“You say that now, but just wait until you’ve got a mouthful of pork.”

He cackles out loud and my smile could probably be seen all the way back in Maine.

“I can’t wait for our new tradition.” He cups my ass in his hands.

My face lights up and I glance at him over my shoulder. “You mean I get more brandy-spiked eggnog?!”

He grins. “Well, sure. But I was more talking about a blowie on the couch while we watch the movies.”

I chuckle and bite my lip. “I think you should blow me this time.” He rumbles into me while I wiggle my hips. “It’s only fair.”

“You make a good point, sweet stuff.” He nips my earlobe.

“Are you hungry?” I ask him, distracting myself from bending for him by busying my hands with combining all the ingredients for the frosting into a bowl.

“Feed me, Seymour.” James does the Audrey II voice, and I laugh out loud.

“There are appetizers over there.” I nod to the table across the room. “Stuffed mushrooms, a meat and cheese board… Oh, and many more gingerbread dongs. For your pleasure.”

He chuckles again, giving my ass a final squeeze before untangling himself from me and practically running over to the food. I can’t help but laugh, watching him eat cookies, soppressata, and gruyere at the same time.

The rest of the afternoon goes by with much of the same. James and me teasing each other, playing around, and chatting while I finish dinner and dessert. After that, we sit down to eat together, Christmas music playing in a low croon as we enjoy my scrumptious creations, making googly eyes at each other from across the table.

Once we’re sufficiently stuffed, we adjourn to the living room for A Christmas Story and brandy-spiked eggnog. The tradition warms my chest as much as the booze in my drink. But more than that, I’m fully obsessed with how much better it feels being with him this way.

I’m no longer a kid with a crush, desperately trying to stuff down my illicit feelings for the man I can’t have. Now, when I glance at him out of the corner of my eyes, he’s already watching me. Our fingers tangled, my legs draped over his lap with his other hand on my knee. He presses his lips on my hair and I kiss his collarbone.

We stay barely dressed, touching one another subtly, tempting and tantalizing little trails of fingers and lips, my foot running up and down his calf until we’re both buzzing on it.

The high of being together.

Our new Christmas Eve tradition, as a couple. In love.

I want to give him his gift right this second. But I have to be patient. It’ll be so much better if I do it right…

He’s gonna be so surprised.