Chapter Ten
Niko
Christmas is the best time of the year.
Lying in bed with the woman of my dreams cuddled beside me, I cannot remember a better Christmas morning. Even the year I knew I was getting that Power Wheel with an engine I could tear apart and put back together.
I have never gotten a better gift than Nova.
“Morning, Peter Pan,” she whispers as her dark lashes flutter against her pink cheeks. Smiling as big as my smile can go, I drop a dozen kisses over her face.
“Morning, Wendy Darling,” I hum against her jaw as I tangle my fingers in her lavender hair.
Nova beams up at me as I trail my fingertips down her chest, tiptoeing them over her breast, pausing long enough to pluck her pink nipple. I chuckle when she lets out a little sound, so I dip my head, sucking playfully at the other breast, until I mark her creamy skin with my teeth.
“Behave. It’s Christmas Day,” Nova hums but her hands hold me to her breast and her thighs spread as my hands slip between them.
“It is. Merry Christmas, little flower,” I tell her, my hands stilling as I stare down at her.
Downstairs a tree waits with dozens of gifts for my sister and her kids. They will be here later today, but first, I want to celebrate with my girl. I went against her request for no gifts, but I hope she will accept it anyway.
“There is stocking downstairs with your name on it,” I remind her as I climb over her, pressing kisses anywhere her skin teases me. “Plus, one single present. I did my best not to overdo it honey, but you know I had to.”
“Good. Because I have a gift for you too, baby,” she purrs, kissing my throat, her fingers tangling in my hair again.
Surprised, I pull back to stare down at her. A gift? My sweet bah-humbug girl got me a gift? After weeks of telling me she does not do the holiday. We’ve come a long way from the day we met when she all but pushed me out of her shop the minute I mentioned Christmas, but a gift ?
“Oh, honey,” I whisper, my voice shaking with emotion. I was careful not to push, not to plead, to just let her live the holiday how she wanted. A gift means she is willing to celebrate with me. “Nova, honey...you’re the best gift I have ever received. I....” trailing off, I catch my breath as my heart hammers in my chest. I want to give her the words. I want her to hear them today, on a day that has been so hard for her for so long.
“Niko...I love you too. I love you, ” she whispers before her voice breaks, but her eyes shine up at me and her smile is beaming. “I am in love with you, and I want to celebrate life with you, if you will show me how again.”
“Hell, honey, I will even show you how to celebrate boring Tuesdays. I love you, Nova. I am so fucking in love with you,” I growl the words as I move over her, the need to taste her, to feel her wrapped around me, to watch her pleasure pink her skin and hear her sweet moans overwhelming me.
“Behave. I want you to open your present,” she demands, pushing gently at my shoulders.
“Well, look at that,” I tease, quirking a brow. “My present is here, in my bed, unwrapped . I ought to do something about that.”
Sliding down her body, I push her thighs up onto my shoulders. I have found my new favorite thing to do. Lying between her thick thighs and eating her pussy until she comes and shakes and shouts my name is all I want to do for the rest of my life. Bending my head, I lick her pink folds open, groaning as her sweetness floods my mouth.
Closing my lips around her clit, I suck at it greedily, smiling as she twists beneath me, her thighs trembling. I hook my hands around her hips, lifting her to my mouth, eating at her pussy wildly. I love how she tastes, how she sounds when I suck and lick and play, and the soft, breathy sounds she makes as she comes for me.
“Niko, yes,” she pants, sitting up enough to watch me. “Don’t stop. I’m...yes, yes, I’m coming!”
Nova’s cry echoes in the bedroom, making my cock ache. Reaching down, I fist myself, stroking the hardness slowly, eager to fill her with it. Just as I start to climb over her, she pushes at my shoulders again. I frown before she moves to lie down, opening her mouth wide. Heat sears up my spine because this is another new favorite thing of mine.
“That’s my girl,” I hum, brushing her hair back as she licks at the swollen crown of my cock. “Such a pretty flower when you open for me.”
Smiling up at me proudly, she flicks her tongue at my shaft, and I groan. Head falling back on my shoulders, I give over to sensations. To the feel of her hands on my thighs, the swipe of her tongue up, down, around and back again, the suction of her lips around me.
My thighs tense as she sucks harder, head bobbing, her ass bouncing with the force of her movement. Reaching out, I playfully swat her round backside, laughing when she whimpers around me. I play with her a little, sliding my fingers between her folds, but I can’t maintain myself. I am lost to her mouth, to the sweet sucking, to the wet sounds, to her completely.
“That’s it, honey, that’s it,” I praise her, gathering her lavender hair in my fist as I start to rock into her throat. “That’s my girl, make me come. Take me down your throat, let me watch you swallow me down.”
Humming around my shaft, she stares up at me, smiling with my cock choking her. I hiss as my orgasm hits me all at once. That sinful look of hers did me in. I cradle the back of her head as I come, coming even harder as she stares at me as she greedily swallows me down.
“Jesus, that’s my girl, my little flower girl,” I grunt, pumping my hips to push myself past her swollen lips.
Grinning up at me, she pulls off me with a pop. Bending, I kiss her sweet lips, not caring if there is any of me left on those lips. I tell her I love her with my mouth, then I lift her up, pulling her down as I bury myself inside of her. Now, I tell her I love her with my body as I rock up into her slowly, turning to pin her to the wall as I take her mouth again.
“Come for me again, baby,” I hiss against her throat. “Let me feel it. Show me you love me with your little pussy. Oh, that’s it, that’s my girl.”
“Yes, baby, yes, I’m coming,” she chants, clawing at my back.
Slamming her against the wall, I join her, coming hard a second time as she closes tight around me. I pump my hips once or twice, until I can’t move. Laughing, she pushes off the wall, sending us tumbling to the floor. I catch her and cradle her close, both of us heaving, both spent and sated.
“Hmm, I love you,” she whispers as she lays across my chest, gazing down at me with a beautiful shimmer in her light eyes.
“I love you,” I too beam as I say it, my chest expanding with how much I mean it, with how much I truly love her.
“Come on, Peter Pan, we have a holiday to celebrate.”
Grinning at her, I nod, climbing to my feet then helping her to hers. I draw her close and kiss her forehead, just holding her for a moment. When I let her go, she turns and runs towards the closet, shaking her backside at me playfully. I laugh as I run after her, swatting at her right cheek softly. I reach her just as she slides on her bare feet into the walk-in closet.
“I lied before. I got you two gifts,” she states, holding up two square boxes.
They’re beautifully wrapped in red and gold, with big bows and shimmering stencils of big, bold ornaments. They’re just as pretty as any of the beautiful bouquets she puts together. Handing one out to me, she covers herself with the other playfully. I quirk a brow at her as I pluck a big, red bow off the top of the box.
“For not doing Christmas,” I tease her with rueful look. “You sure seem to remember how to do it right, honey.”
“Well, once upon a time, it was my favorite. Open that one first.”
Pulling at the ribbon holding the box together, I press the red bow over her right breast, laughing when it sticks. Setting the box on the small chest in the middle of the closet—which she has begun filling with her things, much to my pleasure—I pull the top off the box. Right away, I laugh.
It is perfect and terrible and just what someone who hates Christmas would give to someone. Pulling out the shirt, I immediately put it on, smoothing my hand over the graphics on the front. Turning to the full-length mirror along the back wall, I am still laughing.
“Oh, my flower girl, it is perfect,” I tease with a smirk.
Staring back at me is the cheesiest Santa Clause shirt I have ever seen. It features the jolly old man’s red suit, complete with an airbrushed belt and fur collar. My niece and nephew will love it, and my sister will never let me live it down—which makes it the perfect gift from my girl.
“It’s awful, isn’t it?” Nova teases, peeking her head over my shoulder to catch my gaze in the mirror.
“It is and that makes it perfect. Is this matching joggers?”
“No, this is for you…and for me, I suppose.”
Taking the other box, I pull the bow off it, pressing it to her other tit. I laugh as she beams up at me, shaking her soft tits. When I open the second box, I cannot help but bark out a laugh. Oh, yes, she is perfect, my sweet flower girl.
Nova is the perfect girl for me, I am one lucky bastard.
“Put it on, now,” I playfully growl, yanking the top over her bare shoulders.
It hangs to her thighs and is a perfect match to my own. For her Ms. Clause top, instead of a belt there is an apron with a cute gingerbread man cookie tucked inside. Mr. and Mrs. Clause, in the worst, best, corniest tops I have ever seen. I draw her close and dip my head, kissing her soundly on the mouth.
“I love this. I love you,” I tell her, touching my nose to hers as emotions swarm me, filling my chest until I am breathing different, feeling fuller and more complete than I ever have before.
“I love you too, Mr. Clause. Oh! That’s the lost boys! We better get down there before they rip into all those presents without us!”
Rushing downstairs once I’ve pulled some clothes on, I get some hot cocoa going and tell Sutton to give us a few more minutes. Giving Ava and Evan their stockings—and noticing my girl filled them up with a lot more stuff—I tell them to behave while I go get their auntie. They light up when I call Nova that and I wink at Sutton when she gapes at me.
“Not yet,” I tell her, as if I would tie the knot without them. “But soon. We’ll be down once I give her this gift. How do you like hers?” I laugh, showing off the shirt. Sutton laughs too, giving it two thumbs up.
“Oh yes, she will fit right in, I think. I am happy for you, Niko.”
Pressing a kiss to her temple, I rush past her to get back upstairs, gift in hand. It is not an engagement ring, though now I kind of wish it was. In time. It is just something I saw that made me think of her. Figured it was safe enough not to scare her off on Christmas morning.
“This is for you, little flower. Open it for me up here. Just us.”
Glancing at the blue box, she hesitates. In that Mrs. Clause shirt, she is fucking adorable, and I have to remind myself we’ve got visitors downstairs. Holding it out, I am not ashamed by the tremble in my hand. I am sure she thinks it is something much grander than it is.
“I said no gifts,” she parrots the same thing she has said a dozen times before. “But the truth is…I want this one from you. Whatever it is…oh…”
Watching her open the box to find the bracelet inside, I hold my breath. It is a sparkling wreath of amaryllis; the first flowers I sent her after we met. I had to go to two counties over to get those delivered to her flower shop. Once I saw the bracelet in Sutton’s jewelry shop, I knew I had to have it for my girl. For my sweet flower girl.
“Do you like it, honey?” I wonder as I take it out, drawing her wrist up so I can fit it on her.
“Niko…I love it. It is…it is perfect. Beautiful. I will never take it off.”
“Well, now that I know you will accept my gifts, I will get you a dozen more things to wear. It suits you, honey.”
Nova beams up at me as she falls against my chest, nodding. “It does. You suit me. This all suits me. I love you, Niko.”
“I love you more, honey. Now, we’ve got two lost boys down there waiting for their Peter Pan and Wendy Darling.”
Watching her rush to pull on some sweats and toss her purple hair up in a messy bun, I smile. There is a lot of pain tied to Christmas for her. Pain I will do my best to make up for. I will show her so much love, so much joy, she will remember why we celebrate the holiday. Why we have parties and try to create memories with the people we love.
I am doing my best to give her reasons to celebrate, starting here and now. With this first Christmas with Sutton and the kids. I hope this time soon she will be talking with Orion, her brother, and Oaklin, her best friend. I might have made a call to invite them to our New Year’s Eve party next week.
“Nova,” I pull her back to me once we’re dressed. Brushing some hair from her brow, I sigh as I stare into her sparkling, shimmering eyes. “I love you so much. I am so damn lucky we’re spending Christmas together. Your gifts were perfect but…I never need another gift, honey. Not as long as I have you. You’re all I need, Nova. I love you, Wendy Darling.”
“Well, I am warming up to getting gifts,” she teases, wiggling her wrist as she beams up at me.
“Good because I am just getting started honey. Let’s go do Christmas.”