Happily Ever Christmas

~Thirty-Seven~

"Peter!" Susan was the first adult to finally approach him and speak. "We-we weren't expecting you!"

Which was her polite way of telling him he wasn't welcome.

Peter merely gave her a bland smile, though, as he pulled off his gloves. "Well, I realized when I woke up this morning that I belonged right here, with my family. Jumped on a plane as soon as I could, just drove here in a rental. Best day to travel, I swear!

"I just realized...how very important my family is to me." And he looked across the room to meet my eyes with a meaningful expression.

I felt like I was going to be sick.

His simple brown eyes narrowed when he saw Steve and how close he was standing to me; how Steve had his hand on my back in a clear show of support.

I realized how it must look to him and I started feeling curiously better.

*~*~*~*

Peter, despite my family's obvious coldness to him, was determined to stay.

He had presents aplenty for everyone and that appeased all the kids in the household for a while, at least.

Inevitably Peter was introduced to Steve and when Peter expressed his confusion as to how Steve knew the family, I found myself speaking before I thought it all the way through, which was a rather bad habit of mine.

"Steve and I actually knew each other from before yesterday; when we met him, Susan." I confessed, and everyone in the room turned to look at me with surprise and arched eyebrows, even Steve, though he had a little grin on his face already. I knew how playful he was and that he would go along with anything I suggested.

I blushed at all the sudden attention.

"You have?!" Susan said in amazement.

"Why didn't you say anything?!" My cousin Lila then demanded, sipping her eggnog as she blinked her blue eyes at me in fascination.

"Oh, we were just...playing a little game." I smiled with deliberate warmth up at Steve and his eyebrows shot up even higher. But he was an exceptionally graceful person, far more graceful than I, and his surprise swiftly melted into a warm smile to meet mine.

"But I suppose the cat's out of the bag, now, hmm?" And Steve wrapped his arm around me to smile at everyone in turn.

Peter's eyes narrowed as he studied Steve.

This made me feel just a slight amount of smug satisfaction.

I suppose this had something to do with why, when Susan next asked, "So are you guys, like, dating or something?", my answer was, "Yes. Yes, we are."

*~*~*~*

Steve pulled me aside a few moments later to have a word and my cheeks were already burning because I had a feeling I knew what was coming next.

I wasn't exactly being mature, after all.

"Emberly...what're you doing? Honey?" He asked me softly, cocking his head. We had stepped inside the music room, which was usually where people went to have secret consortiums in the house.

I cracked instantly. "I'm sorry!" I sighed heavily, hanging my head. "It just burst out of me, I don't even know why! I guess I just saw the way Peter was looking at you and I just couldn't stop thinking about Tammy, his stupid, beautiful blonde girlfriend with her stupid, giant boobs, and her legs for days, and her perfect complexion! Gah!

"I guess I just wanted him to suffer the way he's made me suffer and I...just lost sight of everything else."

This realization devastated me because I instantly thought of my children and how I hadn't even stopped to consider how this would affect them. I couldn't afford to get their hopes up, about anything, definitely not about Steve and me.

Steve sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose momentarily with his eyes squeezed shut. "I see. It sounds like you have a lot of unresolved issues there, with your ex-husband.

"So this is about him and I shouldn't take it personally."

"Steve...you know how I really feel about you, surely. The night we shared..." I flushed and grew a bit lightheaded just remembering, and I had to stop talking.

Steve opened his eyes to look at me. "Do I, Emberly? I have no idea how you feel, actually. You won't talk to me, you won't open up. It's like you still don't trust me."

"No, Steve, it's not that! I-I'm very...fond of you."

Steve arced his eyebrows, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Wow." He said quietly, and I felt something rip through my heart.

For him, for me, for both of us.

"And as much as your offer is tempting, I simply can't take my children away from their home. Surely you understand this. Their father has the right to see them..."

Steve moved closer to me and cupped my cheeks then, cradling them in his big, strong hands. He was so strong and so warm, I wanted to just sag into him and let him hold me forever.

"Well, let me at least tell you, Emberly, so that you know. I love you. I will always love you and against all odds, despite all the reasons we shouldn't be together, I know that I want you. I want you to be mine...forever."

*~*~*~*

Tears flooded my eyes. This was so unfair.

I sniffed bravely, however, shaking my head as I stepped back from him. "Steve, please..."

Just then there was a soft knock at the door and Peter entered a moment later.

"Hey, guys, I hope I'm not interrupting something." He blatantly lied.

Steve sighed, his soulful blue eyes never leaving my face. "I'll leave you two alone." He said quietly.

I only realized as Steve pulled away that we had been holding hands.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thanks so much for reading!

HRH