Page 157 of What About Us

We’re sitting at the island in the kitchen munching on the warm, gooey sandwiches that Xander made us. He’s only in black sweats, with that amazing torso on display. I’m wearing one of his Flurry T-shirts.

I need to be wrapped up in him, even when he’s not holding me.

Needy?

Hell yes.

I don’t care.

“I have many hidden talents,” he says around a big bite of a sandwich. He already has two more on the stove.

“What else can you do?”

“That’s just something you’re going to have to figure out over the next seventy years or so.”

He winks at me and then turns to flip the sandwiches on the griddle. I stand and walk around to where he is, wrap my arms around his waist, and kiss the middle of his back. He’s so warm, and I feel so much better now that we’ve talked.

And fucked. Let’s not forget that.

Although, who could?

“You okay, Red?”

I nod against him, and he turns around to hug me back.

“I’m so much better now.”

“Good.” He kisses the end of my nose. “Want another grilled cheese?”

“Yes. And then I want to go back to bed.”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

IVY

I’ve never really paid attention to Christmas. When I was a kid, my mom never had a tree or lights or got me anything. She claimed it was because it was against her religion, but I knew even when I was very small that was bullshit.

Brenda never believed in anything other than what was best for her. And spending extra money on me for holidays or my birthday didn’t rate.

So the holidays have never been on my radar.

Until this year because Xander went all out.

“You’re insane.”

I’m still buzzing from what he called Christmas climaxes to get me in the holiday spirit. He woke me up an hour ago with his face between my legs and then told me, with an absolutely serious expression on his ridiculously handsome face, that Santa had been here.

Santa doesn’t even know I exist.

“I’m crazy about you, Red.” He kisses the top of my head, and I’m rooted where I’m standing, staring at the pile of beautifully wrapped gifts under the tree.

It’s bigger than me.

The pile of presents, and the tree.

We got back to Montana two days ago and immediately dove into Operation Christmas. Someone had already come to put lights all over the outside of the house, on the trees that line the driveway, and even on the trees by the pond. It’s absolutely gorgeous, bathing everything in a golden glow at night. I could just stare at it all for hours.