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My heart thumps.

“You own me.”

Fingers shaking, I lift my free hand to his face, let my palm run across his trim facial hair.

He whispers, “When I’m inevitably an idiot and do something wrong by you, sweetheart, put me on my knees and remind me who loves me to the point of insanity.”

My lashes flutter. “Did you just call me insane?”

“Do I need to get on my knees for you already?”

I can’t help it; I smile.

His gaze locks on my dimple, and he uses his free hand to circle the indent. “Is that a yes?”

“No.”

He hums. “Do you like being insane about me?”

“Yes.”

He kisses my smile. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” So, so, so much.

That it…hurts.

Chapter 4

◼

My girl.

Wynnter

Don’t screw this up, Wynnter. I swear. I’ll kill myself if I screw this up.

December is flawless. Precious. Pure. The brightest star on a winter night. And I’ll be fricken pissed if I do anything that ever leaves her less than blissful. If she ever wants something, it’s hers. No matter what it is.

This woman has loved me for over a decade, through every one of my less-than-palatable traits and actions. She looks at me like she belongs to me and is just waiting on my word to carry out my will.

She’s the perfect size and the perfect weight. She is so soft. Her eyes are so deep, so navy blue. Like a winter sky fixated on me.

Heck. Heck, heck, heck.

There’s a reason I named her December way back when she first became August’s friend, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the name being a month of the year to match my little sister’s.

No. She is December, because she’s always been the beauty of the start of winter tied up in the joyous rush of Christmas. She’s light and love and warmth in an icy season. She is my begin all, the master of my solstice, and she belongs with me.

Curled up.

In my arms.

Right here.

Like this.

Snuggled against my chest, on my lap, while a fire roars.