Page 11 of Oh Christmas Tree
She snorts, and I give her a confused look, which she waves off.
“Sorry, it’s nothing. I also like the cold, and being up here soothes my soul. The city can be so overwhelming, and there is always so much pressure. I love living there because it’s close to my parents, but I keep thinking about spending more time here. It certainly helps with my anxiety.”
“Anxiety?”
She sighs. “It’s stupid, it’s a human thing, I guess. I don’t know, I’m just a perfectionist at heart. I want to be the best I can be at everything. And that gives me a lot of stress and anxiety, because instead of enjoying the things I do, I am constantly worried I’m not good enough. Constantly comparing myself to others. Do you know about phones? The Internet?” I shake my head, and she waves it off. “ It doesn’t matter. Well, there’s this thing called social media, and it’s a place where people post stuff about themselves, but it’s not the reality, you know? It’s a version where everything is perfect. And I don’t know, but it really messes me up sometimes.”
I can’t begin to understand anything she says, but I think I get that she’s feeling like she’s not enough, not good enough. I cannot resist touching her, and I tip her chin and force her to look at me.
“I think you’re absolutely perfect.” And then I kiss her.
That kiss turns to touching, and that touching turns to us, sprawled out on a blanket on the floor all evening, napping and exploring each other's bodies. The sex is amazing, and I am completely bewitched by her soft touches and the feel of her body against mine. As I hold her in my arms when she falls asleep, I can’t help but wonder. What if I wasn’t bound to the Yule tiding? What if I could stay?
12
CHLOE
Ayawn escapes me when I slowly come back to consciousness. I am lying in the middle of my living room, wrapped in my soft, furry Christas blanket. I turn to see Ced standing by the windows, and I smile. If I wake up, like really wake up, and this turns out to have been a dream after all, it would have been the best dream of my life. A part of me still can’t believe this is true. I mean, nobody would look at that tree and believe they would turn into this gorgeous Tree person. A smile plays across my lips; I don’t think it will disappear today.
I wrap myself in the blanket and make myself a cup of coffee after I do my business. It’s still cold outside, but the storm has died down. Luckily, because at some point, I need to get down this mountain and back to reality. I shiver when I think about reality. Everything I told Ced last night is true. I like it here; it makes me feel better, and my anxiety is way less than in the city.
Ced is also growing on me. I really, really like them. It’s a shame they’re returning to their slumber, they called it, after New Year's. This really makes me want to make the most ofit. They’re funny, sweet, and terribly sexy. I always considered myself to be an open person, and though I have dated mostly men, my attraction was never limited to just one gender. But this is new… a whole level of new… It’s probably best if it stays a Christmas fling. That doesn’t mean I won’t be making the most of it, and a grin splits my face as I think about what I want to do tonight.
The afternoon passes quickly, and as I prepare myself in my bedroom, I am super excited to see Ced’s reaction when they wake. We talked about modern Christmas traditions, and they laughed a lot when I told them about Christmas gifts underneath the tree. I will give them something to unwrap underneath their tree.
I placed the blanket in front of the tree and made a little nest with throw pillows. The cabin is nice and warm, and I am lying across from Ced wearing only a strategically placed bow across my breasts and a tiny red lace thong—a little Christmas tiara with tiny trees completing the ensemble. I am sure they will love it.
The sun is setting, and I am sipping a glass of wine, waiting for the moment they awake. I see movement across the bark, eyes forming in the trunk, and instant lust when they open. I give them my best flirty look, fluttering my eyelashes, when suddenly I hear movement and the freaking front door of my cabin opens.
“HONEY!!! WE MADE IT!” my mother calls out, and with a scream, I jump up, spilling my wine all over my Christmas blanket, which I quickly wrap around myself again.
“Stay tree!” I whispershout to Ced as I turn and try to save some dignity when I face my parents, wearing nothing but a wine-stained Christmas blanket and a tiara.
“Honey, where are you?” my mom shouts as she entersthe living room. My dad walks behind her, carrying an enormous Christmas tree—a real one this time.
“Hon—” She stops dead when she looks at me, all flustered and awkward.
“Did we interrupt something?” She eyes me skeptically and looks around.
“Nope,” I squeak. “Nothing at all. I uh, I’ll go put some clothes on… A little warning would have been nice.” And I hurry around them into my bedroom.
When I emerge, the new Christmas tree is firmly planted in the basket, and Ced is lying unceremoniously on the ground. I wince, poor Ced…
“Hi mom, hi dad!” I tell my parents as I hug them. “What a nice surprise!”
“We figured you’d be lonely up here alone, but I think we might have been wrong.” My mom winks, and I blush.
“Well, I have been okay, but I’m still glad you’re here. How long are you guys staying?”
My mom gives me a piercing look. “Until New Year's day, honey, just like we originally planned.”
Inwardly, I curse, there goes my time with Ced, but I plaster a smile on my face. “That is the best news.”
We hug some more, and I intervene when my dad tries to remove his shoes. “Dad, want to help me plant the old tree outside? Just because they’re not a pine tree, doesn’t mean they have to whither away…”
I’m pretty anxious about putting Ced outside, but I’m more scared of what will happen if they continue just to lie there. I should smuggle them inside when my parents are asleep.
Dad grumbles something, but helps me put Ced outside anyway, and I point at a nice sheltered spot for them. I take one longing look outside before I let my dad take me inside.
