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His cock edged inside her ass and twitched with the last vestiges of his release Some of the semen had worked its way out of her ass with the forceful thrusts and was sliding war while, still inside her, as his breaths calmed and he quieted above her He kissed her shoulder and then smoothed his hands down her arms and then down her sides

"So beautiful," he whispered "Andto ue She was perfectly content to be his for as long as he wanted her And she tried not to dwell on how short a tiht be

Chapter twenty-seven

Jace rose quietly fro soundly She hadn’t stirred since he’d untied her and carried her into the bathroo her to bed The moment her head had hit the pillow, she’d fallen asleep Which was good because in order for hi surprise, he’d definitely needed her oblivious

It had gutted him to hear she’d never had a Christmas tree, but what hurt him the most was that he hadn’t put up a tree in their apartment Their home He hadn’t even put one up for her in the other apart he’d always done without fail for Mia when she was growing up He’d taken her to see the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center But when she’d gotten older and they had separate residences, he’d never bothered putting up a tree It hadn’t made any sense when it was just hi up a tree for Bethany

After they’d gotten home, and Bethany had fallen asleep after they’d ency calls and Gabe, Mia and Ash had come over with an artificial tree and orna roo so that Bethany would see the He couldn’t wait to see her face Moreover, he’d ain

He went to his dresser and opened the top drawer, pulling out the slancing at theas first light softly illuminated the rooht of dawn Her hair spread out on his pillow, her fingers clutching his sheets In his bed Which here she belonged

He crawled back into bed, putting the present between them as he propped himself on his elbow, content to watch her while she slept He could wait He loved to watch her wake up, her eyes all dreaed with sleep, a soft s As if she were grateful for every moment away from her old life

It hurt hi to be able to erase it But he couldn’t change the past He could sure as hell change the future though

After a few er able to withstand the teer out to trace the soft lines of her face He followed the curve of her cheekbone, enjoying the satiny skin

Her eyelashes fluttered and her eyes opened, iaze Her eyes were soft and oh so sweet, cloudy but welco as if she were the most content wo up with that kind of look on her face? Like there was no place on earth she’d rather be

"Merry Christmas," he murmured as he leaned down to kiss her

"Merry Christmas," she returned

He pushed the box across the bed so it was right in front of her "I got you a present Well, it’s only one of the presents I got you"

Her eyes widened "Jace, we agreed no presents"

She sounded genuinely distressed and Jace’s chest clenched He put his finger over her lips to hush her

"No, you agreed no presents I never ently

"But I have nothing to give you," she said in agitation

He save ?"

She flushed and dropped her gaze He wouldn’t allow it, though He tipped her chin up with his finger, forcing her to look at hi ave ave me yourself"

Her cheeks went pink but pleasure sparked in her eyes

"Now open this present I wanted to give this one to you separately"

She pushed herself upward so she could sit cross-legged in front of the box She stared down at it as if it would bite her Then she hesitantly pulled the bow from the top and tore the paper off

It took two atteed to open the box and then she pulled out an intricate leather choker with a huge dianed to rest in the hollow of her throat

He’d spent a lot of tiht piece of jewelry It wasn’t just a necklace Far fronal of his ownership It was acollar Not that he would tell her that Later When she was more comfortable in their relationship For now, he was content with the knowledge that he knehat it was and that she would wear it

He’d looked at diamond chokers He’d looked at beautifully rendered precious stones in an array of decorative patterns But nothing had stood out as being so that suited Bethany Until he’d seen the rustic leather design He’d had the diamond teardrop added because it elevated the leather choker fro more worthy of the woman he considered his

"Jace, it’s beautiful," she whispered "Will you put it on me?"

Even as she spoke, she held out the choker to hi her back to hied it around her neck, securing it in back It fit perfectly, snug against her slim neck

When she turned back around, he was able to see the full effect, and it was ed to life at seeing his collar around her neck She was his and now the world would know it

The leather bands flowed in a delicate pattern, crisscrossing as they led in thethe necklace look dainty and delicate Just like Bethany It was bloody perfect She was perfect

"I want you to alear it," he said in a low voice "Never take it off Promise me"

Her eyes widened, but her face was flushed with happiness "I pro her asping for breath

"Put on one of o turn on the fireplace and you can open the rest of your presents"

Her lips twisted into an unhappy frown "I wish you hadn’t gotten h, baby You need to get used to the fact that I’ you Christift I could ever ask for Watching you opening the stuff I bought for you will make this the best Christ herself into his arms She tackled hied hi his face with kisses