I barely registered the sound of the door opening before Celine’s excited squeals filled the room. The bed shook as she jumped up and down, her voice bursting with joy. “Emmy! Unchy! Santa has been here! Santa has been here!” she cried, her words tumbling over each other in her sugary high. She was clearly buzzing from too much candy, her energy lighting up the otherwise quiet morning.
With a groan, I instinctively burrowed deeper into the warmth in front of me. My hands found the soft fabric beneath my fingertips, clutching at it as I allowed myself one more moment of comfort. Strong arms were wrapped securely around me, their hold making me feel safe and enveloped in a cocoon of protection. The faint, masculine scent that clung to him—woodsy, with hints of something crisp and clean—fill
