Charlotte’s family is friendly, loud, and overwhelming, and my head is spinning. Every time I glance at my father, he has a bewildered expression on his face. He seems to be having fun though, which makes me happy. Everything about this Christmas makes me happy. The woman I love and a large family like I used to ask Santa for every Christmas as a child growing up.

I grin as I watch Charlotte with her bright, candy pink hat, talking to one of her cousins. Madison if I remember correctly. She’s currently throwing her head back and laughing with my woman. They look happy. In fact, I haven’t met anyone today who doesn’t look happy.

The dinner tonight turned out to be a huge family affair with others turning up to congratulate us, or to check me out, I’m not sure. I don’t really care, as I know Charlotte is mine. I do have confidence in that.

“Why aren’t you out there with them?” Ruben, Madison’s uncle asks.

I laugh. “I value my teeth.” I wince as Joshua takes a knee to his groin, doubling over, so I add, “And other parts of the anatomy.”

Ruben winces. “Me too.” He chuckles. “I think my brothers and I need to show them how it’s done without causing impotence.”

I glance at his retreating form wondering if I’ve heard him correctly. I have the feeling I did.

“So, you’re the man my cousin cried over.”

I turn and find an attractive woman, with long blonde hair tied at the nape of her neck, staring at me.

“Have we met?”

“I’m Sofia, Ruben and Rosie’s daughter. The baker,” she says, grinning.

“It’s nice to meet you Sofia.” I glance at Charlotte and notice her gaze is on me as I turn back to her cousin. “You know that I wouldn’t hurt her for the world, right? She’s everything to me.”

“I know. She told me.” She smiles. “Congratulations. Don’t let her forget that I make wedding cakes.”

“Oh, I’m sure she won’t.” I wave Charlotte over. “The wedding will be soon.” I wrap my arm around Charlotte’s shoulders when she joins us with Madison. “I’m just telling Sofia that our wedding will be soon.”

“Ah, the wedding cake! We’ll talk about flavors and get back to you because I’m not having anyone else on this.” She grins. “I’m going to let you surprise us with the design though, but remember, I don’t like fussy.”

“So that’s the cake sorted.” Sofia rubs her hands together. I’m not sure whether from the cold or because she’s excited. “We all need to arrange a girls’ trip to get your dress.”

“That will be fun. We’ll bring grandma with us, she’ll love that.” Charlotte wraps her arms around my neck and plants a big kiss to my cold lips.

I hold her close, burying my face into her neck.

“Hey, enough of that,” Dad grumbles. “Plenty of time later.”

“Are you staying at Charlotte’s apartment with them?” Madison asks my father.

Silence follows so I break my hold on Charlotte and glance at my dad wondering why he isn’t answering. He notices my frown and quickly clears his throat.

“Um, no, I’m not. I thought it best if I stay in a hotel with them acting like newlyweds.” He glances away and then says, “If you’ll excuse me.” He walks toward the house.

“Is he okay?” Charlotte asks following his retreating back. “I haven’t seen him distracted like that before.”

“I don’t know. That wasn’t like him.”

Madison runs a hand through her hair that has a light layer of snowflakes covering it, and shrugs. “Maybe it’s me. He acted weird when we were introduced. Couldn’t take his hand back quick enough.” She moves away and joins in the game that the others are playing.

“I’ll talk to him later.” I hug Charlotte. “Don’t worry.”

“Charlotte?” Madison shouts. “Come and join in. I need you!”

I wrap my arm around her midriff, keeping her with me. “You can’t be going playing rough with them.”

“I always do.” She turns her head, a frown on her beautiful features.

“You might be pregnant,” I whisper. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Oh,” she grins, throwing herself into my arms. “I think we should leave then. I mean…practice makes perfect.” Her cool lips lock around mine and everyone else is forgotten…until an ice cold snowball hits me in the back of the neck.

I groan and curse while Charlotte chuckles. “Figured you needed help cooling down,” Joshua shouts, grinning.

Turning back to Charlotte, I raise a brow and she answers my silent question with a laugh. “Let’s do this.”

We reach down for handfuls of snow and then, letting them sail through the air, we take cover as more snowballs fly in our direction.

Charlotte can hardly form a ball through laughing so much, but I don’t have that problem and continue exchanging the cold snow until my arms feel heavy.

Twenty minutes later, all sweaty and tired, we trudge around to the back of the house to dry off in the wet room before stepping inside. Charlotte’s cheeks are rosy from the cold and the fun we’ve had—just looking at her fills my heart.

She notices my gaze, slipping her cold hands inside my sweater and rubbing my stomach, which certainly warms me up. “Did you have fun?” she asks, resting her chin on my chest, her eyes full of mirth as she holds my gaze.

“I did.” I dip down and capture her lips for a quick kiss. “I’m just cold and wet right now,” I smirk, “although you’re warming me up.”

Grinning against my lips, she mumbles, “I think we need to head home.”

“Mmm,” I wrap her up in my arms. “I think you’re right.”

“Thank God!” Joshua mutters, moving past us.

“I’ll remind you of all these comments when you bring a woman here,” Charlotte shouts to his retreating back.

He waves, but doesn’t turn around.

“He’s a pain,” she comments.

“He’s your brother. Isn’t he supposed to give you shit?”

“Yeah, but he walks off before anyone can get to him.” She grins. “We need to get him under the mistletoe at New Year with someone.”

I raise a brow. “Isn’t that a Christmas tradition?”

“Mom puts it up everywhere for the New Year’s party. It’s fun.”

“It won’t be funny if you get caught under it with another guy,” I grumble.

“Hmm, yeah. I’m not going to be impressed if you have to spend the night kissing my cousins.” Her eyes widen. “Oh no! Perhaps I better have a word with Mom about the mistletoe.”

Taking her hand, I lead her into the kitchen and ask, “Why?”

She whispers, “Kissing Cousins. I’ll explain later,” and then kisses me on the neck. When I feel her tongue, I gently push her away.

“None of that in your parents’ kitchen.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m sure my parents have gotten up to a lot more than necking in the kitchen.”

“You would be right, honey,” Lily pats Charlotte’s cheek, amusement written across her face.

“Mom,” she groans, “we really didn’t need that confirmed.”

Lily laughs as Michael wraps an arm around his wife. “What confirmed?”

“Never mind, Dad,” Charlotte rushes out, taking my hand. “We’re going to head home.”