White-Hot Holiday(21)

As his parents bustled around the eggnog bowl, Aaron pulled her closer and brushed his lips against her forehead.

“Everything okay?” he murmured. “You look lost in thought.”

She touched the dimple in his cheek. “I’m thinking how nice it will be to spend a whole week here. I love Mecklenburg. It reminds me of home.”

Concern flickered across his face. “You aren’t too homesick, are you? You know we’ll be flying back to Oz as often as you want. Hell, who knows? We might move there in the future.”

“You’d really do that for me?”

“If it’s important to you, then it’s important to me.”

She bit her lip. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.” Her voice shook.

Laughter lines spread from the corners of his eyes as he grinned at her. “Just making sure I’m on Santa’s nice list this year.”

She rested her forehead against his. “Naughty or nice, you’ll be getting a very special present from me.”

“Honey, I can’t wait.”