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Jazz shook her head and bent down to open a cabinet door. She produced another bottle of detergent and banged it on the lip of the sink. “First off, you live here too. As does Gray. I’m not the only one who can access the soap, just by virtue of having a vagina. Second, use a reasonable amount. Lila, school him, would you? Freaking men.” She shook her head again and whirled on her heel to march out of the room.
“Ho-ho-ho,” Simon said cheerfully, patting Nick on the head like a small dog, then darting out of his reach before following Jazz.
“I quit.” Nick dragged his hands out of his bubble-monstrosity and waved them dramatically. “I don’t need this abuse.”
“No, you don’t, sweetie. Go sit down in front of the fire with the others. You must be tired after washing that,” Lila checked his sink, “one dish.”
Nick growled in her direction and grabbed another plate. “You’re lucky I’m hoping to get laid later, otherwise I’d be much less good-humored about this.”
She had to laugh. Only Nick would admit such. “This is you being good-humored?”
“Yes. So sing me a damn Christmas carol. Something dirty.”
“By virtue, Christmas carols aren’t dirty. Since they’re typically about a family holiday and commonly invoke religion.”
“You know I get hard when you use big words, right?”
It was her turn to growl as she flung bubbles at him. Seeing him laugh was a revelation. It transformed his whole face, making his eyes seem to glow brighter than the tree.
And the tree was pretty darn spectacular.
“The only Christmas song I know all the words to is ‘Silent Night’. I learned to play it on the piano at the apple farm.” Just admitting it was like lifting a weight off her chest. Nick was the only one who knew what music meant to her, far beyond the boundaries of her job. Any kind of music, from Christmas songs to Oblivion hard rock hits to the classical she played in her car.
He was the only one she’d trust not to laugh at her small accomplishment of learning that song on the piano. Better yet, at teaching herself.
“It was out of necessity,” she added when he didn’t speak. “The talent for the day called off and my parents didn’t have…what are you doing?” she asked as he drew her away from the sink, soapy hands and all.
“Hear that?” He tipped his head in the direction of the living room, where someone had turned on traditional Christmas carols. That was Bing Crosby, for God’s sake.
A smile tugged at her lips. The Oblivion boys—and girls—knew their classics too.
“I do. I’m rather surprised to hear it here.”
“Most likely courtesy of Gray. He likes the older stuff. Next he’ll probably drag out the Glenn Miller big band crap.” Nick dragged her into his arms and twirled her out again before she realized they were actually dancing. Sort of. A bit clumsily, but all in all, they were moving in a semblance of a dance.
“I thought you didn’t dance?”
“I don’t. But I figured since we aren’t singing, I needed to do something else I don’t normally do tonight. Well, besides buying and wrapping gifts. I did that today too.”
“So I saw.” She cleared her throat to keep her voice from thickening on her as he spun her out again. “What did you get everyone?”
“Shh,” he said with a dramatic stage whisper. “Everyone’s right in the other room. Now shush and let me dance with you.”
She glanced at the sinkful of overflowing dishes. She was supposed to be earning her keep for being allowed to be one of them on this special night. “But I have to finish.”
“No, you do not. You’re family. Family doesn’t clean up after meals.”
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Then who does?”
“You leave the plates there until you can’t possibly get the gunk off them, then you buy paper plates. Which is what any reasonable person should use anyway.”
“More Nick logic?”
“Yes.” He pressed his cheek to hers, his feet only bumping into hers every other step. “I’m warming you up now, so I can undress you sooner than later.”
Her heart fluttered, though she made a valiant attempt to keep her face sober. “Glad to see you have a plan.”
He drew her back long enough to dip his forehead to hers and gaze directly into her eyes. “Oh, baby, I always have one. Always.”
