Cosima put her cinnamon tea on the side table and tried to rein herself in. She finished making her side dishes while the second Home Alone played loudly on the TV in the living room, finding herself anticipating the parts of the movie where Tristan might have inserted his sarcastic commentary.

She took her time getting ready, anticipation unfurling in her gut as she picked out the matching blue underwear set that made her feel most sexy. Then she scrubbed and oiled and moisturized the nervous energy away before putting on a red sweater dress with leggings and grabbing the Santa hat she had hanging from her bedpost. Cosima kept her makeup minimal with burgundy lipstick that she couldn’t wait for Tristan to kiss away before she grabbed all her things and made it to her car.

One quick stop later, she let the disembodied voice of her GPS direct her to Tristan’s house, which was located on a quiet road just about thirty minutes away. She smiled as she took in the Christmas decorations in his front yard. The man had been serious about ensuring his daughter had the most exciting Christmas experience, from the candy canes and the gingerbread house to Jack Frost and all of the Christmas lights. Cosima wondered if anyone told Tristan he might have gone a little bit overboard.

“Christmas threw up out here,” she teased when he stepped out on the porch to greet her and help her with the bags. He dropped a distracted kiss against her temple as if he’d been doing it for years.

“Thank you,” he responded, grinning wildly. “Wait until you see the inside.”

12. Cosima

Chapter 12

Cosima

It was Winter Wonderland meets Barbie Dream Home, and Cosima was living for the décor of Tristan’s house as soon as she stepped inside. He didn’t half-ass anything, she realized, and that was how Cosima ended up spending the short tour of Tristan’s house with her panties getting wet.

“She’s going to love this when she gets back,” she said, gesturing to the tree that had so many gifts piled under it, Cosima was sure Nia would have to take refreshment breaks when she opened them. “You really went all out for her. It looks like she has a hundred gifts under the tree.”

“That’s my baby right there.” That small, tender smile seemed reserved for conversations about his baby, and Cosima couldn’t help smiling herself. Her smile widened when he reached under the tree, pulled out a box, and handed it to her. “A hundred minus two.”

“You got me a gift?”