“I’ll never keep you out again, Noah.”
“Damn right, you won’t.” His lips nuzzled my throat. “I intend to know everything about you, Avery. No more boundaries, no more secrets.”
“It’s not all pretty.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Everything you are and everything you’ve ever been makes you the beautiful Avery you’ve become. You might be less sugar than spice, and you might not always be nice, but you’re real, and I’m only interested in the real you. That’s all you ever need to be for me. Understand?”
I just needed to be myself. “I understand.”
“Good girl.”
He seamlessly took the reins, but I didn’t panic. He knew what I needed and would eventually hand them back. A relationship was about give and take. It was about taking turns. It was about being there for each other, in any way necessary.
He’d get me at my best and sometimes my worst, but I believed he’d love all of me, without conditions and without cost. And I intended to love him the same—passionately, completely. So long as he continued to need me, I intended to be there—loving him.
Epilogue
Noah
Bobby Helms belted out Jingle Bell Rock as I held the front door for our neighbors. They stomped their feet on the mat and shook the flurries off their coats as they hung them on the overflowing coat tree in the foyer.
“That’s great!” Keith laughed, pointing to my sweater that had Santa dancing in a thong. “Where’s Avery?” He handed me a bottle of spiced rum.
“She’s around here somewhere.” I pressed a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “Merry Christmas, Katie.”
“Merry Christmas, Noah. Is Laurel here?”
“She’s around somewhere.” I shut the door and took the rum to the bar where Avery had made a huge bowl of eggnog. “There you are.”
I placed the rum with the others and stole a quick squeeze of her ass. I loved when she wore those leggings that showed off every curve. These ones happened to have candy canes all over them to go with her hideous holiday sweater.
“Keith and Katie are here.”
“Oh!” Avery turned, her hair in a spunky ponytail on top of her head making her look far too cute. “I have her earrings. She left them at the last game night.”
I trapped her in my arms before she could go running off. “Pay the toll.”
She smiled up at me and pressed her lips to mine. I breathed her in, taking another squeeze of her ass while I had the chance. “Mmm… You taste like Christmas cookies.”
“Get a room, you two!” My sister grumbled as she caught us.
Avery slipped out of my arms. “Laurel, have you met my brother, Drew, yet? I should introduce you.”
I hung back as she took my sister's hand, pulling her into the dining room. It was nice having Drew around, though I wasn’t sure if I wanted him taking notice of my sister. Still, he was the only family member Avery reached out to and reestablished a relationship with, so I didn’t object.
“Knock, knock.”
Recognizing Lucy’s voice, I returned to the foyer. She was buried in wool accessories and holding some sort of casserole.
“I’ll take that.” I relieved her of the dish, and she pulled off her hat.
“It’s taco dip. Avery doesn’t have to heat it or anything. I have chips.” She reached into her bag, withdrawing a file, and said, “Quick, sign these before Avery sees. You know how she hates when we talk work, but you forgot to sign these before you left the office.”
“Where would I be without you?” I scratched my signature across the form.
“Lost somewhere asking for directions.”
“True story.” I lifted the dip and chips. “I’ll give this to Avery. Bar’s in the living room. Help yourself.”
Carols continued to play as the house warmed with laughter and familiar faces. Bright lights shined from the front lawn, as we spent weeks making sure our yard had the tackiest display of all suburbia. Inside, guests voted on ugly sweaters—the grand prize was a basket of cheer.
Once things were rolling and everyone had a nice buzz, I clanked a fork to my glass. “Can I have everyone’s attention for a second?”
It took several tries to get everyone somewhat quiet. So I let out a loud whistle.
“Where’s Avery?”
“I’m in here!”
I shook my head. “Will someone get her out here?”
Everyone shouted for her and she came into the den, holding a bottle of whipped cream and wearing a frazzled expression.
“What?”
“Come here.”
She rolled her eyes and handed the whipped cream to Laurel. “I was making up the pudding shots.”
“The pudding shots can wait. Get your ass over here. Where’s your drink?”
“I lost it.”
I snagged her hip once she made it through the sea of guests and pulled her to my side. Holding up my glass, I said, “I want to thank all of you for joining us tonight in our new home. And I want to thank my beautiful Avery for putting together yet another great gathering of friends.” I kissed her cheek, and she blushed adorably.
Everyone lifted their glasses and toasted Avery. I swallowed the last sip of my cocktail and placed it on the end table.
“Keith, can you kill the music for a second?”
The room silenced and filled with curious, expectant looks. I turned back to Avery and took her hands.
“Avery, it was a little over a year ago that you walked into my life and threw my world off its axis. I haven’t been the same since. I’ve been better, happier, and every day that I wake up next to you, I wake up with a smile. You’re the woman of my dreams, and I want to wake up beside you for the rest of my life.”
I reached into my pocket and removed the small velvet box. Dropping to a knee, I looked up at her and laughed. She was wearing an expression I’d never seen her make before, a cross between shock and disbelief and terror and joy.
“I love you, Avery. Will you marry me?”
There were several awws from the crowd, but Avery covered her mouth and didn’t say a word. Her eyes glazed with tears and she shook her head—it was enough for me to fear this might not go the way I planned and suddenly I felt as if I were jumping out of a plane.
Seconds expanded, and my heart raced. I cracked open the box, showing her the ring and held my breath. Her shoulder shook as tears dampened her lashes, her face hidden behind her fingers. I started to tremble as well, and then I was falling to my back, tackled to the ground as she kissed me.
My fist closed over the ring box, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight. The music kicked on—one of her favorites—Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You, and everyone cheered.
At the pop of a champagne cork, we pulled our lips apart and I smiled. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes, that’s a yes.”
“I love you.”
She brushed her mouth to mine. “I love you more.”
I bit at her lips. “Impossible.”
She sighed. “I want you.”
“Wanna sneak upstairs?”