Rebel Without A Claus

I already knew it would be for far too much, and I didn’t want to cause a scene.

“Thank you. Your dad and I usually use any extra for a vacation, but we’ve already had one this year.” Her eyes twinkled. “It’s not my fault he was in bed for it.”

“Mom.”

“No. You both worked hard. It’s yours.”

“Thank you, Mom.” I pressed a kiss on her cheek.

“It’s not the only thing to come out of the grotto that’s yours, is it?” She patted my cheek in response and swanned off to where Aunt Sarina was talking to one of my cousins.

She was getting a little ahead of herself there.

I caught Nicholas’s eye and smiled. He raised his whiskey glass to his lips and winked at me, and I turned away before I blushed.

I loved the family Christmas Eve get together—it was the perfect time to chill out after such a busy season, and it meant I could catch up with my aunts and uncles and cousins I didn’t get to see because we were all so busy working. It was also the perfect time to decompress and relax, and I smiled as I walked past Jazzy.

Who knew a cat toy was all she needed to be amused?

I perched on the armchair next to Verity. “Do you need anything?”

“Yes. This baby out of me so I can have a glass of that,” she said, nodding at my wine. “Otherwise, more cheese from that charcuterie board, please.”

“Give me a second.” I hopped up, but she grabbed my arm.

“No, wait. I should move or I might never leave this armchair again. Help me up, would you? It’s like there’s a whole ass watermelon between my legs, but like those big ones you get in the tropics.”

Ouch.

I put my glass on the side table and gently eased her out of the chair. Her waddle was extra prominent today, and I kept hold of her arm as we headed for the dining table where the cheese was.

“Are you sure you should be here?” I asked her. “You look really tired, Verity.”

“Of course I’m tired. Look at this thing.” She motioned to her bump. “Takes me forever to do anything.” She grabbed a plate and filled it with cheese, and I left her to her cravings while I went to look for the wine.

I found my favorite bottle in the wine fridge that Mom had moved in from the kitchen and walked up to Verity who was now leaning over the candy bowl.

“Okay, you’re gonna knock everything off there,” I said, easing her back up to standing. “Mind your step. Someone has spilled something there on the floor. I’ll sit you down and clean it up.”

Verity looked down, then up, then down, then up again.

“What?”

She pointed to the water. It wasn’t a puddle that matched a spill—it was more of a… trail, and there were larger areas where she’d been standing and eating right from the buffet.

“Oh,” I deadpanned.

“Oh,” Verity said, nodding her head. “That’s not a spilled drink, Quinn.” She looked at me. “My water is breaking.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“Merry Christmas,” Nicholas said, kissing my neck. “And good morning.”

“Mm.” I stretched out my legs and leaned into his body. “Merry Christmas.”

“Words I never thought I’d hear you say.” His words hummed against my skin as he dotted kisses over my bare shoulder, sending tingles dancing across my skin.

For the first time on Christmas morning, I didn’t have the slightest hint of a hangover from the previous nights’ party.

Your sister having her water break was kind of a party killer.

Mind you, I supposed she was the one in pain now.

“What are you doing?” I mumbled, feeling his cock harden against my back.

“What does it feel like I’m doing?” He slid his hand up my body to cup my breast. “I’m giving you one of your Christmas presents.”

I was still half-asleep, and that was probably a reason why my body reacted so willingly to him. Not that I had any intentions of stopping him, but I’d barely opened my eyes properly when he slipped his fingers between my legs and rubbed my clit.

Pleasure bolted through me, and I turned my head back to kiss him. It was a slow and lazy kiss, and that matched the way his fingers moved across my clit. I sighed into his mouth at the gentleness of it all, especially when he hooked my leg back over his and rubbed his cock against my wetness.

Everything about the way he touched me was divine, and that counted for how he eased his cock inside me and fucked me slowly. He held me hard against his body, and I gripped his arm, pressing my mouth into it.

It was a deep but gentle fuck, but it was no less amazing that the other nights we’d shared, and when my orgasm hit, it was no less intense or overwhelming than all the others.