“Now you’re just showing off,” she laughed.

He turned and grinned, then ran and launched himself back onto the mattress, making Sloane squeal as he gathered her up and proceeded to nuzzle her face, neck, and chest with his now cold nose.

“No, no, no,” she howled, pushing him away. “I want to see what Santa Claus brought me.”

“Ho, ho, ho,” Perk rhymed, raising himself into a sitting position. He dragged Sloane across him and placed her solidly on his lap. “Does Santa have a nice present for you?”

She wiggled on his very erect penis. “I’m pretty sure he has more than one,” she quipped, “but I’ll save this baby for later. Time is ticking, and we’re supposed to be at your mother’s for breakfast in exactly one hour.”

“Spoilsport,” Perk pouted, then brightened. “So, are you going to open it?” He dug around to where the box had fallen between their pillows, offering it to her again. “No more distractions?”

“We can hope,” she added, then took the present, looking a little nervous. “This isn’t anything… too special, is it?” she rasped.

“Not yet,” he responded honestly. “I’m waiting for our current case to be wrapped up before I ask for anything more serious.”

“More serious,” she repeated, her brown eyes meeting his with an intensity that spoke of promises to come. “I think… Okay. I like that idea.”

Perk’s entire world suddenly seemed perfect, and even though it might not be the exact right time, he couldn’t stop himself. Sloane was relaxed. They were by themselves… “That’s good, Sloane, because…I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Her mouth dropped open and she spluttered, which didn’t concern him in the least. He’d been prepared for a possible, full-on meltdown, so this was good.

“Uh, uh,” Perk said, bringing her lips back together with a finger under her chin. “You don’t get to say anything right now. You simply nod, and enjoy the moment, because I certainly am. I’ve never said those words to any woman before, and having gotten them out, I feel a huge sense of relief, and… I’m really warm inside.”

“Warm, huh?” She blinked.

“Yup. So think about what I said, and when you’re ready to address it, we’ll talk.”

Sloane swallowed hard, and color moved up into her cheeks. “I guess I can live with that,” she told him softly, but he could tell she liked it, and that was icing on his Christmas cake.

“Well, are you going to open your present, or what? My mother isn’t going to wait all day you know.”

Without any more preliminaries or interruptions, Sloane yanked off the pretty pink bow and tore away the sparkly wrapping paper to reveal a jeweler’s box.

“Perk…” she warned, shaking her head.

“No. It’s not that. I swear,” he assured her.

Anticipation zipped through his limbs, hoping she liked what he’d picked out.

Sloane lifted the cover, and…

“Wha…?” she gasped. “You said—”

“Breathe, Sloane. It’s a friendship ring,” he assured her. “All the kids at school are wearing them these days.” That wasn’t a lie. He’d met a number of couples where one or both of the pair had been sporting a twist of metal representing two halves of a whole. Most that he’d seen were on the cheap end, but Perk had opted for something a little more special.

Sloane sent a trembling hand down to lift the delicate weaving of gold bands from its velvet nest. Two gems sparkled up at her, surrounded as they were by small diamond chips.

“What are they?” she asked in a whisper, stroking the stones.

“They’re called boulder opals,” he replied gruffly, wondering if he’d chosen well.

Brown stones weren’t exactly what most women would want, but with all the flecks of color in the opals, they reminded him of her eyes. “They’ve got ironstone in them, which gives them those gold and green bits. That’s the reason it’s also called an ‘opal-in-matrix’ stone.” Perk took the circlet from her grasp and slipped it onto Sloane’s right-hand ring-finger. “Do you…like it?” he asked nervously.

“Oh, Perk,” Sloane murmured, holding it out to catch the morning light. “It’s…”

Without warning she launched herself at him, knocking him back against the headboard where she kissed his face all over. When she’d finally covered every inch, she drew back and regarded him with something in her eyes he hadn’t seen before. If Perk had to name it, he’d say it was love, but he wasn’t going to demand the words from her. She’d give them up in her own time.

Sloane held his face in her hands, cradling his cheeks. “This is the nicest thing anybody has ever given me.”

He could have spoiled the moment, reminding her it was probably close to the only thing anybody had ever gifted her, but he didn’t want to lose the awe he saw in her eyes.

“I’m glad,” he answered.

And yes, they were going to be late for breakfast.