Epilogue
JOSHUA
Christmas Eve
The new listing I just landed has both me and my dad excited. It’s a thirty-day listing for some marketing executive bigshot, and I’m here for it.
Dad taught us everything from the ground up, and it’s hard at first when you’re competing with other agents, but now it comes like second nature. Owners can be hard work, but the commission makes it worth it, and I’m happy to bend over backwards for my clients, all within reason of course.
The sign has just gone up out on the front lawn of the manicured gardens, and I’m putting out the open house signs when I hear a toot from the curbside.
I turn on my heel just as the passenger window slides down.
“Hey Mister Curb Appeal!”
My grin shows the recipient exactly how happy I am to see her, and her smile is so fucking radiant I want to swallow it whole. “Lexi.” I’m already walking toward Ali’s car as the two of them follow my steps. “Hey.” I dip my head down and rest on the passenger door and lean in to kiss her quickly.
“Fancy seeing you here.” She smiles up at me as I pull back.
“Fancy that.” I smile back. “To what pleasure do I owe you, beautiful women?”
And that’s tongue in cheek because I pleasured my beautiful girl until the wee hours, the little pink tinge to her cheeks confirms what she’s thinking about, too.
“We were in the neighborhood,” Ali explains. “Congratulations again on the new listing.”
“Why, thank you, that means a lot.”
“It’s a stunning property,” Lexi says, she missed out on coming to the agent caravan a few days ago due to another appointment, but Ali turned up at the same time as my dad.
Ali’s listings are generally out in Malibu, but sometimes they have clients looking in the area, so it pays to have seen the new listing.
“We’re just on our way to a showing otherwise we’d swing in for a look,” Lexi says.
“Bummer.” I’d love nothing more than to spend some extra moments with her, even on work time. “But we have that tinsel shopping thing to do later,” I add.
Yup, that cute little dusting of a blush creeps up her neck back to her cheeks at the mention of tinsel.
Code word last night for: mad sexathon wearing your birthday suit.
“Ah, that’s right,” she manages to bubble out, her soft pink lips press together, hiding her smile.
“I know that’s a code word for something dirty,” Ali says, slapping her forehead. “But I’m not even going to ask what it is.”
“Probably best not to,” I muse with a shrug, but boy am I looking forward to spending tonight with her again. We plan to have a quiet candlelit dinner at her place with Mr. Snuggles, then head over to Dad’s for Christmas lunch.
“I’ll make those cookies you love so much,” Lexi says.
That’s when Ali actually plugs her fingers in her ears and sings “La, la, la.” Shaking her head in the process like she’s trying to drown out any innuendo.
Lexi and I both laugh out loud. “That isn’t code for anything, Ali, I love Lexi’s baking. You can take your hands down.”
Ali unplugs her ears and shares in our laughter. “Phew for that.”
Little does my girl know I’ve laid rose petals all over her apartment when she gets home. I also bought an early Christmas present; those satin Victoria Secret PJs she loves so much, and maybe some sexy underwear to match.
Once I got over the initial embarrassment of being in that store, the staff were really helpful in getting sizes, and packaging it all up in pretty paper.
Women like pretty things, so I’ve come to realize, and my girl deserves the best, which is why I also snuck into La Perla to buy her something really special for Christmas day.
“Hope the open house goes well.” Lexi can’t wipe the cute smile off her face. “I’ll see you later.”
“Tonight.” I smile back. Boy, have I got a few things in store for us, and I can’t wait.
Ali toots her horn as they drive off, both casting me a little wave, and I watch the car disappear into the distance.
A few hours later, I get a text from Lexi as I’m pulling up to her place; I smile as I read it.
Lexi
Joshua! You’re a fiend! You did all of this for me?
Me
Just pulling up now
Lexi
Good timing, I’m trying everything on
My heart races at that, and I fumble with my seatbelt to scramble out of the car. We’ll head to my place later, but I wanted Lexi to get comfortable ahead of the festivities.
When I let myself in, the lights are dimmed and there’s subtle Christmas music playing. I chuckle to myself. She just can’t help herself, Little Miss Christmas.
“Oh, Lexi,” I call, reaching down to pick up Mr. Snuggles, who’s rubbing himself against my legs. I can cuddle him now without him trying to claw my eyes out. “Where is that naughty Mommy?” I kiss his head and set him back down.
I head toward the bedroom, and I’m not disappointed. Lexi is standing there in the pink matching set I got her; it looks as if lace is my best friend. I loosen my tie. “Holy shit, Princess. Look at you.”
“You spoil me.” She struts toward me, and I hold my arms wide.
“You deserve it.”
“I think we need to change our dinner plans.” She wiggles her eyebrows as we embrace.
“I think you could be right.” I kiss the top of her head, then tilt her chin so she’s looking up at me. “You’re gorgeous.”
“I’m almost naked.”
“That’s not the only reason.” I peck her lips. “You’re beautiful inside and out. I don’t know what it is about Christmas, maybe it’s your influence, but it makes me want to stay in and eat chocolate off your body.”
Her eyes bulge in surprise. “So not what I thought you were going to say.”
I grin. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“We’re gonna end this year with so many memories already. I can’t wait to start the new year with so many possibilities. One of them being.” I palm the back of my neck. “Well, I know it’s soon, but I was wondering how you’d feel about moving in together?”
I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and yes, it’s pretty sudden, but I want to spend every waking moment with her. I don’t want to come home to an empty house, and we’re either at one house or the other. This makes sense.
Now her eyes widen in shock. “For real?”
I wince. “For real good, or for real bad?”
She throws her arms around me. “For real good! Oh, Joshie!”
I grin, pulling her feet off the ground and spinning her around. “This is the best Christmas present I could ever wish for.”
“Wait until you get me out of this underwear.”
I squeeze her tight. Knowing she’s the love of my life lights me up inside brighter than the freaking Christmas tree. “Dinner plans are definitely canceled.”
Lexi
Christmas Day
I’m not sure the sports watch I got for Josh is anywhere near as epic as the gifts he got for me, but he mentioned it when I was bugging him for Christmas present ideas recently.
He said when we go back to Lake Haven, we might do some hiking or take a trip up the lake and he didn’t want to tempt fate with his Rolex.
He loved it though and swapped his fancy watch out for the new one in a deep cobalt blue that match his eyes.
“There’s something about a man in a reindeer sweater that I just can’t resist,” I whisper to Josh when we’re getting ready to pick up my mom on the way to Tristan’s place.
Mom decided to take Tristan and Ali up on the offer of spending Christmas with them and the rest of the Lucas family.
Ali’s daughter, Clementine, will be there too, and Mason and Bobby will drop in with their beloved doggies in the afternoon.
Josh said his grandparents, his uncle Jon, and his son won’t make it today, but tomorrow they’re heading over from Palm Springs.
I’m looking forward to meeting them all before we head over to his mom’s place because I haven’t officially had a chance to meet her properly.
They sometimes all do Christmas together, since his mom and Tristan still get along really well, but this year she decided to stay home and host dinner on Boxing Day instead, and have the boys over then.
“I try to do my bit,” he snickers, giving me a tap on the ass. I’m wearing a sweater in the same colors as his, green, white and red, but mine has a giant snowman on the front with sparkly snowflakes all over it.
“Oh, you certainly do.”
“Will you be wearing one of those sexy sets I bought you tonight?”
I have to admit the La Perla, no matter how gorgeous, may have been slightly over the top, when all I got Joshie was a watch, but he was as happy as Larry, so I didn’t feel so bad in the end. “Of course. I thought we could take a soak in the tub first and then I can show you all my wares.”
Josh laughs and kisses me on the nose. “I knew this was going to be the best Christmas ever.”
And it really is. Christmas lunch is amazing, and my mom absolutely loves everyone. She met Josh last week and already adores the socks off him.
“Josh says the love bug is going around,” Noah sings with an eyebrow waggle toward Brad’s direction when Tristan is dutifully carving up the Christmas turkey.
I baked last night and brought some of the cookies that Josh loves, and Mom and I made some trifle the night before.
I know it’s going to go down a treat later.
“Anybody want to take a wager on who’s next for the Lucas brothers to fall head over heels?
” He casts me a wink, nodding in Brad’s direction, and I can’t help but stifle a laugh.
Brad fires him a look, which I’m sure would have turned into a lewd finger gesture if we weren’t all sitting here. “Love bug? Are you for real?”
“It happens to the best of us,” Josh pipes up, slinging an arm around me. “And Lex was right under my nose the whole time.”
“He was just too dumb to see it,” Noah helpfully points out, which earns a few laughs from around the table.
“You can’t rush these things,” Tristan agrees, smiling at Ali, taking his eye off the turkey for a second. “It comes in the most mysterious places.”