“That was Tristan’s idea.” He’d noticed the bag full of books she’d brought on the trip and ordered the gift as soon as we arrived. My mother hugged Tristan as if he were her son.

  TJ snapped photographs with his new camera. Emma squeaked and cried and over-exaggerated every single surprise she opened. I didn’t know what half of her new gadgets were, and waited patiently until she opened mine. When she lifted the lid off the small, elongated box, I knew she’d be speechless for, at least, a minute or two.

  She threw her arms around me neck in an excited hug. “Thank you. I love you so much,” she said into my hair. “It’s the best gift ever.”

  “What did she get?” Wilma asked.

  Emma lifted the pink pen out of its pouch.

  “A pen? You got her a pen, and she likes that the most?” Julian stared, open-mouthed.

  “The engraving says: To the best godmother in the world.” Emma beamed with pride.

  “Ahh,” Wilma cooed.

  My mom blew a sniffle, and Tristan nudged me in my arm. “It’s your turn, Allie. Open your gift.”

  “There are none left,” Emma said. “Did you not get her anything? Because if you didn’t, you’d better run to the closest store, if you can find one open, and buy her the one you were looking at the other day when we went out—”

  “I think that’s enough, Ems.” Tristan gave his sister a stern look.

  “Allie’s gift is on the tree. I hid it because I didn’t want anyone guessing what it is.” He gave Emma a knowing look before he turned to face me again. “Find it.” He grabbed my hands and pulled me off the cushioned seat. I searched through the branches; their fresh needles pricked my skin until my hand caught a velvet box. I pulled the gift out and asked, “This one?”

  “Yes.” The scar twisted his mouth into a boyish grin.

  I flipped the lid open to see a beautiful platinum necklace, a bracelet, and a matching pair of earrings nestled on a cushion. It was simple enough to wear every day, and I appreciated that. I’d never worn jewelry while out in the field, but now that I worked at Silver Securities, this would really come in handy. Especially since I’d been dying to buy a set for the office.

  “I love it, thank you.” I kissed him, but he then reached into his pocket and held a smaller box in his palm. A much smaller one.

  “Maybe this one as well?” The break in his voice stopped time, and the world disappeared as Tristan lowered to his knee, and opened the box with a beautiful diamond ring. He took my hands into his, and asked, “Allie Green, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and marry me?”

  I heard an elated ‘Yes’ in the distance, and my knees wobbled. Tristan caught me before I fell and steadied me. I tightened my grip on his hands and looked up into his eyes, saying. “Yes, to both.”

  He slipped the ring on my finger. It was a simple stone, one that reminded me of Bedrock and the Flintstones. They’d carved the glistening gem to resemble a rock, yet so meticulously that it wasn’t sharp. The diamond was one of a kind.

  “Your turn for a gift,” I whispered, pulling out an envelope from a bag I’d held onto. I wouldn’t risk anyone finding out about this. After all, what do you get a man who’s just proposed to you and already has everything? He carefully tore the envelope’s seam, and the Christmas card slid out.

  “And I hope you keep this gift to yourself,” I said to him.

  “Not fair,” Emma whined.

  First were the coupons I’d made. He could use them anywhere and anytime he wanted, no questions asked.

  Tristan’s eyes widened as he flipped through the twenty-page coupon booklet of me offering sex on the spot, blow jobs, mutual masturbation, pure fuck-me-now requests, a few sixty-nines and massages: no questions asked, no out clause. I was pretty much his twenty-four hours a day and couldn’t say no for as long as the coupons lasted. Not that I wanted to say no, but this was certainly a fun game to play while pregnant. He shifted in his seat and adjusted his pajama bottoms, and then opened the letter I’d written. I bit my lip, waiting for the reaction, and when the tears fell and his lips parted, I knew he’d come to the part where I’d told him we were having twins.

  He ignored the hard wood in his pants, stood up, and lifted me into his arms, kissing me hard.

  “This is the best Christmas gift ever.”

  “What’s it say?” Emma pointed to the letter.

  “This gift stays a secret until after birth.”

  Emma frowned. TJ stole her attention with a photograph of her side profile. I watched my best friend and James sharing a large mug of hot chocolate, along with their kids, and the moment felt so right, I couldn’t imagine anything better.

  I snuggled into Tristan’s arm. “You’re happy?”

  He glanced down. “No, I’m so in love with you, and I… I just can’t wait. Everything’s going to work out now. I know it is, and I can’t thank you enough.” He pressed his lips to mine again.

  “Get a room, you two,” Julian interrupted.

  And that was exactly what we intended to do.

  But maybe there was one thing better than tonight, and that was New Year’s Eve—and the next best surprise I should have expected from the man who deserved my heart and loyalty.

  CHAPTER 14

  TRISTAN

  We’d booked New Year’s Eve at a place in the small town in the valley. I waited with Allie downstairs while my family took their time dressing. I paced back and forth in the hallway. If this continued, we would be late for one of the most important days of my life. I was ready to take that step and make my commitment known to the world, but they were testing my patience.

  I grabbed Allie’s arm as she reached for her jacket and pulled her inside the closet, locking the doors behind us.

  “What are you doing?”

  I held her wrist and felt her pulse rush underneath my fingertips. It almost burned to hold her there. I pinned her in the back of the closet, feeling her up. The little light passing through the door slits lit up her face in glowing streaks.

  “I’m using a coupon.” I grazed over her earlobe and let go of her wrist, shifting my focus to the throbbing vein at the base of her neck, where I felt her racing heartbeat with my lips.

  “Tristan, someone’s going to hear us.” But her resistance dwindled as her mouth said one thing and body something entirely different.

  “Ask me which coupon I’m going to use.”

  “What?”

  “Just ask. You won’t regret it. It’s your next favorite after MTP care.”

  “My next favorite is your cock,” she panted, as I rubbed my hand over the zipper and her tight white jeans. Emma had encouraged Allie to dress in all white, and Allie had no clue why. She looked like a fucking angel who would soon be my wife. The problem was, she was an irresistible angel with a dirty mouth, and I wasn’t patient enough to wait until my wedding night. So I used a coupon.

  “Wrong answer.”

  “But this isn’t the right place,” she protested. Was she trying to convince me or herself?

  I decided kissing her like she was mine forever would show her just how right everything was when she was with me. Her body yielded to my hold, relaxing and welcoming the stolen moment. God, she tasted like those damn delicious strawberries. It was almost hypnotic.

  “What if someone catches us?” she said against my mouth.

  “I’m sure nobody will need an explanation of what I want to do to you.”

  “And what is it you want to do?” She breathed hard.

  “Much more than I have time for, but I always have time for your pussy.”

  I yanked on her pants and skimmed her inner thigh. Her soft flesh gave into my fingers, her hips tilted forward, and I drew over her mound. The damn jeans stood between me and her pleasure.

  “What coupon?” she breathed hard.

  “What do you want it to be?”

  “Fast, do it fast.”

  “Do what?’

  “Get me off. Make me come. Please.”

  I had lowered the front of her mommy pouch already and slid my hand underneath her pants and panties.

  “You know that only makes me want to do it slow,” I whispered in her ear.

  “Okay, okay, do it slow.”

  I rubbed over her clit back and forth, stroking the nub. “Like that?”

  “Oh, gosh.” She drew her quick breaths through tight lips and thrashed in my grip. “Maybe a little faster, please,” she panted.

  I pulled up her juices and circled my fingers over the pressure, then latched onto her neck. She tilted her head sideways, giving me access while pressing into my hand. My strokes sped up, her mouth opened, her thighs quivered, and her excitement trickled into my hand. And just when I thought I had her, her warm hand wrapped around my hard dick, breaking my concentration. She stroked my length from the bottom up in a ball-tightening motion. Yet I couldn’t think of a better distraction than her grip on my dick, her pussy in my palm, and my fingers inside her. She pumped me with the same keenness as her hips gyrated to my hand’s motion.

  I increased the rhythm and her hand responded with a tighter grip, ready for a battle of who would finish first. My toes curled without warning. She pressed her cheek to my chest, muffling her scream, and I remembered we were in the closet. I lowered my sweater over her hand and my dick twitched, soiling the sweater from the inside.

  Voices echoed in the hallway, and I froze, pulling my wet fingers to my lips with a mouthed Shh. The smell of her excitement lingered on my fingertips.

  “Where is everyone?” We heard Emma on the other side of the door.

  “In the kitchen, Ems,” TJ called out.

  “Oh, my God, they’re going to find us.” Allie wiggled in my hold. The sun streaked over her flushed cheeks and wild hair, and I realized we almost consummated early. But there was no better way to start today than seven minutes in heaven with my wife to be.

  “We’ll blame it on your coupons.”

  “You mean your coupons.”

  “Yours, mine, ours, I don’t think it matters anymore.”

  She stilled and slowly let go of my dick. We put ourselves together to the best of our ability, snuck back out of the closet, and hurried to our room, where we cleaned up. The family was waiting outside, seated in a line of horse-drawn carriages.

  “Tristan, what is this?”

  “A little surprise.” I helped her up the steps and into the carriage where she settled on the seat. I sat beside her and pulled a blanket over our legs as we set out into town.

  “I can’t believe you did this.”

  “Just sit back and relax.”

  She leaned in, still smelling like those strawberries. “After that little stunt you pulled off in the closet? What’s next? Flicking me off underneath the blanket?”

  I wiggled my brows. “Be careful what you wish for today, Allie, because I have a goal of making all of your wishes come true.”

  Her forehead creased, and her nose wiggled. The horses pulled on their traces, and we headed to the village square. It was the warmest winter day I remembered in a long time. The carriage dropped us off near the entrance to a festive gathering. Beer flowed and the smell of wine and burning wood floated in the air. James bought a hot chocolate for everyone, and we strolled to town square with steaming cups in our hands. I welcomed the change in scenery and my family’s support. The closer it came to the task, the more my knees gave into my weight. Allie crossed the cobblestone, chatting with Laura. The few cafés in town boomed with life.

  Somewhere in mid-town, we separated from the family and enjoyed our walk alone up to the old church. We scaled the steep stairs and admired the field of snow-covered rooftops. She shaded her eyes to get a better view of the postcard-perfect picture.

  “This is beautiful, Tristan. I feel like I’m living in a fairy tale.”

  “Good. That was the whole point of this vacation.”

  She turned around and looked over the enormous wooden doors. “If I ever get married, I’d want it to be a small wedding, like Sam and Gabe’s. But in a church like this one. You know, something quiet but still traditional.”

  “They have small churches in New Jersey.” I tightened my grip on her hand.

  “Well, it’s not like we’re in New Jersey, is it?” she grinned. The hint of nerves in her voice was cute. And so were the freckles on her wind-kissed cheeks. A gust picked up the flakes, lifting them off the ground, bringing back that fairy tale aura.

  “No. It’s not.” I sipped my chocolate. “So, what do you think of this view?”

  “It’s perfect. This Christmas is perfect. I just wish I understood why you’re so nervous.”

  “Am not.”

  “Your knee wobbled the entire ride, Mr. Silver.”

  “All right. I might have been nervous, but you would have been nervous too if it were your wedding day.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, I forgot to mention it at the engagement, but I booked this church.”

  “You booked this church for what?”

  “Our wedding. Here. Now.”

  “What?”

  The church bells chimed through the town. Part of their echo got lost in the distant Alps, but part of it bounced off the buildings, creating melting harmonies. I lowered to my knee, took both her hands into mine, and asked the simplest question I’d ever had to ask her. “Marry me right now, Allie?”

  She blinked once, twice, three times and tried to blubber something. Instead, her knees gave in. I caught her falling body and set her to the ground, resting her against me.

  “That’s not quite the response I was looking for, Ms. Green.”

  She looked at me from below.

  “Marry you today?”

  I checked my watch. “Actually, in fifteen minutes.”

  “Let me guess—the priest is waiting inside this church?”

  “Along with our family. What do you say, Allie? Want to finish this trip as my wife?”

  “Everyone’s there?” She pointed, stunned. I offered her my arm and waited until the idea settled and she looped her hand.

  The church door opened, and Emma stood dramatically in the shining sun. Snowflakes fell from the clear sky, timing their descent.

  “Stay where you are.”

  The priest followed her outside. I took Allie’s hands into mine and we waited as my parents, brother and cousins, aunts and uncles gathered around us. Laura handed her the white arrangement of flowers Emma had ordered. My brother held out the rings I’d picked up at a jeweler in Vienna, and we removed them from his palm. We looked at each other, standing on top of an ancient ruin, like in the fairy tale Allie described, and it all felt unbelievable and real at the same time. I couldn’t wait to commit my life to her. That fierce cop inside her would protect our children with her life, and my family deserved the same from me.

  The priest barely finished pronouncing us married and my mouth was on hers, stealing her breath. Peg cried, Wilma sobbed, and Laura glared at James like he had some big shoes to fill. I was one lucky son of a Fred, as my father would say, to have ended up with Allie. She was the perfect wife, and judging by the time she spent with TJ, she’d make an exceptional mother. TJ took his role as a photographer to heart and snapped every second of the day. It was a good thing he did, because I barely remembered the day. My wife was the only one I had eyes for.

  We had dinner at a local restaurant. Jacob Silver bought a round of drinks for everyone. His brother covered the next round, and they took turns after that. Soon enough, we gained guests, and the wedding turned from a small family event into a dancing celebration with what seemed like half the town. Peg snuck a few tequila shots in between meals and couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. Emma flirted with a local boy while TJ looked on with a guarding eye. She might have been his aunt, but the protective gene ran thick in the Silvers.

  Back at the hotel, I carried Allie over the threshold to our suite. I set her down and locked the door, slowly removing my clothes, starting with my top.

  She lifted her leg up to help with her white Uggs. I pulled them off, one at a time.

  “What would you have done if I’d said no?” she asked.

  Off came my boot, then the other.

  “I don’t ask questions I don’t know the answer to.” I gave her a coy look and removed my sweater. She reached for hers and dropped it to the floor. Her pink nipples poked through the white lace, and my dick strained under the zipper.

  “Get those tight pants off your ass so I can make love to my wife.” I yanked her shirt from inside her pants. Our remaining clothes flew all over the hallway, the living area, and we finally ended up in the bedroom naked.

  As we lay spent in bed that night, I watched her admire the sparkle of her platinum wedding band. It reflected the lamp light onto the ceiling.

  “I can’t believe we’re married.” She grinned.

  “And I can’t believe how lucky I am.” I flipped over and hovered above her. “I promise to love you and cherish you forever, Mrs. Silver.”

  She opened her legs, and I continued consummating our marriage for the next five days.

  CHAPTER 15

  ALLIE

  The four magically peaceful weeks after our return from Austria passed in a flash. We closed most of the cases with Hope for Hope and followed up with all leads. There was no sign of Marissa, but Tristan claimed Simone might have been using the girl’s name just to taunt me. My mother used to say ‘No news is good news’, but to me, the no news part equated to the calm before the storm.

  I took the day off work because the load of house errands was piling up, and I wasn’t about to give into Tristan’s offer for a personal assistant. It was bad enough we had a housekeeper come in twice every week. The construction of my mother’s guest home near the pond had been delayed. Twice. First they delivered the wrong floors, broken tiles, and scratched kitchen cabinets. Then there were the furniture inconsistencies. For the time being, she was happily staying in Tristan’s parents’ guesthouse.

 

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