It was fucking cold on the water. Evan looked up at the sky. He couldn’t see a single star. Everything was covered in clouds. Snow clouds.

He huffed. He guessed Bart was right after all.

He flipped his finger on the ignition button to warm the engine, before shoving off from the pier. He could see the lights in his yard. He had eventually gotten out the ridiculous Santa and Mrs. Claus set just to make Cami happy. And it worked. She loved it.

He cranked the engine.

“Evan!”

He thought he heard his name. But the wind had picked up.

“Evan!”

He turned around as a massive floating ball of red came running toward him.

“Cami?”

He hopped onto the pier.

“Evan.” She hunched over. She was out of breath. “Where—where are you going?”

“Out,” he answered. “I needed some air.”

“In thirty-degree weather? On your boat?”

He nodded. He wasn’t going to admit how fucking insane it sounded.

“I know about Peter. I know about the contract.”

Her eyes met his. “No. You don’t know about the contract.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “If you were trying to get back to Nashville this entire time, why weren’t you just honest about it, Cami? What the hell did you lie to me and to everyone in this town? No one asked you to stay if you didn’t want to be here.”

“I want to stay,” she whispered.

He shook his head. “Not according to your manager.”

“He’s not my manager. I don’t have a manager.” She pried his arms away from his chest and took his hands in hers. She was freezing. “He’s only here because he gets a cut of the deal. I never asked him to negotiate for me. I’m out of the music business, Evan. I’ve been out since the day I fell off that ladder.”

He searched her eyes for the truth. And he found it.

“Shit. I’m an idiot again.” He hung his head. “I’m sorry. He seemed legit. And after what happened last time—”

“I know. I know,” she soothed. “You had every reason to think that contract was mine. But it’s not. I told him to leave. I told him I’m out.”

She shivered. “Here. It’s too cold out here. And you are definitely not wearing enough clothes.” He took off his tuxedo jacket and put it around her shoulders. “Better?”

She nodded. “When I realized you thought I was going to sign it I had to find you. I took off. I ran to the marina first, and then I remembered your dad’s boat.” She smiled.

“Yeah. I thought a cruise and some frigid air might do me some good.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “You don’t have to apologize. I shouldn’t have reacted that way. I’m not eighteen anymore, but I can still be a fucking idiot.”

Cami giggled and then her eyes widened. “What’s this?” She reached inside the jacket. “Something’s poking me.”

“Don’t.” But it was too late. She was holding the diamond ring in between her fingers.

“Oh my God.”

Evan plucked it from her hand. “There were a lot of ways I wanted to propose,” he admitted. “One of them was in front of the Christmas tree tomorrow morning. And one was tonight right after I made love to you.”

She sighed.

He took a knee in front of her on the pier. He looked up in disbelief as the snow started to fall around them. Cami’s laughter filled the air.

“Cami Addison, we’ve been down this road before. But this time I want it to stick. I want this to be the only time.” He held the ring forward. “Will you marry me?”

She nodded, grinning. “Yes. Yes. And a thousand more yes’s.”

He slid the ring over her knuckle.

He kissed her, tasting the sweet cinnamon on her tongue. “God I love you.”

“I love you too.” She took a step back. “I have something I need to tell you too.”

“I know. I know. We have to get back to the ball. You’re supposed to sing soon. And it’s snowing.” He laughed.

They walked along the pier until they reached the street. “It’s not about the ball.”

“Or the contract?”

She shook her head. “Or the contract.”

Evan stopped on the sidewalk. She sounded serious. “What is it?”

“I thought of a thousand ways to tell you this. One was going to be tomorrow morning under the Christmas tree.”

He waited. There was no way she was getting ready to say what he thought she was going to say.

“Evan, I’m pregnant.”

“Oh, baby.” He picked her up and spun her around. His lips crashed into hers.

“You’re happy?”

“Are you crazy?” He stopped in front of his house. It was across from the pier. “This is the best Christmas present.”

She leaned into his shoulder. “It is, isn’t it? A baby. We’re going to have a family. And next Christmas is going to be so different.”

“You’re going to make me take you back to the ball, aren’t you?”

She looked in his eyes. “I do have to sing, but not for another thirty minutes.”

He led her to the house, up the front steps, and locked the door behind them. Cami turned as Evan unzipped the gown from her back to her waist. She stepped out of the puff of tulle and faced him.

“God, you’re so fucking beautiful with my baby inside you.”

He shirked his pants to the ground. He’d never wanted to be inside her the way he did now. He was going to die if he didn’t feel her tight pussy walls clench around him.

His cock bobbed free as he pulled her to him. Cami’s leg wrapped around his waist as he thrust inside her.

“Ohh,” she whimpered. He pinned her against the front door. On the other side was a world of nosey neighbors, and a town that thrived on tradition. But it was also a neighborhood that cherished and loved family. They would love his family. His baby.

He thrust into her again. “You’re so tight,” he groaned.

Cami panted his name. “You feel so deep like this.”

He rocked harder this time, pressing her back into the door. No one knew on this side of the door the mayor was fucking the love of his love. Fucking his soon-to-be-wife. Fucking the woman who was carrying his child on Christmas Eve.

“More,” she begged. “Don’t be scared, Evan. You can still fuck me.”

“Oh shit.” He plunged into her, gripping her ass so tightly her other leg wrapped around his waist.

She smiled with satisfaction. “Fuck me,” she teased.

He drove into her, grunting until he knew they were both going to come. It was fast and passionate, but after everything they had been through, tonight was the beginning of a new life together. The beginning of them as a family.

His spine pulsed and his cock stiffened. “I’m going to come,” he growled into her ear.

“Yes. Oh, God. Yes.” Her nails dug through his shirt as they exploded in unison. Their bodies rocked and vibrated, sharing in the new union they had made. Cami clawed at him, while he continued to pound his release inside her.

“You’re mine. Mine.”

“Always,” she answered.

He pressed his forehead to hers and lowered her legs to the ground.

“And now we have to go back to the ball?” she asked.

He laughed. “Can you sing after that performance?” he teased. He picked up his pants and pulled them to his waist.

She leaned into him for another kiss. “With you I can do anything. Even turn down a two-album deal.” He reached for her dress and she stepped inside it.

“What? Two albums? Baby, that’s fucking insane. Are you sure you want to walk away from that?” He fastened the zipper at her back and she re-tied the red satin sash. Cami spun in his arms.

“I want you. I want to be your wife. I want our baby to grow up in Harpers Point.”

He draped his jacket over her shoulders again before they stepped out into the cold.

“And you have no regrets about sending Peter away?”

“Absolutely none.”

He closed the door behind them and they walked along the snow covered sidewalk holding hands.

“You amaze me every day, Cami Addison.”

She looked into his eyes. “And you amaze me.” She held up her new engagement ring. “So I think we can tell people at the Snow Ball about this, right?”

He laughed. “Who do you want to tell first?”

She considered it for a second as they walked closer to the converted ballroom. From the sidewalk it looked like something out of a movie. The great chandelier sparkled in the candlelight. All their friends were dancing. The band was playing.

She slid her arms around his neck. “Maybe I’ll just tell everyone during my set. I’ll sneak it in between Jingle Bells and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

He eyed her. “You wouldn’t.”

She laughed. “Or would I?”

“Come here.” He pulled her against his chest. The snow drifted down around them. “Before we go inside. One last thing.”

“What’s that?”

He dipped her in his arms and kissed her. There was one thing they were both sure of. This would be a Christmas they would never forget.

* * *