Chapter 24 Kat #2
Of course, that doesn’t deter him, though, and as I stand brushing my teeth, I feel him move behind me. I spit and rinse out my mouth before splashing water on my face to try and chase away the last little bit of sleep when I peek up and see him lurking behind me and stop dead.
Damn.
Des stands with his mask, right behind me, his chest and arms bare except for the ink that covers so much of his skin; there's more of it than not now. His muscles bulge as he crosses his arms, and I can’t see his eyes, but I can feel where they burn my skin at the hem of my borrowed shirt turned nightgown.
Last night it was one of Alex’s button-ups. I love wearing their things. They smell just like them, and it’s like they're here even when they can’t actually be right here.
Plus, I know they love it.
“If you want to have a chance at leaving this room, you really need to stop looking at me like that,” he growls, pitching forward so that he’s caging me against the counter, his arms on either side of the sink, his body just inches away.
Shit.
I know this isn’t the time for this, but I want it to be.
He must see my hesitation because he reaches up and slides the mask to rest on top of his head quickly, pressing his lips to mine. He’s gone too quickly, and when I blink my eyes open, I find him already headed toward the door.
“Raincheck, love. But good to know it works like the internet said it would.” With a wink, he leaves me standing at the sink, toothbrush in hand, as I try to remember what I need to do next.
The day flies by, and before I know it, I’m helping Addy get into her Anna dress. I’m glad we bought more than one, because she changed her mind at the last minute today.
“Are you excited to get candy?” I ask her as I place flowers in her hair, and she beams up at me.
“Yes!”
Her excitement is contagious, and my cheeks ache from my own smile.
I haven’t done anything with Halloween since I was a kid. Carter always went to parties but never took me, saying they were too much.
Looking back, I wonder if it was for other reasons.
I shake the thought away because even if it was, I don’t care, not anymore.
Carter can do whatever or whoever he wants so long as he leaves me alone.
Just like with everything worth doing, we take her trick-or-treating like a family, together. We came back tired and cold, but Addy had a blast and ended up with enough candy that I’m not sure she could ever hope to finish it.
I go to bed with a smile on my face and Des and Alex on either side of me.
The next morning, I wake to the sounds of voices I don’t recognize and the hustle and bustle of people moving around.
I’m out of bed and to the stairs in no time, but whatever I expected, it sure wasn’t the almost dozen people moving around decorating.
“Mommy!”
Every head turns to look up at me, and I thank whatever higher power there might be that I thought to grab my robe on the way out and not the tiny one from Nathan.
I tie it tight and fight the urge to turn around and go change, knowing how revealing my shorts and tank top are, not to mention my lack of underwear.
This is what I get for letting the guys buy me pajamas.
Moving down the stairs, I can’t help but look around. Wreaths, garland, lights, nutcrackers, and ornaments decorate… everywhere.
Addy wiggles out of Nathan’s arms and comes at me full sprint. I scoop her up and pepper her little face with kisses the way I do every morning until she’s left giggling like crazy.
“It’s so pretty,” she says once I let her breathe again, and yeah, it is.
The house is like a winter wonderland, and Christmas threw up on everything while still not looking tacky.
“It’s beautiful, just like you, Princess.”
“See, I knew she’d like it,” Oliver says, coming into the room with Des not far behind him.
“I didn’t say I thought she wouldn’t like it. I just wasn’t sure if she would like someone else doing it.” Des rolls his eyes before shouldering past Oli and coming over to press a kiss to my lips.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning,” I say, smiling up at him before I remember there are people I don’t know all over the house. I feel the heat as it rises up my chest and settles on my cheeks. Des, being the cheeky ass he is, winks, and I smack his arm, which only makes him laugh harder.
“So you're not mad we aren’t doing all of this?” Alex asks, waving a finger in the air around the room.
I look around and quickly shake my head. “No, I’d never be able to do all this; besides, I’ve never really decorated for the holidays.”
His lips pull down in a frown, and I see the displeasure on the rest of their faces as well.
Crap, what did I say?
“Do you not like Christmas?” Oliver seems almost hesitant to ask, and I’m not sure why, but I don’t like it.
“No, I love Christmas,” I assure him, biting my lip as I attempt to find the words.
“I mean, last year I didn’t care for it much, but…
” I shake my head at the reminder of why.
“No, I love the holidays, but he didn’t.
For a while, I would just put up a little tree in the living room for myself, but honestly, it was even more depressing, so I just pretended like it was any other day.
” It sounds worse when I say it out loud, but really, it wasn’t that bad.
I shrug and hope that’s the end of it, but when I look at Nathan, I know it’s not.
The look on his face is… stormy, and the rest don’t look much happier.
“It’s not a big deal, guys. Honestly, I just have one request.” That gets their attention just like I knew it would, and they all wait for what I have to say.
Suddenly, it feels silly.
“Whatever you want, it’s yours,” Nathan says as he walks toward us, the look on his face so deadly serious that it makes my stomach do a nervous little flip as my heart beats double time.
“Um, I just…” I shift Addy in my arms so that I can push some hair behind my ear, unable to meet his gaze. “I would love it if we could cut down our own live tree,” I say in a rush before I can chicken out.
“That’s it?” Des sounds confused, and when I meet his gaze, I see he looks confused too. “That’s easy, Kitten. I thought you were going to ask for something hard, like no gift giving or something else ridiculous.”
“Wait, is that an option?” I ask, looking back at Nathan, but he’s busy glaring at Desmond.
“Not a fucking chance,” Alex says, reaching out and smacking Des in the back of the head. “Way to go, dumbass.”
“We always cut down our own tree, Kat. It’s a family tradition.” I look at Oliver and can’t keep the smile from my face.
“Really? And it’s okay that I come?” I add as an afterthought, because what if they don’t want me there?
Oh no, am I overstepping?
A firm grip on my chin forces my head back so that I have no choice but to look up.
“You are family now, Kat. Never think otherwise.”
Shit, is this what it’s like to be weak in the knees?
It should be illegal for someone to have this kind of effect on another person.