Chapter 38 Karl
THIRTY-EIGHT
KARL
“I can’t believe I’m watching this on Christmas Eve,” I groan as Nancy curls up on the couch next to me after popping The Nightmare Before Christmas into the VCR.
“It can be our new tradition. We will watch it on December twenty-fourth and on Halloween,” she says, a yawn extending the end of Halloween.
“Sure you’re going to make it through the movie?” I laugh.
“Mmmhmm, will you?”
Honestly, I have no idea. Between being up at five a.m. and her warm body against me, a slow blink may have me floating off into dreamland without thinking about it.
“Oh yeah,” I say with entirely too much confidence as I hit play.
“He’s kinda,” Nancy mumbles when Jack first appears on screen.
“Kinda what?”
“You know… kinda hot,” she blurts out.
I pull back so I can look at her entire face. “Excuse me?”
“Jack Skellington, he’s kinda, I don’t know, sexy or something.”
I stare down at her, waiting for her to let me know she’s joking. Waiting for that adorable laugh to break through. But she just stares back.
“Wait, you’re serious?”
She rolls her lips and looks away, but I guide her gaze back to mine because I have more questions.
“Any other cartoon characters I have to compete with?”
Her cheeks darken, and I lean closer, searching her eyes as if I’ll see who.
“I’ve always thought Robin Hood was kind of hot,” she admits.
“He’s not a carto—” I stop abruptly, realizing she’s talking about the Disney version with the damn fox. “You’ve got the hots for a cartoon fox, wife?”
“A lil’ one.” She holds up her thumb and pointer finger.
I rack my brain trying to think of other possible contenders for my wife’s affections. “The Beast?”
To my surprise, she shakes her head. “No, he’s too”—she rolls her wrist around, searching for the right word—“grumpy.”
“Right, that’s his main drawback.”
“You’re not jealous, are you, husband?” she asks, her hand sliding up my chest to cup my jaw. “Of a cartoon character?”
Before she can say another word, I’ve got my arms around her, hauling her onto my lap. “No, dearest, I’m not jealous. I’ve got my own cartoon crush,” I say, far too smugly.
Her eyes narrow. “Oh yeah? Who?”
I don’t, so I say the first name that comes to mind. “Betty Boop.”
Betty Boop? Have I even seen anything with Betty Boop?
“Betty… Boop?” she asks, her voice dripping with skepticism. “Are you serious?”
I try desperately to keep a straight face, but as her eyebrow arches higher, I break and give up trying. “The only chance I’ll have of finding a cartoon hot is if you turn into one.”
“You know there are these people called artists who can d—” I silence her with a kiss as I slide my hands down to her ass, drawing her harder against me.
These new pajamas we’re in don’t leave much to the imagination.
I can feel every degree of heat rolling off her as she rocks against me, exchanging a moan when she lines herself up just right.
Her hands reach for the waist of my pants, and she tugs.
I lift, and she’s able to slide them off my ass, freeing me in the process, and then she’s off my lap and pushing off her matching bottoms. Barely giving me a second to admire her before she’s back in my lap and sinking down onto me.
“Definitely not jealous,” I grit out when she rocks her hips. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Hore,” I stutter, amazed I can form words.
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Hore,” she hums, tipping her head forward and smiling serenely as her hands expertly unbutton my shirt.
How she manages to multitask right now is beyond me.
I barely manage to slip my arms free of the fabric; meanwhile, she’s making me feel good, making herself feel good, and undressing me.
The movie continues in the background, a reminder of what we were going to be doing. Something we still could be doing, I suppose. I tap her hip. "Hop off, gorgeous," I instruct, earning a confused look. "Trust me."
Nancy rises on her knees and slides off the couch, looking down at me with one eyebrow arched, waiting for my direction.
"Turn around and back that beautiful ass up." For a brief moment I think she may fight me on this, but then she turns and does as I say. I help guide her so she's kneeling on either side of my thighs, facing the TV. And then I grip her hips and lower her back onto me.
"Holy shit," she whimpers, her breath catching when I bottom out.
Holy shit is right. This is how we should always watch TV, goddamn.
My lips graze her shoulder, and I smile into her skin when her hands find mine and guide them up her body.
Last year I was waking up in my childhood bedroom, alone, with absolutely no idea what was in store for me.
If someone had told me I'd be married to a woman from the other side of the barn, a woman who walked away from her life to be with me, I never would have believed them.
Hell, I still pinch myself several times a day to remind myself that this is indeed real life.
“How do I look?” she asks, spinning in front of me. The jeans and a new red and white sweater with reindeer fit perfectly.
“Gorgeous, Boop.” I grin.
“That nickname can go the way of princess, m’lady, and all the others,” she groans, rolling her eyes but failing to hide her smile.
I reach for her hips and pull her to me, leaning in until our lips are a breath away.
“I’ll only use it when I find you exceptionally sexy.
” I drop a quick kiss against her smiling lips and then step back.
“Now, how about me? How do I look?” I mimic her movement, feeling like I could float when her laughter fills the room.
“I’m not sure which one of us pulls the sweater better,” she says, wrapping her arms around me and tipping her head back, offering her lips.
“Definitely you,” I say against them. “But I don’t think I look half bad.”
“No way. But I doubt there is anything that you’d look half bad in.”
“How about I go put on your wedding dress?”
She pulls me back to her when I turn to walk to the closet. “No time for that. Maybe that can be a Boxing Day tradition.” She drags me out of the room and over to our coats. “Mind if we drive up today? I don’t feel like carrying the suitcase down the lane.”
“Oh, we’re definitely driving. There’s no way we’ll be able to carry back what my mom will have for us.”
“Big gift giver?” she asks as she does up her coat.
“She’s wanted a daughter her entire life. I have a feeling the pile of gifts for you will be the biggest by a mile.”
We go to pick up the suitcase at the same time, and she slaps my hand away. “Karl, let me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I back away and watch as she lifts the suitcase with one hand without a sound. I know that damn thing weighs half as much as her, and she’s acting like it’s a pineapple.
“I hope everyone likes their gifts,” she exclaims nervously, her fingers twisting around each other on her lap.
I reach over and take her left hand in mine, kissing the back. “I have no doubt they’re going to love everything. I certainly loved my gift this morning,” I wink.
“That wasn’t your gift,” she deadpans.
“I guess not. Not when every day with you is a gift.”
I watch in delight as she desperately tries not to smile, and when she does, it’s accompanied by a bark of laughter and her hands slapping over her face.
“No, no, don’t you dare hide that gorgeous face from me when you’re laughing like that.” I gently pull her hands down. “Never hide from me, Nancy.”
Her big blue eyes widen in surprise, but she nods. “Okay,” she agrees, “but stop being so corny.”
We’re halfway done with gifts when Nancy finally asks me why I keep checking my watch. But thankfully, a knock at the front door keeps me from having to lie or ruin the surprise.
“You’ll know in a couple seconds.” I kiss her forehead as I stand and walk to the front door.
When I return, Nancy’s inquisitive look drains from her face as Celeste walks in behind me. I don’t need her to say a thing to know I just stepped in it.