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Lifting her head, she glanced at Gavin’s beautiful face, beyond grateful for hih she was happier than she could ever reut She didn’t want to look back, but ghosts from her past wouldn’t allow her to move forward Her ache for hera cloud of sadness
Trying to escape the despair taking hold, E for her mother followed her with each quiet step she took across the cold wood floor She shivered as she reached for the door handle, careful not to wake Gavin as she opened and closed it Being it was just shy of a quarter to eight, the house wasn’t alive yet Void of any sound and clear of any hts
On a sigh, she aze fell upon several ornaments she and Lisa had els glued to clothespins and silver, red, and gold glittered reindeer highlighting each of their naertips across the fading reathered in her eyes She sed, her body instantly shaken, her heart instantly crushed Had she already been without the only parent she’d ever known for close to a year? The saht her love and insanity in equal parts? Her mother’s voice danced in her ears as she tried to compose herself
Emily didn’t hear Gavin co presence blanketed the air He wrapped his arms around her fro down her cheek Still staring at the ornaments, she shook her head and sucked in a deep breath "How do I let her go?"
Gavin placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head, and without saying a word, he gently reached for Emily’s hand and led her back to the bedroom Confusion dripped into her e onto the bed After unzipping it and pulling out a s Emily toward him When she approached, he stared at her, his eyes soft with concern Once again, he reached for her hand and guided her onto his lap With her back against his bare chest, he moved her hair away froo, baby," he whispered as he clasped a diamond-studded, platinum oval locket around her neck "You hold onto her with everything you have You carry her with you through every joyousyour children’s eyes for the first tieneral You shoot for the stars with her in ive her for thethe bad times you have to face, you lean on whatever words of wisdoo Ever She wouldn’t want you to let her go"
Opening the locket, Eht Her eyes swept over a picture of her ainst her dark hair and her slow found only in one’s youth in her eyes, Emily couldn’t help but think it was the happiest she’d ever seen her mother Emily sniffled and more tears fell However, these tears were delivered by a in to understand the empty space in her heart he’d filled so , Emily straddled his waist and stared into Gavin’s eyes The e behind them riveted her She was in awe he was hers "My God, are you even real?" she whispered
Holding her gaze, a sad smile lifted his mouth "I think I am"
"Youher ar and I don’t even know it" Continuing to take in the pure, honest, unselfish man in front of her, Emily lost herself in the fact he was real "I’m able to close my eyes and just… trust you You’re the color on s, and I al I can’t i you here with me Please tell ht now Please"
Gavin sed, his senses reeling She owned hih words to let her kno much he knew she loved hiin to let her knoher life for him? Words weren’t ht his lips to hers, kissing her softly He kissed her the way she should’ve been kissed the first time ahe could banish every headstone of grief that’d taken up an ounce of space in her heart Wanting to wipe away every sick moment and twistedto shield her fro
In the silence, with only the sound of their beating hearts, Emily slowly pulled away The heaviness in her chest lifted, its weight no longer suffocating, no longer draining
Gavin ran his hands through her wavy hair, his smile soft "Merry first Christmas"
"Merry first Christ another kiss on his lips After a ed off hi in her luggage Pulling out a white bag, she lifted a devious brow "Now it’s ifts, but I have to warn you, you have to start using each of them today"
With an equally devious brow lifted, Gavin ran a hand through his rin on his ifts wouldn’t happen to include a black lace enses shaking uncontrollably around my head, would they?"
Eyes wide, Eh But shit if he didn’t look so hot waiting for her, shirtless no less She sed, suddenly aware of the throbbing between her legs All humor left her face as she slowly crawled onto the bed With the bag in one hand, she slightly lowered his sweatpants with the other She rained kisses along his hip, following his glorious tattoo all the way to the side of his left rib cage Sighing in pure contentment, she moved her lips back over every delicious peak and dip of his washboard abs She felt Gavin tense, hisHe buried his hands in her hair as she hovered, lightly ski beast’s wings In all its evilness, it tasted like the sweetest cotton candy
Eht-blue sexual intensity shocking her systeot this particular tattoo"
Gavin blinked, a rush of puffed air escaping histo ask ly licked your way uphis waist Looking down at hiot it where you did, but you left out why you picked a dragon"
Eyes zeroed in on her lips, Gavin son because I kneo it"
E I’m not the first to lick it?" In one quick movement, Gavin slipped his arasped, her heart nearly stopping as he hovered above her, lightly brushing his ht You are crazy"