Noah and Justin exchanged a worried look, until their father chuckled and ruffled their dark hair. “Relax, boys,” Nathan assured them. “Santa just heard you tell Mommy that you were sorry, so he’ll be sure to bring what you asked him for.”

“He will,” added Lauren in a stern voice, “so long as both of you eat all the nice things Grandma worked so hard to make for all of us tonight. And you have to be on your best behavior for the rest of the night. Promise?”

The boys nodded enthusiastically, and began to tuck into the soup that Natalie was serving as a first course. Nathan exchanged a knowing look with Ben and chuckled.

“I think we ought to ship the boys to you for a month or so,” he joked. “Lauren will whip them into shape in no time. In fact, you can start a new business – call it Baby Boot Camp.”

Ben grinned at his wife and brought her hand to his lips. “Well, her methods certainly worked with me. I knew the minute we met that she didn’t mess around, and that if I didn’t go along with whatever she said there would be consequences.”

“Nah, that’s not the reason why,” said Lauren in dismissal. She leaned over and whispered in Ben’s ear wickedly, “You were just afraid you wouldn’t get laid if you disagreed with me. What you didn’t know was that I would have done you no matter what.”

He sighed dramatically. “Now she tells me!”

***

It was several hours later when Ben pulled into the driveway of the cabin, which Lauren had jokingly told him was now way too large to merit that term. It was an official house now, she’d insisted, while he had gently replied that no matter the size, shape, or classification, it would always simply be home.

He and Lauren each carried a sleeping twin inside, and while she tucked them both up into their beds he went back outside to cart in all of the new toys and other gifts the girls had received earlier that night. As usual, the cabin – correction, house – was in a bit of chaos, though Lauren had made more of an effort since the twins’ arrival to keep things neat. And since they were hosting Christmas dinner tomorrow, the place was about as tidy as he’d ever seen it.

He plugged in the tree lights, gazing fondly at the variety of ornaments he and Lauren had collected during their travels over the years. But his favorites would always be the photo ornaments that Lauren had made, including ones that commemorated their wedding, the twins’ baby pictures, and one of the four of them taken during a trip to the Grand Canyon in late October that they had included with this year’s holiday card.

His gaze moved away from the gaily bedecked Christmas tree to the wall where they had made a huge photo collage – pictures from their trips, wedding, outings with the girls, and some just because. One of the very first photos they had hung here had been the black and white profile shot Lauren had taken of him all those years ago, and that Robert had returned to her as part of their wedding gift. Lauren had rather sheepishly confessed that she’d sold a dozen others in the series, and had half-seriously offered to split the royalties with him.

But Ben had just laughed at the thought, and told her instead, “I can think of other ways besides money that you can make it up to me.” And she had proceeded to do just that – for the next several months, in fact.

“Whatcha looking at, Blue Eyes?” she drawled lazily, her arms sliding about him from behind as she rested her cheek against his back.

He smiled as he placed his hands over hers, giving them a squeeze. “At the Loner photo. Some of your best work, sweetheart.”

She snuggled up against his side then, her arms wrapped around his waist. “I always thought so. At least until Daisy and Summer came along, that is. Our girls are absolutely the finest thing either of us have ever produced.”

Ben kissed the top of her head affectionately. “I agree wholeheartedly. And my three girls are easily my most cherished treasures.”

“Even more than the Ducati?” she teased. She had gladly handed him the keys to the powerful motorcycle when he’d moved in here with her four years ago. Technically they shared the bike but Ben used it a great deal more than she did these days.

“Not even close,” he assured her. “I love you, Lauren, and I will love and protect and adore you and our girls for the rest of my life. I never thought I’d have all of this, you know – a wife, kids, the greatest house in the entire world. A family. Your dad was right when he made that toast tonight – family is unquestionably the most precious gift any of us can ever hope to receive. And I’ve been blessed to receive the greatest gifts of all. No man could ever possibly want more than what I already have.”

“Really” she asked mischievously. “Because, you know, I was sort of thinking about building a fire, pouring us each a glass of wine, and giving you part of your Christmas gift a little early.”

Ben arched a very interested brow. “Go on. I’m listening.”

“Hang on a sec.” Lauren ducked into the kitchen and emerged a couple of minutes later with two glasses and a bottle of zinfandel she’d just opened. She poured them each some wine, and raised her glass in a toast. “Merry Christmas, Blue Eyes. They just keep getting better and better, don’t they?”

“And they always will,” he assured her, clinking his glass against hers before taking a sip. “Guess I’d better fulfill my end of the deal and start a fire.”

“Wait.” She placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. “Never mind. No time. Plus, I’ve got a feeling once you see your, ah, gift, it will get plenty hot in here.”

He laughed. “Well, now I’m really intrigued. What did you get me exactly? A heated blanket? A tin of cocoa? A – holy crap.”

Ben stared in slack jawed fascination as Lauren swiftly stripped off her sweater, leggings, and boots until she was standing in front of him wearing the scantiest of red lace bras and thongs. Her figure was as firm and toned as ever, though he privately thought it was even sexier than it had been before her pregnancy. Her curves had a bit more softness to them now, and the thought that they had become that way as a result of having his children only made him desire her more.

She twined her arms around his neck, standing up on tiptoe to nip his earlobe. “Now, I know you told me you couldn’t possibly want more than what you already have but I – ”

“I changed my mind,” he interrupted, swiftly yanking one lacy bra cup down to bare a round, lush breast. “In fact, I think I’d like an even dozen of this particular gift.” He bent his head to draw her nipple into his mouth.

Lauren gasped as he impatiently unhooked the bra, letting it fall carelessly to the floor as he cupped both breasts in his big hands. “I, ah, thought you might like it,” she panted, her hands tunneling beneath his sweater to caress the hot, bare skin of his chest before helping him to finish undressing.

Ben tumbled her onto the woven rug in front of the fireplace, his body looming over hers as he gazed down into her glittering green eyes. “I love it,” he whispered, his hand running down between her breasts to her belly and then lower. “In fact, best Christmas gift ever.”

“Mmm. I agree,” she breathed, as he slid his cock deep inside of her welcoming body. “You can give me a gift like this every day of my life.” She wrapped her legs around his hips as he picked up the tempo and depth of his movements.

“It’s a deal,” he rasped, sliding his hands beneath her buttocks as he lifted her up to meet his thrusts, capturing her lips with his to stifle her moans of pleasure when they became a little too loud. They had woken the girls from a sound sleep more than once with the noise of their amorous activities.

They laid together on the rug for several minutes afterwards, until he felt Lauren shiver in his arms. He stood and picked her up without a word, carrying her to their bed – the bed Lauren rarely bothered to actually make up – and snuggled beneath the covers. She gave a deep yawn, burrowing her head against his shoulder as she so often did, and pressed a kiss to his chest.