After the Christmas Party (19 page)

“My one and only Prince Charming,” she assured him, touching his arm.

“I like the sound of that.”

“But, Riley, I should tell you.”

“Yes?”

“You’re my Santa, too.”

“Oh?”

She nodded. “Every day I’m with you is like Christmas.”

“You’re the one who is a gift, princess. You’ve made my life better.”

“Hey, I have a gift for you, too,” she recalled, jumping up and rushing to the drawer where she’d stashed his gift.

Smiling, she handed him the bag.

He eyed it suspiciously. “You used a bag rather than wrapping paper?”

She grinned. “I bought this before my wrapping lesson.”

He pulled out the paper and lifted out a box about the size of his hand. What was inside made him burst out laughing.

And had his eyes shining brightly.

“It’s perfect.”

“I thought you’d think so, snowflake.”

Holding the ornament as if it was the most precious treasure, he smiled at her, love in his eyes. “I love you, Trinity.”

Her heart swelled with Christmas joy, with love. She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips. “I love you, too. Thank you for my best Christmas ever.”

He grinned. “Until next year’s.”

EPILOGUE

C
HRISTMAS DAY A
year later, Trinity wasn’t so sure Riley had topped the previous year’s Christmas. As a matter of fact, at the moment she wasn’t even sure she liked him. Or that she’d ever allow him to touch her again.

She moaned with pain.

There was just something about this day.

“Come on, sweetheart, you’re almost there.”

Okay, so she probably would let him. After all, she did love him with all her heart and was loved by all of his heart.

“Breathe, honey.”

She was breathing. Trinity grimaced at her husband, who dabbed at her sweaty face with a washcloth. Her calm, patient, always-positive husband who had brought so much joy into her life. So much happiness. So much security and magic.

He’d given her Christmas.

And so much more.

“When the next contraction hits,” the obstetrician said, “and when I tell you, I want you to push as hard as you can.”

She felt as if she’d been pushing for hours, but in reality not that much time had gone by. She’d woken up
during the middle of Christmas Eve night, had found Riley missing from bed and had gone to look for him. Not surprisingly, she’d found him beneath their Christmas tree, playing Santa.

What had been surprising was that before she’d been able to say anything she’d felt a gush of liquid between her legs. A gush of amniotic fluid as her waters had broken.

According to the clock on the wall, it was barely nine on Christmas morning. She was in the hospital. With her husband, The pink hightops she’d insisted on wearing digging into the stirrups. With their soon-to-be-born baby on its way. And their family anxious in the waiting area. The entire Williams clan.

“Push, Trinity,” Riley encouraged, clasping her hand and focusing on her. “Look at me and push.”

She tried to look at him but kept squeezing her eyes closed in pain as she attempted to turn her insides out.

“Breathe, baby. Breathe.”

Breathe. Push. Pant.

Trinity felt a gut-wrenching pain then horrendous pressure.

“The baby’s head is out,” the doctor praised. “There’s lots of hair.”

Another contraction, a few more pushes and Trinity cried.

“You have a baby girl,” the obstetrician informed them. “Congratulations.”

“A girl.” Riley said the words with absolute wonder. “We have a daughter.”

Exhausted, but amazed at the man smiling at her with all the love a man had ever felt for any woman
shining in his eyes, Trinity nodded. “A girl, born on Christmas Day.”

“The most precious gift anyone has ever given me.”

Trinity tried to point out that Riley was the one who’d given her the precious gift of their daughter.

“Joy Noelle Williams.”

Trinity glanced down at the baby in her arms. “I have this feeling that my role as princess is going to be booted by this little sweetheart.” She smiled at the man who’d brought so much joy into her life. Who’d made her part of his family, given her a family of her own. “I think you may have a hard time topping this year.”

“Perhaps in your delicate condition you’ve forgotten, but I’m a man who aims to please, so just you wait and see.”

Her eyes widened because she recognized that determined look on his face.

He just grinned. “Merry Christmas, darling.”

ISBN: 9781472003515

AFTER THE CHRISTMAS PARTY…

© Janice Lynn 2013

First Published in Great Britain in 2013
Harlequin (UK) Limited
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, including without limitation xerography, photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This ebook is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the prior consent of the publisher, in any form or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All characters in this work have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l.

® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk