Free His Christmas Rose by C.M. Steele Page B

to give me a choice. You are so sweet,” she said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.
    “What a mouth on this girl! You see what I have to put up with?”
    “I wish you all the luck, my brother.”
    “Speaking of siblings, you care to explain why my sister is vomiting in the bathroom right now?”
    “She’s sick?!” Reed ran out of the room and searched for Danielle.
    “You are bad.”
    “I am bad. He knocked my sister up. He’s lucky I don’t break his neck. If it wasn’t for you, I would have. Now where was I?” He sat his love back on the chaise and got down on one knee.
    “Rose, I fell in love with you when I didn’t think a happily ever after was in the cards for me, but I need you and I am hoping that you can find it in your heart to put mine at ease and marry me. Will you, Rose Landry, do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
    “Spencer, this has been an amazingly intense and wonderful day. This week has been outrageously life altering and yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with the man who makes me feel amazingly wonderful. I love you, Spencer Kane.”
    He pulled out a small jewelry box and opened it to a very surprised and delighted Rose. “I don’t have an official engagement ring, so my Christmas present will have to do.” He slid the beautiful rose ring that he had purchased from Mrs. Felding’s store this morning. Wow! It was only this morning that he had bought the ring , he thought.
    “It’s so pretty. Thank you, my love.”
    “I know it is not what you deserve. I will get you a large diamond so big you will need to use something to hold up your hand when we get back to Boston.”
    “Oh no you will not, Spencer. This ring is so beautiful and so thoughtful. I don’t want a replacement ring that would only be second best.” She looked down at the diamond platinum ring. It wasn’t overly sparkly, but it had an understated elegance about it. A rose in full bloom that had a large solitaire diamond as its center graced the top of the ring and the band was covered in tiny diamonds. It meant the world to her that he picked something out that was obviously last minute but oh so precious.

~Chapter Twelve~
    When Spencer and Rose returned to the living room, the room was in an uproar. The revelation that Danielle was pregnant had taken everyone for a loop. But all the hoopla died down once they made their presence known.  “Danielle and Reed, I am happy for you both, but there better be a wedding in the near future.” Spencer had given his friend what was supposed to be a menacing glare but had failed miserably. He was too happy to even be furious with Reed, though, he had to wonder how long their secret affair had been carrying on.
    “I have some good news to share, well, fantastic news to share actually. Rose has agreed to my demand to marry me.” She gave him a playful jab in the ribs. “Little brat,” he said as he kissed the side of her head.
    The room erupted in laughter and joy as ‘Congratulations’ went around the room followed by hugs all around.
    It was late by the time everyone headed to bed. Danielle and Reed headed back to his house after a very nice dinner prepared by the ladies. Reed was also added to the tradition of cleaning up, which he would gladly do for his beautiful Danielle, who carried his child.
    That night Spencer and Rose learned that they could actually be very quiet when they had to be when making love to each other. It also helped that they spent the night worshipping and lovingly caressing with slow passion solidifying their newfound understanding.
    The family spent the next day lounging about cooking together while listening to Christmas music. Then they all gathered together and settled down to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”, another family tradition.
    It was Christmas morning and it was time for the kiddies to open their gifts. Richard and his lovely wife always enjoyed this time. It had never failed that the boys and Danielle still