Page 31 of The Yule Contest

She ran her hand over the bump on his head. “I think hitting you with a board is unforgivable.”

“I’m going to have to banish him, aren’t I?”

She nodded. “It’s the right thing to do. We don’t want him hurting someone else.”

He bowed his head and rested it on her shoulder. “I’m not going to like being a lord.”

“Part of being a lord is making difficult decisions. I think you’ll be fair and kind.” She dipped her head to look into his eyes. “You’ll be a wonderful lord. And husband.”

Finn’s heart felt as if it were going to burst from the sheer intensity of his adoration for her. “I love you, Ari.”

Her eyes twinkled playfully. “It’s about time you realized that.”

“I should have known it from the beginning.” He closed the distance between them, their faces inches away. His hands tightly gripped her elbows and pulled her against him, his heart pounding with anticipation of tasting her sweet mouth.

“I forgive you,” she whispered.

Finn couldn’t resist her lips. He leaned in and kissed them tenderly.

“You see, my contest worked. I have the husband I’ve always wanted,” she murmured against his lips.

Finn wasn’t thinking of gifts or contests, only of Ari. “It was a wonderful idea,” he breathed. “A Yule contest.” And then he deepened the caress, kissing her with an intensity that spoke of eternity.

He had won the woman of his dreams. For Finn, it was already a Yule made perfect.