Page 39 of Just A Dash of Holiday Magic
I put on the coffee and preheat the oven for the breakfast casserole I made last night. I turn on the Christmas lights on the tree and play some soft holiday music. I don’t have a fireplace, so I turn on the TV and play a station that shows a fire burning.
I’m about ready to sit down and enjoy my coffee when there is a soft knock at the door. I look out the window and see Ryan rubbing his hands together out in the cold.
“What are you—” I stop when I see that Ryan is holding a Go-Go Sonic Scooter with a comically oversized red bow attached to the handlebar.
“I think Santa left this outside,” he says with a wink. “Can I come in?”
I step back to let him in. I'm still too shocked to speak as he sets the scooter down by the other presents near the tree.
“I called in a favor to the big guy—” Ryan turns around to explain to me, but I cut him off with a kiss that I feel all the way to my toes.
He wraps his arms around me and holds my soft body against his hard one. “I guess David and I are both getting what we wanted for Christmas.”
I laugh and kiss him again, parting my lips to deepen the kiss.
"Am I interrupting something?" A voice asks, and we both turn to see my sister, Margot, standing in the doorway, dressed in her ACUs.
“What are you doing here?” I ask her.
“I was granted twenty-four hours of leave,” she starts to explain, but the sound of little feet running above us stops her.
“Mommy!” David yells at the top of the steps and bounds down before leaping into her arms. “Santa got my letter! He is real!”
Ryan and I share matching grins. Margot holds onto David tight and spins him around. He squeals with delight.
“I should let you guys enjoy the morning together,” Ryan whispers to me.
“No, stay.”
"If anyone could tempt me, it would be you, but this time should be for the three of you to catch up. We can talk when later. Besides, I have some catching up to do of my own with my Dad."
“Here, take a cookie for the road,” I say and grab a plate of sugar cookies. "I'll walk you out."
Ryan stops me on the porch because he doesn't want me to freeze, but when he holds me, the heat between us feels like I’m standing in the sunlight.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you,” I say again and lean in, pressing another kiss on his sugared lips.
Even without the sugar, his kiss is sweeter than anything I could have imagined.
“I’d do anything for you.”
"Come on, Aunt Julianna! You’ll never believe it, Santa brought me a Go-Go Sonic Scooter.”
"You're a lucky boy," I say to him before turning to Ryan. “I think we both are.”
