Sam found me in Justin’s office, digging through a file of possible office locations. He closed the door quietly behind him—Justin had gone to start dinner preparations. Sam simply picked me up, took my seat, and resettled me on his lap.

I tucked my head under his chin as he closed the file folder and pushed it away. “No working on Christmas,” he said, a slight hint of grumpiness in his voice.

“Says the man who just asked for funding and resources to start a whole new division of Team ALPHA,” I giggled.

“That’s different,” he said.

I patted his cheek. “You just keep telling yourself that, hon.”

My alpha seemed to settle under my attention, his shoulders straightening and his arms pulling me closer. “There are some things we need to talk about, even with it being Christmas. Maybe especially with it being Christmas.”

“No fruitcake,” I said immediately. “I’m more of a rum cake guy.”

That startled a laugh out of Sam. “What are you talking about?”

I sat up so I could look him in the eyes. “I figured I’d get the divisive stuff out of the way. Also, colored Christmas lights.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed. “What other kind is there?”

“Good answer.”

Catching onto my modified version of twenty questions, which was more like twenty answers, Sam said, “I basically live in flannel and cargo pants. Or shorts.”

“Sexy,” I purred. “I’d say we could share wardrobes, but I have a sneaking suspicion you wouldn’t fit into my clothes.”

Sam’s eyes flared open. “I like the idea of seeing you walking around in nothing but one of my button-ups.”

Oh my. This was happening. I’d gone from single and lonely to mated and falling in love in less than twenty-four hours. I knew that mates rarely had time to get to know each other before their lives were just thrown together, but I felt an urgent need to know Sam. What had made him the man he was today. Who that man was. What his favorite breakfast cereal was. How he liked his eggs and coffee. Did he sleep on the right side of the bed or the left side? Starfished in the middle? But my mouth went straight for the easy questions. “Kids?”

“At least a baseball team’s worth.”

“Ooh,” I hissed. “We might have to negotiate on that. Not sure my body can handle that many pregnancies unless it’s three sets of triplets, and that’s its own kind of hell. How do you feel about adoption?”

Sam shrugged. “I’m open to it. You… you do realize you’re probably pregnant now?” He said the last sentence as if it had just occurred to him.

And fair enough—finding my true mate had occupied my brain enough, but then add on the new job with a new organization? It was no wonder the probable consequences of mating had slipped my mind. “Damn,” I said, wonder filling my voice before I broke into giggles. “We must be some special kind of crazy.”

“A good kind of crazy,” Sam growled, holding me closer.

“Where are we going to live?” I asked. “Do you have a house?”

Sam shook his head. “I’ve got a one-bedroom condo about fifteen minutes from here. I wanted to be fairly close to Ray and the office.”

“I’m in a studio apartment,” I said. “So I vote yours. Until we can find something more suitable for the baby.”

“The maybe baby,” Sam said, tweaking my nose.

“The someday baby,” I replied, poking him in the chest. The very muscular, well-defined chest.

Seriously, no one could blame me about getting distracted from important life discussions when there was a hot, willing alpha who was mine and here. I spent a moment fondling his pecs through his shirt while he leaned his head against the back of the chair and let me explore. Which I did, until I realized what an enticing expanse of skin that revealed, such a lickable, kissable neck…

I teased Sam with my tongue and lips, adoring the tiny grunts he probably didn’t know he was making, very aware of his interest growing hot and hard beneath me.

“Okay, enough,” he finally growled, picking me up and setting me on the desk. “I don’t want to have to explain to Ray why his husband’s office smells like sex.”

I pouted teasingly, but I’d embarrassed myself in front of our hosts enough already. “So… back to the room?”

“No,” Sam barked out in a laugh. “Stop, you vixen! When we get home.”

“To your house?”

“To our house.”

I couldn’t help myself. I leaned forward and captured Sam’s lips with mine. With me sitting up on the desk and him lower on the chair, I had the upper hand—or mouth—for once. I kept my hands chaste, though, firmly planted on his strong jaw, the rough stubble of a day without shaving scraping my palms.

“Do you ever grow a beard?” I said, breaking the kiss off suddenly.

“Sometimes,” Sam said, blinking dazedly. “Why? Do you like them?”

“I think I’d really like one on you.” Biting my lip and feeling completely brazen, wanting to see what kind of reaction I’d get out of Sam, I added, “I can think of some very intriguing places to get beard burn.”

Sam’s eyes darkened with desire. “Dean, you’re going to be the death of me.”

“So that’s a no to the beard?”

“That’s an ‘I’ll probably have a couple weeks before we officially get the new team together, so this is the perfect time to grow a beard.’”

My thighs were already tingling at the thought of it, my heart beating like a hummingbird's wings. I let out a sudden heavy breath. “Oh man. This is a lot, you know? I’m excited and terrified all at the same time.”

“What are you terrified about?” Sam rubbed his hands on my thighs while I linked my fingers behind his neck.

“Oh, just all the changes all at once. Being mated. Being a dad.”

“And what are you excited about?”

The smile practically burst from my soul. “The same damn things.”

There was a knock on the door, and Ray shouted, “Don’t make me call hand check! Justin says dinner’s ready in ten.”

I slid off the desk, sliding between Sam’s spread legs. “Good thing you stopped us from getting something started in here, huh?”

Sam made a production out of adjusting himself, and I felt no remorse. I loved the idea of my alpha’s desire for me being so noticeable. Not to other people. Just to me! My alpha’s excitement was for me only.

“Do you always jabber when you’re excited?” Sam asked.

“Oh shit…” My mouth dropped open in horror. “Did I seriously say that out loud?”

Sam nodded. “Is this a habit of yours?”

I mimed zipping my lips and locking them. “I guess that’s just something you’ll have to find out.”

Sam’s smile was that of a predator on the hunt. “Oh, don’t worry, hon. I will.” He slapped me on the ass as I squeezed past him.

“Just be aware,” I warned him. “Turnabout is fair play.”

Sam’s eyes had turned completely feral as he said, “I sure hope so.”

Damn it. Now I was the one who was sporting some pretty obvious excitement.

But perhaps I would be forgiven, being newly mated and all.

To think I had dreaded this Christmas more than even my last, expecting to be reminded constantly of my loneliness. Who knew that I would discover my true mate on Christmas?

There was no better Christmas gift than that of eternal love.