Page 19 of Dirty Little Christmas

"You're dressed," I say when I realize he's not naked like I am.

"That's because it's noon." He grins down at me, his cocoa eyes soft. Full of light. The grumpy beast he's been for the last two months is nowhere to be found now. He's all smiles and bone-deep satisfaction. It sears every gorgeous line on his face. "I've been up for hours."

"You didn't wake me," I say, pouting.

"You needed rest." Guilt flashes in his expression. "I didn't let you get much last night."

"Do you hear me complaining?"

"Greedy girl."

"Your beard still has dye in it." I tug on it gently, smiling. "If this is what you're going to look like in a few years, sign me up."

"A few years?" He quirks a brow at me. "Baby girl, watching over you will have me gray by next year. You're too goddamn beautiful, and you like stressing me out way too fucking much."

I giggle because he's not wrong. I do love pushing his buttons. "It's your own fault, you know," I say, playing with his beard as he carries me through the bedroom. The sun is out today, shining into the room from every angle. I must have been more tired than I thought to sleep with it. Usually, I need complete darkness. "You get all growly and hot when you're stressed out.Behaving doesn't have much incentive when you look like a sexy beast when you're grumpy."

"You think I'm sexy?" He grins at me.

"You know I do," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Keep rolling those eyes at me, I'll be spanking you again real soon, little one."

I moan at the thought, squeezing my legs together. He notices and shakes his head, his expression softening again.

"You're going to ruin me, aren't you?"

"Yep," I agree, beaming at the thought. If spankings are my punishment, I'm going to earn every damn one of them. Besides, we both know how much he likes it when I'm a brat. If he wants to tame me, I'll let him. But I plan on enjoying every minute of it.

He carries me out into the hallway, chuckling.

"I need clothes," I protest.

"You definitely don't need clothes. In fact, you're not permitted to wear clothes when we're alone ever again," he growls, palming my ass. "If I'm going to hell, I plan to enjoy it."

"You're not going to hell. I mean, you might if you do that thing with your tongue again, but if you do, yay for me."

He shakes his head at me, laughing. "Dirty girl."

"Mmhmm," I hum, not denying it. I've heard enough women talk to know that most first times are not like my first time. Most men aren't like my man. I'm perfectly content being dirty if it means he keeps doing dirty things to me.

He carries me down the stairs, holding me like I'm precious. I love it. The way he touches me. The way he holds me. How he can't keep his eyes off me. I don't know what I did to deserve him, but I love him so damn much.

"Oh my gosh," I whisper, staring in shock at the massive Christmas tree standing off to the side of the fireplace in the living room. It's a good nine feet tall, covered in twinkling white lights. Colored ornaments hang haphazardly from the branches,scattered without care. It's a mess, but it's the most perfect mess. "You put up a tree."

"You love Christmas," he says as if it's the most logical thing in the world. His eyes meet mine, bright with sincerity. "I'll put up a thousand of them if it makes you happy."

"Blaze," I whisper, my heart fluttering like an entire flock of birds nest in there.

"Making sure you have everything you need is my job now, little one," he says, carrying me across the room to the tree. The closer we get, the stronger the pine smell grows. "I plan to spend the rest of my fucking life obsessing about you every minute of the day."

As soon as he puts me on my feet, I launch myself at him, climbing him like he's a tree. He boosts me up with his hands on my ass, allowing me to rain kisses of gratitude and adoration across his face. He's so damn amazing. God, how did I ever think he didn't feel the same? I was clearly an idiot. He looks at me like I'm the center of the universe.

"I love you," I say, punctuating each word with another kiss.

He growls, claiming my lips with his. This kiss is hot and heavy, but it's sweet and gentle too. The best of both worlds.

"I plan to be obsessed with you too," I say when he finally lets me up for air.