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“Well then, get in here. Hit that button to your left. It’ll start the fireplace.”
I turn to my left and see it immediately. Clicking the button, it roars to life instantly and I smirk at Willow. “Well, I got the fire going. Come on, I don’t get any holiday spirit points?”
“Ol, it’s a gas fireplace. I’m not sure it counts as holiday spirit.” Her nickname for me slips so carelessly between those bright pink lips, and I can’t help but love the way it sounds. Tessa calls me Ol, but it's not the same. It’s sexy coming from Willow.
“Can’t say I didn’t try.” I laugh, shaking my head.
“Okay, Captain Grinch. Let’s get to decorating. Grab that galvanized metal tree collar for the bottom.” She points to the metal bucket in the corner. “Since it’s a fresh tree, we have to keep it watered, and I find that’s perfect for keeping it fresh!”
“But how does it stand up in the… Oh, I see it now. There’s a tree stand in the bottom.”
“Oh, we need to drill a ¼ inch hole in the bottom so the sap drains out and doesn’t keep the tree from getting the water it needs.”
“Got it, where’s the drill?”
“It’s in the garage. Should be right on the tool bench to the right when you walk out.”
“The garage is…” I point in the direction of where I think it may be from the inside of her house.
“Right, you have no idea. Through the kitchen, and there's a door on the back wall.” Nodding, I follow her directions and find the garage door right away. The drill is exactly where she said it would be. I pick it up and head back to the living room. My eyes find a socket on the wall and I plug the drill in before making the hole in the bottom of the trunk. Dropping it into the tree stand, the tree sits about two feet below the ceiling, the perfect amount of space for a tree topper. In total, I’d say it stands about seven and a half feet tall.
willow
The tree is perfect.This whole day has been absolutely amazing. Oliver is the first guy I’ve spent any significant amount of time with for a while now that makes me want more. Something about him draws me in, other than the fact that I want to jump his sexy as fuck bones. I love talking to him, too. How can someone that’s so sweet and gorgeous still be single?
Pulling the mesh from the box, I notice that it has tiny pops of white scattered throughout. I wanted something different when I went to pick out burlap from Hobby Lane, my favorite little DIY store. I picked out ribbons in black buffalo check and red to tie in with the other colors I’m using this year. I found adorable button ornaments, wooden bead ornaments in solid and red colors, plus I grabbed some extra red berries to match the ones on my mantle.
Rubbing his hands together, he looks at me with that charming smile that makes my heart do funny things. “Where do we start?”
“Well, I like to start at the top and work down, which means tree topper first, followed by the lights. Then I’ll stream the ribbons in three different ways, add in the finishing touches, and voila! The tree is complete.”
He clasps his hands together. “All right then, let’s get to it.”
The curtain on the front window is open, swaying back and forth as the old vent register blows heat into the room. I can tell that the snow has been coming down in sheets. The ground is covered in several inches, and it’s so thick that it reflects off the night sky in shades of crystalline white. It’s nice having Oliver here with me this year. For the first time, I don’t need a ladder to meet those crazy high branches to string up the lights. In no time the tree is half lit and we’re moving right along. He stands at the front of the tree while I stand around the back as we hand the lights back and forth to cover all of the tree.
The smile he gives me every single time he hands over the lights is making my heart somersault. Butterflies are taking flight in my stomach, and I can’t fight the urgeI have to kiss him again. Everything about decorating a tree together is romantic. The sounds of “Merry Christmas, Baby” play softly in the background. The rest of the room is lit. Candles twinkle and dance, smelling of the winter season. The frosted cranberries mixed with the smell of our fresh tree is so nostalgic, reminding me of my grandmother’s house at Christmas.
“Oh, shit. We didn’t put up the tree topper.” I say, looking at where it sits on the couch. I can’t believe I’d gotten so lost in the lights that I forgot.
“Grab it and come here.” He motions me over to him. Starting to hand it over, he stops me. “Hold onto it.” Leaning down, he grabs me under the waist and lifts me easily up to the top of the tree. “Put it on now.”
As I reach out to place the topper, I feel teeth against my ass and I turn, eyebrow quirked. “What, I wanted a bite?” The lust burns brightly in his eyes like the fake wood in my fireplace.
“There. Perfect.” I say, placing the star at the very top of the tree. My body slides down his as he lets me down. He’s all hard muscle, and I can’t help the tingle that crawls up and down my body, ending in my core. Why am I so attracted to him? My body turns as he brings me down so my face is directly in front of his, and I can’t help but want to lean in so he can kiss me.
“Perfect indeed.” The look he gives me is intense, filled with longing, desire, and affection.
“Shit.” I say, standing and looking at the tree.
“We didn’t do a video for your bloggers.” He finishes my thought.
“It’s okay. We can do another one when you get a new tree…” I can’t keep my eyes off his lips, and he must notice when his tongue slips out to wet them.
“I’m going to kiss you.”
“Well, it would feel more appropriate with mistletoe, but I don’t want to wait for that.”
“Screw the mistletoe, I need to fucking kiss you right this damn minute.”
