Chapter 37

Christmas with the Redmond family was nothing short of magical. The cousins, aunts, and uncles descended upon the house in a storm of happy, familial chaos. She was introduced to no less than nine people and received half a dozen hugs as though they'd been a part of her life forever. It didn't matter that she was a stranger. The moment Gerald had introduced her as Jared's girlfriend, everyone had been all smiles and friendliness.

Now all the women were in the kitchen whipping up a feast while the men played billiards in the upstairs entertainment den. Jared hung back with her and was resting on the couch, watching the female family members cook. He was stretched out on the couch with her leaning back against him, so she lay cocooned in the warmth of his arms. His cheek pressed against the top of her head as he played with her hands where they rested on top of the blankets in her lap.

"You don't have to stay here with me if you want to play billiards," she said.

His low, throaty chuc