Page 82 of S.O.S. Perk

Perk rolled over, throwing one bare leg across Sloane’s. She opened her eyes and blinked, coming slowly awake.

Yup.Perk grinned. They’d certainly worn each other out over the last three nights.

“G’morning,” she yawned.

“Good morning.” Perk dropped a kiss on her nose. “Do we have to go to my parents’ house today?” he grumbled, tucking one, errant copper lock behind her ear. She looked so damned delicious, disheveled from sleep.

Perk was still pinching himself that Sloane was here with him. They’d pretty much spent the majority of their yurt-time so far in bed; exploring, laughing, sharing food and stories, while the rest of the time Perk had watched Sloane work her magic on the computer, still attempting to track Shultz and Jennifer Nelsin. It had been pretty damned idyllic, and Perk wasn’t ready for reality to come crashing in.

Sloane snaked a hand down and cupped his balls.

“That’s up to you, big guy,” she purred. “The family thing was your call. But I’ll follow your lead. Iamthinking, however, that if you cancel, your mother is going to send your big brothers out to find us and drag us home. Or…they could try,” she added cheekily.

Perk groaned, knowing shewoulddo whatever he wanted. But…

“You’re right. It’s Christmas, so I shouldn’t be a dick.” His disappointment evaporated and he smiled widely as her fingers found and livened up said dick. “Merry Christmas, by the way.”

“Merry Christmas,” she responded cheekily, giving a decided tug.

Perk wanted to relax and enjoy her clever digits, but there were other things on the agenda today. Reluctantly, he moved her hand, then reached back under his pillow and pull out a small, square box.

Sloane’s eyes grew wide. “For me?” she squeaked.

“Uh, huh. ItisChristmas, you know,” he answered, feeling all kinds of pleased as he put the gift into her wavering palm. “Open it.”

Tears appeared in her eyes, and Perk immediately wondered if he’d done something wrong.

“What’s the matter?” he asked uncertainly.

Sloane sniffed, and swiped at the moisture. “Nothing. I…” She took a deep breath. “Nobody’s given me a Christmas present before. Well, at least not in a very long time.”

“Seriously?” Perk couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What about Melissa?”

Sloane managed a laugh. “When Mel and I met, we were both just starting out in our careers, and didn’t have two pennies to rub together. We agreed we wouldn’t spend money on each other for Christmas, and it just became sort of a habit after that.”

Perk didn’t want to ask, but felt the words slip from his mouth, anyway. “What about your ex-husband.”

Sloane’s demeanor soured as she shook her head. “He thought Christmas was just a commercial scam to get people to buy stuff, so he refused to celebrate. Not even with a Christmas tree, which I always managed to get on my own.”

She glanced over at the live conifer they’d cut down at a farm two days before; she and Perk having since given it a dollar store makeover to decorate it. Her bad mood dissipated like magic.

“He was an asshole,” Perk glowered, not ready to let it go.

“He still is,” Sloane chuckled. “But happily, he’s no longer my problem. And no more talk about him. There’s no room inour bed.” She took a moment to shake her box, put it up to her ear, smell it, then shake it again.

Perk joined her in letting go of her past, and pointed at what she was doing. “That’s not going to get you anywhere,” he chortled.

“Fine.” She began on the ribbon, but just as she was about to remove it, her phone rang.

Her whole body stilled.

Sloane listened for a second, then groaned, throwing an arm across her face.

“What?” Perk didn’t understand what was going on. She hadn’t even looked at her phone yet to see who it was.

“It’s my mother,” Sloane huffed. “She always calls on Christmas day.”

“Well, that’s nice, isn’t it?” Perk questioned, confused.

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