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Nick’s presents had been viewed with confusion at best. He seemed to have grabbed every boxed convenience gift he could. And his choices of recipient were puzzling too. He’d given a mini checker set to Deacon, who had hands the size of rump roasts, and hair ties that appeared to belong in the children’s aisle to Jazz, and a mini cutting board with a cheese knife to Harper that broke as soon as she removed it from the box. He’d thrown in some better gifts too, but they were overlooked in his delight at giving the game Simon to…Simon.
If Lila hadn’t known better, she might’ve thought he’d been hitting the cooking sherry before his Santa duties. Hard.
The festivities started petering out after the fail that was Nick’s gift-giving efforts. Simon and Margo retreated to his old room to…well, they probably weren’t singing Christmas carols. Deak and Harper were the next to head upstairs, followed soon after by Gray and Jazz, who’d gone from snuggling in front of the fire to not-so-subtly groping each other.
“Merry Christmas,” Jazz said over her shoulder before they left the room, directing a secret smile at Lila and Nick.
“Merry Christmas,” Lila and Nick echoed.
Much celebrating of the naked variety was taking place in the band house tonight. Oblivion was definitely being reached.
Happy holidays indeed.
Now the only one who remained in the living room was crotchety Saint Nick, who was still sitting in his rocker, the wilted sack between his feet and a peevish expression on his face as he tugged on his beard.
“Ah, to hell with it,” he said finally, flinging the straggling white thing in the direction of the tree. It caught on one of the branches.
Lila laughed, shaking her head. Laughing was good. It helped stave off the nerves, and oh Lord, there were so many of them. “Bet it feels good to take that off.”
“There’s a few other things I’d like to take off. Like these stupid pants.” He toed off his heavy boots, then stuck out his legs. “If you knew how much I paid for this ridiculous costume, you’d be horrified.”
“Why did you buy a Santa costume?” she asked softly. If he said to entertain the babies, she’d probably melt into mush right in front of him. She couldn’t imagine what could make her turn into a puddle faster.
Hell, he was probably waging a campaign to ensure she didn’t back out of their one-night reprieve. Not that he had to worry. She was too loose and relaxed after her wonderful evening with the band to want to think about pictures and scandals or to worry about her job or soon-to-be ex-husband.
She just wanted to love and be loved, for one night.
Tomorrow, she’d go back to her responsibilities. To real life, no matter how chilly and lonely it was without Nick’s grousing and his rumbled words against her ear, usually dirty, scandalous things that made her blush.
“I got it to wear when we went back home to see your folks.” He tugged on his belt, undoing it with a grunt. “Figured it would be a good way to hide in plain sight. Then we ended up not hiding at all.”
And yep,thatwas the only thing that could make her turn into a pile of goo quicker. He’d gotten the Santa costume so he could go home to be with her and her family without anyone being the wiser. Anyone like the paparazzi, who were so eager to trap someone caught in a downfall. Or better yet, eager to make someone’s downfall come that much faster.
Like, say, a married—but soon-to-be divorced—woman and the guitarist of a rock band she managed.
She swallowed thickly. “No. We didn’t hide from anyone.”
They’d played in the snow like children and kissed in front of her parents and store patrons and anyone who happened to walk by. They’d held hands and laughed and…well, for lack of a better word,romped.
She’d been part of something she’d never hoped to wish for again, until Nick had blown into her life and smashed it wide open. She’d been part of a couple. A real one this time. One with arguments and joy and inside jokes andsex.
God, the sex.
He patted his lap. “C’mere.”
She went, helpless to say no. It would all be worth it tomorrow—the pain, the regret, the distance they needed to keep between them for so many reasons. As long as she could have him tonight.
Actually getting on his lap was a bit of a challenge. She tried to be dainty about it, but he wasn’t having that. He slid his arm around her waist and hauled her across his legs, then dipped them both to grab the sack at his feet. “Your gifts are in here. I kept them aside.”
“Gifts, plural?” She tried to catch her breath as she shifted on his lap to try to get more comfortable—and to avoid contact with his cock. If she felt it against her hip, she’d forget all about wrapped gifts and go right for the best present of them all.
“One was spur-of-the-moment. Hell, both were. But one wasreallyspur. Like tonight kind of spur.” He shoved the sack at her and nodded at her raised eyebrows. “Open the bag, Li.”
She sighed. Using the nickname he’d come up with for her was his not-so-secret weapon. Well, his second nickname for her. The first wasn’t as nice, but she’d grown to love that one too.
Pulling open the bag, she stuck her hand inside and felt around. The first thing she touched was a piece of paper. She drew it out and saw his email address in the corner. “You sent me an email?” She knew he pinched pennies, but wow, this was taking frugality to a new level.
“Read it,” he said impatiently.
