Christmas with the Redmond family was nothing short of magical. The cousins, aunts, and uncles descended upon the house in a storm of happy, familial chaos. She was introduced to no less than nine people and received half a dozen hugs as though they’d been a part of her life forever. It didn’t matter that she was a stranger. The moment Gerald had introduced her as Jared’s girlfriend, everyone had been all smiles and friendliness.

Now all the women were in the kitchen whipping up a feast while the men played billiards in the upstairs entertainment den. Jared hung back with her and was resting on the couch, watching the female family members cook. He was stretched out on the couch with her leaning back against him, so she lay cocooned in the warmth of his arms. His cheek pressed against the top of her head as he played with her hands where they rested on top of the blankets in her lap.

“You don’t have to stay here with me if you want to play billiards,” she said.

His low, throaty chuckle sent a shiver of delight through her. “Uncle Bill’s a bit of a windbag. I’m happy to miss out on his antics. He’ll talk your ear off and then try to cheat at whatever game you play.”

Felicity laughed softly. If there was one thing she’d learned about Jared, it was his preference for honesty. He didn’t have to win like a lot of guys, but he wanted a fair game to be played.

“Which one was Bill again?” All the men were tall and had dark hair like Jared’s father.

“The one with the thick mustache, a little heavyset.”

“Oh, yeah.” She did remember him. He was a little brash, but not completely unlikeable.

“Do you still want me to go off and hang with the guys?” he asked as he dipped his head down to feather his lips on the shell of her ear. She bit back a moan.

“No…definitely not. You should stay right here and keep doing that.” She curled her toes and clenched her hands when he bit the lobe of her ear.

“Why don’t we sneak away upstairs for a bit?” he suggested huskily.

“Okay.” There was no way she could argue with him when he was touching her and kissing her like that.

She and Jared slipped off the couch and crept out of the living room. He stifled a laugh as they ducked behind the banister so the men in the den wouldn’t see them. She loved this side of him, the playful man, the family man, the man who still wanted to sneak away to a secret place with her. But even as it filled her with joy, she was strangled by a heavy sadness. This perfect dream wouldn’t last because they wouldn’t stay together. This family, this house—it would all vanish come spring.

Even if he wanted to be part of the baby’s life, she didn’t know how he would handle raising a child. She might be like so many young women she’d graduated high school with. A single mother raising a child, getting child support checks in the mail.

Don’t think about it. She forced a smile onto her lips as she and Jared entered his bedroom. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it. He looked so sexy in his blue jeans and a red flannel shirt, a sexy woodsman with a shadow of stubble along his jaw. It made him sexy, rugged, a little dangerous in the best way.

“I want to give you your present early.” He pushed away from the door and came over to her.

“Now? What about your family? Surely they want to open gifts at a certain time tonight.”

“This isn’t one they should see.” He walked over to the bed and retrieved something flat and rectangular from underneath the bed. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with a dark-blue ribbon. He set it down on the bed and beckoned her over with one finger.

“What is it?” she demanded, her heart racing.

“And deprive you of the surprise?” He waggled a finger at her, a flirty smile on his lips that made her hungry to skip presents and tackle him flat on the bed.

“Fine.” She reached for the large package and began to unwrap it. The brown paper fell away, and she gaped at what lay beneath.

“How…when?” She lifted her eyes to his, speechless.

He slid his hands into his pockets and gazed at her, as though bashful. On Jared—the masculine, too sexy, powerful lawyer—it was devastatingly charming.

“I may have seen it at your apartment that first week we met. I had Layla sneak it out of your sketchbook so I could have it framed.”

Felicity lifted the framed sketch. It was one of her favorites. She had drawn herself as Cleopatra and Jared as the handsome Antony bent over her where she lay on the couch, the seductive pose she’d fantasized about. And he’d framed it.

“Are you mad?” he asked.

She said her head. “No…I’m…Oh, it’s beautiful.” She admired the expensive framing and matting job.

“It’s not really for you—at least, I was hoping you’d want to give it back to me so I could hang it in my bedroom back in Chicago.”

Felicity’s throat tightened. “Of course.” She couldn’t say no. What if it was the only thing he’d have left of their relationship when she moved away?

I will not cry. Not on Christmas.

“But I have a real present for you.” She set the sketch down and rushed over to her bag. Digging through the side pockets she found a small blue velvet rectangular box and held it out to him.

“I only had a little bit of money, but I wanted to get you something that mattered.”

She’d saved up for this particular gift, hoping he’d see the value and know how much she’d cared about him to save to afford it.

Jared took the box, his eyes strangely dark and full of emotions as he gazed at her, and then he cracked open the lid. A gold pen was nestled inside with two ink cartridges.

“You could use it to sign contracts on the new hotel,” she suggested. Her heart thumped wildly. Would he like it? Why wasn’t he saying anything? Her palms began to sweat.

Jared closed the pen box and set it on the corner of the bed. His face was unreadable. Felicity’s heart sank. He didn’t like it.

“If you don’t like it, you could exchange it—”

He reached for her, cupping her face and drawing her close. “Shut up and kiss me,” he growled. And then his mouth was on hers. Honey and fire, sweetness and raw carnality all dueled for dominance in that kiss. His tongue sought entrance between her startled lips. She melted into him. Her fingers dug into his soft flannel shirt, and she moaned, needing more. She could never get enough of this man. He knew just how to hold her, how to touch and kiss her to make her feel alive and loved.

When they finally broke apart minutes later, she found they’d moved to the bed and she was straddling his lap. He caressed her cheeks with his thumbs, and their foreheads touched as they both caught their breath.

“I love it,” Jared whispered. “I love you.” The words sent her flying and then crashing.

Every minute she kept silent about the baby was one more minute she was lying to him. She didn’t want to lie to someone she loved. Felicity opened her mouth, and the confession about the baby was on the tip of her tongue. Jared’s eyes were full of love and warmth. What would he do about a baby? What if he didn’t want a child? What if he was furious because she would have to take the baby with her when she left?

I could stay in Chicago…but I’d have to give up my dreams. What if she did, and missed a huge opportunity in LA because she stayed here and risked breaking up with Jared? Babies could wreck relationships of people who weren’t prepared to be parents. She’d seen it happen.

“Maybe no one will notice we’re up here.” Jared chuckled, and his hands dropped from her face down to her waist.

Felicity swallowed down the words that could destroy their fragile happiness and kissed him, hard, desperately fighting back tears.

“Hey,” he whispered. “What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing,” she lied. “Christmas always makes me a little emotional.”

His smile was big enough that it crinkled the corners of his eyes. “I love that about you.” He turned his body so they fell back on the bed with her beneath him. “Let me give you a reason to smile.” He rocked his hips against the cradle of her thighs, hitting just the right spot to kick her arousal into overdrive. He nipped her chin, her throat, and her collarbone. It felt so good.

“Stop teasing me, Jared,” she gasped. “Take me to bed.”

“Anything you want, princess.”

Felicity threw her head back and surrendered to him and the fire of his touch. Christmas dinner could wait.

* * *

“Your dad isn’t the type of man to greet his daughter’s boyfriend with a shotgun in his hands, right?” Jared asked as he eyed the little one-story white painted brick house that belonged to Felicity’s parents.

He and Felicity stood on the sidewalk of the narrow street, and his heart beat wildly. He’d dealt with some of the most powerful men and women in Chicago in his law offices, and yet here he was in a small town in the Midwest, nervous about meeting a mechanic and a nurse.

Because they are Felicity’s parents, and I need them to like me.

He gave Felicity’s hand a little squeeze. She’d been quiet on the long drive from Colorado to Nebraska. Ever since the skiing accident she seemed…different. At times intensely happy and then distant and a little sad. Jared tried to tease the blues out of her, but she didn’t respond the way he’d hoped. What smiles and laughter he could win from her quickly faded.

“Don’t worry.” Felicity met his gaze solemnly. “Dad doesn’t even have a shotgun.”

He exhaled in relief.

“But he does have a Colt revolver.” She added this with a sudden twinkle in her eyes.

“Jesus,” Jared muttered. “Let’s get this over with.” He tugged her hand as they started up the sidewalk to the house.

“I promise he won’t shoot you.” She giggled when he threw her a suspicious look. Halfway up to the house, Felicity tugged him to a stop.

“Is it okay that we’re staying here in my bedroom and not a hotel? I’m sorry we don’t have an extra bedroom and my bed is small.” She fiddled with the buttons of her coat as she waited for him to respond.

“It’s fine—a tiny bed means being closer to you, and that won’t ever be something I’ll complain about.” He knew she needed reassurance, and he was determined to prove to her that she shouldn’t be embarrassed by her modest background. He loved the woman she was, and this house, this town, and her parents had made her the wonderful woman he’d fallen in love with.

“You’re too perfect.” She shook her head, and he saw a hint of a smile on her lips.

“I doubt that, but for you, I’ll certainly try.”

When they reached the front door, Felicity pressed the doorbell and shifted nervously on her feet. He knew her now, knew she was afraid for him to see what her life was like compared to his. He never once wanted her to think the difference in their background mattered, because it didn’t matter to him.

“Janet and David.” He murmured the names again as a way of calming down.

“Now you know how I felt when I had to meet your parents.” She nudged him in the chest with one elbow.

“But you weren’t dating someone’s precious baby girl. If I had a daughter and was meeting her boyfriend, it wouldn’t matter if she was fifteen or fifty. I’d want to know who the guy was and scare him into treating my baby girl right.”

Felicity suddenly sniffed, and he glanced at her. Her eyes were a little too bright…with tears?

“Princess—”

The front door opened, and a woman appeared. She was thin with dark hair laced with silver, her face lined with a few premature wrinkles, but her smile was warm and inviting.

“Felicity, honey.” She embraced her daughter and then turned to Jared, her eyes sweeping him from head to toe, not critically, but certainly with curiosity.

“And you must be Jared.” She held out a hand, and he shook it.

“Hello, Mrs. Hart.”

“Please call me Janet. David is outside on the patio getting the burgers ready. I hope that’s okay?” Janet glanced between him and Felicity, a little nervous.

“Burgers sound great. What can I do to help?” He followed Felicity and her mother inside.

The house was small, but it felt lived in. The couch in the family room looked a little worn in places, and an old box-style TV sat against one wall. Behind the couch there were photos of Felicity and her family. He wanted to look at them more closely, but Felicity blocked him by holding her arms out.

“Oh no, you aren’t going to see those. I look horrible. My awkward teen years were really awkward.” Her palms flattened on his chest, and she attempted to push him away from the photos.

“I’ll look later. You got to see me. It’s only fair.” He kissed the tip of her nose, and she sighed in exasperation.

“Fine, later.” Felicity turned to her mom. “What can we do to help?”

Janet waved them deeper into the house. “If you want, you can set the table. I’ll let David know you’re here.” Janet slipped out of the kitchen and into the backyard. The weather wasn’t bad, which was good. He’d grown up in Nebraska and knew how heavy snow could be in the winter, but there was no snow on the ground, and the temperature for New Year’s was actually mild, in the upper forties.

Jared trailed Felicity into the kitchen, where she opened cupboards. He accepted plates and glasses as she handed them over, and then he arranged them on the small walnut wood kitchen table. It was obvious they didn’t have a dining room or a bigger table. He set the plates, glasses, and silverware and was in the act of folding napkins when the patio door opened and Janet returned with Felicity’s father.

David Hart was a tall man, close to Jared’s height, with dark hair and features that were friendly, and Jared knew he must’ve been a good-looking man when he was younger. His gray eyes fixed on Jared, a quiet but nonthreatening measuring-up, just as Janet had done.

“Jared, is it?” David set the tray with the burgers on the stovetop and wiped his hands on a faded dishtowel. Then he walked over and shook Jared’s hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” he said.

David broke into a smile and went to Felicity. “Sir? I like him, honey.” David smacked Jared’s shoulder and then nodded at the fridge. “Want a beer? We got Corona and Coors. Nothing fancy, but—”

“A Corona would be great.” Jared smiled back. Felicity was watching him and her dad interact. He nodded at her when David’s back was turned, and her shoulders visibly relaxed.

“So you kids went skiing, I hear?” David retrieved a pair of Coronas from the fridge and then opened them before handing one to Jared.

“We did,” Jared continued.

“Felicity has always wanted to go,” Janet explained before turning to her daughter. “How was it?”

“Cold.” Felicity laughed. “Very cold. I get why people go skiing in the spring.”

Her laughter made Jared relax.

David leaned in to Jared to whisper loudly, “Well, was she any good?”

“Quite good after some lessons.” Jared enjoyed seeing the blush on Felicity’s face when he said this.

“Everyone help yourselves to burgers. I made some coleslaw.” Janet set a bowl out, and everyone gathered around the food, filling their plates before they sat down at the table. It was nice to sit down to a quiet dinner. His own family could be large and loud at times.

“So…Jared.” David sipped his beer. “You’re a lawyer?”

Jared swallowed a bite of his burger. He was thirty years old, but sitting here at a table with the parents of the girl he was in love with made him feel like he was sixteen.

“Yes. I practice real estate law.”

“Hmmm.” David grunted and bit into his own food. “How did you meet Felicity?”

The second the question was out of her father’s mouth, a foot kicked Jared’s shin under the table, and he met Felicity’s frantic gaze. Right—edit the story.

“Uh…well, my brother, Tanner, was hosting a Halloween party, and we met there…at the party. We’ve been dating since then.” The truth. It was just missing a lot of the details that would send David Hart running for his Colt revolver, like the fact that they’d shared Jared’s bed and Felicity had slept in his clothes. Everything they’d done after that…

Felicity kicked him again under the table, and he flicked his gaze away. She stared at him meaningfully, but he had no idea what she was trying to tell him.

“Felicity and I are working on a project together,” he said.

“Oh? She didn’t mention it.” Janet scooted forward in her seat. “What sort of project?”

Felicity’s cheeks were still pink. “Jared’s firm is helping to complete a real estate transaction on an old hotel from the 1920s. My boss’s art gallery been hired to do the interior design.”

“That’s wonderful, honey,” David said, his voice full of pride.

“It’s been great to work with Felicity. She’s very talented.” Jared finished his Corona and smiled at Felicity. He couldn’t begin to tell Felicity’s parents how amazing their daughter was.

“She is.” Janet agreed with a happy little laugh. “Ever since she was a child, I’ve never seen anyone so gifted.”

“So you spent Christmas with your folks, Jared?” David helped himself to more coleslaw and passed the bowl to Jared, who accepted it and added more to his own plate.

“We did. My family usually goes to the Bahamas for Christmas, but this year they chose the cabin, and we couldn’t resist getting Felicity out on the slopes.”

“The Bahamas?” Janet’s eyes brightened. “How lovely! I’ve always wanted to go there.” She paused, blushing. “We can’t get off work, and it’s a little out of our budget.”

Jared knew what she meant. Felicity had told him that neither of her parents had ever left the state of Nebraska. It was something he’d considered when he’d spoken to his parents in Colorado before coming here.

“My parents have some flight miles they’re not using in March, and they were looking to give them to anyone who wanted to fly out and spend some time at the Bahamas house. If you’re interested, they’d love for you to go. It wouldn’t cost anything except the food to stock the fridge for as long as you’re there.” Please let them say yes. He wanted so desperately to give something good to Felicity’s parents, to show them that he was looking out not just for their daughter but for them too.

“Mom, you should really consider it,” Felicity urged.

Janet and David exchanged silent glances, and then David smiled. “That would be nice. Thank you, Jared. We could certainly use a real vacation, couldn’t we, honey?” he added, a little twinkle in his eyes as he met Janet’s delighted gaze.

Felicity smiled, but her face was suddenly ashen, and her lips parted as she drew shallow breaths.

“Felicity?” he asked, his heart jumping into his throat. He shoved his chair back from the table and rushed over to her.

“What’s wrong?” David asked.

“I’m just…” Felicity struggled to her feet and shoved past everyone. Jared was right on her heels as he got to the bathroom and she fell to her knees by the toilet, throwing up.

It tore him up inside to see Felicity like this. He pulled her hair back from her face and waited beside her on the floor, wishing he could do more.

“What’s wrong with her?” Janet asked, her nurse side taking over.

“She’s been sick since we got off the plane about five days ago. It seems to be just nausea. She did have an accident while skiing, with a minor concussion, back and hip injuries, but she was able to leave the same day. Her nausea started before then,” Jared explained.

“Right.” Janet knelt by her daughter and searched in the cabinets beneath the sink for towels and handed some to Jared. “Wet these and put them on the back of her neck. I’ll get some water for her to drink.”

Jared soaked the cloth with cold water and placed it on Felicity’s neck. David watched them from the doorway, a small sound curling his lips down. “I’ll go help Janet.”

Once they were alone, Felicity started to cry. Her sobs broke his heart, and he made soft shushing sounds.

“Hey, honey, it’s okay. Just calm down and relax,” he urged.

“I’ve ruined our vacation,” she moaned. Her tone was so full of misery he suddenly laughed.

“No, you haven’t. This is not the worst trip I’ve ever been on.”

“Really?” She turned her face away from the toilet, eyeing him skeptically. He could tell he had her full attention now. It was a gamble, but the best he could do to take her mind off her nausea.

He settled in beside her, rubbing a hand on her back as he started to talk.

“When I was twenty-one, Angelo, Thad, and I went on a float trip. We flew out to Arkansas and spent four days attempting to float the rivers. Have you ever been on a float trip?”

She shook her head.

“Right, well, the way it works is you drink a ton of beer, do cookouts, and sit on rafts that float several miles down the river over a period of days. The weekend we went?” He could not stop chuckling at the memories. “There wasn’t a river to float on. It had dried up completely. So picture the three of us, too drunk, hauling heavy rafts across dry river bottoms for miles with no real water to float on. We kept getting sick because it was hot and we drank too much beer as we were trying to haul those heavy rafts. That was my worst vacation ever.” When he looked her way again, her breathing had calmed and she was sitting back a little.

“I think I’m okay.” She glanced around and exhaled as her mother appeared in the door with a glass of water.

“If you’re feeling better, some fresh air might be best. You could show Jared Harmon Park. The weather is still warm enough for a walk.”

Felicity got to her feet. “It sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Mom.” She turned to Jared, but he was already standing.

“I’ll go get our coats.” He left the bathroom and headed for the front door, where Felicity had left their jackets. He tried not to think about what was wrong with her and how sick she looked whenever these bouts of nausea hit her. It wasn’t natural. When they got home to Chicago, he was taking her straight to the doctor to get her properly checked out. She was his woman, and he would do anything to care for her. Anything.