Sand & Snow (Sand & Clay #1.5) by Sarah Robinson Read Free Book Online Page B

arms encircled her waist. He kissed her cheek as he put her back on her feet, prompting her to immediately turn around and face him.
    Her hands on his chest, she leaned up on the tip of her toes to reach his lips. Their kiss was soft and inviting, passionate, but gentle. There was no urgency or intensity, just tranquility. She felt her entire body relax into his as their lips moved together. Smiling into their kiss, she remembered what he had said earlier and she couldn’t agree more at this moment.
    The things that bring you peace are the ones that will last forever. 
     

CHAPTER NINE
 
     
          “I fucking love s’mores.” Rock stated emphatically as he helped arrange graham crackers onto a tray in the Clay’s kitchen where everyone was gathered around the island counter.
    “Language, son.” Mickey walked behind him and smacked him playfully on the back of his head.
    “Sorry, Pops!” Rock grinned, winking at Laura who was seated in her wheelchair with a quilt over her lap, placing chocolates on a different tray.
    “Leave the boys alone, Mickey. You cuss all the time.” She came to his defense, smiling at the line of men across the island countertop from her, all helping prepare the Christmas Eve Clay tradition.
    “These marshmallows look deformed,” Logan chuckled, holding up an oddly shaped example.
    Charlie barked out a laugh from where he was stirring hot chocolate mix into a ceramic pitcher of hot milk. Aralia looked up from where she was counting out roasting sticks that she had retrieved from one of the cabinets. Caroline walked up behind Logan and placed her cheek against his muscular back, wrapping her arms around him.
    “For you, baby,” Logan turned around and presented Caroline with the deformed marshmallow.
    “Gee, you shouldn’t have.” She responded sarcastically, but then allowed him to place it on her tongue. It might have been oddly shaped, but it was still delicious.
    “To distract me from this nauseating display of public affection, anyone want to clue me in on why s’mores are a Christmas Eve tradition? I’ve never heard of the two being paired before on purpose.” Aralia piped up, looking over at Mickey and Laura.
    “I don’t think it was on purpose, at least not at first,” Mickey scratched his chin and turned to look at Laura, “Honey, do you remember when we first started it?”
    “Of course I do, it was the Christmas after my car accident and Logan had just turned six. We had spent so much money over the past six months or so since my accident, medical bills are crazy expensive.” She told them, nibbling a corner off a piece of chocolate that she was holding.
    “Anyway, it was Christmas Eve and absolutely freezing outside. Started snowing and everything. Wouldn’t you know that the power company decided that was the right time to turn off our electricity? Yeah we were behind on our payments, but you would think that they would have the decency to wait until after the holidays.” Laura continued and Mickey placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing affectionately.
    “How do you tell a five year old that we need to sleep by the fireplace on Christmas Eve to not freeze overnight?” Mickey chimed in, looking nostalgic and a bit sad.
    Caroline leaned her back into Logan’s chest, feeling his hands rubbing her arms. She hugged herself and smiled compassionately at his parents, loving how sentimental and kind they were. She loved how enraptured everyone in the room was with Laura’s story, it was clear all of these men loved her. Even Rock, who looked like a less green version of the Hulk, seemed soft and gentle when he was looking at the woman they all considered to be a mother to them.
    “So, we told Logan that the lights were out and the fire was on so that we could make s’mores. At first he threw a fit, thinking Santa wouldn’t be able to come and give him presents, but once we swore that Santa Claus would still be there, he calmed down.” Laura finished