Chapter 148
His arms tighten around me before he dips down and presses his lips to mine gently. I sigh in utter bliss, our bodies molding perfectly against each other and my hand slips from his cheek to rest on his chest. His soft lips move against mine, creating tingles on my skin. I moan softly but pout when he pulls away, immediately curling into his side. There is a slight pause and I can feel hesitation rolling off him in waves and through our mate bond. He takes a slight intake of air before asking the question on his mind.
"Are you okay?"
I gaze at him quizzically, brows furrowing. "What do you mean? I'm perfectly okay."
He sighs, fingertips trailing over my bare arm soothingly. "I heard you crying in the bathroom before you came to bed last night. Don't lie to me, Amanda."
I still in his arms before relaxing when he presses a gentle kiss to my temple. Shrugging halfheartedly, I avoid his eyes and instead focus on our intertwined hands. "I just miss my parents that's all. It's going to be my first Christmas without them, just the first of many. I'm finding it hard."
"It's okay to talk about it you know? I'm always here." He murmurs, tipping my chin up so that I look directly into his eyes as he speaks.
I nod, sending him a weak smile. I let out a shuddering breath, feeling my throat tighten and my vision blur with tears. "Does it ever get easier? Missing them?"
He smiles painfully before nodding. "I promise you that it will, baby girl. But, it will take some time before I hear or find you crying by yourself."
He sits up and I let him wipe my traitorous tears away before he picks me up and settles me in his lap, winding his arms around my waist. "You miss them? Come to me. You want to talk about them? Come to me. You want to cry your eyes out. Come to me. Because I will always be here for you, Amanda. Never forget that."
I smile gratefully, turning to face him slightly and kissing him sweetly. Pulling away, I cup his face in both hands before pressing our foreheads together. "Thank you, Gabriel."
"Anything for you, my light. Now, let's go shower and join everybody downstairs okay?" He grins boyishly at my loud squeal of surprise as he gets off the bed with me still in his arms, carrying me to the bathroom.
I shake my head playfully when his eyes sparkle with mischief and lust, already knowing that we are both going to be more than a little late.
***
I set the last dish down on the table before stepping back and admiring the beautiful Christmas dinner spread Isabella, Valeria and I have made. The decorations are red and gold, including the tablecloth and napkins with gold crackers placed on every plate. Candles are lit in the center with dark green wreaths, red berries and pine cones around them, enhancing the festive vibe. It has a homey feel to it and is perfection in my eyes.
The dinner is traditional and the smell of all the various dishes has my stomach growling in hunger. In the middle is a big turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and different vegetables in small bowls. For dessert, we have made apple pie and Christmas pudding, as per my request.
I cannot wait to get started and rush to call the boys for dinner as soon as Isabella gives me the go ahead. They are watching a game of basketball when I interrupt them, making their heads turn slightly. "Guys, dinner's ready!"
"Oh my god, I've been waiting forever!" Paloma immediately jumps up and rushes over to me, whining about how long we took to make dinner before he halts at the entrance of the kitchen, muttering out a "holy shit."
Gabriel and Nero stare at him in confusion before pushing him into the room, stilling at the sight before them. Wide smiles break out onto their faces before they praise us on the dinner setup. I grin when Gabriel walks over to my side and pecks my lips as we all seat ourselves.
"Seriously girls, this looks incredible! Thank you." Nero states as he wraps his arm around Isabella's shoulders and presses a kiss to her temple.
"Agreed, everything looks delicious." Gabriel adds, smiling at his sisters as they thank him.
As we start to dig in and pile food onto our plate, Paloma and I are the fastest. We grin at each other since he is right in front of me on the opposite side of the table, eyeing each other's plate as if it's a competition. Isabella smacks her little brother on the back of his head when he says, "let's see who finishes first." I laugh as he protests loudly, glaring at his sister and huffing in defeat. Valeria nudges my elbow from beside me, snickering at him with me joining soon after before we are full on laughing. Conversation flows around me about this past year, all the memories the Romanov family made in this lodge, upcoming college applications and all sorts of discussions.
I'm constantly getting distracted my Gabriel's hand moving over my body, erupting tingles. Either he is wrapping his arm around me, grasping my thigh or knee, or holding my hand but overall, he is messing with my train of thought. I send him a warning look to not repeat the pack dinner all over again, making him chuckle under his breath before nodding when I glare.
Relaxing, I sip at my drink and take another bite of my mashed potatoes and turkey, experiencing the burst of flavors in my mouth. Paloma is already helping himself to another plate, followed by Gabriel and Nero. Isabella joins in soon after, claiming that she is eating for two now whilst Valeria and I smirk before helping ourselves to another plate because really, who doesn't want to stuff themselves on Christmas day?
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