Page 164 of In Spades

Kristin laughed as she pulled away. “That was some Christmas wish.”

“Your wish was for me to kiss you?”

She nodded.

I leaned in again, closing the space between us. “There’s plenty more where that came from.”

Before I could kiss her again, Logan walked in the kitchen and cleared his throat.

I pecked Kristin’s forehead instead. “What can I help with?”

Somehow, Kristin managed to corral all the kids to the table before they tackled the pile of presents under the tree.

She had filled me in on how the poker club spoiled the shit out of the kids for Christmas. It was one of the few things she let them get away with. Even if she told them not to, I was sure they’d find a way to make an epic Christmas happen.

Lord knows I would.

In one hand, I carried a platter filled to the brim with hot cinnamon rolls. A plate of bacon was in the other. Kristin put a bowl of scrambled eggs in the middle of the table, then went to work filling mugs of coffee for Logan and Kylie, and hot chocolate for Hunter and Zoey.

I told her to sit while I poured two more mugs for the two of us.

The kids ravaged the spread like wild animals. In seconds their plates were clean, and they were eyeing the Christmas tree like it might disappear if they didn’t get to it fast enough.

“Alright,” Kristin said, leisurely sipping her coffee. “You know the drill. Y’all have clean-up duty before any presents get opened. Hop to it.”

She didn’t have to tell them twice.

Kristin had already folded up the sofa bed, so I sat with her on the couch while the kids cleared the table and scrubbed dishes.

“Have you talked to them about staying with me yet?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I figured it might go over a little better if you asked.”

I liked that idea. I didn’t want them to think Kristin was forcing them to hang out with her boyfriend while she worked. They needed to know that I wanted them just as much as I wanted her.

“You know,” I said as I stole a sip out of her mug. “This is the first Christmas in a long time that’s felt like home.”

She leaned into me, so I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her into my side.

“What do you usually do for Christmas?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Sleep in. My foster parents don’t live too far from here, so I usually pop in sometime during the day to visit them. We’re not as close as we used to be. They’re getting up there in age, and they have their own kids and grandkids to spend the holiday with. At night I usually down a few beers and watch a movie or something.”

Kristin looked over her shoulder at the tornado of activity happening in the little kitchen. “You sure you’re ready for a lot of holidays like this? Messy and loud?”

I grinned and tilted her chin up. “Life is supposed to be messy.”

Kristin leaned in to kiss me at the very moment Hunter launched himself over the back of the couch, plopping down on the other side of her.

She laughed as our noses collided into each other. “Are you ready to be interrupted all the time?”

My smile grew wider. “I can be creative when I need to be.” I leaned in and whispered, “Some people have even called me a genius.”

She laid her palm on my cheek and kissed me.

“PDA time is up!” Kylie said, clapping her hands. She grabbed a red velvet Santa hat off the coat hook by the door and tossed it to me. “Kris usually passes out the presents, but you should do it this year!”

I mean, I wasn’t opposed to seeing Kris bend over to pick up boxes and bags. Her ass looked fantastic in those little plaid pajama shorts. But I played along and pulled the Santa hat on.

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