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Within his embrace, while I look around at ift touched them, my heart wants to climb out of my chest and burrow inside his

A few more tears slide down ently pressing my lips to his

“Thank you So ainst his ainst my skin

“This was okay?” he asks, leaning back to ift?”

“More than good,” I whisper back “Thisto me”

You are everything to in and sit down on the bed while Ava finishes brushing her teeth in the bathroom “Christmas Day with your fa”

She peeks around the door, the toothbrush clutched in her hand and the bristles still les “Tired?” she asks around a mouthful of toothpaste

“Tired is an understateh ht even skip my workout”

“Skip your workout? What?” Ava pushes a wide-eyed, albeit dramatic, shocked look to her face “That’s blasphele and moves back into the bathroom to finish her bedtime routine

The faucet switches on, and I glance out theto spot snow still descending from the sky A true white Christmas in Vermont With Ava and her holiday-crazy family Frankly, I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun

Today’s events didn’t disappoint

Between the big breakfast buffet and opening presents and drinking insane a over whoher ass off over their bickering—while eating their cookies,her dad buzz around in his Santa suit, saying “Ho ho ho!” every chance he could get, this is, hands down, the best Christ time

When I woke up thisI had made into prints I just wasn’t sure how Ava would react Lately, she’s been so private and hesitant about her art But when I spotted that painting in her o, I felt like it would be a travesty if her family never saw it

I simply knew they would love it, and more than that, that they’d see what I see—Ava is incredibly talented

So ift proves that fact

Although, I’ve yet to find the right ive it to her

With Ava still in the bathroom, I head over to my suitcase and pull out the white envelope wrapped with a red bow Her nanifies so s

That I believe in her