There were games—both video and board—dolls, stuffed animals, seemingly every product ever made with a unicorn on it, and a stockpile of sketchbooks, stickers, and art supplies. But there was also clothing. Shirts, pants, pajamas, dresses, hoodies, enough to pack Ana’s dresser full, and three new pairs of shoes. Ana loved every bit of it, hugging every single gift while thanking Broxen and Gabby.
No one could ever have considered Ana a spoiled child, but Broxen sure seemed keen on changing that today.
“Mom,” Ana said, pushing a pile of gifts toward Gabriela. “These are for you.”
“What?” Gabby’s brow furrowed. She glanced at the gifts before turning her eyes toward Broxen. “But I…I didn’t get you…”
“You have given me everything, female,” Broxen said, running his hand up and down her arm. “Open them.”
Excitement filled Gabriela as Ana placed a wrapped box in her lap. Other than the sweet little homemade gifts Ana had given her over the years and gift cards sent from her parents, she couldn’t remember opening a present like this since she was a kid.
She tore open the wrapping and lifted the lid of the box within. Her eyes widened. There were several articles of clothing inside, but not just any kind of clothing—these were the satiny, revealing sort of clothes typically reserved for use in bedrooms during intimate moments.
Ana giggled and lifted a pair of lacy teal panties out of the box. “Preeeetty.”
Gabriela snatched the underwear away from her daughter and stuffed it back in the box, her cheeks turning red. “These, mija, are not for you.” She replaced the lid and set the box aside, giving Broxen what she hoped was a pointed but playful glare.
With a mischievous grin and fire in his eyes, he rumbled, “They’re for me.”
Now it wasn’t only Gabby’s cheeks that were warm. Fortunately, Ana had returned to the presents. The tip of Broxen’s tail brushed over Gabriela’s upper thigh as she and her daughter opened the remaining gifts.
Most of Gabriela’s gifts were clothes—not just lingerie, though there was a little more of it, but real clothes. Blouses and slacks, t-shirts and jeans, dresses, pajamas, shoes, and even a stylish new coat. She didn’t know if it would all fit, didn’t know if any of it would fit, but she didn’t care. Because he’d bought it all for her. He’d thought about her, he’d done what so many men seemed unwilling to do, and he’d braved clothing stores to get her gifts. Not just what he must’ve thought she’d look sexy in, but what he thought she’d be comfortable in.
There were also candles, a few boxes of gourmet chocolate, and a DVD of Gabriela’s favorite movie, The Terminator.
Had that been why he’d written it in that paper in his room?
But there was something else in one of the boxes, something that brought fresh tears to her eyes.
A nativity set.
She’d told him about the one she’d lost in the fire, the one that her mother had given her. Now, he’d given her a new one to cherish.
Gabriela turned and pressed a lingering kiss to Broxen’s cheek. “Thank you.”
When all the gifts were opened, a huge pile of crumpled wrapping paper and bows had accumulated on one side of the room. Ana lay on the floor in front of the fireplace, playing with some of her new toys, and Gabriela sat tucked against Broxen on the couch with her head resting on his shoulder. He had an arm wrapped around her, holding her close, and his tail lazily flicked back and forth over the top of her thigh.
Gabriela looked around—at the mess, at the gifts Broxen had bought for her and her daughter, at the crooked tree and its lovely, mismatched decorations, at the low-burning fire and the two stockings still hung on the mantle.
Even without the gifts, this had already been the best Christmas she could recall.
“You really didn’t have to do all this, Broxen,” she said, finally looking at him. “Thank you so much. For everything. You took us from disaster to…to paradise in a few days.”
He chuckled. “Don’t think anyone could call this place paradise. But with you two…I think it is. There’s one more thing, though.”
Gabby lifted her head. Her lips trembled as though unable to decide whether they wanted to smile or frown. “You don’t need to give us more, really.”
Keeping that gentle smile of his in place, he disentangled himself from her, withdrawing his arm and tail, and pushed himself to his feet. He walked to the fireplace, carefully stepping over Ana’s things that were strewn across the floor. He reached forward and plucked Gabriela’s stocking—the simple red and white one—off its hook.
“You didn’t check your stocking,” he said as he returned to her.
“Oh, Mom! Did Santa get you something?” Ana hopped to her feet and scurried over to sit beside Gabriela on the couch.
Broxen stopped in front of them and dipped his hand into the stocking. Gabby turned her gaze up to him with a crease forming between her brows. Her heart sped just a little, and her stomach fluttered; it must’ve had something to do with the way he was looking down at her. What was he doing? What was this?
As Broxen withdrew his hand from the stocking, he sank onto one knee. His hand emerged holding a jewelry box that looked so tiny in his big fingers. His tongue slipped out to wet his lips. Draping the stocking over his thigh, he took hold of the box’s lid and pried it open.
There was a necklace inside—a silver unicorn with a mane of glimmering stones, wrapped around a larger pink teardrop gemstone. Broxen held it out to Ana. “Ana…will you be my daughter?”
Ana looked from the necklace to Broxen, eyes rounding and shimmering with tears as her features crumpled. She nodded and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. “Santa really did grant me my Christmas wish. I love you.”
Broxen’s arms engulfed her in an embrace, one of his big hands cupping her head.
Gabriela covered her mouth with a hand and met his gaze, recognizing his love and affection for Ana in his eyes. She knew that her daughter could want for a no better father.
Ana turned her head, kissed his cheek, and drew back wearing a big smile. Broxen released her.
“My dad,” she said.
He grinned as he removed the necklace from the box and carefully wrapped it around Ana’s neck. His thick fingers fumbled with the delicate clasp for a few seconds before finally getting it closed. When it was in place, he looked up at her. “My daughter.”
Gabriela’s chest constricted.
“This is the best Christmas ever,” Ana said, pecking another kiss on Gabby’s cheek before stepped away and lifting the unicorn pendant off her chest to stare at it in wonder.
A gentle touch on Gabriela’s leg drew her attention back to Broxen. His tail stroked her thigh before trailing down to wrap around her ankle.
“I’m not done yet, female,” he said. He slipped his hand into the stocking again, keeping his eyes locked with Gabriela’s all the while. Drawing in a slow, deep breath, he took out another jewelry box, this one slightly larger than the first.
“Broxen,” Gabby breathed.
Broxen set the stocking on the floor, rested the little box on his palm, and took delicate hold of the lid. “Gabriela, my mate”—he slowly lifted the lid—“you are mine in all ways but this. Will you be my wife?”