“Get dressed,” I hiss at him, but he's already reaching for his clothes and lazily pulling his boxer briefs on.
“I’m getting dressed,” I shout, pretending not to still be in orgasmic bliss.
“Seriously?” I can hear her roll her eyes as she turns the knob again.
“Get in the closet,” I whisper to Miller, pushing him toward it.
“You think I’m going to hide in a closet?” he chuckles.
“For me?” I plead with him, and his face softens.
“For you,” he agrees, kissing the tip of my nose, and then goes and hides. I tighten my robe around me and open the door for my sister.
“I’ll be down in a second,” I say, and she narrows her eyes at me.
“Dad’s gonna murder him,” she whispers. “Your room smells like sex.” I want to ask her how she knows what sex smells like, but then I remember she walked in on her cheating boyfriend in the act.
“Stall them for me,” I quietly beg. She hesitates for a moment but then relents.
“Fine, but you’re going to do the dishes,” she says, then turns around and walks downstairs.
I rush to the closet and open the doors. “Now what?” Miller gives me a playful smile.
“You go out the window.” He raises his eyebrows at me. “They do it in movies,” I point out.
“Fine, krasota. I need to go get Frost. I'm going to have to drag him here.” He kisses me one last time before I walk over to my window and open it. He climbs through and easily jumps out of it like it’s nothing.
“I love you,” I say, and I can’t help but smile because it reminds me of a romance book or a Hallmark movie.
I shut the window and quickly get myself together before I rush downstairs and get to work. Thankfully my parents don’t seem to notice anything was amiss this morning, and Cookie keeps a lid on it.
Time flies by as we cook and laugh, so when I hear the doorbell chime, I all but run to the door.
We stayed up late last night talking, and he told me more about his parents. After all of that I knew that today would be perfect. I want them to see what Thanksgiving should be about and welcome him and Frost into our family. With all this marriage talk, this will be their family too, and it’s important for us to share this.
I open the door and the first thing I see is Frost looking bored. But my man gives me a smile as he bends down to kiss me, and I can’t believe how much I missed him in such a short time.
My dad clears his throat, and I quickly pull back from Miller. I introduce everyone, but Dad is staring a hole into Miller.
“Why don’t you get Frost a drink? Miller and I are going to have a quick chat on the porch,” my dad says, and I quickly agree.
“Okay.” I’m not worried in the least because Miller will fight to keep me and that alone will have my dad seeing what I mean to him.
I lead Frost into the living room, and he sighs as he drops down on the couch. If it was Christmas, I’d call him the Grinch.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I ask.
“Vodka.”
“Okaaay,” I say slowly. “We might have that.” I head into the kitchen and find a bottle in the fridge. “For Frost,” I say before Mom or Cookie can ask. “Can you take it to him, Cookie? I need to check on the bread.”
It’s the only thing I can think of to get her out there to meet him alone.
“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes and sees right through my bullshit.
As she walks out of the kitchen, my dad and Miller come in. They’re both smiling, and I’m so happy that I rush to Miller and put my arms around his waist. He greets my mom, and they chat for a bit as I feel him kiss the top of my head.
“Do I smell pelmeni?” he asks, and I lean back to look up at him.
“I hope I did it right.”
“You are too good to me, krasota.”
We start placing the dishes on the table, and Frost walks in. His eyes narrow on Cookie as he watches everything she does. She pretends he’s not there, which I think may be driving him crazy. When we tell everyone dinner is ready, Frost makes sure he gets a seat next to my sister.
“I know what you are doing, krasota,” Miller whispers into my ear before kissing my cheek. I shrug, thinking my plan is working.
We all sit down and we’re just about to begin serving dinner when Miller stands from the table. I look up at him, unsure of what he’s doing as he drops to one knee. My eyes fill with tears when I realize this is it.
“You are the greatest thing that ever happened to me, Pumpkin. You will marry me.”
A laugh bubbles up inside of me at his demand, but that’s my Miller. Part of the reason I’m so in love with him is because he goes for what he wants, and he wants me. I hold my hand out as he slips the ring onto it. Thanksgiving could not be more perfect as I say yes to the question he didn’t ask and then kiss the love of my life.
Later, as I glance over at Cookie and Frost, I think Christmas might be just as perfect.
Epilogue
Miller
Sixteen years later…
“Stop looking out the window,” Pumpkin says as she comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my waist.
“I’m just checking on the roses.” I drop the curtain and scowl as she laughs.
“Liar.”
I turn around so I can look down at her and I take her chin in my hand. “What do you expect? Our daughter is with a boy, and I don’t like it.”
“She’s with a friend.” She looks at me softly, but I know she hides the truth from me.
Maybe it’s better I don’t know, and Pumpkin must know that. Because if our baby girl Natalie has a boyfriend, I would break his legs.
The sound of an engine has me turning around, and I see a car pulled up out front. The boy’s mother and father are in the car, and I stare as the boy gets out and holds the door open for Natalie.
“He’s got good manners,” Pumpkin says, and I just huff.
“He is small.”
“He’s sixteen.” Pumpkin nudges my back, and I grunt.
“I should go outside and talk to his parents.” I move to the door, and she grabs my arm.
“Miller, I already talked to them earlier, it’s fine. Let the boy say goodbye to Natalie.” She’s pleading with me as her hands move across my chest. She’s not playing fair.
“Fine.” I give in even though I don’t want to and stand there waiting for Natalie to come inside.
After a long moment on the other side of the door, she walks inside, and her cheeks are bright red.
“What were you doing?” I bark, but Pumpkin steps in front of me.
“How was the movie, baby? Did you guys have a good time?”
“Yes! It was really funny, and Drake bought me snacks and popcorn.”
“Where did you get lipstick?” I scowl at the pink on her lips.
Natalie shrugs as she walks past with her mother. “From Aunt Cookie.”
“Cookie.” I say her name like a curse as Pumpkin goes with Natalie into the kitchen.
I walk out the side door to where our houses connect, and I see Cookie on the patio washing her dog.