Page 110 of Christmas Criminal

"Thank you, Noelle," he whispers.

"Tips are appreciated," I joke, and he lets out a breathy laugh into my shoulder before pulling away from me.

I sit up straight, and he runs his fingers through my hair, brushing a strand behind my ear. "Thank you for today. It was the Christmas I never thought I could have."

I can't help but snort. "I really thought I could show you a fun Christmas, at least. And instead I showed you a shit show from beginning to end. So, sorry. But I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it."

He shakes his head. "It's not what you do or what happens that matters. It's the people. It's coming together and taking part in silly traditions even if it means the criminal of the family decides to decorate all of your cookies with genitalia."

I grin, proud of my artwork. "And I even passed off the balls as Christmas ornaments and the vagina as a rose when Naomi and Cassidy asked."

He rolls his eyes. "Very impressive."

I lean forward and kiss him. "I'm really happy you came."

He takes a deep breath, his free eye skirting over my body as his hands brush over my skin. He takes in a breath like he's going to speak, but decides against it.

I raise my eyebrows, my hands running across his chest. "What?"

He shakes his head. "It's dumb."

"Tell me."

He purses his lips. "Did you mean what you said? That thing about your love for me outweighing your hatred for your dad?"

My breath catches. I said it in a moment of emotion, but it wasn't untrue. As much as I want to say it's too soon, I know that what I feel for Nick is stronger than infatuation. I'm not about to move in and stop taking birth control, but with feelings like this, I need to give this thing between us space to grow into what I know it can be.

I nod, momentarily forgetting how to speak. My words come out breathy and unsure as I say them. "I love you, Nick. And I'm going to make some moves so that I can be here in this stupid town, and love you as hard as I can."

"You're not saying that because it's Christmas and I took a punch from your dad?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "I don't know what the future looks like, but I know I want to do it with you."

He looks me in the eye when he speaks, no hint of a doubt in his words. "I love you, Noelle. I love your family. I love the prickly girl you show the world on the outside and the one that loves so fully on the inside. I love your brain and your snark, andthere's nothing I want more than to have you in my house, in my bed, in my heart."

He lets out a long breath when he's done, and smiles at me as if to tell me that's the last of his monologue.

I can't help the grin that comes to my face, and he mirrors it right back to me.

"So why don't you stand up and put on a little show for the one you love."

I raise my eyebrows. "I literally only have my underwear to take off."

"Then I guess you better put some extra sexy into it."

I roll my eyes and slowly extricate myself from his lap. I stand, looping my thumbs in my thong, and shake my ass a little bit in his face. He slaps it, giving me a quick squeeze, and I slowly–so slowly–drag my underwear down my thighs, bending as I take them all the way to the ground.

"Fuck, Noelle," he says, palming one cheek. He runs his thumb along my center and I shiver at the touch. He groans as he presses his thumb into his mouth, tasting me. "Look how wet you are for me." He slaps my ass and runs his hand over the area, soothing the sting. "Now come sit in my lap and tell me what you want."

"Oh god," I say, rolling my eyes as I stand. "You did not just say that."

He shrugs. "Are you going to be naughty, or nice?"

I can't help but grin at him as I throw one leg over him. I reach below me–aware of the way his eyes are glued to my tits as they squeeze between my arms–and tug his underwear down, exposing him. I take him in my hand and pump him a few times as he groans, tipping his head back against the headboard.

"Oh, she's been a good girl this year," he murmurs, his hand drifting up my side and squeezing my breast.

"So you're going to give me what I want, then?"

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