Epilogue

“What are you thinking about?”

Kiara turned her head to look at Reis. He lay beside her on the floor. They’d scooted so their heads were under the branches of their small Christmas tree, which was set up on a low table to keep their puppy Turkey from knocking it over. She’d done this as a kid—looking up through the branches. The lights, ornaments, and the smell of pine made her feel like she’d stepped through a hidden door and into a magical world. When Reis had first caught her doing it, he hadn’t laughed or asked questions. Instead he’d stretched out beside her, as he was doing now.

Turkey, adopted on the day after Thanksgiving, was asleep in his bed in the corner of the living room. Instrumental Christmas music was playing softly in the background. It had to be near midnight. It was almost Christmas.

How different this Christmas Eve was than the last. She never would have guessed last year, when she spent Christmas Eve at a friend’s family’s house, a bystander to a strange family’s tradition, that she would find herself spending the holiday in a mansion on the coast with her boyfriend.

She’d been hesitant about the move—both to Santa Barbara, and into Reis’s house. She’d worried it would always be “his” house, never “theirs.” By the fifth time she’d come up to visit, she’d rearranged most of the rooms, painted all of them, and taken over half the master bedroom closet. It had been easy, delightfully, terrifyingly easy, to start thinking of this as “their” house.

Almost as easy as falling in love with him.

“Princess?” His brows were scrunched in a worried look.

She brushed her fingers over his cheek. “I love you.”

He relaxed. “I love you, too.” He looked at his watch. “One minute past midnight. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.” She rolled onto her side, cuddling up against him.

“I want to give you your present.” Reis tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the motion tender and familiar.

Kiara smiled and patted her neck with her fingers. “Oh what ever will it be?”

They’d been looking at collars—jewelry collars, that could be worn all the time and in any situation—since a few days after she officially moved in.

“Come on.” Reis scooted out from under the tree and helped her to her feet. He led her over to the fireplace, then urged her to kneel on the thick rug laid out before it. This rug was one of their preferred non-bedroom play areas. The mission style brass candelabras that were built into the fireplace surround made handy restraint points.

Kiara obediently knelt, keeping her posture casual, but placing her hands palm-up on her thighs.

“Close your eyes,” he said.

Kiara smiled and obeyed.

She heard him rustle around, then the sound of his footsteps. She knew when he was near—she could sense his presence, knew when he entered or left a room.

Reis took a deep breath. “Open your eyes.”

He was on one knee facing her. He was as handsome as ever, the thin sweater he wore clinging to the shoulders she loved to bite when he brought her to an earth-shattering climax.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, looking down at his hands. Kiara followed his gaze, and it was only then that she noticed the jewelry box he held. But this wasn’t a necklace box. He wasn’t offering her a collar.

It was a ring box, containing a beautiful engagement ring. The stone was a large icy-white diamond, the band set with a dozen more small gems.

Kiara’s hands flew to her mouth.

Reis swallowed, and she could see his Adam’s apple bobbing. He was nervous.

“Kiara Portner, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Kiara threw her arms around him, the ring box falling to the carpet. “Yes!”

They held each other, nothing sexual or demanding in their touch, just two people who had agreed to be safe haven for the other. Kiara pulled back first, aware her face was wet with happy tears. She scooped up the ring box and handed it back to Reis, then presented him with her left hand. He slipped the engagement ring on. It was a perfect fit.

“One more present.” Reis grabbed a flat rectangular box and held it out to her. There was a wicked light in his eyes that had her eyeing the box warily.

She undid the paper to find a plain shirt box.

“Open it,” he urged.

“What’s in it?” she asked suspiciously.

“Open it.” Now it was a command, and the way his gaze traveled down her body left no doubt as to what Reis was thinking.

She lifted off the lid and pulled back the paper.

She stared down at the red and white lingerie set, utterly speechless.

“Here, let me help you.” Reis reached for her sweater.

Kiara brushed him away, and then lifted the garment from the box. She looked from it to Reis and then back.

The I’m-going-to-ravage-you look faded from his face to be replaced by uncertainty. “It’s a sexy Ms. Claus teddy. With a matching g-string.”

Kiara hugged the hideous thing to her chest and started to laugh.

Reis looked bewildered, but gathered her in his arms. “Merry Christmas, Kiara.”

She kissed his chin, and decided that for Reis, she could handle being sexy Ms. Claus. Pushing to her feet she headed for their bedroom so she could change. “Merry Christmas, fiancé,” she called over her shoulder.

Ten minutes later, she appeared in the living room, Santa hat on her head, red velvet and white fur teddy and matching g-string on, though she knew they wouldn’t be on for long.

Reis was stoking the fire, shirtless, and he looked a hell of a lot sexier doing it then Santa would have.

“Hey Santa,” she said.

His gaze snapped to her with that predatory look that was all Dom.

“Am I on the naughty list?”

“Oh yes,” he practically purred. “You are. Come here and I’ll show you just how naughty you are.”