His Christmas Cookie

“Good morning,” I say, and her face brightens as she scowls at her parents.

“Nobody could warn me?” She throws her hands up, and I walk over to give her a hug.

She buries her face in my chest as her parents fall into fits of laughter.

“I would like the floor to open up and swallow me,” she mumbles against my chest.

“Nyet.” I shake my head when she finally looks up at me. “Then you would not be here for me to tease.”

“You will never let me live this down, will you?”

I smile, not answering as I lean down and kiss her forehead. For a moment she stiffens as she looks to her parents, but at that moment they pretend to be preoccupied with tasting the donut holes.* * *“Why are you here?” She leans back as if realizing I’m in her house.

“I wanted to spend the day with you. Your mother says you are free,” I say matter-of-factly.

“Oh, am I?” She peers around me, but once again Rose is ignoring her, humming softly to herself while wiping down the counter.

“I’m a little busy.” She shrugs and tries to pull away.

“Get dressed or I’m taking you like this.” I lean in close and put my lips to her ear. “Which I wouldn’t mind.”

She pulls her robe closed and pretends to huff, but I can see her fighting a smile. I let her go, and she walks up the stairs and into her bedroom.

“I’ve always said it’s going to take a strong man to love that one,” Winter says as he leans back in his seat and reads the newspaper.

“Da.” I nod, taking my seat across from him again. “She was raised by a strong man.”

When he looks up, he smiles at me, and I have to look down at my hands. I was never close to my own father, but I would be proud to be considered Winter’s son.Cookie walks ahead of me on the sidewalk, and I reach out and take her hand. “Wait, look at this one.” I point to the window display, and this one has little houses with people ice skating around them. “It looks so real.”

“Okay, this one is my favorite,” she says, moving in close.

“You have said that about the last dozen.”

She beams up at me as she tugs me to the next one. “I can’t help it if they’re all so beautiful. Oh! This one is a hot cocoa fountain!”

She bounces on the balls of her feet, and I’ve never seen her so happy. We’ve spent the day walking around the streets of downtown and looking in the store windows. All of the businesses here convert their storefronts during the holidays, creating festive and imaginative displays.

I heard Cookie mention a few weeks ago that she hadn’t gone to see them since she was little. I don’t have many special memories from my childhood, and I thought I could borrow some of hers. I’ve spent the day imagining what it would be like to see her as a little girl with this kind of excitement. I’m not sure my heart could handle it.

Glancing up and down the street, I take her hand and lead her to a side alley between the buildings. When I take her by the hips and push her against the building, she looks up at me with mischievous eyes.

“What are you doing?” she whispers as I lean in close.* * *“Trying to control myself.” When I kiss her, she opens for me, and I taste the sweet gingerbread she had when we were ice skating.

I grab her ass with both hands, and she moans into my mouth.

“My ass is still sore from falling.”

“I told you I would kiss it better.” I rub my nose against hers, and she laughs. “Stay with me tonight, kiska. Let me kiss you again.” I cup her pussy over her jeans, and she pushes into my hand. “You are needy for me?”

“What do you expect? I’ve been staring at a hot Russian all day who keeps buying anything I look at for more than three seconds and can’t keep his hands off me.”

“You deserve to be spoiled.” I kiss her again, and her arms come up around my neck.

All day she’s melted the icy wall she had between us. I don’t know what made the turn for her, but now that she is supple in my arms, I don’t want to lose this. I’m afraid that a night away will make her change her mind, and I can’t start over. I’m desperate for her to melt into my arms and stay in my bed forever.

“Yes, but you can’t just buy me jewels. What on earth am I going to do with a tiara?”

My smile is wicked as I look down her body. “It would please me to see you dripping in diamonds.” I cock my head to the side. “And nothing else.”