“What are you doing with that?” she bit her lip.
“It’s my turn for dessert. I like chocolate, but straight up sugar is more my speed,” he tugged on the sheet until it fell away from her breasts loving the way she arched her back proudly as he gazed lovingly at her spectacular shape.
She was full-figured in all the best places with generous tip-tilted breasts that more than filled his extra-large hands. Dean took the lemon wedge and rubbed it lightly over one plump berry of a nipple then dipped his finger in the bowl and put a dusting of the fine powder-like sugar on one then the other.
Violet’s eyes heated as he leaned down and lavished attention on first one then the other. The sugar and lemon combination only served to bring out her natural scent and when all was said and done that was what he wanted the most.
“Finally,” she said as he nibbled his way to her mouth, “this has really turned out to be some Christmas,” she smiled and he wanted to beat his chest and holler to the whole world that he was the man who’d done that.
Dean Romero put that look on her face, and he planned to do it often and again, for as long as the two of them walked the planet.
Suddenly it hit him. She was his own Christmas miracle and he just had to tell her. Why wait?
“I love you, Violet,” he whispered eyes wide as the truth of his words wrapped around his heart and soul like a vise, he never wanted to be free of.
“Dean, I-”
“No, you don’t have to say it back. You’ve been through so much today, I can only imagine how you feel.”
“I don’t know if you can. This is all like some fantasy, a dream come true. I mean not the accident, but if that is what it took to meet you then yes, that too,” she sat up and took his face in her hands in earnest, “Maybe I’m a silly romantic, but I’ve always believed in love at first sight. You saved my life, gave me a wonderful gift, and now my Tigress is growling in my head constantly that she knows you’re my mate. So don’t tell me to shush when I tell you that I love you too.”
“You do?” he said, and fuck it, yes, he might have teared up at her confession.
“Yes, I do.”
“Thank fuck,” he pulled her close and hugged her tight to him as they both laughed and whispered those three little words over and over again.
Of course, the sound of something landing on the roof had them both jumping apart and looking up at the skylight, where truth be told, the sight Dean saw left him absolutely speechless.
“Was that?”
“Uh-”
“Is he real?” Violet stage whispered and Dean was too awestruck to answer.
“I mean, I’ve heard rumors, but I have never found any evidence either way.”
Violet bit her lip again and her warm brown eyes glowed with mischief as she tugged on his hand,
“Come on! Let’s see if he left us anything,” she giggled and sped down the stairs wearing nothing but the sheet she’d pulled from the bed.
Dean was still wearing the pajama bottoms he’d donned earlier to make the dessert plate. His Tiger pushed at him to hurry up so as not to leave his mate unattended for any amount of time and that was something he could totally understand.
“Hang on, let me go first,” he said and gently pulled her behind him as they walked to the softly glowing embers of the fireplace in the living room where a very small, very red package waited.
Curiosity got the best of Dean and Violet and together they knelt in front of the small prettily wrapped gift.
“You open it,” he grinned when he saw her expression.
“You sure?”
“Yes, I already got my gift.”
That little statement earned him a kiss, which caused him to think silently that he got two presents now. He liked watching her enthusiasm rise as she tore the paper carefully.
A familiar blue box sat in the palm of her hand, and Violet bit her lip while Dean picked up the tiny card that had fallen out with the paper.
“What’s it say?” she asked wondrously.
“It says ‘don’t be an ass, ask her already’,” he laughed and took the box from her hand opening it towards her while assuming the proper position.
On bended knee, heart on his sleeve, Dean looked up at his mate with heat and love in his worshipful gaze, “Violet Martinez, the last twenty-four hours have been the most amazing of my entire life and I want you to know that it is because of you. I’m kneeling before you now asking you to take me, Dean Romero, Neta of the Island Stripe Tiger Pride, as your husband and mate until eternity. I promise to respect, love, honor, cherish, and worship you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”
Epilogue
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Alex blinked against the bright light, his head still pounded from the Christmas party and he had no idea what to make of what his Neta was saying.
“I said, I found her, my mate. We were married this morning and will be returning to the penthouse this afternoon. Have it cleaned and make sure everyone is ready to meet their new Nari,” Dean commanded from the satellite phone Alex had snuck into the trunk of his Valkyrie.
“Yes, Neta,” Alex wasn’t too hungover from the night before to not recognize that tone of voice.
“Is she hot?” he asked and pulled the phone away from his ear as his Neta roared ferociously into the phone.
“Mine!” growled Dean.
“Holy hell! She is your fated mate! All will be made ready, Neta,” Alex said and grinned from ear to ear.
Once he hung up on his Beta, Dean turned to his beautiful Christmas bride. She was smiling happily, resplendent in a white gown they’d picked up from her boss, Sherry McAllister, who happened to be a Witch married to a Werewolf, on their way to be wed.
After the small, intimate ceremony, which was performed by a Wolf Shifter who lived near Atlantic City, Dean and his new bride decided to head back to his penthouse.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take a few days to get used to this?” he’d asked, but his mate shook her head.
“I don’t want to wait another moment to start my life with you.”
“This has turned out to be the most incredible Christmas,” he brought their entwined hands to his lips and kissed her wrist, loving the shiver that travelled through her at the contact.
He would enjoy spending the rest of his life finding those special places that made her purr and tremble with desire. After explaining to her what it meant to be his Nari and offering to step down as Neta if she was uncomfortable because her happiness was tantamount to everything else, his mate had narrowed her eyes and demanded he take her to meet his Pride immediately.
“You are the rightful Neta, and I am your Nari, I would never ask you to step down, Dean. I am proud to be at your side,” she’d said.
“I love you, Violet Romero, you are truly the most extraordinary woman I have ever met, and you are the best damned Christmas present I have ever gotten,” he grinned and yes, the Tiger inside of him liked that she chose to take his name very much.
“I love you too, Dean, but I think you’re wrong. I am the one who was given a gift and that’s you,” she returned.
“I love you,” he growled and Violet leaned over to take his lips with hers.