Page 107 of The Snuggle is Real
“I don’t know,” he said, pensive. “LuAnne has said that Charlie is her reason to keep it together, but clearly it didn’t work so well in the past. She’s got a lot of stuff to figure out, and I don’t want Charlie living with that kind of uncertainty.”
“I know.” I tucked my face into his neck, hugging him. “It’s Lu’s choice, but it should be Charlie’s too, shouldn’t it?”
“Yeah.” He held me close. “If this is what Charlie wants, then I’ll fight for her. I have to try.”
I drew back. “We will fight for her. Both of us together.”
He smiled faintly. “But not right now. Right now, we’ve got presents to wrap. A dollhouse to place under the tree. And…” He traced my lips. “Kissing to do.”
I smirked. “LuAnne was right about the lips, huh?”
“Shush,” he said with a smile, then bent down and kissed me.
CHAPTER 28
Ford
“Santa Claus is comin’to town!” Charlie wailed in the hallway at the top of her lungs.
I groaned and buried my head under the pillow. Beside me, Mason laughed.
“He’s making a list!” Charlie carried on. “And checking it twice!”
Mason sat up and belted out, “Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice!”
There was a shocked silence at Mason’s outburst, then our bedroom door banged open and Charlie rushed in. “You’re awake! Get up! Santa came. There’s presents!”
She jumped onto the bed. Luckily, Mason and I anticipated that move and we were dressed in underwear and T-shirts. Mason grabbed her up in a hug, then flopped her between us and tickled her tummy.
I joined in on the antics, making her squeal and wiggle.
“Get up, get up!” she exclaimed, squirming down the bed and to her feet. “It’s Christmastime.”
“Okay, give us a minute, Charlie girl. We need to get dressed, and your mom will want to come over.”
“Where did she go?” Charlie fidgeted with the edge of the comforter. “I thought maybe she left.”
“She’s at Dottie’s. She wouldn’t leave town without saying goodbye.”
Charlie nodded once. “I guess.”
“But hey,” Mason said in a bright voice, “your mom’s staying for the rest of your Christmas break. You won’t be leaving anytime soon, okay?”
She brightened. “Really?”
“Yep.” I rolled out of bed, scooped her up, and carried her over to the door. “She’s got to get a few things in order before she’s ready to leave. So let’s enjoy Christmas, okay?”
She grinned. “Okay.”
I set her down in the hall and gave her a little nudge. “Go get dressed, and I’ll call your mom and Grandma Dottie.”
Charlie ran back toward her room, and I shut the door. Mason grabbed his duffel and pulled out navy blue sweats and a charcoal college hoodie with the yellow Mizzou logo on it while I called Dottie’s place and invited the women over for coffee and presents.
I dressed in sweats and a T-shirt, then snuck up behind Mason while he was smoothing down his bedhead. I nuzzled into his neck and glanced at his reflection in the mirror on my bedroom door. “You look like a hot college boy in these clothes.”
“Naughty, Mr. Donnelly,” he teased. “I’d be much too young for you.”
I groped his firm ass. “Mm, but thankfully you only look the part and I can do this.”
