Page 53 of Wishing for Love

“No,” she said, laughing. “Thank you. Really, I mean it.”

He laughed with her and then walked into his bathroom and she stretched where she was, content to stay for a few more hours. Maybe they could work it up to another and make this night even more special.

Talk about the best holiday gift ever.

18

SHINED LIKE HER NAME

The next morning, Phoenix jumped when the bedroom door was pushed open and Elsie came running in. “Uncle Nix, Santa came. Oh my God, he left so much stuff. Get up.”

Elsie was jumping on his bed and the first thing he thought of was, oh shit, where was Crystal?

All he remembered was she was in bed with him when he fell asleep. Guess she got up and left though, but he didn’t remember when.

He grabbed his phone and saw it was only six. Elsie never got up this early. He wasn’t expecting it.

“I’m glad Santa came,” he said. “He knew you’ve been a good girl.”

“I need to see what he brought me,” Elsie said, still jumping on his bed and grabbing his arm. “Come on.”

He was covered by the blankets. He wasn’t naked, but he still wasn’t going to get up in his underwear only. “Why don’t you give me a minute to get some clothes on?”

“You’ll hurry and not shower first?” Elsie asked.

The pained look on her face said it all. “I promise I won’t. But I need to go to the bathroom too. Two minutes. I promise.”

“I’m going to get Crystal,” Elsie said.

He was going to tell her no but then decided to let Elsie have her fun. No reason he should be the only one woken up so suddenly.

When he came out of his room less than two minutes later, Crystal was coming down the stairs fully dressed and not looking as if she just rolled out of bed.

“Have you been up?” he asked.

“I was just getting dressed when Elsie ran up the stairs. I got up fifteen minutes ago and took a shower.”

“I was more exhausted than I thought I’d be. Someone got me out of bed.”

“I wonder what could have tired you out so much last night,” she said, laughing at him.

He smiled back tenderly, knowing his eyes softened too. “I wonder what that could have been.”

“Santa,” Elsie screeched and grabbed his hand with her other free one and pulled them both to the front room. “Look at those gifts.”

“Wow,” he said. “You should start opening them.”

“Can I grab any one I want?” Elsie asked.

“Why don’t you open Santa’s first?” he said.

He pulled those packages out and he and Crystal sat back while Elsie ripped open everything. He couldn’t even keep track of who gave her what and hated that. He was positive Crystal would know or at least know better than him.

“You have to open yours, Uncle Nix,” Elsie said. “I helped Crystal wrap them.”

Elsie moved the three gifts in front of him and he opened them one at a time. He got a coloring book of a mad scientist and thought that was great.

“Your idea?” he asked Elsie.

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