Page 51 of Idaho

Idaho paused, looking me up and down as I stood there, waiting. My red heels gave my usual five-seven frame three extra inches. It made me feel powerful and confident that he wasn't looking quite so far down at me. He still had another four inches on me, but we were closer in height.

"You look beautiful." I opened my mouth to thank him, but he beat me to it. "Now hurry up."

Frowning at him as he turned and walked to the door, I shook my head. Yesterday he showed a very kind, giving side to him. Not only had he provided a playground for those children, he'd invited Thomas to our breakfast. I had a feeling he understood that I was homesick and having someone from back home there helped ease that.

I stepped outside into the hallway as he held open the door. He shut it behind me and used a hand on my lower back to lead me downstairs. It was all very gentlemanly. This man knew all the games that the wealthy and powerful played. He knew how to behave himself, yet he lived his life very differently. I couldn't blame him. I'd choose this life over mine back home, too. I didn't need the money, and I didn't care about the social status that came with it.

"Oh, Eva! You look gorgeous," Jordan said, rushing forward when we got to the bottom of the stairs. All the women were dressed up, looking beautiful in their dresses.

"We never get to dress up anymore," Seek said with a smile, twirling in her floor length blue dress. Her usual shadows were there by her side. The older of the dogs came over and looked up at me, as though inspecting me.

I patted his head. “Oh, his fur is so soft.” I smiled down at him when he moved to my side and leaned against me.

The men were all in their usual, but Toxic had a t-shirt with a printed-on bow tie. It made me laugh when he walked into the main room and stood next to Butcher. The two men were so different, yet they fit together like puzzle pieces.

"Come on," Idaho said, taking my hand. "Let's eat."

I let him lead me over to one of the tables and pull out my chair. I sat down, then watched as he went around to his own seat. For whatever reason Auron seemed to appoint himself my guardian for the meal and flopped down under the table, on top of my feet. I didn't mind at all. I already loved Seek's dogs.

Jordan sat next to me while Sloane sat on Idaho's other side. Her face was a little pale and she looked exhausted, but she smiled and spoke with everyone.

"When are you due?" I asked her, leaning around Idaho to speak to her.

"A week ago," she told me with a wan smile.

"Oh, my," I replied.

"Maybe she wants to be a Christmas baby," Riptide told his wife with a grin.

"That would be amazing," Sloane said. "The best Christmas gift I could receive."

"Because you get to see your baby?" I asked.

She chuckled. "Yeah, that too."

"She's ready to be done being pregnant," Riptide confided with a grin.

Stomping feet interrupted the conversation as a horde of children raced into the dining room, each holding a present close to their chests. Dex ran over and climbed onto the chair next to Susie. Tori's son climbed into her lap, and Priest's girls circled around him. Sean and Grace moved slower, but still had excited smiles on their faces.

"I'm so excited," Dex said, bouncing in his seat.

Susie laughed. "Me too."

"Quit moving," Dash told his son. "You're going to fall off that chair."

"What's going on?" Jordan asked.

"We told the kids they could pick one gift each to open up tonight," Jenny told her.

"Can we open them now?" Cassie asked.

The parents all looked around at each other and ended up nodding. The sound of ripping paper and happy squeals filled the air. Something heavy touched my shoulder and I looked over and saw that Idaho had wrapped his arm around the back of my chair and his hand was brushing me. I bit my lip as I looked at him, but he didn't look down or acknowledge me at all. His eyes were on the children as they opened their gifts.

"I got a new dolly!"

"A truck!"

"I got an iPad!" Gabby gasped, eyes wide. She held it up for everyone to see.