Page 115 of Worth the Fall

“No,” I said a little too quickly. “But when you do, I’ll be ready.” I tried to sound confident.

He laughed. “You’ll be scared to death.”

“I’ll still say yes though,” I said, basically admitting to him that his assessment was spot-on.

“You’re mine forever, Little Runner. Never letting you go.”

“Better not.” I pushed against his chest, but he didn’t even budge. “Stupid, rock-hard chest.”

“Wanna go rock climbing later?” he asked with a wink, and I bit back a laugh as desire flooded my system.

“Absolutely.” I practically salivated at the thought.

Sex with Thomas was mind-blowing. Emotional. A connection I’d never known was possible between two people. I craved him constantly. Had no idea that it could be the way that it was between us. It definitely hadn’t been that way with my ex-husband.

Speaking of Eli, Lana had let me know the other day that he was seriously dating a girl we used to go to high school with, and all I could think was that he was her problem now. My first marriage honestly felt like a lifetime ago. Something I had toforcemyself to even remember because I was so far removed from it. It was weird to think how my ex and that time of my life rarely ever crossed my mind.

“Can you go make sure our daughter is dressed?” I said, and Thomas stopped mid-step.

“Say that again,” he demanded, his voice breathless, and I realized that it was the first time I’d called Clara that to anyone but myself.

Claiming her asminehad always felt a little wrong, considering that she was Jenna’s. And I never wanted to taint the memory of her real mother or for anyone to feel like I was trying to replace her. But yesterday morning at school, I’d called Clara my stepdaughter after someone asked, and Clara had interrupted and told the woman that she was my real daughter.

Apparently, Clara didn’t like the wordstepand didn’t want me to call her that. The two of us had agreed that Clara was both mine and Jenna’s. I just hadn’t gotten around to telling Thomas about our conversation yet. He’d distracted me last night with all the things he liked to do to my body. And I was not about to call that off. It was too damn good. I had been too damn willing.

“Can you please go get our daughter?” I said, but I thought he might rip off my clothes instead.

“That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard you say, baby.” His voice was practically a growl, and I considered throwing my clothes off for him. “I fucking love you.”

“I love you too,” I said before spinning around to look in the mirror instead of those lust-filled eyes. “Now, let me finish getting ready so we can go.”

He disappeared with a satisfied grin on his face.

The drive over to Patrick’shouse was filled with Christmas music and lots of off-key singing. My life had turned into a thing of beauty I wouldn’t have even thought was possible a year ago. I’d come so far from where I’d once been.

We pulled into the long driveway, which had colorful snowmen lining each side of it, and when the house finally came into view, I gasped out loud. Patrick’s home itself was a work of art, but to see it decorated for Christmas was even more awe-inspiring. And the ironic thing was that no one could even appreciate all that he’d done. None of it was visible in the slightest from the road, except for the little snowmen.

“Look at all the lights,” I said, pointing them out to Clara as my heart filled with joy instead of trepidation.

This is a good thing, I thought to myself.

Every single window was framed with garland that was lit up. There were red bows around wreaths that hung in the center of each. And going up the massive staircase to the front door was more garland and more of the matching red bows.

The roof had white lights that spanned from the front of the house all the way to the back of it. Even his freestanding workshop was decorated to match.

“I think Patrick wins,” I said as soon as Thomas put the car in park.

“Wins what?”

“The decorating contest I wasn’t aware we were having.” I hopped out of the car and opened up Clara’s door.

“It’s his first Christmas in this house. I think he just wants it to be special,” Thomas said, but my female intuition told me that there was more to it than that.

“Maybe he made it extra special for me, Mama? Since I have a room here,” Clara said matter-of-factly, and, heck, maybe she was right. Maybe Patrick had done all of this for his niece.

When we knocked on the front door, Jasper started barking, and Patrick shouted for us to come in. Jasper sniffed both me and Thomas before making a beeline right for his favorite girl, Clara. She laughed and patted him on the head while he stayed right by her side, nudging her along with his nose.

We stepped inside and were greeted with an even more amazing wonderland. Lights. Trees. Garland. More red bows. Stockings. But while everything outdoors was crisp and white, everything inside was full blazing color.