Unwrapping Tess (A Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance)(Vegas Mates Book 5): Christmas Encounters (7 page)

Cheering echoed through the room. She started to pull back, but he only kissed her harder. When he finally let her feet touch the ground again, he pulled away and brushed his knuckles over her cheek.

“Thank you.”

Tears welled in her eyes. He might be the happiest man on earth, but she was by far the happiest woman.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Tess,” Patrick called from inside the empty house.

“I’m on the back porch,” she answered back.

She smiled at the sound of his heavy footsteps on the hardwood floors as he made his way across the living room. He pushed the sliding glass door open further and stepped out onto the enormous back porch of the empty house they were viewing.

It was the fourth of the day, but she knew it would be the last. The vaulted ceilings, large open family kitchen and dining room, plenty of bedrooms and a basement office space made it an excellent choice. The clincher for Tess happened

when she’d stepped onto this porch and seen the view. All the other houses they’d looked at ceased to exist.

Before her lay a sweeping view of the valley. In the distance, she could just make out the roofs of a few houses on the edge of Logan. To her right and left lay forests and white-capped mountain peaks. It was everything she’d wanted and more than she ever thought she could have.

“This is it.”

Patrick stepped up behind her and wrapped his hands around her waist. She hugged his arms, pulling him closer. He leaned down and nuzzled her ear.

“This is where we raise our family.”

“I think it’s perfect. I’ll tell the Realtor. He’s waiting in his car out front.”

He started to leave and she tightened her hands. “Are you okay with it being a little farther from the inn? And the others?”

“It’s not that far. Just an extra ten minutes. Tess, for you I would live anywhere.”

“This is the best Christmas.”

“Because of a house?” He huffed a little.

She smiled and twisted in his arms. “No, you big teddy bear. Because I got you.”

He grinned down at her. She could feel his love and he could feel hers. He’d been teasing her about the house, but she meant what she said about him. He was her happily forever after. And she couldn’t wait to start living the forever part.

I hope you enjoyed UNWRAPPING TESS!

Thank you for spending time with me in my world. I hope you will continue to visit.

XOXO

Krystal Shannan

Follow my Newsletter for new release info, giveaways, and sales!

Turn the page to find more great Christmas stories from the CHRISTMAS ENCOUNTERS COLLECTION

Other CHRISTMAS ENCOUNTERS books!

Steamy tales to heat up your holiday!

WRONG HOLLY by Geri Foster

Amazon US

Amazon UK

GINGER SNAP by Shoshanna Evers