Sarge opened his eyes to the early morning light streaming through the cabin window. Somehow, he and Tamsin had stopped long enough to find their way back to his car and their clothes, and driven back to the cabin.

His muscles ached but in that satisfying and boner-inducing way. He stretched in bed, appreciating the soft mattress underneath him. He'd fuck Tamsin anywhere she wanted, but he was pretty sure he might have had a pine cone lodged in an uncomfortable place, rolling around on the ground last night. Still, he couldn't help smiling at the memory, and his cock stirred to life.

A soft, girlish moan escaped from under the covers next to him. Tamsin emerged like a turtle, her hair all mussed and sexy.

“Morning,” she yawned in a lazy, sleepy voice.

“Morning, boss.” He couldn’t help the goofy grin on his face.

Nothing could make him want to leave that bed anytime soon. He dove underneath the covers and spread her legs wide, breathing in her enticing scent before planting his mouth on her sex.

Tamsin choked out a noise somewhere between surprise and pleasure. He chuckled once, and then set himself to the task, determined to make her come at least twice before burying himself to the hilt. Happy Fucking Morning, after all.

* * *

Sarge kept checking his phone every few seconds, his knee bouncing underneath the table.

He nibbled on a stale muffin left over from the previous morning. “I should have met her at the ferry,” he called out to Tamsin, still getting ready in the bathroom.

She emerged from the other side of the door, looking holiday-ready in a red sweater. “She drove onto the ferry with her car. I told you already, if you met her down there, then you'd both have to drive back separately. Might as well wait here until we get a text from Titus that she's checking in at the front gate of the park.”

She plopped down into his lap to keep his leg from bouncing. He proved his strength, bouncing her up and down anyway. She stole part of his muffin and stuffed it in her mouth.

He growled at her in play, finding her too adorable to be annoyed at. What had happened to the gruff man who had sworn off girls? Looking back, Sarge recognized how stupid he'd been for all those years. But he couldn't hate what all of his waiting had resulted in. As soon as she'd finished swallowing another bite, he attacked her lips, telling her in actions instead of words how he felt.

His phone vibrated and beeped on the table, interrupting them.

“She's checking in now. We better go.” His stomach lurched from nerves, and he ran through his rehearsed apology in his head.

Tamsin stood up. “Maybe you should go to her cabin alone.”

He pushed away from the table. “No way. I wouldn't even have this opportunity if it weren't for you. You're coming with me.”

“Okay.” She hid her face with her hair, a habit he hoped she didn't keep, because he loved seeing the reactions in her face. She didn't fight him, and they left together.

On their walk to his mother's cabin, Tamsin wouldn't let go of his hand. “It'll be fine. You'll see.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because she's your mother.”

Sarge wished with all of his might that Tamsin was right. Maybe a familial bond would be enough to take the first steps to mending their mutual wounds.

They got inside the cabin and waited for his mom to arrive. When she opened the door, Tamsin yelled out, “Surprise.”

Sarge’s voice choked in his throat. He swallowed the lump several times, attempting not to give in to the emotions rolling around on his insides.

“Hi, Mom,” he managed in a broken voice. He waited for his mother’s reaction. Expected her to yell at him. To frown. To accuse.

She ran straight at him, throwing her arms around his frame and embracing him hard enough to make it hard to breathe. And he didn't care. He rocked her back and forth where they stood.

When Sarge had his emotions under enough control, he attempted to utter his rehearsed words. “Mom, I'm so sorry.”

“Hush,” his mother ordered, placing a finger on his lips. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“But it was my fault that I broke things off with Heather and hurt your position in the clan.”

Sarge's mother shook her head. “I never should've put that kind of pressure on your shoulders. What you did or didn't do with Heather was your life to live, not mine to command. And I know that she hurt you. I should have stuck by my boy instead of running him down.”

Tears streamed down the woman's face and broke Sarge's heart. He embraced her again, wrapping her up in his arms until her body stopped shaking with sobs.

She spoke into his chest. “I felt so guilty all these years for how I reacted. I just couldn't bring myself to be around you. And I figured that I deserved to stay in that town rather than move to Seattle. You’d already given me my house and made sure my life was comfortable. How could I take more from you?”

“Because I offered it to you, Mom. Because I want you near me.”

They both muttered apologies through shattered emotions. Sarge gave in and let a few tears drop on his mother's head. She sniffed and tried to pull herself together, wiping her eyes. “Now, introduce me to this beautiful young lady.”

Sarge beamed. “Mom, this is Tamsin Peterson.”

“Tamsin Webb,” his girl corrected, sticking out her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Sergeants.”

“My name is Doreen. But family calls me Dora.” His mother swatted Tamsin’s hand away, pulling her into a hug until she gasped for breath. Tamsin winked at him over his mother's shoulder.

When Dora released Tamsin, she held her at arm's length. “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”

Tamsin shrugged. “There’s not much to tell.”

“That’s not true.” Sarge refused to let her sell herself short. “She grew up here on Shay Island, so she’s been my guide for the past couple of days. In more ways than one. And she’s a teacher in Seattle.”

Tamsin blushed. “Almost a teacher. I’m finishing up my student teaching semester at an elementary school in Seattle. But then I’ve got to get a real job for the spring, or I’ll have to register as a substitute and wait until next year.”

Sarge caught her eye. “But you made it to this point. You’ll get a teaching job for sure.”

“You can’t know that.”

Closing the distance between them, he took her hand. “I know that you made your dream happen, not anyone else. And I’ll bet you won’t stop until you get what you want.”

His mother had stepped back to watch the two of them, an amused twinkle in her eye. “Sounds like you are something special. Now, I’m wondering just how special you are to each other?”

Sarge looked to Tamsin for help and found her silently pleading with him. They hadn’t had a chance to speak about their situation with each other since last night in the woods or this morning in the light of day.

Who was this incredible woman to him? His friend? He’d shared more with her than with anyone else in just a short amount of time together. His girlfriend? If that upgrade came with an intense intimacy and combustible sex that could set the world on fire, than she definitely fit that description. His mate? Hell, yes.

“We haven’t really…” started Tamsin.

Sarge nodded. “We’ve been spending a bunch of time together. But maybe…”

Dora chuckled. “I’ve stuck my foot in it, haven’t I?”

He didn’t want Tamsin to get the idea that he didn’t want to define their relationship. But it was a conversation they needed to have alone, not with his mom standing right there.

“Why don’t we break the rules and you open one present, Mom.” He hoped to distract her and relieve some of the pressure in the small space.

“But it’s not Christmas,” his mom protested.

Tamsin jumped in. “Oh, go ahead. Opening one thing won’t hurt.” She smiled in relief at Sarge.

He picked out a specific gift that Tamsin had helped wrap. “Here.”

Dora glared at him in mock scolding, but her fingers had already untied the red velvet ribbon. Instead of tearing into the paper, she carefully slid her finger along the edge and peeled off the tape with careful intent. It reminded Sarge of his childhood, his mom trying to get more than one use out of the wrapping paper because they needed to.

He massaged her shoulders. “You can tear into it, Mom. I’ll buy you all the wrapping paper you want.”

“Old habits,” his mother sighed. Biting her lip, she tore a large strip off. With a girlish giggle, she ripped all of the present’s paper to shreds. Tamsin balled up the paper, grinning at the mother-and-son duo.

His mom pulled out the hand-knit scarf, hat, and mittens set made by the Crafty Crew. “This reminds me of the ones I managed to make for you that year.”

“And that you made me wear every time I went out the door.”

“When you would promptly take them all off and stuff them behind the bush at the end of the driveway before going to school and then put back on when you came home?” Dora teased.

“You knew?” Sarge had thought he’d been so sneaky.

His mom threw a mitten at him. “You never learn. I’m a mom. I know things.” She fingered the soft yarn.

“Do you like your gift?” he murmured.

Setting the box down, she pulled out the scarf and hung it around her neck. “Very much so. Thank you, Aaron.” She planted a peck on his cheek, and Sarge nearly lost it again.

Distracting himself, he bounded over to the tree and pulled out a present he’d hidden in the back. “We’re not done yet.”

His mom placed her hand on her hip. “You said just one present.”

“This one’s not for you.” Sarge handed the less-attractively wrapped box to Tamsin.

“When did you have time to get this?” she asked with wide eyes.

“I’ve made some connections while on the island, too. Open it.” He couldn’t remember the last time he felt that giddy about giving a simple Christmas present.

When she opened the box, Tamsin cracked up, pulling out a similar hand-knit set. “Florence must be over the moon. I’ll bet you’ve made that group’s entire year.”

His mom hugged Tamsin around the waist. “And now we match.”

“Oh, just you wait.” Tamsin held up her finger. She walked over to the bed and crouched down. When she stood up, she held another wrapped box and handed it to Sarge. “Here’s yours.”

He didn’t have to open it to guess what waited for him inside. The goofy grin on Tamsin’s face gave it away, but he put on a show, ripping off the paper with a growl and revealing another handcrafted set in manly colors.

Tamsin snatched the hat from the box and smashed it down on his head and over his eyes. “There. Now we all match.”

The three gave into the amusement of the gifts, and Sarge enjoyed every second, smiling. How had he gone so many years living in the dark when he could have been laughing in the light?

Mine. Sarge and his bear agreed on that singular definition. He touched his shoulder.

Tamsin caught him and touched her own mark, winking at him. “Ours,” she mouthed.

He itched to give his mom the rest of the gifts. Tamsin’s idea to put together things that would remind them of the good times from the past had been a stroke of genius. Although, he’d secretly gone above and beyond the homemade goodies she’d helped him gather.

Tucked away on the back of the tree was an envelope that held a bunch of printed out pages of far away places so his mom could pick any place to go for a vacation together once he was off season. But better to leave that surprise for Christmas Day.

“I can’t think of how this visit could get any more magical. I’ve gotten everything I could ever wish for.” Dora hooked her arms around Tamsin’s and Sarge’s elbows.

“Thank Tamsin, Mom. She's the amazing woman who made all of this possible.” Sarge nodded his chin at the girl who’d changed his life.

“You must be some miracle worker then,” his mom said, leaning her head against Sarge’s arm.

“There is definitely something special about her.” He winked over at Tamsin, enjoying her beautiful blush.

Tamsin cleared her throat. “Are you ready, Mrs. Sergeants?

“Dora, please. Ready for what?”

“If you think I've worked miracles here, wait until you experience the rest.”

“The rest of what?” his mother asked, wrapping her new scarf around her neck.

Tamsin opened the door and waited for the two of them. She gestured her hands with a flourish. “The rest of the magic here on Shay Island.”