“Don’t ever hold back, Jules. I always want to know what you’re feeling. I don’t care if you’re first or second, as long as you’re with me.”
Her stomach growled loudly, and they both laughed. She buried her face in his chest, and he patted her butt.
“Come on, my hungry love.” He kissed her forehead. “Let’s get cleaned up, and we’ll go eat.”
She popped out of bed and twirled around gloriously naked, singing on her way into the bathroom. “You love me like crazy right now, crazy right now…”
He laughed, and when she disappeared behind the door, he fell back on the pillow and threw both fists up at the ceiling. She loves me!
He’d thought saving lives was the ultimate fulfillment, but nothing compared to being loved by Jules Steele.
She came out of the bathroom, still singing as she put on her underwear and his T-shirt. She was so damn cute. He sat up and reached for his prosthesis. “My crutches are still in the truck. Give me a minute to get this thing on and get cleaned up.”
A mischievous grin lifted her lips, and she grabbed it out of his hands, clutching it against her chest. “I like having you captive in my bed.”
“Jules,” he warned, though the idea sent a streak of heat through him.
“You’re at my mercy.” Her eyes darkened.
He grabbed her by the hips, hauling her closer, and she giggled. “Careful, or I’ll put you over my knee.”
She waggled her brows. “Now, that sounds fun.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
THANKSGIVING ARRIVED WITH crisp winter wind and clear blue skies, but as Grant stood in his mother’s living room decorating the Christmas tree with Jules and his family before dinner, even the cold air seeping in through the open window couldn’t chill the warmth they stirred. There was still an underlying current of uncertainty, and Grant knew there would be until he came to a decision about that damn paternity test. But at least it wasn’t the rocky divide they’d battled for so many years. He didn’t know if telling Jules he loved her had opened a portal inside him to the love he had been tamping down for his family, or if his talk with his parents had opened a different door before that, allowing his love for Jules to shine through even stronger. But he supposed it didn’t matter. He was thankful to be feeling so much goodness toward all of them.
“Are you going to hang up that ornament or stroke it like a—”
“Wells!” Keira shoved him.
Wells laughed. “You’ve got a dirty mind, Kei. I was gonna say stroke it like a genie’s lamp.”
“A genie’s lamp, my butt.” Keira flipped her hair over her shoulder as she went up on her tippy-toes to put an ornament on the tree.
As his siblings joked around, Grant looked at the ornament in his hand. He’d seen the little clay soldier holding the American flag, with the year he’d joined the military engraved on a dog tag around its neck, plenty of times, but he’d never really thought about it. He glanced at his father, telling Jules stories about some of the ornaments they’d made when they were little, and suddenly that clay ornament in Grant’s hand took on a whole new meaning. He’d always thought his father had been selfish to try to stop him from the careers he’d chosen. But as he listened to the love resonating from his father’s voice as he talked about his children, Grant wondered if he’d ever be able to give his own child his blessing to follow in his footsteps.
Jules hung an ornament on the tree, and his father pulled another one from the box, holding up an ornament Grant had made at the Seaport community holiday breakfast when he was six years old. The tiny stuffed elf riding a candy cane looked more like a deranged elf holding his raging boner.
“And this was Grant’s greatest ornament of all,” his father said with a grin.
“Oh my goodness.” Jules laughed. “Grant. You were a dirty little scoundrel!”
“Were?” Keira smirked.
“I always put that naughty thing on the back of the tree,” Bellamy teased.
“You all have dirty minds,” Grant said sternly. “That’s an elf riding a candy cane.”
“At least that’s what you tried to convince everyone of when you climbed on a chair at the breakfast and showed it to everyone,” his father said.
They all laughed.
“Jules, honey, would you like to take that one home for your tree?” his mother asked.
“I can’t take your memories,” Jules said.
“Sweetheart, it’s not like you’re running away with it and we’ll never see it again. You’re with Grant, our ever-prepared eye-on-the-prize boy. Grant has never taken a step onto a road until he’d seen the whole map and known without a doubt that he could make it to the finish line. I have a feeling you’re here for the long haul.”
Jules looked at Grant, and he could do little more than lift a brow. His mother was right about that.
“But we got together when Grant’s future was uncertain,” Jules said. “So maybe he’s changed.”
Wells scoffed. “Grant didn’t change, just his appearance did. You’re his map, Jules,” Wells said. “Take the damn boner ornament.”
Jules took the ornament from their father, trying to keep a straight face as she held it up. “Thank you. Grant and I are getting our tree next weekend. I see a naughty-elf theme in our tree’s future.”
“That’s my girl.” Grant leaned in for a kiss.
“So, you’re getting a joint Christmas tree?” Fitz teased. “Does that mean you’re sticking around through the holidays after all, Grant?”
“Unless I get sick of y’all.” Grant hung the soldier ornament on the tree. “Actually, I talked to Roddy about fixing up the bungalow. I figured if I’m going to be renting it for a while, I might as well make it nicer.”
“Really?” Keira asked with surprise.
“Yeah,” Grant said. “I’m going to get started this weekend cleaning up the brush and the driveway.”
“Oh, honey, that’s great news,” his mother said.
Fitz clapped him on the shoulder. “That sounds a lot like you’re putting down roots.”
“Shh. Don’t use scary words,” Bellamy chided him, and whispered, “Baby steps.”
Grant laughed.
“I can spare a few hours Saturday before the flotilla to help you clean out that brush if you’d like,” his father said.
He met his father’s gaze and took hold of that olive branch. “I’d like that. I have to be done by three or four anyway. I told Brant I’d help set up for the flotilla.”
“I’ll help,” Fitz said.
“Suck-up.” Wells chuckled. “Count me in.”
“I have to work,” Keira said.
“And I have a meeting in Chaffee,” his mother said.
“Darn it,” Bellamy said. “Jules and I have to work.”
“Thanksgiving weekend is always busy, and we’re closing early for the flotilla,” Jules explained.
“No worries. This is men’s work anyway,” Wells said arrogantly.
Grant shook his head. Man, he felt good right now. He wanted to keep it going. “I’ve got some other news I wanted to share with you.”