Chapter 165

Chapter 165
Sienna's POV

By ten o'clock, Hayes and I had settled into one of the estate's beautifully appointed guest rooms. The space was decorated in elegant European style, with an en-suite bathroom and tall windows that looked out over the estate grounds. I had just finished showering and was sitting on the edge of the bed in my robe, checking messages on my phone, when Hayes emerged from the bathroom.

His hair was still damp from his shower, and he wore dark gray pajama pants and a matching t-shirt. He looked relaxed and content as he crossed the room toward me.

Hayes wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side. "How did tonight feel?"

I leaned into his warmth, breathing in the clean scent of his soap. "So much better than I expected. Your mom and Ava are incredibly welcoming, and your father... he was much warmer than I anticipated. When he said 'consider this your home,' I was genuinely moved."

Hayes pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "I told you they'd love you."

I tilted my head back to look at him. "You're always right about these things."

His expression turned playfully smug. "Does that mean I deserve a reward?"

"What kind of reward?" I asked, though I was already smiling.

Hayes leaned down to capture my lips in a soft kiss, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "This kind."

"Hayes," I said softly, my fingers tracing idle patterns on his shirt, "your mom mentioned something tonight... about children. Do you... do you really want kids?"

Hayes's body went still for a moment, then relaxed as he looked at me. In the dim light filtering through the curtains, his gray-blue eyes were serious. "Sienna, of course I do," he said, his voice low and thoughtful. "But not now."

He paused, his hand gently stroking my hair. "You've been through so much lately. I want you to have time to recover, physically and emotionally, before we even think about it. When we do have children, I want you to feel safe and prepared, not rushed or pressured."

The consideration in his voice, the way he put my wellbeing first without hesitation, made my eyes well up with unexpected tears. I'd been so afraid that his family's expectations might push him toward wanting something I wasn't ready for, but once again, Hayes had shown me that my feelings and comfort came first.

I reached up to circle my arms around his neck, pulling myself closer to him. "I want that too," I whispered against his ear. "But you're right—not now. When everything settles, when we're both ready... I want to give our children the best possible start."

Hayes's arms tightened around me, his voice dropping to a husky murmur. "Then we'll wait for that day. However long it takes."

We held each other in the darkness, and I could feel the steady beat of his heart against my chest, matching the rhythm of my own. The conversation had lifted a weight I hadn't even realized I'd been carrying, and in its place was a warm certainty about our future together.

After a moment, I felt heat rise in my cheeks as a more immediate concern occurred to me. "So..." I said, my voice barely above a whisper, "tonight we should probably still be... careful?"

Hayes's low chuckle rumbled through his chest as he rolled us over, his weight settling over me as his forehead came to rest against mine. "Absolutely," he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I don't want you panicking about an accidental pregnancy when we're not ready for it."

His teasing tone made me laugh despite my embarrassment, but the sound was quickly muffled as his lips found mine, warm and insistent in the Christmas Eve darkness.

---

Morning sunlight filtered through the heavy curtains. I woke slowly, awareness returning in gentle waves as I registered the warmth of Hayes's body beside me and the soft weight of his arm across my waist.

When I opened my eyes, I found him already awake, watching me with that tender expression that never failed to make my heart skip. His hair was tousled from sleep, and the morning light caught the silver flecks in his gray-blue eyes.

"Good morning, baby," he said softly, his voice still rough with sleep.

"Good morning, honey," I replied, unable to suppress my smile.

Hayes's grin widened as he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Did you sleep well in the new environment?"

"Better than I expected," I admitted, stretching languidly against the soft sheets. "I think your family's warmth works better than any sleeping pill."

"Good," he said, his fingers trailing through my hair. "Because today's going to be busy. We need to pick out a Christmas tree, decorate it, help Mom with the gingerbread house..." He paused, studying my expression. "Are you ready for a full Sterling family Christmas experience?"

I felt a flutter of nerves mixed with excitement. "I think so. Though I should probably admit—I've never actually decorated a Christmas tree before. Not a real one, anyway."

Hayes's expression softened with understanding rather than pity. "Then today will be full of firsts. And I'll be right there with you for all of them."

A sudden worry struck me. "Hayes, are we supposed to exchange gifts tonight? I didn't prepare anything..." My voice trailed off as panic began to set in.

Hayes's hand cupped my cheek, his thumb stroking across my skin in a soothing gesture. "Don't worry, baby. I took care of it."

I blinked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I knew you wouldn't have had time to shop, so I picked out some gifts and had them wrapped with your name on them," he explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "But if you want to choose something yourself, we can stop by the shops in town today."

The thoughtfulness of his gesture made my chest tight with emotion. He'd anticipated my anxiety and quietly solved the problem without making me feel inadequate. "You always think of everything," I whispered, leaning up to kiss him softly. "But I'd like to pick out my own gifts. Can you tell me what your mom and Ava like?"

Hayes's smile was warm with approval. "Of course. Mom loves classical music and anything with artistic craftsmanship. Ava's into fashion and music, obviously, but she also has a soft spot for unique jewelry." He paused, his eyes twinkling. "And Dad appreciates good whiskey and books about business philosophy."

I nodded, already forming ideas in my mind. "I can work with that."

Hayes was already reaching for his phone. "I'll let Mom know we'll be down for breakfast in twenty minutes, then we can head out to pick up gifts before we choose the tree."

As he made the call, I felt that familiar flutter of anticipation mixed with nerves. But this time, the nerves were the good kind—the excitement of being part of something special, of creating memories with the family that had welcomed me with such open arms.