New Year's Eve are pretty terrific, too. "

She wanted to believe him with her whole heart and soul.

All she needed was a little more..

"Yes, I guess they are."

She was coming around. Nik felt himself back on solid ground. "I promise to love you on Groundhog Day and leap year day and every other day, as well." ! His lips feathering along her face, he kissed each lid shut and absorbed her sigh into his heart. His face grew serious.

"I won't let you walk out of my life because of something that " might'

happen. "

She knew he meant it. That he was willing to fight for her rather than just let her go dissolved the last of her resistance

"I can't promise you that I won't lose my temper, or be stubborn. Or that there won't be times when I get so totally wrapped up in what I'm doing that I seem to ignore you.

And we'll argue. " He antic.i.p.ated her reaction. " Arguing's healthy, Sara," he soothed. " It clears the air. For love. "

He looked into her face and fell in love all over again.

"What I can promise you is that I will always love you, no matter what." He laughed softly. "h.e.l.l, I love you now and you're being as stubborn as a mule."

She was crying again. But this time they were tears of happiness. Her mother had been unreasonable to expect that everything would always be perfect. Sara knew that things couldn't ever be perfect, but she also knew that they would be as perfect as humanly possible. With Nik. !

She smiled at him through her tears. "I guess I can't ask for more than that."

" Sure you can. " He held her closer. "

"You can ask for I me."

" I'm asking. "

Sara threw her arms around his neck as she kissed him. The surge within her was instantaneous. She realized with a sigh that she had finally come home.

The surge grew into a burst of joy. The kind, she suddenly remembered, that she used to experience on Christmas when her family was all around her.

For them, she thought, just before his kiss swept her away, Christmas wouldn't be every day. But just sharing every day with him would be enough.

Epilogue.

Nik walked through the arched doorway that led from his recently remodeled kitchen into the living room. He grinned as he stopped and allowed himself to drink in one of the more pleasing views of his wife.

Sara was standing on the top step of the three-tiered step stool, her posterior directly at Nik's eye level.

Standing on her toes, she was precariously leaning into their ten-foot Christmas tree, adjusting one of the numerous tiny lights that decorated it like a swarm of brightly colored fireflies.

Going with his impulse, Nik slowly slid his hands up along her hips until he grasped her waist. It occurred to him that she felt just the tiniest bit thicker here. But it didn't matter. It just meant that there was more of her to love.

As if he could possibly love her any more than he already did.

Sara looked over her shoulder. She tried to sound stern, but her heart wasn't in it. She was too happy. "You almost made me fall."

"I'm always here to catch you." Still holding her, he c.o.c.ked his head and surveyed the tree. They had spent two days decorating it, with Sara issuing orders like a hardened drill sergeant. Nik had begun to wonder if she intended it to become a permanent fixture in their living room. "How long are you going to keep fussing with that thing? "

She frowned as she turned around again. s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g in a fresh red bulb, she pocketed the dead one. "There was a light out ."

Nik laughed. " " The tree has over three thousand lights on it, Sara.

Trust me, n.o.body'll notice if one's out. "

He lifted her from the step stool and let the length of her body slide over his until her feet touched the floor again.

Sara smiled up at Nik, savoring the sensations he had ignited

"Mmm, don't start anything we can't finish." Her arms still laced around his neck, Sara angled her wrist to look at her watch. It was later than she thought. " " Everyone will be here in a few minutes.

He loved the way her eyes half closed when desire seeped into her body.

"We could lock them out and have them stand outside for an hour or so."

His fingers ran seductively along her sides. "It's pretty mild out."

Sara brushed a kiss on his lips, then disentangled herself from his arms. "Seriously, I want everything to be just right." She was almost beaming, he thought. "This is my first family Christmas in years."

Jennifer and Julia were both coming for Christmas Eve with their families. And Sara's father had promised to join them. The house was going to be full of people and noise any moment now.

Nik cherished the quiet. And her. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

Sara smiled, antic.i.p.ating Nik's reaction to the surprise she had for him. The one she had barely managed to keep to herself. " " Not today. Are you taking me for granted? "

The room echoed with his laugh. "After what I had to go throqtgh to win you over? Not in a million years."

Unable to wait any longer, Sara picked up a small package from under the Christmas tree. It was wrapped with shiny blue foil that had whimsical angels dancing over it.

Curly blue ribbon streamed down from both sides. She handed the package to Nik.

"Would you like to open one of your gifts a little early?"

He took the box in his hands, but his eyes were on her.

"You?"

Sara laughed. He was so dear to her. The electric lights from the tree took his image and splashed it over the surface of the multicolored b.a.l.l.s until there were dozens of Niks all over. She could never get enough of him.

"That's later," she promised. She touched the box. "I meant this." , Old habit had him shaking the box. It didn't make a single telltale sound. "That's cheating." He said the words solemnly, then grinned like a small boy with a secret.