Chapter Thirty-Two

Jordan

Finally, it's Christmas Eve.

Now that I'm back home - I still can't help but think of this small house as my home - I can't wait to get started baking Christmas treats to accompany tomorrow's feast. And I have all the time in the world now that Kevin and Lance are watching over Claus.

I smile as I remember when I last saw them talking, grins on their faces.

I knew they'd get along.

Just as I've brought out the mixer, though, I hear noise from across the street.

I look out the window and see a truck in front of the Marsh house. I also see a bunch of people putting wreaths and lights and a bunch of decorations on the house.

My eyes narrow.

What's with all the decorations? Didn't Mrs. Cooper say she didn't like professional decorators? Unless...

Did Mr. Marsh come home?

I spot Mrs. Cooper in front of the house, so I decide to go over there and ask her.

"Jordan." She smiles at me. "Merry Christmas."

She seems happy in spite of the circumstances.

"Merry Christmas," I say to her.

I look up at the man on a ladder. "Are these...?"

"Professional decorators? Yes."

I turn to her. "Then is Mr. Marsh home?"

"No." Mrs. Cooper shakes her head. "In fact, he's not the owner of this house anymore."

My eyes grow wide. "What?"

"Someone else just bought it and wants to get it all dolled up for Christmas. He was kind enough to let me stay, too."

"Who?" I ask curiously.

Just then, Lance steps out of the front door.

I narrow my eyes at him. "What are you doing here? Mrs. Cooper just told me the house doesn't belong to Mr. Marsh anymore."

"That's right." He stands beside me and places an arm around me. "It belongs to me now."

It takes a few seconds for the words to register in my brain. Then I look at him with wide eyes.

He bought the house?

"By that, I mean it belongs to us now."

I take a step back. My hands go over my mouth as I gasp.

Lance bought the house. The Marsh house. For us.

"I figured we need a bigger house," he says. "Especially since I'm getting Claus a dog, though don't tell him that."

"But weren't we going to live in Boston? Are you saying you're going to move here?"

"Exactly. I'll open up a new office in Dover and I'll run it myself. That way, I can drive to work and back each day. Michael will run the main office, and if there's something there that needs urgent attention, I can just take the jet."

I look at him. "You thought about all that?"

"Yes. Oh, by the way, we don't need to sell your house. We can keep it. That way, we'll have two houses facing each other. Also, that way, Kevin has a place to sleep in."

My eyebrows furrow. "You don't mean..."

Lance grins. "Just joking. Kevin is welcome to stay at our house."

I punch his shoulder playfully.

"But there might be some people who need to stay at your house," he adds.

I feel confused. "What do you mean? Who?"

Lance leads me inside the house and towards the living room.

"Merry Christmas!" a chorus greets me as soon as I get there.

My jaw drops. Kevin is there in the living room with Claus and so are my mom and dad. Even my Uncle Richard and my Aunt Beth are there, and my cousins Lily, Jacob and Sarah, who seem to be with their families.

I place my hands on my cheeks, trying to slap myself so that I can snap out of this if it's a dream. But it's not.

They're here. My family's here. Well, not all of them. But still, there are a lot of people in this living room.

I shake my head in disbelief. "How are all of you here?"

"I invited them," Kevin says as he stands up. Claus runs over to me and wraps his arms around my legs. "Well, it was Lance's idea, but I did the work."

I turn to Lance. "Really?"

"Why not? It was your Christmas wish, wasn't it? And I do sometimes like to grant wishes."

I wrap my arms around him and kiss his cheek.

"Hey, I was the one who called them all over," Kevin says.

I give him a hug as well. "It's hard to believe you've just regained your memories."

He grins. "I bounce back fast. I've got reasons."

I turn to everyone in the room. "Thank you, everyone for coming here."

I place my hands on Claus's shoulders. "Oh, and by the way, this is my son, Claus and this..." I grab Lance's hand. "Is my fiance. Though you guys probably already know that."

My mother walks over to me. "I'm so happy for you, dear."

She gives me a big hug and the rest of the family joins in, except for my dad, who I give a hug of his own. Tears of joy sting my eyes and I wipe them away.

I can't believe it. I can't believe everyone's here. On Christmas Eve.

Miracles do happen at Christmas.

And I just know this is going to be the best one ever.

~

"Thank you so much, Lance," I tell him later when it's just the two of us in our bedroom. My head is snuggled against his shoulder.

Everyone else is finally in their own bedrooms, Claus asleep in Kevin's. As for me, I don't know if I can sleep tonight.

Lance shakes his head. "You've already said that."

"Well, I can't thank you enough."

"I'm sure you can find a way."

I sit up and look at him with narrowed eyes. One look at his and I know what he's thinking.

Well, it's not like I'm not up for it. Besides, I've always dreamed of having sex with the man I love on Christmas Eve.

I give him a mischievous grin. "I think I can manage."

I crawl off the bed and stand in front of it. Then I reach for the sash of my robe.

"Ooh." Lance sits up and places his arms behind his head. "Is this a striptease?"

I don't answer. I just pull on the sash and the knot unravels. I run my fingers over the lapels of my robe. Then I slowly push them off my shoulders so Lance can see me in my pajamas - Christmas ones, of course, striped red and white.

Lance frowns. "This present looks like it was wrapped too well."

"Aren't those presents the most fun to unwrap?"

I shrug the robe off and it falls to my feet. I hook my thumbs into the waistband of my pajama pants and take them off next. Then I take off my socks - red and white too. I throw one at Lance.

He catches it and frowns again. "I was hoping for something else."

"Patience," I tell him as I begin to work on the next piece of clothing, my pajama top.

Instead of buttons, it has hooks shaped like candy canes so it's easier to remove. In a few moments they're all off, but I don't take the top off just yet. I let it hang from my shoulders, lift my arms and start dancing.

Lance whistles in approval.

I'm not really good at dancing, but I sway my hips and roll my shoulders. I turn around. As I glance over my shoulder, I let the top fall off my arms to join the pile at my feet.

Now I'm down to my matching red lace bra and panties.

I continue dancing with my back turned to Lance. I wiggle my ass a little. Again, he whistles.

I bend over and touch my knees to give him a better view. I reach for the hook of my bra and take it off.

When I turn back to face him, only my panties are on. I feel his gaze on my breasts as they jiggle. I blush.

Finally, I remove my underwear. I throw it at Lance and he catches it with one hand. He gives it a sniff and grins.

"Now that smells like Christmas."

I say nothing as I dance a little more. I run my hands through my hair and then over my breasts, down my belly and to my hips. Then I hold Lance's gaze as I move one between my legs.

His eyes narrow.

"Go on." His words sound more like an order than a request, and they send a thrill through me.

Go on? I hesitate for a moment out of some tinge of embarrassment, but then I continue. I spread my legs and reach below my curls for my nub. As I start to stroke it, I close my eyes.

Even then, I can still see Lance staring at me. I can still feel it. And somehow the fact that he's watching me makes me feel even hotter.

I lean my head back and slip a finger inside me. I'm dripping wet. I place my other hand over my breast and play with one of my nipples. A moan escapes my lips.

I continue playing with myself, teasing myself and giving myself pleasure. My head spins. Fever engulfs my skin.

I get so lost in the pleasure I almost forget Lance is watching. So far, he hasn't made a sound.

I open my eyes and they grow wide as I see him sitting on the bed with his hard cock in his hand. He's stroking himself as he watches me. His long fingers travel up and down his cock. The swollen tip glistens.

I swallow the lump in my throat.

Damn. That's hot.

I stop touching myself and crawl back onto the bed.

"What?" Lance asks. "Is the show already over?"

"It ended when you decided you wanted to do more than just watch," I tell him as I settle between his legs. I swat his hands away and take over stroking his cock.

He hisses.

I sweep the strands of hair out of my face and take his cock slowly inside my mouth. It quivers. I suck on it and Lance lets out a groan.

I'm about to start moving my head back and forth, but Lance pushes me away.

I frown. For a moment, I think he's stopping me entirely, but he's just moving me. He guides my legs until he's between them. His hands grip my thighs and I feel his breath on my molten core.

It's an embarrassing position, but I decide to focus on what I'm doing. I take his cock back inside my mouth and begin moving my head up and down. His tongue moves back and forth against the folds of my skin.

I shudder. I can feel myself getting wetter, getting hotter just as his cock seems to swell and leak inside my mouth.

I move faster. My lips continue to burn.

His wicked tongue keeps going.

Then, just when I think we're both about to come, Lance stops. I pull my mouth off him as well and wipe the saliva dribbling down my chin. I take gulps of air into my lungs.

I've barely caught my breath when Lance slips a finger inside me. I let out a cry. He slips another in.

His fingers feel good, just like his tongue, but I want something else, something more.

I move away from him and position myself above him. I lower myself slowly onto his hard, quivering cock.

When his hands reach for my hips, I swat them away.

"Let me," I tell him.

"Okay." He raises his hands.

I continue my dance. This time, I rock my hips back and forth while gasping at the sensation of having him inside me. I put my hands on his legs and lean back. My eyes close. My hair hangs down. My breasts hang out.

When I open my eyes, I see Lance watching me intently. His nostrils flare.

I lean forward. My hands grip his shoulders. My hair falls over my face. Then I start moving again.

A different angle, but the same exquisite pleasure. It's driving me mad.

Lance takes one of my breasts inside his mouth. I gasp.

"You seem even naughtier than usual tonight," he tells me. "What will you do if Santa suddenly shows up?"

I shrug. "Do you think he'll want to join in?"

Lance frowns.

"Just kidding," I tell him.

"Well, it's not funny."

He pulls me off his cock and pushes me down on the bed. Then he climbs on top of me.

Ah. He's run out of patience.

Then again, so have I.

He enters me with one thrust and then grips my hips and begins pounding into me. I turn my head to the side. I lift my hands and my fingers clutch the edge of the pillow just above me.

Suddenly, Lance captures my lips. His hands trap mine and our fingers entwine.

As his hips keep jerking, as his cock continues to move in and out of me, I feel my body begin to come undone. Now I'm truly being unwrapped.

I let out a cry as the pleasure takes over. I shudder beneath him and my hips rise off the bed. My hands grip his.

Lance goes on for a bit longer before he, too, begins to shake. I feel a gush deep inside me as his cock goes out of control. Then it grows still.

Above me, Lance pants. Then he plants a kiss on my forehead before pulling out.

I turn to my side and stare at the fire as I catch my breath. Then I feel Lance's arms wrap around me. I turn towards him.

"It's past midnight, you know," he says. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," I tell him as I look into his eyes. "And it really is one. You've given me the very best gift."

"Oh, I know," Lance says. "But you deserve me."

I chuckle. "I meant the house and my family, silly."

Lance frowns.

"Just kidding." I stroke his cheek. "Of course, I wouldn't have any of that if I didn't have you."

He takes my hand and presses a kiss to my palm. "But you gave me the best gift first. You gave me Claus."

I nod. "Claus is wonderful. I can't imagine living without him."

"You gave me a family," Lance goes on. "For that, I'm forever grateful."

"Well, we gave each other a family," I correct him.

"Speaking of family, would you mind if we spent New Year's with mine?" he asks suddenly.

"Not at all." I shake my head. "Especially since you let me spend Christmas with mine. And I'd love to meet them. I'd love for them to meet Claus."

Lance nods and kisses my hand again. His lips particularly linger on the diamond ring on my finger. "Thank you."

I stroke his cheek. "Don't thank me. We're a family, remember?"

And family is the gift that gives on giving. With my family, with Lance and Claus, I just know that every day will feel like Christmas.

~The End~