Читать книгу Mills & Boon Christmas Delights Collection - Джанис Мейнард, Rebecca Winters - Страница 34

Chapter Twenty-Five

Michael held my hand as we padded down the stairs. Outside the light had yet to show itself and despite splashing his face with water and cleaning his teeth, Michael still looked half asleep. And so damn beautiful that I was severely tempted to turn straight around and back upstairs. Except that was half the reason we were so tired already.

‘What are you smiling at?’

He’d caught me.

‘You.’

‘Do I amuse you?’

‘Yes.’

He cocked an eyebrow.

‘In a good way.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’ He snuggled his face down into the hollow of my neck and just held me for a moment, taking advantage of the fact that I was still a step or two behind him. And then I felt his fingers splay around my waist and his lips move slowly up my neck.

‘Michael,’ I whispered, not for a moment wanting him to stop.

He dropped his forehead onto my shoulder and made a low groan. Lifting his head, he gave it a brief shake, grinned and tugged me onwards down the stairs.

‘Katie! Uncle Mikey!’

An assortment of nieces and nephews charged towards us as we entered the living room, and, at a glance, all of them far more awake than any one of the adults present. Pilot, already adorned with a collar of red tinsel, stood waiting patiently for his master’s morning greeting. Michael and I both gave him a big cuddle and head rub before he went bouncing happily back to sit by the tree, and was soon further decorated by a giggling nephew popping a sticky bow on the top of his head. Merry Christmas hugs and kisses were then exchanged between everyone else and a corner of sofa freed up. Michael flopped down on it, pulling me onto his lap, cuddling me into him as fresh coffee was poured for us from the steaming pot on the sideboard.

I rested my head on Michael’s shoulder, watching the children, listening to the banter between the adult siblings and the pretend remonstrations of them from their own parents and grandparents. The only light came from the delicate white fairy lights Michael and I had fixed all around the picture rail and those on the tree. The soft illumination, devoid of any other, lent it a perfect magical Christmas air.

As Michael gratefully took the mug from his brother, the clock on the mantelpiece gave out its gentle musical chime. Michael looked over at it, squinted, then groaned.

‘It’s 6 a.m. On a day off.’

Ripples of laughter washed through those around us.

‘Welcome to our world!’ they laughed.

And as I sat there, in the arms of the man I loved, in the midst of it all, I thought that it really was the most wonderful world to be a part of.