My apartment looked like Christmas had exploded all over it.

I didn’t know how long it would take to clean everything up, but I didn’t care. I’d just spent my first Christmas with Kane – and with Jake, Michelle, and Kane’s family. It had been the best Christmas of my life, and it wasn’t even over.

Kane stood up amid all the boxes and bags, striding over to sit next to me on the couch. “There’s barely room for me here with all this stuff,” he said, a rueful grin on his lips. “I think Jake tried to make up for more than twenty Christmases in one year.”

“I’ll make room for it all.” I smiled at him. Silently, I agreed with him. My brother had gone above and beyond, but I wasn’t going to complain. I’d been a little spoiled this past year between Kane and Jake, and I kind of loved it.

Having somebody fuss over me was something I’d never had, and now I had two guys doing it, my lover and my brother.

“I can’t decide who got more spoiled by my family this year…you, or the little kids.” Kane cupped the back of my neck, rubbing his thumb up and down my skin, sending shivers through me.

“Oh, that’s easy. It was Dinah’s little girl.” I stuck my tongue out at him. “There was no question. Did you see all the clothes Eddie and Rick bought for her? She’s going to be the best-dressed baby in New York City.”

“Dinah won’t have to go shopping for clothes for months,” he agreed.

Snuggling up against him, I closed my eyes, tired and drained, but in the best possible way. “I can’t believe Rick and Eddie are engaged now. They look stupid-happy.”

“Stupid-happy.” Kane rubbed his lips over the top of my head. “Is that a good thing?”

“Absolutely.” I yawned and stretched against him, craning my head back so I could meet his eyes. “And Nathaniel’s going to be a daddy again. He better start making bank if he’s going to feed all those mouths under his roof.”

Kane laughed. “He’ll handle it. That’s what he does.”

“Your mother looked over the moon. You’d think all the grandbabies she’s got would be enough, but hearing she’s going to have another was all the Christmas present she needed.”

“She loves being a grandma.” He cupped my cheek and dipped his head to mine. “Sometimes, I think she loves it more than she loves being a mom.”

He kissed me softly, but just as I started to respond, he lifted his head, looking down at me with an odd look in his eyes.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Just thinking about you…the past year.”

“Good thoughts?”

He pressed his brow to mine. “Nothing but.”

My heart flipped over at the look I saw in his eyes, and I curled my arms around his neck. “Why don’t you take me to bed and I’ll give you another Christmas present?” I told him.

I actually had one more for him, but now he had me thinking thoughts about naked skin and smooth sheets.

The other present could wait.

But instead of responding, he kissed me, then straightened.

He started to pace, and there seemed to be something oddly nervous about his movements. He paused here and there, picking up stray boxes or pieces of wrapping paper. “It’s a good thing we decided to have our Christmas at your place,” he said absently. “My apartment never would have held all of this.”

“That’s why we did it,” I reminded him. I barely had room for the big tree I’d wanted. It never would have fit into his place, although I did insist he get a tabletop sized version and we’d decorated it one night while eating pizza and watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

He nodded, still with that nervous, restless look on his face.

He hadn’t looked that nervous the night I’d graduated from college, just a few short weeks ago and he’d surprised me with a pearl necklace. I reached up and touched the strand now, wondering what had gotten into him. “What’s going on, Kane?”

“Nothing.” He turned and faced me, straightening his shoulders and taking a deep breath. He looked like he was bracing himself.

I eyed him warily as he came striding back toward me.

Then he sank down on one knee.

I sucked in a breath as he pulled a small black box out of his front pocket. “There’s one last present,” he said, his voice rough. Then he flipped it open and turned it to face me. “Will you marry me, Raye?”

For a few seconds, I couldn’t even think, much less answer.

Then, as the question finally sank in, I launched myself off the couch toward him, laughing and kissing him at the same time. “Yes.” Kiss. “Yes, yes.” Kiss. “Yes, absolutely yes.”

He grinned up at me from where he laid beneath me on the floor. “I take it that’s a yes.” He slid the ring onto my finger without even looking.

“Let me think…” I pursed my lips and cocked my head, lifting my hand so I could study it. “Hmmm…yes.”

He stood up, holding me effortlessly, but when he went to carry me over to the bed, I wiggled and pushed at him until he put me down.

“Hold on,” I insisted. Since he’d gone and given me one last present, it was time I give him his last present. “I’ve got something for you, too.”

I turned around and had to circumnavigate the piles of boxes and gift bags on my way over to my purse. Sliding him a sly look, I said, “You do know this means we should start looking for a new place to live.”

He opened, then closed his mouth. “Ah…maybe? Yeah. I guess.”

“No.” I shook my head, a thoughtful look on my face. “I’m pretty sure we’ll need to find a place…a bigger place.”

I tugged the card out of my purse and walked over to him, placing it in his hands.

“What’s this?”

“A Christmas card.” I grinned at him, wondering if he’d get it right away.

I had no idea, but I’d be more than happy to explain it to him. It had killed me to keep this a secret the past week.

He glanced at the card, then at me. “I didn’t know I was supposed to get you a card.”

I laughed at the panicked look in his eyes. “Oh, you weren’t!” I cupped his face in my hands. My new engagement ring sparkled back at me. Rising on my toes, I tugged him down for a kiss. “I just wanted to get you one. Now…open it.”

He looked a little self-conscious as he ripped it open.

Some of the confetti I’d stuffed inside spilled out, and he glanced down, frowning at the sparkle of pink and blue that hit the toes of his boots. He eyed it, then glanced back at the red and green card. When he opened the card, the rest of it fell out in a shower, raining all over the floor.

I grinned at him as he read it. I remembered exactly what I’d written.

He read it, then closed his eyes, shaking his head a little. Then he read it a second time.

“What the…?”

His eyes slid to the confetti on the floor, all the pink and blue pacifiers that covered the toes of his boots and my threadbare carpet.

“Are you pregnant?” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

I nodded, suddenly nervous. What if he wasn’t happy? What if he blamed me for not realizing the antibiotics I’d taken for strep throat would KO my birth control pills?

He reached for me and hauled me up against him.

As his lips came down over mine, I sank into him, and he whispered against my mouth, “Merry Christmas.”

I smiled against his lips. “Merry Christmas to us both.

His hand splayed across my belly. “Merry Christmas to us all.”