Page 60 of Second Down Scrooge

We’re both panting as we come down from the high of that climax, and she’s resting her head on my shoulder, her face turned into my neck as I ease my finger out of her ass. She leans forward to press a soft kiss to my neck, and I pull back a little so I can catch her lips with mine.

We kiss softly for a few beats in the quiet afterglow, our bodies sweaty but still connected, and eventually she lifts off of me.

“I thought you were going to pinch me to prove you were really here, not give me the hottest climax of my life,” she says as she gathers her clothes.

I laugh, and I’m not quite ready to move yet, but I know I need to. I force myself off the stool, and I give her ass a little pinch since she just requested it as I gather up my clothes, too.

Once we’re dressed, I grab her into my arms, and we just stand in the basement in a hug for a few quiet moments.

“I should probably get to wrapping,” I say.

She nods, and she perches back on the stool where we just fucked. Her cheeks are flushed, and she looks…happy. And freshly fucked. And gorgeous.

I wash my hands in the sink at the bar, and then I pull the first gift out of the bag. I packed Kelly's gifts in my carry-on, so I don't have to worry about her finding them down here. I do, however, have to figure out when to wrap them.

“She is going to love that,” Kelly says as she eyes the stuffed girl pup fromPaw Patrol. It's bigger than the one at Ellie’s house, but not so big that I couldn't bring it here to Chicago.

The jumbo one is back at my place.

So I may have gone a little overboard since there was only a handful of people I needed to shop for.

I take out the other gifts I brought with me and feel confident that Mia is going to love all of them.

There’s more upstairs in my suitcase. I wanted to bring something for Kelly’s parents and grandparents, too. I wasn'tquite sure what to get them, so I ended up going the sentimental route, which was never the route I took in the past.

And now I can't wait for them to open their gifts and see the reaction to what's inside.

But most of all, I can't wait to finally ask Kelly the question I came here to ask.

Chapter 29: Kelly Kaplan

Checking for Santa

Christmas Eve

I still can't quite believe he's here, even though the way he just rocked my world was sort of like pinching me to prove it's true.

I can honestly say I've never been railed in my grandparents’ basement like that before.

“I feel bad,” I say. “I didn't bring your gift here with me.”

“You didn't need to get me anything. And I would never have expected you to bring it here since this was sort of a last-minute decision on my part.”

“Well, thank God for last-minute decisions because I couldn't be happier to see you.”

His eyes lift and meet mine. “I feel the exact same way.” He leans down to press a kiss to my lips, and then he asks, “So…what are the sleeping arrangements?”

“The bed I sleep in is a queen, and Mia is in a travel crib, so there's room for you next to me.”

“Is that okay?” he asks.

“Is what okay?”

“You know…sleeping in the same room, the same bed—in your grandparents’ house.” He averts his eyes back to the gift he’s wrapping.

I lean in and whisper conspiratorially, “Considering Mia exists, I think they probably put two and two together.”

“Still…don't they have rules?”

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